COSM Weekly Issue 54

ISSUE 54

UPDATES FROM THE DEAN COSM Faculty and Staff, We made it through the first week of classes in what is already a historic semester for Georgia Southern! As of Friday morning, we have 30,359 students enrolled across our campuses (not counting East Georgia State College). That’s record-breaking growth—putting some pressure on parking, classrooms, and housing—but it also means new resources to invest across campus. The President will share more on budget priorities during the State of the University Address in September.

Please take a few minutes to review the new Georgia Southern Strategic Plan. Over the next few months, each unit will develop a plan aligned with it. Our COSM Strategic Planning Team will resume work soon, aiming to have a draft ready for your feedback and a final plan by the end of fall.

If you haven’t already, check out Dr. Mukherjee’s presentation—it’s packed with important updates on the Big Five Goals, Academic Affairs priorities, and the new Interdisciplinary Clusters of University Excellence (ICUEs). These clusters are designed to focus the university’s strengths for big wins in research, funding, partnerships, and regional impact.

AI, Automation, and Humanistic Application Biomedical & Health Innovation Vibrant Rural Communities Cybersecurity and Forensic Science Coastal Sustainability and Resilience Advanced Materials, Mobility, and Movement Each college leadership team was asked to identify the three ICUEs most aligned with their operations and strengths. For COSM, we are most closely aligned with: Biomedical & Health Innovation Coastal Sustainability and Resilience Advanced Materials, Mobility, and Movement These reflect our research strengths and academic programs—especially our three PhD programs— and our growing footprint in Forensic Science. As the ICUEs take shape this semester, your engagement will be key to keeping COSM front and center.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Sincerely,

Mike Provost Fall 2025 COSM Presentation Dean Fall 2025 Presentation

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COUR: EMERGING RESEARCHERS Seeking Undergraduate Research Mentors for COUR Emerging Researchers Program The College of Science and Mathematics Office of Undergraduate Research (COUR) is looking for research-active faculty to serve as mentors for undergraduate research students as part of our Emerging Researchers Program, which aims to offer up to 15 hours per week of paid research experience to COSM students eligible for federal work-study.

The Emerging Researchers Program has funding for 11 student positions for Fall 2025. Students will be paid $12/hour for up to 229 hours per semester. These are yearlong appointments. In many instances, the student will be eligible to continue the position for multiple years as approved by the Georgia Southern Office of Financial Aid and based on their work-study eligibility. Additional hours may be available during the summer in some situations as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. The goal of the Emerging Researchers Programs is to give COSM students hands-on experiences in their field of study that will propel them to success in their chosen career path. These resume building experiences will provide students the opportunity to gain marketable skills for a successful transition to careers in STEM, as well as admission into high quality graduate programs. By utilizing their work-study eligibility, students will get the financial benefit of paid research positions as well as the work experience in their chosen STEM fields.

To serve as a research mentor for a student as part of the COUR Emerging Researchers Program, faculty should provide the following information through the COUR Emerging Researchers Program Mentor Google Form: A half-page abstract for each project available to students; and 2-3 sentences describing the work students would be doing as part of that project - for example: “Students working on this project will conduct synthesis of organic molecules using standard techniques and characterize the synthetic products using NMR and Mass spectrometry to determine structure. Additionally, students will perform analysis using NMR titrations to study binding affinities, use fluorescent and UV-Visible spectroscopy to study optical properties, and other techniques as needed to understand molecular properties.”

To have a student begin in your lab in the Fall semester, please complete and submit the form

by September 1, 2025. Faculty may submit multiple projects, if applicable.

For any questions, please email Heather Joesting (hjoesting@georgiasouthern.edu).

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TEACHING & TECHNOLOGY COURSE Turning words in pictures using Adobe Express and Canva Badge: Teaching with Technology (TWT) Description: This introduction to Canva and Adobe Express will give you a solid start for making engaging, themed graphics and social media posts for your classroom, research lab, or unit! This short workshop will include an intro to both fully online tools, with the option to create a long with the instructor as we go. It is best to set up your account with Canva and sign into Adobe Express before the event.

These are also excellent tools for students to create items for assignment submission. Register here.

Workshop Date and Time: Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 1:00 - 2:00 PM Location: Synchronous Zoom Session Note: Zoom access links will be shared in the calendar invite by the Faculty Center.

Presenter: Brigette Brinton, Department of Biology

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CCRL - INSTRUMENT OF THE WEEK This week is focused on the Shimadzu LCMS-9030 Q-TOF (Quadrupole Time-of-Flight) instrument.

The Shimadzu LCMS-9030 Q-TOF (Quadrupole Time-of-Flight) is a high-resolution mass spectrometer that can analyze a variety of samples.

Sample Types: Biological samples: Whole blood, for analyzing drugs and their metabolites.

Polymer additives: In food containers, for qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Natural product extracts: Like honeysuckle flowers, for identification and profiling of compounds.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs): For characterization in biopharmaceutical development.

Food products: For assessing food safety, authenticity, and nutritional values by detecting contaminants or identifying components.

Environmental samples: For analyzing air, water and soil for pollutants.

Pharmaceutical samples: For monitoring and identifying impurities, degradation products, and metabolites.

Capabilities: High Sensitivity & Accuracy: Offers superior detection across a wide concentration range, including ultra-trace compounds, with excellent mass measurement accuracy for confident compound identification.

Ultrafast Performance: Enables high-speed data acquisition for high-throughput labs.

Microflow Compatibility: Micro-ESI 9030 interface supports microflow analysis for higher sensitivity, faster results, and improved robustness.

Versatile Analysis: Supports both qualitative and quantitative LC-MS analysis.

Advanced Data Processing: Integrates with LabSolutions and Insight for MS/MS searches, structural analysis, formula prediction, and charge state deconvolution.

Imaging Capability: Paired with iMScope QT, allows high-resolution MS/MS imaging of tissue samples.

Reliable & Robust: Delivers reproducible results with minimal calibration and long-term quantitative consistency.

For more information on the Shimadzu LCMS-9030 capabilities, please go to the website.

In summary, These capabilities make the Shimadzu LCMS-9030 a powerful tool for various applications in different fields, including pharmaceuticals, food safety, and research.

If you have not used the Shimadzu LCMS-9030 Q-TOF, please contact Dr. Nathaniel Shank for a session.

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FREE Registration Wednesday Sept 10, 2025 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

SYMPOSIUM

ADVANCING FORENSICS THROUGH THE ACADEMIC GOVERNMENT - INDUSTRY NEXUS

FORENSIC SCIENCE

FROM CONCEPT TO COURTROOM:

SCAN/CLICK TO REGISTER

BY AUG 29, 2025

Continuing & Professional Education Center Georgia Southern University 10449 US-301, Statesboro, GA 30458

RESERVE NOW BROUGHT TO YOU BY

LIMITED

to thefirst 100 people

https://dub.sh/DkRhIIN

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Florida Regional Office 5429BeaumontCenterBlvd.Suite800 Tampa, FL 33634 (813) 803-9401/(844) 260-0187 w w w.ssi.shimadzu.com

College of Science &Mathematics

Georgia Southern University 1332 Southern Drive Statesboro, GA 30458 (912) 478-4636 w w w.georgiasouthern.edu

QUESTIONS? Dr. Edward MONDOR

emondor @georgiasouthern.edu 5

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS MORNING

AFTERNOON

8:00 - 09:00

12:00 - 1:00

REGISTRATION

LUNCH (Provided)

9:00 - 09:15

1:00 - 1:30

WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS Jeremy SMITH, Market Manager, Forensics & Clinical, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments

Avinandan MUKHERJEE, Provost &

Yarixa CINTRON-DIAZ,

Field Technical Support Scientist, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments AIRsight - A Spectroscopy Tool for Seized Drug & Trace Evidence Analysis

Vice President for Academic Affairs, Georgia Southern University

1:30 - 2:00

9:15 - 10:00

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Soaring High in the Lab: A Deep Dive into Forensic Drug Analysis

KEYNOTE Dr. Edward MONDOR,

Marissa BAUSE, Forensic Chemist,

Georgia Southern University Bring your Boots & Other Life Lessons from a Forensic Entomologist

2:00 - 2:30

10:00 - 10:30

2:30 - 3:00

COFFEE BREAK 10:30 - 11:00

Dr. Shainaz LANDGE,

Georgia Southern University Click Chemistry: 1,2,3 Triazoles for Detecting Pesticides & Nerve Agents Towards Forensic Applications 11:00 - 11:30

Dr. David CALAMAS,

Georgia Southern University A Novel Heat Transfer Model for Time of Death Estimation: The Role of Forensic Engineering 11:30 - 12:00

Dr. Matthew WILLIAMSON,

Georgia Southern University The Bones Speak: How Forensic Anthropologists Contribute to Forensic Analyses

COFFEEBREAK Dr. Robin MOISEFF, Medical Examiner, Georgia Bureau of Investigation A Forensic Pathologist’s Approach to Toxicology 3:00 - 3:30

Jeremy SMITH, Market Manager, Forensics & Clinical, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Pursuing Justice Through Science: Shimadzu & the Modern Forensic Frontier 3:30 - 4:00

CLOSING REMARKS Jeremy SMITH, Market Manager, Forensics & Clinical, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments

Dr. Edward MONDOR,

Georgia Southern University 4:00

DISMISSAL

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COSM KUDOS CORNER A new genus of soft tick has just been named Apanaskevichiella in honor of Dr. Dmitry Apanaskevich (SEES)! This rare and prestigious recognition marks the first time a whole genus — not just a species — has been named after him.

Described in Barker et al. (2025) by leading tick expert Prof. Stephen Barker from the University of Queensland, Apanaskevichiella includes a single species, Apanaskevichiella macmillani. These fascinating ticks live in tree-holes in Australia and feed on birds like cockatoos and owls. Despite their elusive nature, this discovery sheds new light on tick biodiversity and ecology.

This is a remarkable milestone for Dr. Apanaskevich, who already has several species of mites and bugs named in his honor, but this genus naming is truly special — a rare event in tick taxonomy!

Curious to see these ticks in action? Check out these videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmNiboadSIU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5ntRm_lkwU

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COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS VISIT US ONLINE AT GEORGIASOUTHERN.EDU/COSM

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