Today
Letters & Sciences College of Letters and Sciences Highlights Vol. 9 - Spring/Summer 2017
Graduation Ceremonies Return to Campus! (page 2)
Farewell to Professors Neal McCrillis & Dan Ross (pages 2 & 3) Lab Science Building Groundbreaking (page 7) New Food Science Track (back cover) Also in this Issue Dean’s Welcome – 2 | Community Partnerships – 4 | Recent Events – 6 Student Spotlights – 9 | Alumni Spotlight – 13 | Faculty Spotlights – 14
Dean’s Welcome
A Fond Farewell to Neal McCrillis By Dr. Daniel Ross, Professor of English
Congratulations May 2017 graduates! My mother always emphasized the importance of an education and whatever educational successes I have, I attribute to her and other mentors in my life. Like many of our graduates featured on the cover of this issue, I am a first-generation college graduate. Indeed, as stated in the Declaration Dr. Dennis Rome, COLS Dean. of Human Rights, education is a vital human right that plays a significant role in human, social, and economic development. In fact, restricted access to education is a sure way of transmitting poverty from generation to generation. Last year (2016), the United States Census Bureau published a report entitled, The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of WorkLife Earnings. This report related that people who have only obtained a high school diploma will earn, on average, $1.2 million during their lifetime; those obtaining a bachelor’s degree earn $2.1 million over a lifetime; and those with a master’s degree will earn $2.5 million. A livable and comfortable wage is not the only benefit of higher education. College graduates, on the average, have increased life expectancy rates, are more likely to participate in civic duties including voting, have greater access to social networks, are less violent, and overall have higher life satisfaction and happiness quotients. Our graduates are now positioned to improve their lives and make meaningful contributions to families, communities, and no doubt -- our nation. In a riveting keynote speech, Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley implored our graduates to achieve and succeed “with education in hand” and to “dream big, go forward and transform!” I am comforted in knowing that our graduates are ready for this challenge.
2
Dr. Neal McCrillis left CSU in February to become Associate Provost for International Education at the University of Illinois, Chicago. During his nineteen-and-a-half years on our campus, Dr. McCrillis had an important impact on students and faculty. When he came to CSU in 1998, the university had no office of international education, no international partnerships, and no study abroad programs. This year more than 200 CSU students will study abroad in countries all over the globe. CSU also has a thriving Center for International Education with several employees who develop programs, advise students, and create international relationships. With the generous support of Kyle Spencer, CSU has become one of a handful of American universities with a permanent house in Oxford, England. The Spencer House provides a wonderful place for students to take short summer courses or to enroll for a year at one of the world’s great universities. The impact of Dr. McCrillis on CSU students extends far beyond study abroad. We have a successful program that brings dozens of international students to campus. Each year international professors in European and Latin American Studies bring their expertise to CSU classrooms. Many students enroll each semester in international learning communities and an international certificate program. These students learn about international cultures and topics both in and outside the traditional classroom, as they attend lectures, films, and discussions with international students. Dr. McCrillis built a fine international program at CSU primarily because he worked so well with others. He created coalitions within every college of the university. He helped many faculty members broaden their international expertise so they could teach more effectively. CSU is a much different university than it was twenty years ago, but no one has left a deeper footprint over that time than Dr. Neal McCrillis.
Dr. Neal McCrillis standing by the Center for International Education.
Letters & Sciences Today Editor/Writer - Barbara Hunt Circulation Coordinator - Jill Carroll College of Letters and Sciences, LeNoir Hall Carroll_Jill@columbusstate.edu Design & Layout - MidMedia LLC
Letters & Sciences Today
Leaving CSU a Better Place: The Retirement of Dr. Dan Ross By Dr. Jim Owen, Professor of English After 28 years as a faculty member at CSU, Dr. Dan Ross, Professor of English, retired from full-time teaching at the end of the spring 2017 term. Dan’s career spans four decades in higher education as a dedicated and admired teacher, as a published and respected scholar, and as a valued colleague and friend. Dan came here with a PhD from Purdue University and an MA and BA from The University of Georgia. His graduate studies were in 19th-Century Victorian and Romantic Literature, but his love of literature and of learning has led him to studies far afield from the topics of his graduate work. He has edited a volume of essays on the Southern novelist William Styron; his interest in Asian Literature led to his enrolling in the Japan Studies Institute in San Diego; his interest in Irish Literature sparked his participation in an NEH Summer Research Institute on “Anglo-Irish Identities”; and for years he served as editor of American Notes and Queries. Most recently, Dan has been actively involved in the study abroad programs of CSU’s Center for International Education (CIE), co-directing the European Council Study Abroad Program in London for five years. He has taken on a major leadership role in the CSU Study Abroad Program in Oxford, serving as the first Site Director for CSU’s Spencer House. Dan and Cindy, his wife, had two children—Benjamin and Melanie. Benjamin passed away in 2014, and the Ross family established a scholarship in his memory. (See sidebar story.) When Dan retires, he and Cindy will have many opportunities to travel the world together and to spend time with Melanie in California. Our graduates know that he gives freely of his time outside of the classroom; he served as one of the first advisors to the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society. He has directed more than his share of Honors Theses, and he has led more study abroad groups than any other member of our department. He was one of the first faculty members in our department who recognized the importance of World Literature in the general education core, and Dan took the word “world” seriously: when he teaches the World Literature Survey, students encounter works such as Gilgamesh, The Story of the Stone, and the Bhagavad Gita. In addition to being an outstanding teacher, Dan has dedicated much of his time to serving our university, a fact that was recognized when he received the Faculty Service Award in 2007. His leadership role at CSU began only five years after he arrived on campus when he became Chair of the Department of Language and Literature in 1995 and continued in that
position for five years. He has served multiple times on the Faculty Senate, chaired CSU’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, and chaired many major search committees. Moreover, he has mentored many young faculty members through the difficult transition that occurs when they are thrust into the daunting task of doing the work necessary to meet the Dr. Dan Ross, Professor of English, retires standards for tenure after 28 years at CSU. and promotion. Many CSU faculty have turned to him for help in their academic journeys, and I know first-hand how willingly Dan helps his colleagues through navigating the often murky waters of an academic career. When I interviewed at Columbus College in spring 1995, Dan chaired the search committee, and he immediately made me feel welcome on campus. I have been grateful for Dan’s friendship for more than 20 years. We’ve sat in the bleachers of Turner Field on summer afternoons, and we’ve traveled together as members of the College English Association and as leaders of summer programs at CSU’s Spencer House in Oxford. We’ve watched Pedro Martinez pitch against John Smoltz at Turner Field, and we’ve shared our students’ awe at Mark Rylance’s performance as the Duke in Measure for Measure at the Globe Theatre in London. Even though Dan will remain employed part-time next year with the CIE as an interim director of the Oxford Program, when he turned the lights out on his last class this term, he retired from the primary role of teacher and campus leader that he took on faithfully and admirably for almost 30 years. His students and his colleagues will miss him. Faculty members come and go; only a few become such integral parts of their departments that it is hard to imagine what life on their campuses will be without their daily presence—Dan leaves CSU a better place than it was when he came here in 1990.
Show Your Appreciation for Dr. Ross! Help recognize Dr. Ross’ retirement by donating to the scholarship set up in his son’s memory, The Benjamin Ross Study Abroad Scholarship. Contributions can be made online at giving.columbusstate.edu or by contacting Jill Carroll, Development Director, at 706-565-7874 or Carroll_Jill@ColumbusState.edu.
Letters & Sciences Today
3
Community Partnerships Generous Contribution from Georgia Power Supports Scholarships The Georgia Power Foundation recently made a contribution to support scholarships for CSU students in business and the UTeach Program, which prepares secondary teachers in the STEM disciplines. Representatives from Georgia Power visited the main campus in February to present a $30,000 check to students, faculty, and staff from the College of Letters and Sciences and the Turner College of Business. The Georgia Power Foundation focuses its charitable giving on four general areas – health and human services, education improvement, environmental stewardship, and arts and culture.
Students from the College of Letters & Sciences and Turner College of Business were presented with a check from Georgia Power representatives Jason Cuevas (West Region President), Chris Gray (Sales Manager), and Don Martin (CSU’s Key Account Manager).
Cott Night with the Cougars For the second year in a row, the College of Letters and Sciences hosted Cott Beverages’ employees and their families for Cougar basketball home game action at the Lumpkin Center. The Cougars and Lady Cougars both won their games, the last of the regular season, against Georgia Southwestern (88-75 and 81-56, respectively). It was a wonderful way to celebrate the senior class. The Lady Cougars went on to win the Peach Belt Conference tournament title and the NCAA Southeast Regional championship. We look forward to seeing our teams in action next season!
At left, Cott employees test their lay-up skills during the game’s half-time contest; Cott’s HR Manager, Kitty Stevens, poses with Cody the Cougar before the men’s game.
4
Letters & Sciences Today
Community Partnerships CSU Agreement Streamlines Med School Enrollment By Greg Hudgison, University Relations Columbus State University and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) formally signed an articulation agreement that will guarantee admission for up to five students annually into VCOM’s Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program. “This agreement begins a new era of opportunities for CSU students on their journey to becoming successful physicians,” said CSU President Chris Markwood. “The pathways provided by this agreement between CSU and VCOM will likely result in more newly-trained physicians returning to our communities to provide exceptional medical care.” VCOM’s Chairman of Board John Rocovich added, “Our goal is to provide a conduit to a top-notch educational facility that expands on the foundation laid by CSU’s program to produce successful physicians in medical school and beyond.” To be eligible for the guaranteed acceptance program, students must have a GPA of 3.4 or higher after completing all required pre-medical coursework, required community service and health care volunteer hours. CSU students will also have access to an early acceptance program during their second year that allows them to matriculate to VCOM contingent on meeting the standards and graduating from Columbus State University. VCOM has medical school locations in Virginia, South Carolina and Alabama.
Competitive Premedical Studies Program director Katey Hughes, VCOM Board Chairman John Rocovich, CSU President Chris Markwood, and Dean Dennis Rome sign the articulation agreement between CSU and VCOM.
Premed students witnessed the signing of the articulation agreement between CSU and VCOM.
Columbus City Manager Teaches Class By Alex Jones, student The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is thriving on Columbus State’s campus. It is a degree for graduate students pursuing a career in areas such as government agencies, health organizations, justice administration/law enforcement as well as not-for-profit organizations. This semester, Columbus’ City Manager, Isaiah Hugley, is taking a role in the program. He is sharing his insights from his time working with the city to teach a course on City Management, which covers key issues facing the city of Columbus. Mayor Teresa Tomlinson served as a guest lecturer during the class. This course is providing students invaluable opportunities to meet and learn from city leaders. MPA program director, Dr. Fred Gordon, explained that he and Dr. Dennis Rome, Dean of the College of Letters and Sciences, met with Mr. Hugley to ask him to teach the course. “It’s all about building relationships,” said Dr. Gordon. Mr. Hugley is scheduled to teach the same course again during the upcoming fall 2017 semester. “He is a great asset to the MPA program,” asserted Dr. Gordon. Mr. Isaiah Hugley, City Manager for Columbus, Georgia.
Letters & Sciences Today
5
Recent Events Carson at 100: The McCullers Centennial Celebration • The Birthday Event at the RiverCenter Columbus State University and a myriad of community partners celebrated the birthday centennial of noted author Carson McCullers on Sunday, February 19, during a showcase event in the RiverCenter’s Bill Heard Theatre that included birthday cake, champagne, music, monologues, skits and the directorial debut of a new short film. The celebratory event consisted of the performance of a play by CSU professor Carey Scott Wilkerson, an intermission of champagne and birthday cake, and the viewing of A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud., the directorial debut of a short film by actress Karen Allen. Her film is based on Carson McCullers’ short story of the same name. Wilkerson’s play consisted of four monologues featuring Marcia Faith Harper as Carson McCullers, each monologue triggering something significant in McCullers’ life. The monologues embraced events that spanned 1917-35, 1935-45, 1946-52, and 1953-67. The first event triggered was Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in D flat
Marcia Faith Harper (as Carson McCullers) performs a monologue at the Feb. 19, 2017 celebration.
Major that she had played; the second, a score she loved (Beethoven’s Quartet No. 13, B flat Major); the third, a scene from a play she wrote (The Member of the Wedding); and the last, an orchestral composition (Romeo and Juliet Suite) by a friend, David Diamond. The event was presented by CSU’s
Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians, Department of Theatre, and Schwob School of Music. Sponsors included the NEA Big Read, the Georgia Humanities Council, the Columbus Cultural Arts Alliance, The Columbus Museum, iHeart Media, The LedgerEnquirer, and WRBL News 3.
• Common Read Discussion with Karen Allen and Nick Norwood On February 20 in CSU’s University Hall Auditorium, Dr. Nick Norwood, director of the Carson McCullers Center, interviewed Karen Allen concerning her career (her films include Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Sandlot, Scrooged, and Animal House), her affection for Carson McCullers, her interpretation of key characters in The Heart is A Lonely Hunter, and her approach to directing A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud.
Other McCullers Events
Dr. Nick Norwood, director of CSU’s Carson McCullers Center, moderates a Q & A with actress and director Karen Allen.
6
Events related to the 100th birthday celebration of Carson McCullers started in late January and ended in late February, ranging from book clubs, exhibits, chess lessons and meetings, programs in sign language, showings of four feature films based on McCullers’ works, lectures, and keynote events. Orchestrating the 29 events of the birthday celebration was Dr. Nick Norwood, a professor in the Department of English, and his student assistant, Cailee Davis.
Letters & Sciences Today
Recent Events
Members of the local and state legislative delegations joined donors, CSU representatives, and members of the LeNoir family at the ground-breaking ceremony marking the start of construction on the new lab science building.
Breaking New Ground for Student Engagement in Science After several years of anticipation, CSU celebrated the start of construction of a new lab sciences building with a ceremonial ground-breaking ceremony in April. Once completed, the facility will provide six state-of-the-art science teaching laboratories and several student study spaces. Some renovation of the existing lab building, LeNoir Hall, will be included in the project, which is expected to be completed by fall 2018. LeNoir Hall is named for Dr. William “Bill” LeNoir, who twice served as acting president of Columbus College, now Columbus State University, during his 34-year career as a botany professor. He retired as dean emeritus in 1995, and he died at age 86 in August 2016 in Loudon, TN. The university received $11.3 million in state appropriations for the new 22,000-square-foot facility. An additional $2 million in state funding was recently approved by the legislature for equipment and furnishings. A $2 million match of private funds will also contribute to the project budget. The new labs will better serve undergraduate and graduate studies, facilitate significant growth in the sciences, and greatly assist faculty members – some of whom are doing internationally recognized research. The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by State Rep. Earl Ehrhart, who chairs the Higher Education Subcommittee on the Appropriations Committee in the Georgia House. Dr. LeNoir’s widow, Jane, and daughters, Kathy and Mollie, travelled to Columbus for the occasion.
Letters & Sciences Today
Glenn Stokes, biology professor and interim associate provost, was the first faculty member to move into LeNoir Hall when it opened in 1989. He was the faculty liaison during the planning and construction of that building, and is serving in this same role for the new facility. During the recent ground-breaking, Stokes explained that, when it opened, LeNoir Hall was a state-of-the-art facility in the teaching of the natural sciences. He described how the sciences Biology/math major, Michael have grown at CSU over the past Rohly, shares his perspective 28 years: on the need for additional lab • Growing from two space and updated research departments (biology and equipment. chemistry/geology) to three (biology, chemistry and earth/space sciences, comprising eight new major programs, plus graduate tracks). • Expanding from 20 faculty members to more than 40. • Increasing from 120 student majors to approximately 700. The number of non-majors taking core classes has quadrupled. • Focusing on research at both undergraduate and graduate levels. (continued on page 8)
7
Recent Events (continued from page 7) “We don’t have the facilities in the older building to meet the demands of the students and their new disciplines,” Stokes said. “With the new facility we will have spaces that are modular and flexible [can be reconfigured easily with moveable equipment]. This will greatly enhance opportunities for students to collaborate on research with each other and with faculty.” CSU senior Michael Rohly, a double major in biology and math who recently received awards for his research on adult zebra fish kidney regeneration, provided a student perspective during the ceremony. He credited the faculty for making his time at CSU worthwhile and he thanked the new project’s planners, who sought student input into the construction planning process. Rohly shared, “What we, as students, have been limited by in the existing building is the space…it’s forced us to be resourceful and somewhat innovative when it comes to research. As a student who has visited other research institutions for summer programs, such as the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and this summer I’ll be attending Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to do research, I see what can happen when you do have resources, when you do have this lab space available.”College of Letters and Sciences dean, Dennis Rome,
Biology professor and interim associate provost Glenn Stokes explains why CSU is expanding and renovating LeNoir Hall.
emphasized that having a state-of-the-art facility is critical when it comes to educating the next generation of professionals in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. He highlighted that by 2018, it’s predicted there will be eight million jobs in STEM in the U.S. With the new facility and the first-class science programs available, CSU is striving to be a first choice institution in the region for programs in STEM and STEM education.
Hallock Lecture Series: Nuclear Threats to the United States By Alex Jones, student
Mr. Mark Fitzpatrick, current Executive Director for the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)-Americas, was the latest invited speaker for the Hallock Lecture Series.
The Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Administration has long hosted the Colonel Richard R. Hallock Lecture Series. This past
8
February, former United States diplomat and current Executive Director for the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)-Americas, Mark Fitzpatrick, joined the series by giving a talk surrounding nuclear threats to the United States. In addition to representing the institute throughout the western hemisphere, Mr. Fitzpatrick heads up the IISS Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Programme. With this expertise, Mr. Fitzpatrick identified five threats that he believes could potentially be capable of causing nuclear peril. These five places include Russia, China, Iran, India and Pakistan (combined), and North Korea, none of which are an immediate threat to the United States. Russia has the technology to attack through nuclear warfare. Mr. Fitzpatrick stated that he believed that Russia would not, however, attack the United States due to their rationality. “There is [a sense of] mutually assured destruction,” stated Mr. Fitzpatrick. China also has the capability and is our most likely peer competitor. Again, however, Mr. Fitzpatrick assures that China will not attack the United
States due to a “condition of mutual vulnerability.” Their growing economy puts them in a very good spot, though, to increase their nuclear arsenal. Iran and countries in South Asia, such as India and Pakistan, are also not a real threat to the United States, according to Mr. Fitzpatrick. While Iran has the production capability necessary, they also have religious objections to creating or using them. India and Pakistan also have nuclear weapons, but rather than aiming them in our direction, they have their weapons pointed at each other. Mr. Fitzpatrick says that he wishes “the two sides would get together and talk about the escalatory cycle [of aiming weapons at each other].” North Korea gives Mr. Fitzpatrick the greatest concern: “I’m afraid they’re going to miscalculate one day.” He states that they currently have nuclear weapons that they are willing to test. “If [North Korea] falls, it is going to be from the inside.” He believes that North Korea will take the first shot, not the United States, but not anytime soon. Mark Fitzpatrick’s talk proved to be a very informative addition to the Hallock Lecture Series.
Letters & Sciences Today
Recent Events A Peek at the President from Plains The Department of Politics, Philosophy and Public Administration as well as the Department of History and Geography co-sponsored a CSU trip on President’s Day to hear former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn discuss the Camp David Accords. The 39th president and first lady discussed the personal, professional and cultural challenges they faced in formalizing the historic peace agreement, which effectively ended 31 years of war between Egypt and Israel. The Camp David Accords were signed in March 1979 during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The National Park Service hosted students and professors, including Dean of the college, Dr. Dennis Rome, and Dr. Fred Gordon (chair of CSU’s Department of Politics, Philosophy and Public Administration), at the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Plains, Ga. The event also included students from Georgia Southwestern and Middle Georgia State Universities. The presentation was simulcast to schools across Georgia and to a middle and high school in Nebraska. Following their talk, the former president and first lady signed books they had authored. The talk—held at the Plains High School where President Carter attended when he was growing up—provided a unique opportunity for students to meet a president. After President Carter spoke for about 20 minutes, four CSU students were invited to ask questions during the program: Leah Seifu, Jennifer Jurkowski, Korie McDougall and Justice Elijah. One question posed was whether President Carter considered executive orders to be a blessing or a curse. He responded by saying that he saw them as an important and positive policy tool. President Carter also commented that if
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and former President Jimmy Carter at the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Plains, Ga.
he had had four more years in office, he would have secured peace between Israel and the Palestinians. “This was a really amazing experience to see a former president answer questions one-on-one, so honestly and directly,” said Seifu. “I didn’t really understand the Camp David agreement until now, so it was a great experience.” Another question concerned America’s current immigration policy. President Carter replied that immigration “is one of the reasons why America has been a strong and resilient country,” able to overcome handicaps and repair its mistakes, “because we are filled with people whose ancestors were pioneers.” “My favorite part of the presentation was watching the Carters interact with each other in such a loving and sweet way,” added Jurkowski.
Student Spotlights The Saber Wins Three Georgia College Press Association Awards The Saber, Columbus State University’s student-run news service, received three awards on February 11 for outstanding achievement in the journalistic profession. The honors were awarded by the Georgia College Press Association during the annual Press Institute in Macon, Ga. They are the paper’s first awards in at least five years. Scott Berson (Communication major) and Lindsay Marchello (English major) shared first place for Best Editorial for their story “Restricted.” Destiny Trivino (English major) received first place for Best Entertainment Feature for her photo-story “2016 Fall Fashion Trends.” The Saber received third place overall for Layout and Design Excellence. The primary layout editor at the time was Raylyn Ray. The Saber has a staff of roughly 30 writers, illustrators, photographers and editors. The faculty advisor of The Saber is Mr. Scott Wilkerson, a faculty member in the Department of English.
Letters & Sciences Today
Scott Berson shared first place with Lindsay Marchello (not shown) for Best Editorial (“Restricted”), an award given by the Georgia College Press Association.
9
Student Spotlights CSU Students Win at Southern Literary Festival CSU won five awards in this year’s Southern Literary Festival Writing Contest, more than any other school in the southeast! Formal Essay 1st Place: “A Vicious Cycle: Victorian Society as Depicted in Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Ubervilles” by Alex Chapman (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Dan Ross) One-Act Play 2nd Place: “A Commotion” by Mark C. Ray (Faculty Mentor: Scott Wilkerson) 3rd Place: “Assimilation” by Brea Walker (Faculty Mentor: Natalia Temesgen)
Faculty Cup recipient, Amber Terrell, senior mathematics and secondary education major, stands with Dean Dennis Rome prior to delivering the welcome address at the Spring Commencement ceremony.
COLS Students of Excellence
Brea Walker won third place in the Southern Literary Festival for her one-act play “Assimilation”.
Poetry 1st Place: “Valhalla, NY” by Leah Vahjen (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nick Norwood) Print Publication Honorable Mention: Arden - Editor, Cody Bishop (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Sanders) The Southern Literary Festival is an organization of southern colleges and schools founded in 1937 to promote southern literature. Each year a different school hosts the festival, an undergraduate writing conference, that offers participants workshops, readings, and master classes in a wide variety of genres, including fiction, poetry, playwriting, and non-fiction. CSU hosted the festival in 2013. This year’s event was at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, March 30-April 1.
10
These COLS students, selected as the most deserving to represent their departments, were recognized during the recent Scholastic Honors Convocation: Department of Biology – Rachel Pearson Department of Chemistry – Nicole Sikes Department of Earth & Space Science – Nicholas Garcia Department of English – Cailee Davis Department of History & Geography – Jane Mader Department of Mathematics – Amber Terrell Department of Modern & Classical Languages – Armando Fernandez Department of Politics, Philosophy and Public Administration – Hugrun Elvarsdottir Department of Psychology – Amelia Barton In addition, Amber Terrell, senior mathematics and secondary education major, won the Faculty Cup award, CSU’s highest student recognition. Amber is the recipient of multiple awards, honors and scholarships, including CSU’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, the Hallmark Cards/Hall Family Foundation Scholarship, and the TSYS Future Scholars Scholarship. Amber has served as member, vice president and president of WeTeach (the student organization of CSU’s UTeach program), and she regularly serves as a mentor for Live United Youth Council and as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, March of Dimes, Relay for Life, and local elementary schools, among others. Amber graduated in May with honors and delivered the welcome address during the commencement ceremony. She is interested in teaching in high-needs school districts and serving as an advocate for active, hands-on learning in mathematics.
Letters & Sciences Today
Student Spotlights Professor and Student Research Team Investigate Student Retention Rates in STEM By Arianna Marealle, student CSU Professor, Dr. Kimberly Shaw, and Secondary Science Education Major, Chloe Chambers, teamed up to investigate student retention rates within the STEM field. They presented their research at the American Association of Physics Teachers Conference earlier this year. “A few years ago, I was falling out of STEM and looking at leaving the field,” says Chambers. Chambers describes her struggle with STEM and talks about turning to her advisor, Dr. Shaw, for help. Dr. Shaw suggested that they cooperate on a research project together. “We discussed the previous research completed by Elaine Seymour and Nancy Hewitt,” says Chambers. “Dr. Shaw wanted to do a follow-up on their study addressing retention rates in undergraduate STEM programs.” Dr. Shaw has an extensive background in the study of the STEM field. “I have been interested in understanding gender and ethnicity issues in STEM fields for approximately 15 years,” she says. “I wanted to know why talented students would leave STEM majors.” Chambers and Shaw began researching the subject in spring 2014, and their collaboration was a great opportunity for both mentor and student to better understand this issue. Dr. Shaw mentions a widely read book on the topic, entitled Talking About Leaving, which examines this question. However, the research is conducted at research intensive universities, and given that the work was published more than 25 years ago, both Dr. Shaw and Chambers questioned whether the situation might have changed. They wondered if they would find the same thing at smaller, more teaching intensive universities. “Chloe and I have both been fascinated by this question,” says Dr. Shaw.
Likewise, Chambers was also able to rekindle her passion for her field. “Once I began the background research I was instantly hooked!” she says. “The more I read the more I realized that I was not alone in feeling the way I had felt at the time about my classes and whether or not I should continue pursuing a STEM degree.” Chambers talks about her role in the project. She recruited both current STEM students and former STEM majors to conduct personal one-on-one interviews. She asked them to discuss their experiences in their high school STEM classes compared to college. When asked what could be done to better improve the field, Chambers says the top responses given by students included: “1) Reinforcement of the practical application of the material; 2) Creating a positive learning environment by having a welcoming community within their department; and 3) Professors expressing interest in their students, in both their academic success and their success as an individual.” Chambers presented her findings
at the American Association of Physics Teachers Conference in February of this year. “It was a fantastic experience!” says Chambers. “Not only did I have the chance to learn about cool ways to teach physics, but I also received a lot of helpful feedback (as this was my first national conference presentation) and new ideas to pursue by talking to others interested in this topic.” The experience has been enriching for both professor and student. “I very much enjoyed mentoring Chloe on this research project,” says Dr. Shaw. “Having her perspective, as a researcher and as a student and as a future science teacher, has been invaluable in interpreting our results to date.” Chambers is also grateful for having had this unique experience. “If it were not for this research, I do not know if I would be graduating with a degree in earth and space science,” she says. “Dr. Shaw’s insight and advice on many things is very valuable to me… Having her take interest in this project and helping me see it through has been a fantastic experience that has, without a doubt, influenced my career.”
Chloe Chambers (left) and Dr. Kim Shaw with their poster presentation.
Letters & Sciences Today
11
Student Spotlights Finding Invasive Plant Species By Alex Jones, student Lauren Whitehurst, a graduate student in CSU’s Biology Department, has been conducting research surrounding cargo ships entering the port in Savannah, Georgia, and inadvertently bringing in invasive plant species. After taking courses focusing on plant taxonomy and conservations genetics, Whitehurst became strongly interested in plants, specifically their genetic makeup. “This research incorporates both and facilitates research that will benefit the security of the nation by assisting in the prevention of further invasive plant infestations,” she said. Whitehurst’s research focuses on sampling refrigerated shipping containers that have come into the Port of Savannah for seeds that have accidentally attached to them. She is using DNA barcoding to identify the seeds found. This technique enables identification of the plant type based on a sequence of DNA within the plant. This research allows for tracking of the volume of incoming seeds of certain plant types, which would make it easier for government agencies to monitor and contain the problem. With the information Whitehurst is providing, these agencies can determine whether or not the plants that have been intercepted should be destroyed or whether they are harmless. Whitehurst began her research in 2015. In the seven months she collected samples, she encountered 5,582 accidentally attached seeds from 331 refrigerated shipping containers. In addition, she conducted four floristic surveys, which involved collecting plants from areas around the port itself. The first of
Lauren Whitehurst at dock with gear to collect invasive plant seeds.
these surveys revealed that approximately 32% of the plant species around the port were non-native, meaning they were introduced into the area. “This is a relatively high percentage compared to the averages for similar areas,” said Whitehurst. Whitehurst plans on completing her Master’s thesis this December. After obtaining her M.S. in Natural Sciences-Biology, she plans to pursue her Ph.D. in Botany.
Student-Professor Pair Published in Mathematics Journal Bao Do, a senior mathematics major, and Dr. Alin Stancu, a CSU mathematics professor, recently coauthored a paper titled “Hochschild Extensions of Weakly (nil) Clean Rings, Fine Rings and UN-rings” in the Fall 2016 issue of Pi Mu Epsilon Journal, a peer-reviewed mathematics journal. Inspired by recent developments in Ring Theory, a branch of Abstract Algebra, Do and Stancu’s work presents a new and elementary characterization of the properties of certain algebraic structures, which are called Extensions of Rings. Research on extensions can be viewed as a type of abstract arithmetic, analogous to studying which properties of the addition and multiplication of integers are inherited by fractions. Understanding which results are preserved when one goes from a “local” to a “global” setting is an important theme in many disciplines and Do and Stancu’s Left – Dr. Alin Stancu, Professor of Mathematics; right – Bao Do, senior mathwork is a mathematical version of this idea. Namely, their ematics major. results can be used to determine under what conditions the properties of certain rings are inherited by their extensions.
12
Letters & Sciences Today
Alumni Spotlight Dr. Leslie Maxwell Kaiura, An Alumna Worth Noting “If there’s a will, there’s a way” is a cliché for many, but a meaningful reality for Dr. Leslie Maxwell Kaiura, Associate Professor of Spanish at University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), for her undergraduate degree was in English, not Spanish. Dr. Kaiura explains how she switched from one discipline to another: “I came to CSU as an English major/Spanish minor, intending to follow up with graduate school in English…and I had a fantastic study abroad experience in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in 1999 with Dr. Alyce Cook (Associate Professor of Spanish at CSU). When I was a senior, however, I was undecided about whether to apply to graduate schools or stay at CSU and pursue a teaching certificate in English.” That’s when fate intervened in the form of Dr. Cook. Dr. Kaiura says, “Dr. Cook literally took me by the shoulders one day, gave me a little shake, and said, ‘You need to go to graduate school in Spanish. You can do it!’ Then, before I knew it, she had talked me up to all of her contacts, and I was on my way – a Spanish minor leaping into the graduate program at Auburn.” She says she succeeded because the combined Spanish language study and literary analysis skills from her English major gave her great advantages in her graduate work. After earning her M.A. in Spanish Language and Literature from Auburn in 2003, Dr. Kaiura attended the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, earning her Ph.D. in 2007. Her dissertation topic was “Battered Angels: Domestic Violence in Spanish Literature, 1850−1925.” Over the years, she has given 13 presentations at conferences and published five articles. A book chapter—“Getting Away with Wife Murder: Article 438 in the Press and Popular Fiction”— has just appeared in Kiosk Literature in Silver Age Spain: Modernity and Mass Culture by Intellect Press. At UAH, Dr. Kaiura teaches a variety of classes in the Spanish major, from introductory language to literature, culture, and professional Spanish. She developed the first medical Spanish offerings at UAH, and is also an active member of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program since her research deals with gender and women’s issues. One of her favorite courses to teach is her International Cinema class on culture, gender, and sexuality in film, which is cross-listed with Women’s and Gender Studies.
Dr. Leslie Maxwell Kaiura, Associate Professor of Spanish at University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Dr. Kaiura’s areas of specialization are 19th-century and early 20th-century Spanish prose and theater, women’s and gender studies, 19th and early 20th-century Latin American literature, and medical Spanish. She says her career at UAH is progressing well, for in 2015 she was tenured and promoted to the rank of Associate Professor, and this year she is serving as Interim Chair of the department. She and her husband, Chris, have two boys, Grayson (6) and Rhys (5). She likes teaching at UAH because, as a mid-sized university, it reminds her of CSU. According to Dr. Cook, “Dr. Kaiura is one of those rare individuals who can at the same time manifest all of the traits of a devoted teacher, produce stunningly original scholarship in the precise domain of 19th-century Spanish prose written by women writers, and serve as a community servant.” “Thinking back on my time at CSU,” Dr. Kaiura says, “I’m always thankful for the English professors who gave me an excellent foundation in writing and literature, and for Alyce Cook, who saw my potential and gave me a big push in the right direction.”
Do You Know What Your Donations Have Supported? With the help of our alumni and friends, the College of Letters and Sciences has been able to provide 16 summer scholarships and other significant opportunities for our students! By giving back to CSU, you make a meaningful impact on students’ lives. Tax-deductible contributions to our scholarship funds or other programs can be made online at ColumbusState.edu/Giving. For more information about our programs and initiatives, please contact Jill Carroll, Development Director: 706-565-7874; Carroll_Jill@ColumbusState.edu.
Letters & Sciences Today
13
Faculty Spotlights Meet the QEP Fellows from COLS CSU’s QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan)—entitled “We Solve It!: Discover, Design, Deliver”— is a university-wide plan for improving student learning over a five-year period, starting in Fall 2016. Specifically, CSU’s QEP fosters students’ creative realworld problem solving skills. To that end, the We Solve It! initiative offers course grants to
Dr. Ben Kamau (Mathematics) “My QEP entailed developing a course project for MATH 2115, Introduction to Linear Algebra, that employs Linear Algebra techniques to explore and model weather systems in Columbus, GA, during spring 2017. The project will incorporate image processing, Matrix Algebra and modeling of weather data to describe and predict local weather phenomena. This project is in collaboration with Chief Meteorologist Bob Jeswald (CBS) WRBL-TV Columbus, GA. These exploratory activities are targeted to improve students’ confidence in their abilities to apply Linear Algebra skills and methods in the context of experiences that the student will be likely to encounter in real-world applications of mathematics. The students will use current weather data to predict changes and outcomes using patterns, sequences and stochastic processes and validate the predictions using subsequent weather statistics from weather channels.” Dr. Daniel Holt & Dr. Clifton Ruehl (Biology)
support instructors who wish to integrate real-world problem solving into their courses. Nine of the eleven course grants chosen for the first round of awards (Fall 2016-Spring 2017) went to faculty in the College of Letters and Sciences. Seven of those course grants are featured below, usually in the faculty members’ own words.
each student will write a short report discussing the nine questions on the We Solve It! Report. In order to facilitate this report, students are being required to keep a journal of their thought processes, including any thoughts they have about their project development from the first day of class, until they finish their projects.” Mr. Joe Miller (English) “Beginning and advanced journalism students will work together in a blended class (ENGL 3155 News Writing and ENGL 3183 Special Topics in Journalism) to conduct news investigations of two real-world issues: financial aid and healthcare. Students will be divided into two groups, each of which will tackle one of the two subjects. The students will then work over the course of the semester as an investigative news organization, utilizing journalistic skills such as in-depth background research, interviewing, statistical and financial analysis to explore the issues from as many angles as possible, from the intensely local impacts on students in the CSU community, to county and state government, Congress, and industry, all the way up to the presidential administration. Using writing, photography, video and publication design software, students will produce in-depth packages of stories that will be published in an online publication entirely created by the class. They will also promote their stories through social media.” Dr. Seon Jeon (English)
“We are co-teaching ‘The Ecology of Andros Island, Bahamas,’ a study abroad class that will travel to the Bahamas over spring break. Student groups will develop ecologicallybased questions, design experiments aimed at answering these questions, and then design and deliver a poster presentation to the biology department summarizing their project. On the island, students will spend the week working on projects. Evenings will be spent discussing how the projects went, including problems students encountered in collecting data and how those problems were overcome. Upon returning,
14
“My section of ENGL 1102 is set up for students to explore language-related issues prevalent in real life. Reading assignments are designed so that students can discover language-related problems and can develop an awareness that language issues are ubiquitous and affect the way we live. Throughout the class, students will work on a research project in which they first discover (continued on page 15)
Letters & Sciences Today
Faculty Spotlights (continued from page 14)
Dr. Lauren King (Biology)
a language-related problem, learn about previous approaches to resolving the problem, and finally proposing a solution to it. Examples of language-related problems include linguistic profiling or discrimination against speakers of minority dialects and languages, school failure by language minority children, impact of texting on literacy development, spread of English language across the globe (linguistic imperialism), lack of foreign language education in U.S. public schools, language attrition among bilingual individuals and English-Only language policy.”
“My QEP project is for BIO 2225K, Microbiology for the Health Sciences. Historically, standard lecture formats are highly utilized for this course due to the large amount of information that must be conveyed by the curriculum, but I believe that an emphasis must also be placed upon application and critical thinking. It is crucial that we prepare students entering these medical fields to synthesize rather than memorize information, as problem-solving skills are essential once they enter the workforce and must make decisions regarding patients. Students will work in groups to identify current problems in infectious disease control, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Students will then design and articulate possible solutions to these problems as a group and present these at Tower Day.” (See sidebar story on next page.)
Dr. Guihong Fan & Dr. Nehal Shukla (Mathematics)
In spring 2017, the Department of Mathematics offered a new course in which math majors/minors worked in small groups to solve research problems/projects from business, industry, or government. PIC Math (Preparation for Industrial Careers) is a program sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the QEP course grant. (See sidebar story on the following page on MATH 3556.)
While the projects of these Faculty Fellows vary widely, all foster the mission of improving the real-world problem solving skills of their students. The QEP is an important part of the accreditation reaffirmation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Every institution accredited by SACSCOC is required to determine its student learning needs and develop a QEP to improve student learning. CSU’s QEP was developed based on feedback from students, faculty and staff.
Dr. Stephanie da Silva (Psychology) “My research methods (PSYC 3211) students are conducting a study of factors that impact problem solving as measured by completion of the Tower of Hanoi (an online puzzle of increasing difficulty). One lab group is testing the impact of auditory distraction on completion of the problem; another lab group is testing the impact of collaboration (vs working alone) on completion of the problem. My Honors Conversations (HON 3555) students are completing the problem solving process that culminates in 30-minute presentations to the class. They have explored various topics, problem definition and perspectives, and now are exploring potential solutions. Each student chose a different real-world problem for the project (e.g., negative police perceptions, sleep deprivation in college students, global warming).”
Letters & Sciences Today
15
Faculty Spotlights PIC Math: Real-World Applications of Math
MATH 3556: Mathematical Preparation for Industrial Career (PIC) is a new course being offered by the Department of Mathematics. In this course, students work in groups to complete mathematical research projects from local businesses, industry, and government. Students learn how to interact in a business setting, manage deadlines, produce technical documents, and think critically to find solutions. By the end of the course, each group produces a solution to their problem and completes a written, oral (video), and poster summary of their work. Hard skills like programming, Statistics, Probability, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, modeling, and numerical simulation may be needed depending on projects. This course will improve student’s technical skills that are in high demand by industrial companies, business and government. The goal is for students to gain professional experience on how mathematics is used in solving real-world problems. Currently, students in this class are working on projects from Metro-Power and Starrett-Bytewise. These companies provided some research projects arising from a need for their companies to obtain a better understanding through mathematical research and analytical study. At the end of the semester, students will present their research findings to representatives from these companies, make any recommendations (if applicable), and submit a final research report summarizing their work. One group of students in the class will be selected to participate in the annual PIC Math competition at MAA (Mathematical Association of America) MathFest in August 2017 in Chicago, IL.
16
Service Learning at Its Best: A Free Spay and Neuter Animal Clinic on Andros Island Two biology groups traveled to Andros Island in spring 2017, each with a special mission. One looked primarily at the island’s ecology; the other visited a health clinic for the Bahamian people on the island to observe infectious disease and vaccination strategies. In addition, both groups assisted with a service learning project: a free spay and neuter animal clinic for the pets of local people. For the last year, Dr. Lauren King has been working in collaboration with the organization Potcakes of Andros to provide this important opportunity for the people of Andros Island and for the CSU students participating in the class. (Potcakes are a mixed-breed dog type found on several islands in the Caribbean. The name comes from the congealed rice and pea mixture that local residents traditionally fed dogs.) The Biology Department has been involved in supporting the human clinics for about 10 years, but working with owners and their companion animals is a new extension of this service learning course. In the weeks leading up to the trip, Dr. King and her students collected donations for Andros including flea
Students prepare animals for the veterinarian at the spay/neuter clinic.
(continued on page 17)
Letters & Sciences Today
Faculty Spotlights
Dr. Lauren King’s class on Andros Island (bottom row: Dr. King, Olivia Wells, Veronica Glenn; top row: Jerry Lin, Brooke Thomson, Leanna Smith, Alex Yue, Kate Duggan, Preston Harris).
(continued from page 16) and tick preventative, canine vaccines against distemper, parvo, and adenovirus, tarps, and glucose monitors for the medical clinic. Special thanks for donations to Affordable Veterinary Services and Tractor Supply Co. in Columbus and Merial and to Elanco Animal Health for veterinary supplies and vaccines. Dr. King’s group had 8 students and focused on health issues of the islanders. Drs. Clifton Ruehl and Daniel Holt led 16 students there to focus on the island’s ecology. The free clinic was an exciting and amazing bonus for both groups.
Letters & Sciences Today
Student Olivia Wells helps register animals at the clinic.
Student Alex Yue greets one of the potcakes at the free clinic.
17
Faculty Spotlights Dr. Steven Glassner’s View of Prison/Jail Overcrowding By Arianna Marealle, student Dr. Steven Glassner, an assistant professor in CSU’s Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, has extensively studied the trends of incarceration in the United States. After earning his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Texas State University, Dr. Glassner relocated to CSU and has taught various courses, including Criminology, Juvenile Delinquency, Survey of Corrections, and Research Methods in Criminal Justice. In addition to his teaching experience, Dr. Glassner has worked on projects dealing with delinquent rehabilitation and child victimization. He recently published a peer-reviewed article titled “Examining the Conservative Shift from Harsh Justice,” which discusses correctional policy over the last halfcentury in the U.S. When asked about the issue of overcrowding in correctional systems, Dr. Glassner first points out the differences between jails and prisons, explaining that prisons operate at the state and federal levels of government. Jails, however, are typically administered at either the county or city/ Dr. Steve Glassner, Assistant Professor, municipal levels Criminal Justice. of government. “It is common for a jail to house individuals charged with drunk driving, minor theft, and murder all at the same time,” says Dr. Glassner. With the wide variation of individuals and fragmentation associated with jail systems, the issue of overcrowding within correctional facilities in the U.S. has largely been researched in prison systems because jails tend to be “more
18
Students present their study results to their peers and project partners.
fluid while having a greater rate of turnover than prisons, which house individuals for significant periods of time.” “Prisons generally house individuals who are incarcerated for one year or longer,” Dr. Glassner elaborates, “which differs significantly from the role of jails that may house someone for a day or two, up to and over a year.” Therefore, “much of the research on overcrowding in correctional facilities is relegated to prisons given the less fluidity of the environment.” Nonetheless, “the number of people incarcerated in the U.S. exceeds all other nations in both raw numbers as well as rates. The fact that the U.S. incarcerates at such a high rate compared to other nations could be considered disconcerting given the
value that the American society places on the concept of freedom.” Dr. Glassner goes on to discuss the correctional system here in Columbus, Georgia. More specifically, he explains the role that community engagement plays within the jail. The Muscogee County jail, which is administered by the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Department, operates at the local level and offers various unique programs that help the jail to run smoothly. According to Dr. Glassner, “Members on the city council as well as individuals within the court system are adamant about developing effective and efficient programming that is relevant to the needs of individuals housed in Muscogee County Jail in order to address concerns of overcrowding that may be occurring within the facility.”
Letters & Sciences Today
Faculty Spotlights Understanding the Islamic World In 2016, CSU hired its first scholar in Islamic Middle Eastern history. Dr. Ryan Lynch, assistant professor of history, focuses his research on the foundational period of Islamic history— namely, the early Islamic conquests, the establishment of the earliest Islamic states, the Islamization of the region, and the Arabic historiographical tradition which surrounds it. On Feb. 23, Dr. Lynch gave a lecture at the Schwob Memorial Library on Islamic governance in medieval times. Titled “The Righteous Ruler,” the lecture focused on the age-old question of what makes a good leader, a topic debated for millennia. In the ancient and medieval world, an entire genre of writing—often called “wisdom literature” or “advice literature”—was dedicated to this question. In his lecture, Dr. Lynch focused on the role and value of these texts from earlier times. Because these texts were written by the advisors of rulers, the texts emphasized that good rulers, or caliphs, should seek counsel, thereby ensuring that rulers surrounded themselves with knowledgeable and trustworthy advisors. The texts he quoted—including those of famous middle-eastern historians
and the Qur’an—also emphasized the idea of forbearance, or responding to an evil deed with a good deed. The idea behind this is that a good ruler should be Dr. Ryan Lynch, Assistant merciful rather Professor of History. than vengeful. Because of Dr. Lynch’s knowledge of such a specialty area, the Department of History and Geography is adding courses on early Islamic history (“The Making of the Islamic World, ca. 6001100 CE”), the Crusades, and the idea of an Islamic caliphate into the modern period (“The Caliphate: The Islamic State, Medieval to Modern”). Dr. Lynch earned his DPhil in Oriental Studies (Islamic History) in July 2016 from the University of Oxford, where his dissertation concentrated on the Book of the Conquest of Lands by the Muslim historian al-Baladhuri (d. ca. 892 CE/279 AH). His most recent publications focus on the governance
and maintenance of influence over frontier territories by the early caliphates. Prior to coming to CSU, Dr. Lynch previously taught for Oxford, Stetson University, and Middlebury College’s Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.
An image, titled “al-Hariri,” of some scholars at work in a library from the Maqamat of al-Hariri (13th century CE). This image is held at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.
In Memoriam – Dr. Ronald B. Hearn Dr. Ronald B. Hearn, a retired professor of English, passed away in January at the age of 82. Prior to coming to CSU, he taught at the University of Arkansas, Auburn University and the University of Tubingen, Germany. His area of specialization was English romantic literature. He earned a B.A. from Baylor University, an M.A. from Emory University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas. He traveled extensively all over the world, but especially to Greece and Turkey.
Letters & Sciences Today
19
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 10 Columbus, Georgia 31907
4225 University Avenue, Columbus, GA 31907
Food Science—A Program with Many Career Opportunities The Chemistry Department currently offers five programs in chemistry and is about to add a sixth, one that promises many career opportunities for its graduates. The new B.S. in Chemistry Food Science track is designed for students interested in working in food industries, food quality assurance work in private industry, or government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. With this track, students could also pursue graduate studies in food science. Courses in chemistry, food Dr. Samuel Abegaz, chemistry, food science, Associate Professor of mathematics, and physics provide Chemistry. students the skills needed to succeed in a variety of food science careers. The Food Science track consists of a broad range of upper-level elective courses that expose students to modern techniques in chemistry and the chemistry of food. The curriculum emphasizes major chemical and biochemical (enzymatic) reactions that impact food quality with emphasis on food industry applications; the formulation and processing of foods; the role of flavor molecules in food, from both a sensory and food quality perspective; the importance of food hygiene, sanitation, and safety during food processing unit operations; and the basics of food analysis and interpretation. Because of his background in food science and water quality, Dr. Samuel Abegaz, Associate Professor of Chemistry, will supervise this program. An analytical chemist, Dr. Abegaz earned his Ph.D. from Ghent University in Belgium where he investigated the input and distribution
The Department of Chemistry now offers a B.S. in Chemistry, Food Science Track.
of polluting elements in an Ethiopia river. His post-graduate diploma in Industrial Fermentation and Alcohol Technology is from the National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, India, and his undergraduate degree in chemistry is from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. Dr. Abegaz notes that there is a global job market for people with degrees in food science. Jobs are everywhere because food and water are what people need to survive; food safety is imperative and food terrorism is an abiding threat. The new track begins Spring 2018 and features five new chemistry courses: Food Chemistry, Food Chemistry Lab, Introduction to Food Science, Flavor Chemistry and Technology, and Food Safety and Quality. Other programs in chemistry include the B.S. in chemistry, the B.A. in biochemistry, the B.A. in chemistry and secondary education, the B.S. in forensics, and the B.S. in ASC certified track.