Message from the Deans - Planning for Fall Semester

Dear COSAM faculty, staff, and students,

In the last year, we have overcome many challenges due to the pandemic. We appreciate all of your hard work in helping us to continue to educate our students. We are committed to keeping all of our faculty, staff, and students informed of the latest updates.

On July 28, there was a message from the Provost’s Office to the faculty regarding COVID preparations for the Fall Semester.  This was followed on August 2 with the message regarding updated face covering guidelines for all interior spaces.

We understand that these messages, combined with the ongoing rise of the COVID Delta variant, low regional vaccination rates, and modifications of CDC and Alabama Department of Public Health guidelines have raised concerns for many of you.  We want to assure you that the COSAM leadership believes that the health and safety of our faculty, staff, and students are our highest priority. 

Auburn awarded $10 million by NSF to lead national STEM education initiative for disabled students

Auburn University has been awarded $10 million from the National Science Foundation, or NSF, to lead a national research effort to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education among disabled students.

The grant will support a five-year program that will grow as it progresses, says Overtoun Jenda, assistant provost for special projects and initiatives at Auburn, whose office will be administering the initiative.

Ralph Jordan Jr. awarded honorary doctorate of science degree

“Auburn is in my blood, and this is the highest honor I could possibly receive,” Jordan said. “I’m just very appreciative and humbled. I look at the list of previous honorees, and they are outstanding people, a lot of whom I knew. I just try to come close to measuring up to them and what they accomplished in their lives.”

Auburn receives $100K from NSF to upgrade instrumentation to detect environmental contaminants

Auburn University will have its first gas chromatograph and thermal combustion oven coupled with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer.

So, what is that exactly?

For Ann Ojeda in Auburn’s Department of Geosciences, this new instrument will help her research on soil and water contaminants.

“I apply and develop new methods to understand how contaminants behave in the environment,” said Ojeda. “I will be looking at toxic compounds in both water and soil to learn more about where these compounds come from and how long it will take them to degrade in the environment.”

Student Research Spotlight - Elijah Carroll

Elijah Carroll won second place in the oral presentation category, University-Wide Undergraduate Student Winners in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, during the virtual 2021 Auburn Research: Student Symposium. The spotlight series recognizes great research by Auburn students, both at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

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COSAM Today is published by COSAM's Office of Communications and Marketing. Questions? Send an email to mcg0052@auburn.edu.