Auburn chemistry alumna part of highly competitive 2022 class of Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellows – One of just 14 in the nation

For Alex Bredar, independent research has driven her to reach new heights.

Bredar was selected as part of the 2022 class of Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellows in Chemical Sciences from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. The 2022 class, which includes just 14 researchers, provides $4.3 million in funding to help develop these young scientists.

“I am thankful that Dr. Farnum pushed me to prepare me not just to graduate, but to work in a research-intensive field where I can help make discoveries and a difference,” said Bredar.

Future technology innovators construct illuminating STEM projects, test conductivity and circuitry at SCORE’s Makey Makey Camp

Rising fourth and fifth graders put their technical and engineering skills to the test by learning innovative ways to use electronics, coding and hardware at Makey Makey Camp held June 20-24 at Auburn University’s Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.

Hosted by the Southeastern Center of Robotics Education, or SCORE, the camp introduced students with a love of technology to Makey Makey—an invention kit designed to connect everyday objects to computer keys. Using a circuit board, alligator clips and a USB cable, the device uses closed loop electrical signals to send the computer either a keyboard stroke or mouse click signal. Campers participated in engaging lessons throughout the week that introduced concepts like conductivity and electronic circuitry through fun, interactive projects and daily challenges.

Reflections from the bridge: a conversation with Overtoun Jenda in celebration of the Summer Bridge Program’s 25th anniversary

This year COSAM enthusiastically celebrates the 25^th anniversary of its Summer Bridge Program–a four-week, summer program housed in COSAM’s Office of Inclusion, Equity and Diversity that assists incoming freshmen from historically underrepresented groups majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields with academic preparedness and social support to excel within the academic rigor of the COSAM curriculum.

The success and longevity of the Summer Bridge Program can be attributed to COSAM’s diversity efforts and goals–as the nation has moved toward creating a more robust STEM workforce, COSAM’s student population should reflect the diverse demographics of our state and country, and students should be provided tools to succeed in STEM during their time at Auburn and beyond. The goals remain the same as they were in 1997 when Professor Overtoun Jenda started the first Summer Bridge Program with thirty-five incoming freshmen.

Jenda, Auburn University’s assistant provost for special projects and initiatives, came to COSAM in 1988 as a professor of mathematics. As the only Black faculty member in the department, many historically underrepresented students would stop by his office for mentoring and advising, and as word of mouth spread, he often advised upwards of 40 students.

Because of this experience, in 1994, Professor Larry Wit asked him to lead a federally funded grant program at Auburn, the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, or LSAMP. LSAMP began with ten students and provided scholarship funds to increase the number of traditionally underrepresented individuals pursuing STEM.

High school teachers receive expert biology, chemistry and physics training at Alabama Science in Motion workshops

From June 20-30, Alabama Science in Motion specialists Melissa Kirkland, Roger Birkhead and Dewayne Riddle provided enriching professional development workshops for high school science teachers, with the goal of improving teacher mastery of biology, chemistry and physics subject matter and equipment use.  

Held in the Sciences Center Laboratory Building on Auburn’s campus, these workshops provided teachers from Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Elmore, Lee, Macon, Russell and Tallapoosa counties and beyond with the opportunity to network with peers—sharing both content knowledge and teaching techniques. Teachers were trained on and participated in detailed, hands-on labs that were designed for student instruction, making it easy for them to implement in their high school classrooms.

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