Professor Holly Ellis in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry was selected as the William P. Molette Professor in the College of Sciences and Mathematics. The professorship supports superior faculty who demonstrate a strong commitment to students and to the provision of high quality instruction, research and teaching. The professorship serves to strengthen and enhance the college, and through the quality of the holder’s work, promotes a positive role model for colleagues and students.

The professorship is designed to support superior faculty in the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

An Auburn University faculty member since 2001, Ellis has developed a strong reputation through both her teaching and research. Her research is in the area of enzyme biochemistry, and Ellis’ work has been consistently funded by the National Science Foundation, including a prestigious NSF CAREER Award in the amount of $844,784 for a project titled, “Mechanism of Flavin Transfer Between the Monooxygenase Proteins.” Ellis also served as a program officer at NSF from 2011-2012, and she was elected chair for the 2018 Gordon Research Conference on Enzymes, Coenzymes & Metabolic Pathways.

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Two COSAM professors were recognized at the Auburn Alumni Association’s annual Faculty Awards luncheon on Oct. 11.

Stewart Schneller, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, received the Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lectureship Award, which is jointly sponsored by the Auburn Alumni Association and the Graduate School and is awarded to a faculty member on the basis of excellence in research. As the recipient of the award, Schneller gave the 2016 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lecture in September, which is now available to watch online.

Stephen Dobson, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, received the Alumni Professorship Award.

The Alumni Professorship Program, funded by the Auburn Alumni Association, recognizes tenured faculty members for their exceptionally meritorious contributions to the institutional missions of the University. Nominees must be tenured faculty members in the year of their nomination, with direct responsibilities in two or more of the institutional missions of instruction, research, and outreach. Nominees must have demonstrated exceptionally meritorious performance, distinctive competence, and potential for continued high productivity and excellence in at least two of the three institutional missions. 

(Pictured from left to right: COSAM Dean Nicholas Giordano, Schneller and Dobson)

Lori Bell, office associate in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, has been named a Spirit of Excellence award winner for October 2016.

Spirit of Excellence is a monthly award from Human Resources given to employees in the areas of service/maintenance, secretarial/clerical, technical and administrative/professional. The award recognizes employees who perform above the requirements of their position to improve service, quality and the department’s image; exemplify professionalism and dedication to excellent service by putting forth extra effort; provide outstanding contributions of significance to the university or department’s mission; achieve accomplishments that exceed normal expectations; or have outstanding business contributions of significance. Monthly winners are eligible to receive the Employee of the Year Award, announced at the annual Employee Recognition Award ceremony in the spring.

The Auburn University chapter of the National Academy of Inventors, or NAI, held its sixth annual luncheon on Oct. 12 at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.

This year’s keynote speaker was Dave Worley, professor emeritus of chemistry and biochemistry. Worley’s talk described his experience working with a start-up company based on antimicrobial chemicals that he and his students produced. A past recipient of the Auburn University Excellence in Innovation Award and one of only three fellows of the National Academy of Inventors currently at Auburn University, Worley continues to conduct research on antimicrobial substances.

Auburn was one of the first institutional members of the NAI, formed in 2010 to promote inventorship, enhance visibility of academic technology and innovation, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate inventions to benefit society. NAI has grown rapidly over the past six years to a membership of over 200 of the most prestigious academic institutions in the U.S., as well as numerous international organizations.

Criteria for individual membership include being an inventor on an issued U.S. patent and having an affiliation with an NAI member institution. The Auburn chapter currently has 62 members. Those interested in attending the luncheon and/or becoming an individual member of the Auburn chapter should contact Jan Thornton, director of Innovation Advancement and Commercialization, at thornjd@auburn.edu. Affiliate membership is also open to non-university employees who are inventors on U.S. patents.

"We welcome interested persons to the luncheon and encourage qualified individuals to consider joining the Auburn chapter," said Christopher Easley, president of the Auburn Chapter and the Knowles Associate Professor of chemistry and biochemistry.

For more information on the local chapter, visit the website at http://wp.auburn.edu/nai-au/.