News

February



Auburn University Ph.D. Student Studies Ancient Southeastern Climates to understand the Modern Climate Change Implications for the Future

Leah Travis-Taylor

02/26/2020

Leah Travis-Taylor is a new Ph.D. student at the Auburn University Department of Geosciences. Leah completed her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees at the University of Alabama and her studies focused on the behavior of ancient, extinct marine reptiles in the ecosystems that sustained them during a past warm climate. Her research adds perspective on the implications of climate change on modern-day marine reptiles.  Leah’s grandmother is a citizen of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama, and Leah is actively involved in SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science).  Now at Auburn University, Leah specializes in the study of ancient climates (paleoclimatology), and her research investigates past precipitation variability in the Gulf of Mexico region from evidence found in stalagmites.  Stalagmites are rock formations common in limestone caves, that form from material deposited from water dripped from the cave ceiling. Stalagmites are layered and can provide clues into changes in past hydrology and precipitation going back thousands of years.

Click here to read more...


COSAM Staff Spotlight - Joyce Hung

Joyce Hung

02/25/2020

Joyce Hung is the Director of Instructional and Research Laboratories in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Learn more about her in this COSAM Staff Spotlight: 

Click here to read more...


Auburn’s Arboretum Holds Plants and Precious Memories

Katherine and Stan Manush

02/25/2020

While the Donald E. Davis Arboretum is home to a plethora of native Alabama plants and habitats, it also holds the memories of many members of the Auburn Family.

Click here to read more...


Senior COSAM Student to Pursue Rural Medicine

Jacob Meghee

02/25/2020

Auburn University senior Jacob Megehee was interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist through the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) when he chose to attend Auburn. Originally from Scottsboro, Ala., Jacob said he fell in love with Auburn’s campus after visiting for the first time.

Click here to read more...


Graduate Student Inspires Girls to Become Future STEM Leaders

Akliah Alwan

02/25/2020

“The EmpowHER Conference was an inspiring experience for me,” shared Akilah Alwan, a graduate student in the Department of Geosciences. “The room was full of female middle and high school students that are proof that girls in the state of Alabama have bright futures in science.”

Click here to read more...


Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Creates Vibrant Active Learning Space

Active Learning Classroom

02/25/2020

“The new Collaborative Space for Learning encourages students to ask questions, work as a team and develop good study habits explained Dr. Vanessa Falcao, lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Click here to read more...


Succeed Conference Highlights STEM Paths for Students

Succeed Conference

02/25/2020

“As a graduate student, I only knew academia,” said Dr. Haruka Wada, associate professor in Biological Sciences, at the Succeed Conference held on February 17th. “I don’t want graduate students to graduate and say, ‘now what?’ Having a degree shouldn’t narrow your opportunities, it should widen them.”

Click here to read more...


Hoang receives 2020 Dr. Robert K Butz Award for Excellence in Teaching

02/24/2020

Dr. Thi-Thao-Phuong Hoang is the recipient of the 2020 Dr. Robert K Butz Award for Excellence in Teaching.   Congratulations Phuong!

Click here to read more...


Marie E. Strader, Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences

Marie Strader

02/18/2020

Dr. Marie E. Strader joined the Auburn University Department of Biological Sciences as an assistant research professor in August and brings with her the knowledge of an integrative biologist that studies how the environment shapes organismal traits.

Click here to read more...


EmpowHER Conference Encourages Girls to Passionately Pursue Science

02/18/2020

“Women being so determine to change the world with science,” responded an eighth grade student when asked what stirred her interest at the first EmpowHER Conference.

Click here to read more...


Meet Some of the 2019-2020 COSAM Leaders!

COSAM Leaders

02/18/2020

COSAM Leaders is a group of COSAM juniors and seniors who serve as the official student representatives of the college. Comprised of eight men and eight women, COSAM Leaders promote resources and events within the college, engage with faculty, staff and alumni, host distinguished visitors, present awards, and recruit prospective COSAM students, among other tasks.

Click here to read more...


Monika Raj - Only Researcher in Alabama Named as 2020 Sloan Fellow

Monika Raj

02/18/2020

Congratulations to Dr. Monika Raj, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, on her selection into the prestigious 2020 cohort of Sloan Research Fellows.

Click here to read more...


Passion for Teaching Inspires Educator to Return to the Classroom as a Student

Josh Hall.

02/11/2020

“I left teaching to learn more about how science works,” explained Josh Hall, a doctoral student in the Department of Biological Sciences. “By understanding more about science, I can be a better educator impacting students and preparing them for bright and rewarding futures.” 

Click here to read more...


Auburn Hosts SIAM Southeastern Atlantic Section Conference

SIAM

02/11/2020

Auburn University will host the 44th Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) Southeastern Atlantic Section Conference on March 14-15, 2020.

Click here to read more...


Physics Students Form Auburn Astronomical Society

Students at the First Astronomy Meeting

02/11/2020

Auburn University students Rachel Fulda and Johannes Allen both share a passion for astronomy. Fulda, a freshman majoring in physics, and Allen, a junior double-majoring in physics and aerospace engineering, met through the Society of Physics Students and bonded over the idea to start an organization centered around space.

Click here to read more...


Physics Post-Doc Analyzes Data to Provide Insight on Solar Winds and Magnetosphere

02/11/2020

“Through my work, I help provide a better picture of how solar winds impact the Earth,” shared Dr. Feng Shi, a post-doctoral student in the Department of Physics. 

Click here to read more...


COSAM Alumnus Leads Technology and Science Division for the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Federal Grain Inspection Service

Ed Jhee

02/11/2020

Auburn University alumnus Dr. Ed Jhee combines hard work with leaps of faith as he takes on new challenges in his career with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Click here to read more...


It’s Almost Here: Tiger Giving Day 2020

Tiger Giving Day

02/11/2020

In just one week, Tiger Giving Day will take place on Wednesday, February 19, 2020. The College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) will have two projects for this year, an amphitheater at Auburn’s Arboretum and SynDaver Anatomy lab models. Learn more about these two projects:

Click here to read more...


Auburn Alumnus Travels More Than 4,000 Miles for Peace Corps and Meets Fellow Alumnus

02/04/2020

Adam Brasher, a 2018 College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) graduate, embodies the human touch as he continues serving the Peace Corps in Guyana.

Click here to read more...


Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification

Carnegie Classification Image

02/04/2020

The College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) continues to achieve an array of exciting awards and accolades as I highlighted in my December 2019 message. As we enter another great year of Auburn excellence, the university has announced an important outreach milestone.

Click here to read more...


Natural History Museum’s Amphibians, Reptiles Collection Continually Growing

02/04/2020

The origin of the amphibians and reptiles collection at the Auburn University Natural History Museum dates back to the late 1940s and early 1950s. The collections were first developed by John S. “Jack” Mecham, were further developed by George Folkerts as he finished his dissertation at Auburn, expanded greatly during the tenure of Robert H. “Bob” Mount, and were brought into the digital age during the tenure of Craig Guyer.

Click here to read more...


Computational Chemistry Graduate Student Takes Her Skills to a Post-Doc Position at Virginia Tech

02/04/2020

Monika Kodrycka’s doctoral research in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry focused on improving calculations of dispersion forces between weakly interacting molecules.

Click here to read more...


Auburn Researchers Awarded $590k Grant from NASA

Students in the Lab working with a NASA grant.

02/04/2020

Auburn University Biological Sciences Professor Dr. Mark Liles, an undergraduate student, and a recent graduate of the Auburn University College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) have recently been awarded a $590,000 grant from NASA to conduct research as part of the Planetary Protection team for the Europa Lander mission.

Click here to read more...


Message from Dean Giordano – February 2020

COSAM Dean Nicholas J. Giordano.

02/04/2020

Giving back to the Auburn community not only enrichens the lives of our students and local residents, it creates a positive impact and promotes helping the common good among everyone.

Click here to read more...