Dr. Cynthia Carver DeKlotz, MD - Keynote Speaker

Dr. Cynthia Carver DeKlotz was born and raised in Huntsville, AL.  She graduated from Grissom High School with honors and was named All-State in 4 sports (volleyball, swimming, and outdoor and indoor track).  She graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics.  While at Auburn, she was president of Lambda Sigma and Alpha Chi Omega sorority.  She served as a COSAM Leader and Honors Ambassador Secretary and was named to the USA Today's All-USA College Academic Team Honorable Mention.  As a Gates Cambridge Scholar, she received a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge in England.  At Cambridge, she was a member of the University Blues Volleyball Team and was selected to the English Universities Team.  In 2007, Cyndee received her Medical Doctorate, graduating summa cum laude from Georgetown University School of Medicine.  Currently, she is a resident in Internal Medicine and Dermatology at the Washington Hospital Center and Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC.

Mary Clair Thompson - Panelist

Mary Clair Thompson, of Schlater, Mississippi, completed a Bachelor’s Degree in mathematics at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, in the spring of 2007.  She began graduate studies in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Auburn University in the fall of the same year.  After finishing her Master’s Degree in Lie algebras in the spring of 2010, she chose to continue her education at Auburn by pursuing a Ph.D. in mathematics.  Upon completion of her degree, she hopes to become a researcher and professor, in which capacity she wishes to encourage other young women to pursue careers in the sciences.

Natasha Dunaway - Panelist

Natasha Dunaway received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry in 2008 from the University of West Florida. During her undergraduate curriculum, Natasha served as the 2006 – 2007 President of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society (SAACS) and was involved in the Pensacola, Florida’s section of the Women Chemists Committee (WCC). She also worked as an undergraduate researcher for the investigation of potential biologically active compounds, as a teaching assistant for general and organic chemistry laboratory courses, and as an analyst for the customization of specialty gas chromatographic systems and for the analysis of water, soil and air matrices.

Natasha is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Organic Chemistry at Auburn University. Her research at Auburn aims towards the development of selective and pharmaceutically active anticancer agents that are based on binuclear metal complexes. Throughout her graduate studies, Natasha has continued her affiliation with numerous organizations, has been highly involved in outreach programs and already published early research results in esteemed scientific journals. Natasha has been awarded the 2010 – 2011 College of Science & Mathematics’ (COSAM) Mary Ellen Mazey Fellowship, the Malone-Zallen Fellowship, and the Dow Fellowship. An instance of cancer within her family has greatly motivated her to significantly contribute to multifaceted research that may someday carry a great weight in treating diseases in today’s advanced society.

Amy Skibiel - Panelist

Amy Skibiel graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Biology from Juniata College, a small liberal arts school in Pennsylvania, in 2003 and began graduate studies in the same field at Auburn University in 2004. Her Master's degree pertained to maternal care in a hibernating rodent, the Columbian ground squirrel. Continuing with her interest in the effects of maternal care on offspring success, Amy is currently pursuing a PhD in the Biological Sciences Department at Auburn University on physiological mechanisms underlying patterns of maternal investment during lactation in the same species. She is particularly interested in the energetic and nutritional aspects of lactation in relation to reproductive demand. During her time at Auburn University, Amy has served in various leadership positions, including her role as graduate representative in the Graduate Recruitment Committee in her department and most recently as president of the Biological Sciences Graduate Student Association. In these positions, Amy has created surveys for graduate students to identify strengths and weaknesses in the departmental graduate program, facilitating recruitment efforts, and created and implemented fundraisers to raise money for travel funds for graduate students to present their research at scientific meetings. For her teaching, research and outreach, Amy has been honored within her department, the graduate school and COSAM, by being chosen as the recipient of the Department of Biological Sciences GTA award in 2008, the Margaret McNeal Arant Memorial Award in Zoology and the Graduate School's Outstanding Doctoral Student Award in 2009, and the Mary Ellen Mazey Graduate Fellowship in 2010. Upon receipt of her doctoral degree, Amy intends to pursue a career in academia, where she can continue to pique students' interest in the sciences.