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College of Sciences and Mathematics Faculty Receive New Awards

Several faculty members from the College of Sciences and Mathematics have recently received funding awards for research and development.

Drs. Mark Steltenphol and Luke Marzen, of the Department of Geology and Geography recently received a Vulcan Materials Competitive grant sponsored by the National Center for Asphalt Technology and the Environmental Institute.   The proposal, Generating geologic maps along the Fall Line in east-central Alabama and west-central Georgia in a GIS vector format most practicable for the mining industry, was chosen as one of two $30,000 awards. 

The award will be used to solve the lack of uniform geological maps of the area along the fall line of Alabama and Georgia.  With the urban growth of Alabama and the surrounding southeastern states, the demand for quality aggregate stone has increased significantly, however the lack of sufficient geological maps of this vital area has hampered development of new quarries and further exploration by mining companies.  

Dr. Jianjun Dong of the Physics Department was awarded $185,153.00 from the Department of Energy to further his studies in the thermal conductivity of the earth’s core minerals.  Dr. Dong will collaborate with a team at Washington University in St. Louis on the project, Collaborative First Principles Calculations and Measurements of Thermal Diffusivity for Application to the Earth's Interior.   “Our group works on the first-principles calculations, and we are collaborating with an experimental group who work on measurement,” explains Dr. Dong.

The funded research will allow Dr. Dong and his team to simulate the heat and pressure of the earth’s core using several theoretical models to learn more about the thermal conductivity of the core minerals.  Dr. Dong will be assisted in his research by a team of graduate students. “Training of graduate students in state-of-the-art techniques will be a focus, and exposure to both theory and experiment will provide a well-rounded education. The project will improve diversity in science by involving both minority and women students,” states Dong.

The United Stated Department of Agriculture awarded Dr. Aaron Rashotte, a Biological Sciences faculty member, $382,828 to research The Role of Cytokinin Regulated Transcription Factors in the Development of Leaf Structure.

The research is unique as it will focus on the tomato leaf and how the hormone Cytokinin affects the shape and development of the leaf.  “Hopefully, we will gain a better understanding of how the hormone is regulated.  If we can make better leaves, we can make better tomatoes,” explains Rashotte. 

Finally, The National Science Foundation awarded Dr. Edward Thomas, Jr. $426,000.00 to conduct a study on the physics of plasmas.  The project, “The effect of ion flows on heating and instabilities in weakly coupled dusty plasmas,” will last three years and will fund research time and equipment, including an upgraded laser system.  The research will be conducted in the Auburn University Plasma Sciences Laboratory in collaboration with scientists from the University of Iowa and West Virginia University. 

Thomas, a professor in Auburn’s Physics Department has been studying plasma, “the fourth state of matter,” for 13 years. “Plasma is used in every electronic device from your computer to your IPOD,” explains Thomas. “If we can understand how plasmas interact with other material, we may be able to prevent contamination within electronic devices.” 

Thomas is also currently funded by the Department of Energy in a similar study of plasma and serves on several national advisory committees for plasma science and physics.