Dr. William Golden has joined the senior leadership team at East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC), in Opelika, where he will serve as the chief medical officer. Golden, who has helped deliver more than 9,000 babies in his 30 years with Lee Obstetrics and Gynecology, is splitting time between EAMC and Lee OB/GYN. He will discontinue the obstetrics portion of his practice in June, but will still see gynecology patients on a limited schedule.

Golden received a bachelor’s degree from Auburn in pre-med/chemistry in 1978 and completed medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Golden is a former member of the COSAM Dean’s Leadership Council.

"The strength of COSAM lies in its faculty and students,” said Dean Nicholas Giordano. “The Dean’s Research Awards are a celebration of the many outstanding achievements of this talented group.”

For the 2016-2017 academic year, the following received Dean’s Research Awards: Jason Bond, professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences; Edward Burress, doctoral candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences; Asanka Jayawardena, doctoral candidate in the Department of Physics; Phillip Pearson, master’s student in the Department of Biological Sciences; and Claire Zhang, undergraduate student in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. The dean also recognized Mark Liles, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, with the COSAM Young Faculty Scholar Award.

Each semester, COSAM names one student to serve as the graduation marshal. This person represents the college by carrying the banner and leading the COSAM graduates in the academic procession that begins the commencement. Marshals are selected by faculty based on qualities such as an outstanding academic record and leadership qualities. Abigail Gauthier, a double major in biomedical sciences and Spanish, was selected to be the spring 2017 COSAM graduation marshal. For Gauthier, meeting the healthcare needs of the Hispanic population is both a goal and passion.

COSAM is offering five robotics camps this summer. Three of the camps will take place on the Auburn University campus, and two of the camps will take place at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham. Camps are available for rising third- through ninth-grade students, and registration is now open. Limited space is available, so be sure to reserve your spot today. The camps are sponsored by COSAM’s new Southeastern Center of Robotics Education.

Last week, students, faculty, Aubie and even pets celebrated our generous COSAM donors during Thank A-You Day. More than 300 thank you cards were written and sent to those who have helped make a difference in our students' lives.

Alpha Epsilon Delta is a national honor society for students preparing for careers in medicine, dental medicine, osteopathic medicine, optometric medicine, physical therapy, pharmacy and allied health professions. The Auburn chapter initiated 43 new members and 5 honorary members during a ceremony on April 11. Alpha Epsilon Delta is the world’s largest organization devoted to premedical education, with about 108,000 members in 168 chapters. Founded in 1932, the Alabama Gamma chapter at Auburn University was the eighth chapter to be chartered.

Overtoun Jenda, professor of mathematics and assistant provost for special projects and initiatives, gave an invited lecture at the University of Pretoria in South Africa about the importance of making adjustment to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curricula to accommodate changing societal, industrial, and other needs. The lecture was titled, “Towards STEM Curriculum Transformation in African Universities.” Jenda actively conducts research into STEM retention and graduation rates among underrepresented groups. His work is supported by the National Science Foundation, including two recent grants, “Making to Advance Knowledge, Excellence, and Recognition in STEM,” and “South East Alliance for Persons with Disabilities in STEM,” totaling approximately $5 million.  

The Freethink Tank, an online magazine with “a mission to inspire a new generation of freethinkers,” recently featured COSAM’s David Steen, a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences and researcher with the Auburn University Museum of Natural History’s Alabama Natural Heritage Program. A conservation biologist and wildlife ecologist, the feature details a chronological look at his professional journey, to date.

The College of Sciences and Mathematics, along with the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and the College of Veterinary Medicine, recently celebrated its generous benefactors, John and Rosemary Brown. Thirty students who are benefiting from their scholarships met for a luncheon to meet the Browns and share with them their accomplishments and Auburn stories. The Browns, both 1957 graduates, committed to Auburn $57 million in 2015, making the largest gift in school history. Of the $57 million, $2 million established the Rosemary Kopel Brown Chair in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

Friends of the Arboretum is a group of people dedicated to preserving Auburn’s natural heritage through their support of the Donald E. Davis Arboretum. Your participation in Friends of the Arboretum allows the garden to host educational programs for K-12 school children and the community, as well as special events, such as the annual photo contest and Halloween Bat Walk. Friends of the Arboretum also supports Auburn University students from multiple disciplines, including science, engineering, architecture, agriculture and liberal arts, who benefit from using the Davis Arboretum as a learning resource, outdoor classroom and research facility. Support Auburn through the gift of nature and join Friends of the Arboretum today!