Professor Curt Lindner’s passion in high school certainly wasn’t mathematics. Looking back on his journey from a 16-year-old boy growing up in Decatur, Georgia, to award-winning mathematician and world traveler, Lindner admits he never dreamed as a young man that he would have a career in academia that has lasted 48 years, and counting. He was honored in early March with the Euler Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the Institute of Combinatorics and Applications.

Auburn university’s board of trustees unanimously selected Steven Leath as Auburn’s 19^th president after a six-month national search. Leath, who is currently the Iowa State University President, begins his tenure July 15. He will replace Jay Gogue, who announced his retirement in September 2016.

COSAM’s Museum of Natural History has a dinosaur egg that is about 82 million years old. Discovered in 1970 west of Selma by a curious 17-year-old named Prescott Atkinson, it is the only dinosaur egg ever found east of the Mississippi River. The Montgomery Advertiser published a feature on Auburn’s dinosaur egg, detailing its millennia-long journey to 2017.

Women have come a long way since 1892, and we’re celebrating all of it: the pioneers who broke boundaries and opened doors for others; the brilliant stars who transcended negativity and propriety to shine around the world; the doers and dreamers who knew that this practical world runs on work, hard work. Join us in celebration and appreciation of great Auburn women from the last 125 years.

Dr. Charles “Chaz” Capra, owner of Complete Family Dental in Phenix City, hosted a free dental weekend where he teamed up with volunteer students from Columbus Technical College to offer free dental care for patients with limited to no access to dental care. Dr. Capra received an undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences in 2005, and a master’s in biological sciences in 2007, both from Auburn.

Lesley de Souza is a two-time graduate of COSAM, and she is currently working in Chicago at The Field Museum, one of the largest natural history museums in the world. The Field Museum recently featured de Souza as part of their “Women in Science” series.

de Souza received a bachelor’s degree in zoology/entomology and a doctorate in biological sciences from Auburn. As a doctoral student at Auburn, de Souza explored the remote Guiana Shield, just north of Brazil.

The Auburn Alumni Association will host Black Alumni Weekend, a four-day celebration featuring vibrant, family-friendly social events, networking opportunities, and insightful, student-led discussions, from Thursday, April 6, through Sunday, April 9. Black Alumni Weekend is an opportunity to share stories and listen to the experiences of others, as well as reconnect with the friends who became your Auburn family. Help pave the way for the next generation and be a part of something great! The registration deadline is March 31.

The one thing biology Professor Robert Boyd hopes his students gain from their time in his class is a cure for their plant blindness.

“Many students walk throughout the world filled with plants and they don’t recognize them. They see them as the green stage on which life is played. They are plant blind,” Boyd said.

For his teaching efforts, Boyd received the Gerald and Emily Leischuck Endowed Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Beginning Wednesday, March 22, the Davis Arboretum will host Weekly Wednesday Tours at 4 p.m. starting at the pavilion. Arboretum staff will walk groups through the different areas of the arboretum, and explain what plants are blooming and why native plants should be used in landscaping. Tours last 30 minutes to one hour, and guests will be able to ask the experts questions. Tours will continue each Wednesday until April 26. 

COSAM students and faculty were all over the globe last week during Spring Break. We captured video footage of several students discussing their week, which is posted on the COSAM Facebook page. We also posted a Spring Break photo gallery of images taken by COSAM faculty and students who were as far away as Japan and Ireland. Be sure to like us on Facebook and check it out!