Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture: Stewart Schneller

Stewart Schneller, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, will give Auburn University's 2016-17 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 4 p.m. in 134 Chemistry Building.

The lecture honors a faculty member who has made significant contributions to graduate education at Auburn University. Schneller's address is titled "Antivirals: The Other Sam's Club."

"In the middle ages, philosophy was knowledge, and inquisitive individuals sought answers with guidance from learned monks in a one-on-one arrangement under trees in meadows," said Schneller. "Now 600-700 years later, I see graduate education much in the same way. The monk has been replaced by a professor, and the tree setting is now a laboratory, a studio, a theater or a quiet place for writing. In my laboratory, I seek to create an environment where the graduate students can educate themselves under my tutelage, eventually becoming peers. My award lecture gives me the opportunity to showcase some of the outcomes of this objective towards graduate education."

Schneller's research specializes in antiviral drug design and discovery. In 2014, Schneller garnered international attention for his leading drug candidate in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus.

"Bacteria, parasites, fungi and viruses are infectious agents that have always plagued humankind," Schneller says. "The ability of infectious agents to mutate and thwart existing treatments demands creative efforts to constantly combat them. Achievements in the pursuit of this goal focusing on emerging and re-emerging viral infections is the topic of this presentation."

Schneller received his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Louisville, and his doctorate degree from Indiana University. He was dean of the Auburn University College of Sciences and Mathematics for 16 years before returning as a full-time professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Schneller is the 42nd lecturer in the Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture series, which is jointly sponsored by the Graduate School and the Auburn Alumni Association. Since beginning in the 1975-76 academic year, it has developed into a major university lecture series that fosters a better understanding of the scholarly contributions made by Auburn's faculty. Nominations for the honor are solicited from the university's faculty, and the recipient is selected by a committee of graduate faculty members. The lecturer receives a $2,000 award from the Auburn Alumni Association.

Following the lecture, a reception with light refreshments will be held near the auditorium. Students, faculty and members of the community are invited to attend. For more information about the Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture, visithttp://graduate.auburn.edu/distinguished-graduate-faculty-lecture/.