News

October



COSAM Researcher Reunites Dozens of Baby Alligators with Mother

John with Mother Alligator

10/08/2019

Biology faculty in the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) conducts research making for some interesting stories.

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COSAM Sophomore Focuses on Cancer Research

10/29/2019

Auburn University sophomore Madeline Matheson originally to attend school at Auburn for the engineering program, but soon found her passion in the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM).

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Alumni Learn How New Leach Science Center Elevates the Student Experience

10/29/2019

After this year’s Fall Leadership Council meeting of the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) Dean Nicholas J. Giordano and Dr. Edward Thomas, Jr.  gave an inside tour of the new Leach Science Center. Members from the Leadership Council learned about this new 62,500 square-foot addition that is a core center for research on campus. “The Leach Science Center was designed to elevate the student experience and unite the entire Department of Physics,” Dean Giordano explained. The facility was built to have solid, consistent Wi-Fi in all areas.

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Alumni Spotlight: COSAM Alumnus Wins National Institutes of Health Director’s Early Independence Award

10/29/2019

Auburn College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) alumnus Zach Devries received the National Institutes of Health Director’s Early Independence Award for his research on the biology, control, and health impacts of indoor pests.

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Local Students Become Scientists at Destination STEM

10/29/2019

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Did you want to be a geologist? Did you know what a virologist does? 

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COSAM Professors Link Bird Coloration to Bird Quality

10/29/2019

Auburn University Biological Sciences professor Dr. Geoffrey Hill has studied red coloration in birds for much of his career. During his doctoral dissertation, he showed there was a link between the redness of male bird’s feathers and exceptional traits such as a better immune system and lower stress levels.

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Billor member of a team at Auburn University receiving a $3 million grant

10/22/2019

Nedret Billor is a member of a team at Auburn University that has received a $3 million grant to train students to study climate change. Other members include Lindsay Maudlin, Karen McNeal, Michelle Worosz and Susan Pan and, back row from left Kimberly Mulligan-Guy, Di Tian, Puneet Srivastava, and Christopher Burton.

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2019 - Arboretum Fall Native Plant Sale

10/15/2019

Looking for a great way to show your Auburn pride? Thinking about getting some new plants to enhance your home for the holidays? Then, check out the 2019 Davis Arboretum Fall Native Plant Sale.

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Alumni Spotlight - New Zealand Native Natasha Lloyd’s Worldwide Journey

Natasha Lloyd

10/15/2019

Within one year of her graduation from Auburn, New Zealand native Natasha Lloyd has traveled the world – volunteering her time and skills in a handful of countries across Africa. Now, she is back in the U.S., taking her passion for sustainability to Colorado State University as she pursues her MBA.

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COSAM Senior Prepares for Career as Zookeeper

Morgan Meeker

10/15/2019

Over the summer, Auburn University senior Morgan Meeker got up close and personal with giraffes, zebras, lions, and other exotic animals, fueling her desire to one day have a career as a zookeeper.

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New Class of Rural Medicine Students to Give Back to Small Towns

Rural Medicine Students

10/15/2019

Miranda Worley grew up in Grove Oak, Alabama. She relied on her small town family practitioner and saw the critical needs for students to practice in rural areas.

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Loch Selected as Alumni Professor and Reflects on the Importance of Teaching

Stuart Loch

10/08/2019

Dr. Stuart Loch, professor in the Department of Physics in the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM), is the recipient of a 2019-2020 alumni professorship.

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COSAM Staff Spotlight - Jeff Estep

Jeff Estep

10/08/2019

Jeff Estep manages the Research Electronics Support Facility in COSAM, but provides services to a variety of different groups on campus. His primary mission is to maintain and repair scientific instruments used in labs and classrooms including work on a centrifuge all the way up to X-Ray diffraction instruments. He interacts with faculty, researchers, staff, and students to try to maintain and repair instruments.  Jeff has also even completed design work for control systems and circuit interfaces.

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COSAM Junior Pursing Childhood Dream of Veterinary Medicine

Emily Brown

10/08/2019

Auburn University junior Emily Brown has aspired to be a veterinarian since she was 7 years old.

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CEO Speaks to Math Club about the Importance of a Degree in Mathematics and Statistics

Ria Persad

10/08/2019

Ria Persad, CEO of StatWeather and President of the European Chamber of Digital Commerce, visited Auburn University to share insight and speak directly with students.

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2019 COSAM Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Rosemary Kopel Brown

Rosemary Kopel Brown

10/08/2019

“Rosemary has an infectious love of learning,” explained Auburn University’s First Lady Susie Gogue, during her introduction of Rosemary Kopel Brown, the 2019 recipient of the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) Distinguished Alumni Award, at a dinner held in her honor on Friday, September 27.

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COSAM Senior to Inspire Young Students to Study Physics

Pierce Jackson

10/01/2019

Auburn University senior Pierce Jackson is fascinated by the universe. Raised by two pharmacists, Pierce assumed he would follow their footsteps into the medical field, but found a passion for learning more about space during high school.

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Research on the Go: Mobile Mitochondrial Lab

MobileMito Van.

10/01/2019

Students and faculty are taking innovation to the next level – leading the world of mitochondrial research on wheels.

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COSAM Alumna Working with Visionary Cancer Center Returns to Speak with Chemistry and Biochemistry Students

Doug Goodwin and Emily Roatary

10/01/2019

Auburn alumna Emily Roarty ’01 returned to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry to talk about her non-traditional science career path and share sincere advice with both undergraduate and graduate students. Her lecture, “From the Bench to the Boardroom: My Unexpected Journey Through Science and Administration,” took place on September 19.

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Physics Graduate Student Earns Alabama EPSCoR Graduate Program Scholars Research Award

Miles Blanchet

10/01/2019

Miles Blanchet was motivated to become a self-funded graduate student so he could focus on more in-depth research. He wrote a proposal and is the recipient of a renewable grant that will provide $25,000 per year in funding through the Alabama Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Blanchet will be able to concentrate on characterizing and investigating the physical and electrical properties of thin films grown in the very lab he works in, the Films, Interfaces, and Nanostructures of Oxides (FINO) Lab. His work will be synergistic with Prof. Ryan Comes’ research that is supported by a National Science Foundation grant. “This EPSCoR grant will help me excel towards my path to earn my doctorate degree in physics,” Blanchet explained. By examining the different properties of oxide thin films and nanocomposites, he will be able to learn more about their physical properties such as the ratio of metals in the films and the distances between atoms.  “I am really proud of Miles for how hard he has worked the past three years and the effort he put into this research proposal,” shared Dr. Comes. “He started in the lab by helping assemble vacuum hardware from nuts and bolts and has developed into an excellent scientist. His work on oxide thin films with this EPSCOR grant has the potential in fuel cells that can help create affordable renewable energy solutions.” Blanchet, who worked for three years in the semiconductor industry before returning to graduate school, shares his advice to students who are interesting in pursuing a degree in science. “A bachelor’s degree in physics is incredibly lucrative in today’s job market,” he shared. “Employers know that students who earned this degree have a solid foundation in both mathematics and science, plus have the ability to directly correlate the knowledge to real-world applications in an array of high-tech industries.”

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Message from Dean Giordano – October 2019

COSAM Dean Nicholas J. Giordano.

10/01/2019

This fall semester, the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) welcomed almost 700 incoming freshman.  University enrollment included more than 4,800 freshman and 30,460 total students in both undergraduate and graduate studies. COSAM is dedicated to continually finding new ways to help our students learn. The Engaged and Active Student Learning (EASL) classroom in the Sciences Center Classrooms Building offers an interactive learning experience for students with opportunities to collaborate in addition to a standard lecture. In the Office of Student Services, Peer Advisors and Undergraduate Research Ambassadors help students navigate questions and gain insight from seasoned students. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics has a free tutoring center for students to get help from the start of the semester. The Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity provides a drop-in center for students to study and work together throughout the day, evening and even weekends. The new Leach Science Center was designed with welcoming areas for students to study plus areas for professors to conveniently meet with students before or after classes. This summer, almost 100 students participated in the university’s Plainsmen’s Prep Program. The intensive math bootcamp helps students have a solid foundation of math concepts and applications. Of the participants, 31 moved up one math level, 10 moved up two levels and six moved up three levels saving students both time and tuition. COSAM continues to elevate the student experience with an active learning approach for its core classes. In these important classes COSAM recruits undergraduates (typically juniors and seniors) to act as learning assistants, who help students deal with challenging concepts and provide guidance during problem-solving activities. One goal is to make students more active participants in the learning process making the course more stimulating, and helping them learn teamwork and develop problem-solving skills. By offering numerous ways to engage our students, we can help students excel in COSAM courses, prepare them for graduate or professional school, find a proven path for successful careers, and become lifelong learners.

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