When asked about Beverley Childress, her students and colleagues note her leadership, unparalleled work ethic, and commitment to her students. She is often cited as the driving force behind Auburn’s soaring medical school acceptance rates (30 percent higher than the national average!) and dental and optometry school acceptance rates that sit at 100 percent almost every year. For her efforts, Childress was honored with the 2017 Women of Distinction Administrative and Professional Staff Leadership Award, given by the Auburn University Women’s Center.

Michael McCollough, physics ’75, ’81, an astrophysicist at the Harvard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, will be the keynote speaker for the annual Duncan Memorial Lecture to be held Thursday, April 20, at 3 p.m. in 134 Chemistry. The Center for Astrophysics combines the resources and research facilities of the Harvard College Observatory, founded in 1839, and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, founded in 1890, under a single director to pursue studies of those basic physical processes that determine the nature and evolution of the universe. In his talk, “X-ray Binaries, Cygnus X-3, and its ‘Little’ Friend,” McCollough will discuss what happens to stars that violently die when they are part of a binary system, and he will review the stellar life cycle.

The Davis Arboretum at Auburn University will host the inaugural Auburn Azalea Festival on Saturday, April 15. The spring native plant sale will begin at 8 a.m., featuring the Auburn Azalea plant series. Beginning at 10 a.m., area artists and makers from The Local Market will have a pop-up shop, displaying handmade jewelry, pottery, art, photography, food and a variety of other goods for purchase. Musicians will perform throughout the day. The event is free and open to the public. All proceeds will benefit the Davis Arboretum. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.

Online orders for Auburn Azaleas can be placed at anytime. 

The 2017 Kosolapoff Award was presented to Princeton Professor of Chemistry, David MacMillan. When introducing MacMillan, COSAM’s Bradley Merner, the James E. Land Assistant Professor of Chemistry, said MacMillan is to chemistry what the Chicago Bulls were to basketball in the 1990s. He’s an all-star.

Fourteen Auburn University students and recent graduates are recipients of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, doubling last year’s number of awardees. Of the 14 awardees, two COSAM students, Abigail Bartlett, a senior in biochemistry, and Jenna Pruett, a graduate student in biological sciences, received NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. Miles Blanchet, a graduate student in physics, and Tyler Rice, a recent graduate with a degree in cellular and microbial biology, both received honorable mentions. The purpose of the fellowship program is to help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce in the United States.

Brady Augustine, applied discreet mathematics ’95, president of Aggressive Analytics, has received a Top Tigers Award from the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business.

The Top Tigers program identifies, awards and celebrates the top fastest growing companies that are led by Auburn University alumni.

Aggressive Analytics helps organizations continually improve their operations in an increasingly value-driven marketplace. 

Health data scientists and improvement experts live at the intersection of technology, medicine, and business and extract knowledge or insights from data in various forms. They translate capabilities and expectations, build teams, and use advanced data analysis techniques such as statistics, data mining and predictive analytics. 

Augustine also received a master’s degree in discreet and statistical science at Auburn. He has more than 20 years experience managing teams and budgets for private sector firms and government agencies, and has held roles in many professional societies where he has received numerous awards for his implementation and innovation. 

Biological Sciences Professor James Barbaree died on March 27. A longtime faculty member at Auburn University, his research into the transmission of diseases in airplane cabins was internationally recognized. 

COSAM Distinguished Alumna Jane Upshaw sat for a video interview and discussed her family, Pat Conroy, the Auburn Creed, and how her time as a mathematics student at Auburn prepared her to become the first female chancellor of a senior campus in the University of South Carolina system.

COSAM is now accepting nominations for the Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award. Eligible candidates will have achieved significant status in their field, whether business, academic, military, or government. Nominees should have a demonstrated history of commitment to Auburn University and COSAM. The deadline to submit nominations is May 

COSAM recently celebrated its Golden Eagles, graduates of 1967 and prior. A luncheon was held, and members of the Golden Eagles shared their experiences and careers since their time at Auburn.