COSMWEEKLY
THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
UPDATES FROM THE DEAN
COSMFacultyandStaff,
Asweapproachtheendofthefallsemester,Iwanttotakethisopportunitytoagainthankyouforallthe greatworkyouhavedonetohelpGeorgiaSouthernandCOSMmanagesignificantenrollmentgrowth.It hasbeenaheavylift,andIwanttoensureyouknowhowmuchweappreciateyoureffortstoprovide thebestpossibleeducationalexperienceforourstudents
The2026-2028CollegeofScienceandMathematicsStrategicPlanisnowcomplete Thankyoufor providingfeedbackonthedraftversion TheLeadershipTeamandtheStrategicPlanningCommittee carefullyreviewedyourcommentsaswemadeadjustmentstofinalizetheplan.Wearenowworkingto gatherthenecessarydataforthe30KPIs.Oncethedataisinplace,wewilldevelopgoalsandtargets foreachKPI.Additionally,eachactionitemwillhaveadesignated“champion”whowillworkwith stakeholdersacrossthecollegetoensureweachievethedesiredoutcomes.Thefinalized2026-2028 COSMStrategicPlanisincludedinthisissueoftheCOSMWeeklyandhasbeenaddedtotheCOSM webpage
WiththelaunchoftwoadditionalPh.D.programsinFall2026,wehavebegunanumberofrecruiting initiativestoensurethefirstcohortsmeetexpectations,bothinthenumberofstudentsandinattracting thehigh-qualityapplicantsneededforsuccess.Elevenregionaluniversitieshavebeenidentifiedas potentialfeederschoolsforourPh.D.programs.Adigitalmarketingcampaignisunderwaytopromote theprogramsateachofthe11campuses Additionally,wehavestartedsendingfacultytothese universitiesforresearchpresentationsanddirectstudentrecruitment Theelevenuniversitiesareshown intheimagebelow
COSMhasalsocreatedaCollegeofScienceandMathematicsLinkedInpagethatisbeingused exclusivelytopromotethePh.D.programs.Postsonthepagecurrentlyfollowthreethemes:Presidential DoctoralFellowsProfiles,FacultyResearchProfiles,andResearchCenters/Institutes.Asrecruitment effortscontinue,wewillexpandthesethemestofurtherhighlightthePh.D.programsandthe outstandingresearchconductedbyourfacultyandstudents KudostoBillyTysonfortakingtheleadon creatingtheLinkedInpageanddraftingtheposts Asareminder,BillyisthenewCommunications OfficerinUCMsupportingCOSM
Todate,thetwonewPhD programshavereceivedmorethan80applicationscombined,withanother 20+applicationsstillpendingreview.ThePh.D.MaterialsScienceprogramhasalreadyacceptedthree studentsfortheSpring2026semester.We’reofftoagreatstart,butthereisstillmuchtodo!
I hope everyone has a smooth finish to the semester and wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season. Merry Christmas and HappyNew!!
Sincerely, Mike
2026-2028 COSM STRATEGIC PLAN
CollegeofScienceandMathematics:2026-2028StrategicPlan
COSMMissionStatement:
TheCollegeofScienceandMathematics(COSM)strivesforexcellenceinpreparingpeople students, faculty,andstaff tolead,serve,andengagethroughimpactful We advanceknowledgeinthesciencesandmathematicstofoster ng economicdevelopment,culturalenrichment,andqualityoflifew d.
GeorgiaSouthernVisionStatement
People Purpose Action:Growingourselvestogrowothers
Preamble:
TheCollegeofScienceandMathematicsatGeorgiaSouthernUn gic plantoserveasaclearandpurposefulroadmapforadvancingourmissioninteaching,research,and service.Thisplanestablishesprioritiesandmeasurablegoalsthatwillguidedecision-making,resource allocation,andprogramandinitiativedevelopmentacrossthecollege.Italignsoureffortswiththe broadervisionandstrategicdirectionoftheUniversity supportinginitiativessuchasthepursuitof CarnegieR1statusandtheexpansionofourregionalandglobalimpact whilefosteringacultureof collaboration,innovation,andstudentsuccess.
InpreparingtheCOSMStrategicPlan,theCommitteetookauniqueapproachwithtwokeydecisions.
Whyatwo-yearstrategicplan?Weagreedtoadoptatwo-yearstrategicplantonavigatethisperiod oftransitionandchangeacrossGSandCOSM includingtheEastGeorgiaStateCollegeconsolidation, thefinalpushtowardCarnegieR1,andtheonboardingofnewBS andPhD programs Thistimeframe willsupportfocusedimplementationandallowfortimelyrealignmentoradjustmentsasinstitutional prioritiesevolve
HowdoestheCOSMStrategicPlanalignwiththeGeorgiaSouthern2030StrategicPlanand AcademicAffairsStrategicPriorities?Thedecisionwasmadetofocusonusingtheframeworkofthe 2026–2030GeorgiaSouthernStrategicPlanaswellastheAcademicAffairsStrategicPriorities.This allowsCOSMtoeasilyalignoureffortsdirectlytothoseplansinastreamlinedandefficientmanner.The selectedKPIsaredirectlyfromthosetwodocuments.ThisapproachwillalsoallowCOSMtobuildon theseinitiativestosimplifythedatacollectionsandtrackingfortheCOSMStrategicPlan.
ThealignmentwiththeGeorgiaSouthernStrategicPlanincludesadoptingtheUniversityVision Statement,Values,andmanyofthestrategicgoalsandactions.(GSStrategicPlan)
Whatarethenextsteps?AftertheCOSM2026-2028StrategicPlaniscomplete,eachdepartmentin COSMwillbeaskedtocompleteadepartmentstrategicplanthatalignswiththeGeorgiaSouthern2030 StrategicPlan,theAcademicAffairsStrategicPriorities,andtheCOSM2026-2028StrategicPlan The goalistoensurethateveryunitinAcademicAffairshascleargoalsthatmapoutthevisionforthe future
COSM TOP 2% SCIENTISTS
COSMfacultyfeaturedonprestigioustop2%ofscientistslist.
TwelveoutstandingactivefacultymembersfromGeorgiaSouthernUniversitywerefeaturedon StanfordandElsevier’s2025listofthetop2%ofscientistsintheworld.Thisannuallistfeatures scientistswhoseworkhashadthehighestcitationcountandcitationimpactintheirfieldswithina givenyear.FourwerefromtheCollegeofScienceandMathematics!
Xiao-junWang,Ph.D.,ProfessorofPhysics
“Myworkcentersoncreatingadvancedluminescentmaterialsforenergy-efficient lightingandsensingtechnologies,”Wangexplained.“Whatdrivesmeisthe excitementofuncoveringhowmaterialsbehave andfindinglogical,scientific explanationsforwhatweobserve”HeaddedthathehasalwayslovedAlbert Einstein’squote,“Themostincomprehensiblethingabouttheworldisthatitis comprehensible”ReadmoreaboutWang’sresearch
DavidC.Weindorf,Ph.D,P.G.,VicePresidentforResearchandEconomic
Development,SEES
“Istudyandclassifysoilstobetterunderstandhowwecanuseandprotectthem,” Weindorfsaid.“Myresearchismostlycenteredonapplicationsforproximaland remotesensorsforsoilcharacterization;I’vebeeninvolvedineverythingfrom taxonomicsoilclassificationtoenvironmentalsoilscienceanddisasterresponse work,ensuringthatsoilissafeandhealthy.Whatdrivesmeishelpingpeoplehelp theland becauseahealthyworldstartswithhealthysoil.”Readmoreabout Weindorf’sresearch.
JoséA.Jiménez,Ph.D.,AssistantProfessorofPhysicalandMaterialsChemistry
“Myresearchinterestsaremainlyinglassscience,nanomaterials,opticalmaterials, thinfilms,andenergy-relevantmaterialssuchassolarcellsandLi-ionbatteries”, Jiméneznoted “I’mpassionateaboutlearningthroughexperimentationandgaining insightsintothephysicalprinciplesthatexplainmaterialproperties”Readmore aboutJimenez’sResearch.
DmitryApanaskevich,Ph.D.,ProfessorofBiologyandEntomology
“Mymajorresearchinterestisthesystematicsofhardticks(familyIxodidae),” Apanaskevichsaid.“Thisincludestheirtaxonomy,phylogenetics,host-parasite relationshipsandgeographicdistribution.Ilovediscoveringnewspeciesandsolving complex oftenconfusingquestionsalongtheway That’swhatdrivesmypassion”
COSM NEWS
The 3rd annual Vertical Integrated Projects (VIP) poster presentation was a great success, featuring 26 postersandnearly40studentsfromVIP-FYE,SynZymeCUREscholars,andVIPresearchteams.
Last week, the Physics faculty and staff came together for their annual festive and cheerful Physics Winter Party. It was a wonderful chance for them to unwind, share laughs, and enjoy time together as theycelebratetheseasonandlookaheadtoabrightnewyear.
PRESIDENTIAL FELLOW SPOTLIGHT
BriannaNicholson’s love for the ocean began during crabbing trips with her grandmother while growing upontheGulfCoast.Afterearningherbachelor’sdegreefromtheUniversityofWestFlorida,shebecame a Presidential Doctoral Fellow at Georgia Southern where she is diving into research that will take her passionformarinelifebeyondahobbyandintoacareer.Briannafoundtheuniquepaththatmatchedher interestsattheCollegeofScienceandMathematics
“WhenIwaslookingforgraduateschools,whatreallystruckmeatGeorgiaSouthernwasDr JohnCarroll's lab,”Briannasaid “Hedoesworkinbenthicecologyandrestoration,whichwasthekindofresearchIwas really interested in taking part in Dr Carroll has also been very open to ways I can incorporate my own researchinterestsandgoalsduringmytimehere."
Brianna’s research takes her across the coast of Georgia. Traveling by boat to remote barrier islands, visiting oyster reefs on an ATV and trekking through marsh too muddy for vehicles to pass is all part of a day’swork.GeorgiaSouthernfacultyandotherstudentsaccompanyhereverystepoftheway,givingher thekindofsupportshehopestogiveothersonedaywhenshebecomesaprofessorherself.
“One of the great things about Georgia Southern is that they were able to award me the Presidential Fellowship, which allows me to allocate more time to focus on my research,” Brianna said. “It helps me buildtowardmygoalofbeingaprofessoronedayandhavingmyownresearchlab.Thementorshipfrom professorstograduatestudentstoundergraduatestudentsissomethingthatI’mreallyexcitedabout,and hasbenefitedmegreatlyonmyjourney”
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