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A Message from the Dean

Nicholas Giordano

The beginning of the Fall semester is always an exciting time, with new students and new faculty joining the campus. The College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) is welcoming nine new faculty in the Departments of Biological Sciences, Geosciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics. (The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry did not hire any new faculty this year, after adding six new faculty in the past two years.) These nine new faculty will be joining a cohort of terrific young faculty that have joined COSAM in the past several years. The strength of these new assistant professors bodes well for the future of our college.

In addition to new faculty, we have a new building that is well on the way to completion. The expansion of the Leach Science Center is scheduled for opening during the Spring semester of 2019. Progress on the project can be followed on the construction camera accessible at aub.ie/leachaddition. I hope you enjoy watching as the new building comes to life.

Three departments in COSAM have new leadership. Jason Bond, the former chair in Biological Sciences, left Auburn in July to take an endowed professorship at the University of California, Davis. Scott Santos is the new chair of Biological Sciences. In the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, TY Tam has departed to become a named professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Nevada, Reno. Ulrich Albrecht is the interim chair of that department, with a search now underway to name a permanent replacement. While I am sorry to see Jason and TY leave, I want to thank them for the outstanding leadership they have provided for COSAM. Mark Steltenpohl has stepped down as chair of the Department of Geosciences. Mark has served his department for nearly eight years, and has returned to a regular faculty position. He has been replaced by Ming-Kuo Lee, who was selected for the position in a search conducted this past fall. Mark has provided outstanding leadership; he was instrumental in the establishment of the new Ph.D. program in Earth Systems Science which was officially open for students in August, and we thank him for all that he has accomplished.

Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to express my personal thanks to all those who participated and helped us exceed the $30 million goal for Because This Is Auburn – A Campaign for Auburn University. As a result of generous support from COSAM alumni and friends, $33,592,014 was provided to help ensure continued growth of academic programs, scholarships, and numerous initiatives. The difference between mediocrity and excellence depends on private support.

I hope you enjoy reading about some of the recent accomplishments of the COSAM faculty and students in this issue of Journey magazine. I know that I speak for my colleagues in COSAM when I say that it is a great pleasure to be part of a College doing such terrific things.

War Eagle!

Nick Giordano

Dean

College of Sciences and Mathematics

Last Updated: 10/12/2018