News
April
Diversity in Science Learning Community Applications due May 1st
04/28/2015
Diversity in Sciences Living-Learning Community
Click here to read more...
2015 Arboretum Photo Contest Winners
04/28/2015
Listed below are the winners for each category. You can click on each image to view a larger version.
Click here to read more...
Congratulations Summer Bridge Counselors Selected
04/28/2015
The Summer Program is an exhaustive four-week academic enrichment and residential program designed to help students understand and adjust to the unique university culture as the first step in a successful start as freshmen at Auburn University. The program is designed to bridge the gap between high school and college by providing these students with tools needed in order to succeed and graduate in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology curricula at Auburn University.
Click here to read more...
Shen accepted 2-year postdoc position at the University of Alberta
04/28/2015
PhD student Mr. Zhongwei Shen accepted a 2-year postdoc position in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the University of Alberta. Zhongwei recently received the top international graduate student award. Professor Wenxian Shen is the major professor of Zhongwei.
Click here to read more...
Zhao accepts Actuarial Analyst position with AIG
04/28/2015
Ms. Peng Zhao got an Actuarial Analyst position at AIG. Professor Wenxian Shen is the major professor of Peng.
Click here to read more...
COSAM students, alumnus awarded National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
04/27/2015
Two COSAM students and one alumnus have been awarded prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.
Click here to read more...
David Zalik, math alumnus, by the AU Harbert College of Business
04/24/2015
David Zalik, math alumnus and son of Dr. Richard Zalik, was recognized in the luncheon meeting today (Friday, April 24, 2015) by the AU Harbert College of Business, in conjunction with Business Alabama and Warren Averett. They launched a program to recognize the fastest growing Auburn alumni-led companies.
David Zalik is the CEO, GreenSky Financial, Atlanta, Georgia. According to
Click here to read more...
Oakberg (BS in Math, '69) to receive an honorary PhD
04/23/2015
Math alumnus John Oakberg (BS in Math, '69) will receive an honorary PhD in the Spring graduation ceremony (May 9, 2015). Honorary degrees are pretty unusual at Auburn and this is surely a great honor.
Click here to read more...
Buluswar named Chief Science Officer at AIG
04/23/2015
Murli Buluswar, who received a master's degree under the direction of Jerry Veeh and Bill Hudson in the mid 90s, has been named the Chief Science Officer at AIG, the first such position at this level of seniority in any major corporation.
Click here to read more...
Flipping the Classroom: A new way to teach
04/22/2015
Auburn University's College of Sciences and Mathematics is "flipping the classroom" as part of an innovative way to teach Auburn students through a newly constructed Engaged in Active Student Learning, or EASL, classroom. Working with the Office of the Provost, the college is leading Auburn's effort on the unusual design since all Auburn students must take core classes in the college prior to graduating.
Click here to read more...
2015 SGA Outstanding Faculty Member Award to Goodwin
04/15/2015
Congratulations to Dr. Douglas Goodwin, who was recently named COSAM's recipient of the 2015 Student Government Association Outstanding Faculty Member Award.
Click here to read more...
COSAM presents Dean’s Research Awards
04/13/2015
On April 1, COSAM hosted the annual Dean’s Research Awards ceremony. This year, COSAM honored Professor J.V. Ortiz from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who gave the Research Award Lecture titled, “Orbital Concepts in Chemical Discovery.” Ortiz, who served as chairman of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry from 2006-2014, supervises a research group of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows that specializes in his area of research, quantum chemistry. The field is concerned with the prediction and explanation of the properties of atoms, molecules, and solids using computers, principles of physics, and mathematical methods. His group is engaged in the derivation and programming of new quantum mechanical methods for calculating molecular spectra. A special emphasis has been the development of ab initiopropagator theories, which combine the rigor of many-body formalisms with chemically perspicuous orbital concepts.
Student recipients of a Dean’s Research Award include the following:
Doctoral candidate Paul Zwack from the Department of Biological Sciences: Zwack is a graduate research and teaching assistant who began working with his mentor, Associate Professor Aaron Rashotte, as an undergraduate in biological sciences. Zwack’s research in plant hormones has led to the identification of a novel regulatory gene that delays leaf senescence in the model organism Arabidopsis, as well as in tomato plants. He has also demonstrated a previously unknown interaction between the plant hormone cytokinin and stress response signaling.
Master’s student Peter Starnes of the Department of Geosciences: Starnes area of research is arsenic sequestration.
Undergraduate student Rebecca Vaught of the Department of Biological Sciences: Vaught is a senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in molecular, cell and microbial biology. Her primary research focuses on aspects of crustacean biology, particularly the shrimp species Halocaridina rubra, which is endemic to the anchialine ecosystem in the Hawaiian Islands. She works under the guidance of Associate Professor Scott Santos.
Also recognized at the ceremony was Orlando Acevedo who was the recipient of the 2014 COSAM Young Faculty Scholar Award. Acevedo joined the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Auburn University in 2006 and is currently the S. D. and Karen H. Worley Associate Professor. His research program focuses on the application and development of new computational tools that target organic and enzymatic catalyst design, alternative environmentally friendly solvent design, and drug discovery.
Click here to read more...
Department of Physics co-sponsors Laboratory Astrophysics for Beyond Hubble workshop
04/13/2015
The Department of Physics, along with the University of Georgia and the Southeast Laboratory Astrophysics Community (SELAC), hosted the workshop, Laboratory Astrophysics for Beyond Hubble, at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga., March 23-25. The workshop provided a forum for discussion on laboratory studies for astronomical observations from the solar system to the high red shift universe. The workshop consisted of 22 invited speakers, which included James Colgan, of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and Brendan McLaughlin, of Queen’s University Belfast. Those representing the Department of Physics were Jean-Marie Wersinger, Mike Fogle, Connor Balance, Stuart Loch, and Mitch Pindzola. Ivan Arnold, Jonathan Pearce, Bruce Li and Qianxia Wang, graduate students in the Department of Physics, gave poster presentations.
Click here to read more...
Arboretum to host plant sale April 18
04/13/2015
The Donald E. Davis Arboretum will host a plant sale on Saturday, April 18, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. The sale will feature native Alabama plants. There will be a large selection of native azaleas and wildflowers as well as some other native trees and shrubs. Blueberries will also be available. The sale will take place at the Davis Arboretum located at 181 Garden Drive. For more information, send an email to Dee Smith, curator of the Davis Arboretum, at drs0001@auburn.edu or call 332-0430.
Click here to read more...
BP Executive and COSAM alumna to give keynote at SWSM Symposium
04/13/2015
As the executive vice president of Response and Environmental Restoration for BP’s Gulf Coast Restoration Organization, Laura Folse, geology ’80, leads the operations, scientific, and technological programs within the multi-billion dollar cleanup and restoration effort BP initiated in response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident. Her team’s strategic priorities include progressing completion of the response to the accident, in collaboration with key stakeholders, and providing scientific and technical support in four key areas: the Deepwater Horizon accident response, environmental restoration, economic recovery, and building public trust in the Gulf Coast’s natural resources. Her leadership style was profiled in D. Michael Abrashoff’s book Get Your Ship Together, and she was featured in Lori Silverman’s book Wake Me up When the Data is Over. Additionally, news journalist Auberi Edler developed a French television documentary about her business and personal life titled, Something Has Really Gotta Give. Folse is active with the Auburn University Department of Geosciences’ Advisory Board, and on May 7, she will come to campus as the 2015 Marie W. Wooten Distinguished Speaker at the Society for Women in Sciences and Mathematics Symposium luncheon.
Click here to read more...
Rodger delivers invited talk at Troy University Mathfest
04/13/2015
Dr. Chris Rodger delivered an invited talk at the 9th Troy University Mathfest on Saturday, April 11, 2015.
Click here to read more...
Yu accepts Senior Risk Modeling Analyst position
04/10/2015
Master's student Mr. Baifan Yu accepted a Senior Risk Modeling Analyst position offer from Crescent Bank & Trust in New Orleans, LA. Professor Ash Abebe is the major professor of Baifan.
Click here to read more...
Counseling Interns present at EERA Conference
04/10/2015
Kristine Ramsay and Dedrick Ford, graduate students interning in the COSAM Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, presented at the Eastern Educational Research Association Conference taking place February 25-28, 2015 in Sarasota, FL. The interns presented a session on “Sustained Dialogue: The Importance of an Undergraduate Survival Seminar Series.” The authors of the session were Dr. Bianca Evans, Kristine Ramsay, and Dedrick Ford. The research on non-cognitive factors will continue thru the Spring 2015 semester.
Click here to read more...
Pannu accepts position at Lamar University
04/09/2015
Jasdeep Pannu, of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, has accepted a tenure-track assistant professor position in the Department of Mathematics at Lamar University. Pannu’s major professor is Nedret Billor.
Click here to read more...
04/09/2015
Andras Bezdek and Gina Jackson, of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, have been selected to participate in the 10-day Summer Course (Re)Design Seminar. The seminar will help faculty re-envision one course to prepare them for teaching and supporting student success in Auburn’s engaged learning environments. Participants will be awarded a professional development grant of up to $5,000 for purchases made within university-approved guidelines and within one calendar year.
Click here to read more...
Clontz accepts visiting professor position
04/09/2015
Steven Clontz, Ph.D. student in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, has accepted the position of visiting professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His major professor is Gary Gruenhage.
Click here to read more...
Lin named recipient of Robert K. Butz Award for the Excellence in Teaching
04/09/2015
Dr. Junshan Lin has been selected as the recipient of the 2015-2016 Robert K. Butz Award for the Excellence in (undergraduate) Teaching. He received unanimous support from the Faculty Awards Committee.
Click here to read more...
Ozden receives 2015 Women of Distinction Graduate Student Leadership Award
04/09/2015
Burcu Ozden, of the Department of Physics, was selected as recipient of the 2015 Women of Distinction Graduate Student Leadership Award, given by the Auburn University Women’s Resource Center. The Women of Distinction Awards honor outstanding female leaders in the Auburn community and is a tribute to her accomplishments, leadership, and the ways she serves as a role model for her colleagues and students. Ozden was recognized at the annual Women of Distinction Awards Luncheon on March 13.
Click here to read more...
Pannu accepts a tenure-track Assistant Professor position with Lamar University
04/09/2015
Ms. Jasdeep Pannu accepted a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Department of Mathematics at Lamar University. Professor Nedret Billor is the major professor of Jas.
Click here to read more...
Drs. Bezdek and Jackson chosen to participate in Summer Course (Re)design Seminar
04/09/2015
Drs. Andres Bedzek and Gina Jackson have been chosen to participate in the 10-day Summer Course (Re)design Seminar.
Click here to read more...
SCB and Honors Biology hold night swamp walk
04/08/2015
BIOL 1037 (Honors Organismal Biology) joined with SCB for a night swamp walk in Tuskegee National Forest, guided by Shawn Jacobsen, Dr. Debbie Folkerts, and Dr. Djibo Zanzot (all from DBS) and Scott Clem (current M.S. student in Entomology, DBS B.S. alumnus, and former SCB President). Nineteen students enjoyed exploring some wetland sites: Scott Clem set up blacklights to attract insects at 2 locations. We found (and heard) owls, frogs, toads, snakes, spiders, insects, fungi, and even explored some of the plant diversity encountered by flashlight. Students learned a lot about the many biological groups encountered during several hours spent exploring the sites.
Click here to read more...
Lin receives 2015-2016 Robert K. Butz Award for the Excellence in (undergraduate) Teaching
04/07/2015
Dr. Junshan Lin has been selected as the recipient of the 2015-2016 Robert K. Butz Award for the Excellence in (undergraduate) Teaching. He received unanimous support from the Faculty Awards Committee.
Click here to read more...
04/07/2015
Our PhD student Mr. Steven Clontz accepted an offer of a Visiting Assistant Professor position at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Professor Gary Gruenhage is the major professor of Steven.
Click here to read more...
Microbiology Club hosts Cheese and Wine Field Trip!
04/07/2015
Release Short Summary: Students in the Auburn University Microbiology Club enjoyed an outing on Saturday, April 4th, to visit local businesses outside of Notasulga, AL that make goat cheeses and wines. The Bulger Creek goat farm was the first visit where students could pet, hold and feed baby goats (“kids”), had a tour of the goat milking operations where a few students like Stephen Ghavam practiced their hand at goat milking, and then had a tour of cheese making and got to taste several goat cheeses. The chèvre was the biggest hit! Next students visited the Whippoorwill Vineyards where they had a tour of the vineyards and the winery (see Robert Williams and Katie Goebel at the Wine Tanks) before sampling the different available wines. At each visit students learned about the microbiology issues faced by business owners, such as how they pasteurize goat milk, the use of starter cultures for goat cheeses, the pathogen pressure that influences grape varieties that will grow in the area, and how wine is fermented and aged.
Click here to read more...