UPDATES FROM THE DEAN
Ihopeeveryonehadarelaxingandenjoyableholidayweekend.Iwanttosharesomeimportantorganizational updatesfortheCollegeofScienceandMathematics.Pleaserefertotheupdatedorganizationalchartand graphicstovisualizethehighlightsbelow:
DepartmentofMilitaryScience:ThisdepartmenthasmovedtotheProvost’sOfficeandwillnowreportto DelanaSchartner.
CenterforForensicScience:TheCenterhasbeenapproved,andwehavebegunthesearchforanInterim Director.ThepaperworktoformallyestablishtheCenteriscurrentlyinprogress.
DepartmentofBiomedicalSciences:Thisdepartmenthasnowbeenofficiallycreatedinthebusiness systems,andwehavelaunchedthesearchforanInterimChair.ThedepartmentcurrentlyhousestheBSin BiomedicalSciencesprogram,threevacantfacultypositions,andDr.Reiber.Atpresent,thereisnophysical locationforthedepartment;intheshortterm,theInterimChair’sofficewillbelocatedintheCOSMDean’s Officesuite.
Dean’sOfficeLeadership:COSMwillreturntohavingthreeAssociateDeans.Pleaseseetheattached graphicfordetailsoneachposition:
AssociateDeanforResearchandGraduateStudies
AssociateDeanforCurriculumandInstruction
AssociateDeanforFacultyAffairsandStudentSuccess
DirectorforAccessCampuses:AnewpositionisbeingcreatedtocoordinateEastGeorgiaoperationsin COSM.ThisrolewillbefilledbythecurrentChairofScienceandMathematicsontheSwainsboroCampus. Responsibilitieswillincludeoversightofday-to-dayoperations,coursescheduling,participationinthe studentcomplaintsprocess,andsupervisionofstaffontheSwainsborocampus.
CenterforBiomedicalSciencesandInnovation:Progresscontinues,andweanticipatecompletingthe proposalwithinafewweeks,withapprovalexpectedbytheendofthesemester. PhDinBiomedicalSciences:Theprogramhasencounteredsomebureaucraticdelaysandisnowexpected toappearontheBoardofRegents’agendaforapprovalinOctober,withaplannedlaunchinFall2026.
AssociateDeanforResearchandGraduateStudies:AninternalsearchforthepermanentAssociateDean willbegininthecomingdays Thisposition,previouslyheldbyBrentFeske,isexpectedtostartinJanuary 2026
InterimAssociateDeanforFacultyAffairsandStudentSuccess:Aninternalsearchforthisinterimrolewill beginthisweek,withanexpectedstartdateofJanuary2026
ThesechangesrepresentanexcitingperiodofgrowthandtransitionforCOSM Iamgratefulforyourcontinued support,flexibility,andcommitmentaswemoveforwardtogethertostrengthenourprograms,research,and studentsuccess
Sincerely,
Focus Areas for Dean’s Office Oper
COUR: EMERGING RESEARCHERS
SeekingUndergraduateResearchMentorsforCOUREmerging ResearchersProgram
TheCollegeofScienceandMathematicsOfficeofUndergraduateResearch(COUR)islookingfor research-activefacultytoserveasmentorsforundergraduateresearchstudentsaspartofour EmergingResearchersProgram,whichaimstoofferupto15hoursperweekofpaidresearch experiencetoCOSMstudentseligibleforfederalwork-study
TheEmergingResearchersProgramhasfundingfor11studentpositionsforFall2025.Studentswillbe paid$12/hourforupto229hourspersemester.Theseareyearlongappointments.Inmanyinstances, thestudentwillbeeligibletocontinuethepositionformultipleyearsasapprovedbytheGeorgia SouthernOfficeofFinancialAidandbasedontheirwork-studyeligibility.Additionalhoursmaybe availableduringthesummerinsomesituationsasdeterminedbytheOfficeofFinancialAid.
ThegoaloftheEmergingResearchersProgramsistogiveCOSMstudentshands-onexperiences intheirfieldofstudythatwillpropelthemtosuccessintheirchosencareerpath.Theseresume buildingexperienceswillprovidestudentstheopportunitytogainmarketableskillsforasuccessful transitiontocareersinSTEM,aswellasadmissionintohighqualitygraduateprograms.Byutilizing theirwork-studyeligibility,studentswillgetthefinancialbenefitofpaidresearchpositionsaswellas theworkexperienceintheirchosenSTEMfields.
ToserveasaresearchmentorforastudentaspartoftheCOUREmergingResearchersProgram, facultyshouldprovidethefollowinginformationthroughtheCOUREmergingResearchersProgram MentorGoogleForm:
Ahalf-pageabstractforeachprojectavailabletostudents;and 2-3sentencesdescribingtheworkstudentswouldbedoingaspartofthatproject-for example:“Studentsworkingonthisprojectwillconductsynthesisoforganicmoleculesusing standardtechniquesandcharacterizethesyntheticproductsusingNMRandMass spectrometrytodeterminestructure.Additionally,studentswillperformanalysisusingNMR titrationstostudybindingaffinities,usefluorescentandUV-Visiblespectroscopytostudy opticalproperties,andothertechniquesasneededtounderstandmolecularproperties.”
TohaveastudentbegininyourlabintheFallsemester,pleasecompleteandsubmittheform bySeptember3,2025.Facultymaysubmitmultipleprojects,ifapplicable.
Foranyquestions,pleaseemailHeatherJoesting(hjoesting@georgiasouthern.edu).
COUR: RESEARCH AWARDS
Facultyproposalsforthe2025-2026COURResearchAwards
TheCOSMOfficeofUndergraduateResearch(COUR)invitesfacultyproposalsforthe2025-2026COUR Research Awards. Please note that the application instructions have changed for this award and is now a faculty-led application process. The awards are still designed to support undergraduate researchinCOSMbyenhancingexperientiallearningforstudents.Awardsupto$3000willbemadeto thebestsubmittedproposalstocoverthefollowing:
Upto$2000foranundergraduatestudentstipend;and Up to $1000 for supplies/equipment and travel associated with the research project (with the exceptionofconferencetravel)
To qualify, a faculty member must include plans to mentor a student enrolled as an undergraduate majororminorinoneofthedepartmentsunderCOSM. Applicationsmustbesubmittedonlinehere.
Formoreinformation,visithttps://www.georgiasouthern.edu/cosm/cour/ or
EmailDr.HeatherJoesting(hjoesting@georgiasouthern.edu).
ApplicationsaredueSeptember15,2025
COSM KUDOS CORNER
CongratulationstoDr.JoshGibsonfromtheDepartmentofBiologyforbeingawardedaNational InstitutesofHealth(NIH)grantofmorethan$500,000!
Dr.Gibson’sresearchusestheinsectmodelsystemNasoniawasps touncoverhowgeneticmutationsleadtomitochondrial dysfunction thehallmarkofhumanmitochondrialdiseases Thisprojectwillprovidecriticalinsightsintohowmutations impactmitochondrialfunctionanddeepenourfundamental understandingofthegeneticfoundationsthatdriveit
Inadditiontoadvancingthisimportantresearch,thegrantwill alsosupportthetrainingofthenextgenerationofscientistsby fundingtwoMSstudentsandmultipleundergraduate researchers,whowillgainvaluableexperienceinconducting physiologicalassaysandgenomicsequencing.
WeareproudtocelebrateDr.Gibson’sachievement andlookforwardtothegroundbreakingdiscoveries hisworkwillbring!
Dr.DragosAmariefromtheDepartmentofBiochemistry,ChemistryandPhysicscompletedathreemonthprofessionaltrainingattheUniversityofCaliforniaSanDiego's(UCSD)MooresCancerCenter, focusingontheCellBiologyofOvarianCancer,Genetics,andBioinformatics.Theexperience strengthenedhisexpertisetoupgradetheBiophysicsLaboratoryatGeorgiaSouthernandadvancehis patentedmicrofluidicstechnologyforovariancancerresearch.Hissummersabbaticalthesis,guided byDr.Stupack,explorestheroleofoxidativeandmechanicalstressinFallopiantubecellsas tumorigenicdriversandproposesmicrofluidics-basedapproachesforfuturestudiesintotheoriginsof ovariancancer
Lastweekend,Dr.ShainazLandgeoftheDepartmentofBiochemistry,ChemistryandPhysicswas honoredwiththeprestigiousUSGBoardofRegentsScholarshipofTeachingandLearningAward.
ThisawardrecognizesfacultywhoseworkexemplifiestheprinciplesoutlinedinBoyer’sScholarship ReconsideredandsupportedbytheCarnegieAcademyfortheScholarshipofTeachingandLearning Itcelebratesthosewhorigorouslyinvestigateteachingandlearning,andwhomakepublic,peerreviewed,andimpactfulcontributionstoimprovingstudentlearning
Onlytwoawardsmaybegiveneachyear,withnoregardtosector,makingthisanespecially distinguishedhonor.
WewereproudtohavePresidentDr.KyleMarreroandProvostDr.AvinandanMukherjeeinattendance forthisspecialoccasion.
INTERIM SEARCH’S
InterimChairfortheDepartmentofBiomedicalSciences
WearereadytotakethenextstepinformingtheDepartmentofBiomedicalSciencesbyhiringan interimdepartmentchair Theinterimchairwillbetaskedwiththefollowing:
ProvidingoversightoftheBSBiomedicalSciencesprogram
AssistingwithrecruitmenteffortsfortheBSBiomedicalSciencesprogram
CompletingtheworktoestablishthePhDBiomedicalSciencesprogram InitiatingarecruitmentcampaignforthePhDprogram
WorkingwiththeCenterforBiomedicalResearchandInnovationtoinitiatesearchesforthenew tenuretrackfacultypositions
Inaddition,theinterimchairwillprovidedepartmentleadershipasoutlinedintheCOSMBylawsand Manual(Pages7-9,2025version).
Facultyapplyingforthepositionshouldsendacoverletteroutliningtheirqualificationsfortheposition andanupdatedCVdirectlytoDeanHugginsatmhuggins@georgiasouthernedunolaterthanFriday, September19th
InterimDirectorfortheCenterforForensicScience
WearereadytotakethenextsteptowardestablishingtheCenterforForensicSciencesinCOSM.At thistime,weareacceptingapplicationsandnominationsforthepositionofInterimDirectorofthe Center.TheInterimDirectorwillprovideleadershipinlaunchingtheCenter,developingeducational programs,buildingcollaborationswithindustryandgovernmentpartners,andfosteringtheinternal partnershipsneededtoensureitssuccess.
Facultyinterestedinapplyingshouldsubmitacoverletterdescribingtheirinterestintheposition alongwithanupdatedCVtoDeanHugginsatmhuggins@georgiasouthern.edubyFriday, September5.
NominationsmayalsobesubmitteddirectlytoDeanHuggins Iwillreachouttonominatedfaculty memberstodiscusstheirinterestintherole
Formoreinformation:
Phone:912-478-5111
Email:mhuggins@georgiasouthern.edu
CCRL - INSTRUMENT OF THE WEEK
ThisweekisfocusedontheBrukerMicroflexLRFMALDI-TOFinstrument.
TheBrukerMicroflexMALDI-TOFisaversatilemassspectrometryinstrumentthatcanbeusedto analyzeavarietyofsamples,especiallyinthefieldsofmicrobiologyandlifesciences.
SampleTypes:
Microorganisms:TheMALDIBiotyper®system,basedonBruker'sMALDI-TOFtechnology,iswidely usedforidentifyingbacteria,yeast,molds,andmycobacteria.Thisincludesclinicalisolatesfrom varioussourceslikeblood,urine,tissue,andwounds.Thesystemusestheuniqueproteomic fingerprintofanorganismtoidentifyitbymatchingitwithacomprehensivereferencelibrary.
PeptidesandProteins:It'susefulforproteinorpeptidecharacterization,includingdetermining primaryproteinsequencesanddetectingpost-translationalmodificationslikedisulfidebonds.
Polymers:Theinstrumentcanbeusedtodetermineabsolutemolecularweightdistributionsof syntheticpolymers,eventhosewithhighmolecularweightsupto500kDa.
OligonucleotidesandSmallMolecules:Thetechnologyallowsfortheanalysisofoligonucleotides andsmallmolecules
OtherBiologicalSamples:MALDI-TOFMScanalsobeappliedtotheanalysisofcomplexsamples likebloodcultures(aftersamplepreparation),urine,andcerebrospinalfluid
FoodandBeverageSamples:It'susedforpurposessuchasclassifyingoilstodetectadulterations, determiningcomponentsinmilkproducts,andanalyzingwine.
Capabilities:
RapidandAccurateIdentification:Itsignificantlyreducesthetimerequiredforidentification comparedtotraditionalmethods,providingaccurateresultsinminutesformanyapplications.
High-ThroughputAnalysis:Thetechnologyallowsfortherapidanalysisofalargenumberof samples.
EaseofUse:Thesystemisdesignedwithintuitiveoperations,makingitsuitableforboth experiencedandnon-expertusers.
BroadApplicationRange:Itcanaddressawidevarietyofanalyticalchallengesinfieldslikeclinical microbiology,foodqualitycontrol,andpolymeranalysis.
FlexibilityinIonizationMode:Theinstrumentcanbeusedineitherpositiveornegativeionization modes,allowingfortheanalysisofdifferenttypesofanalytes
FormoreinformationontheBrukerMicroflexMALDI-TOF capabilities,pleasegotothewebsite.
Insummary,theBrukerMicroflexMALDI-TOFisa powerfulandversatiletoolforresearchandroutine analysisinvariousfields,withastrongemphasison rapidandaccurateidentificationofmicroorganisms andcharacterizationofbiomoleculesandpolymers.
IfyouhavenotusedtheBrukerMicroflexMALDI-TOF, pleasecontactDarrinMooreforasession.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
MORNING AFTERNOON
8:00 - 09:00
9:00 - 09:15
12:00 - 1:00
LUNCH
1:00 - 1:30
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
Jeremy SMITH
REGISTRATION , Market Manager, Forensics & Clinical, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments
Avinandan MUKHERJEE, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, Georgia Southern University
9:15 - 10:00
KEYNOTE
Dr. Edward MONDOR,
Georgia Southern University
Bring your Boots & Other Life Lessons from a Forensic Entomologist
10:00 - 10:30
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
Yarixa CINTRON-DIAZ, Field Technical Support Scientist, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments
AIRsight - A Spectroscopy Tool for Seized Drug & Trace Evidence Analysis
1:30 - 2:00
Marissa BAUSE, Forensic Chemist, Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Soaring High in the Lab: A Deep Dive into Forensic Drug Analysis
2:00 - 2:30
COFFEEBREAK (Provided)
2:30 - 3:00
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
DETAILS SCHEDULE
Hanover Research will host a series of four trainings this fall to help faculty improve essential grantsmanship skills.
Tips and Tricks for Applying to the NSF and USDA
Friday, August 22 from 2-3 PM
MelissaCornish will discuss howtodevelop competitive applications for these two major federal agencies. Zoom Link.
Communicating the Impact of your Work
Friday, Sept. 19 from 2-3 PM
Melissa Cornish will discuss how to highlight the impact of your work in a way that will convince reviewers of its significance Zoom Link
Working with Foundations
Friday, October 17 from 2-3 PM
Dr Kristina Weaver willdiscusshow to find nonfederal funders and develop lasting relationships with foundations. Zoom Link.
Scaling Up Your Work
TBD in December or January
MelisaaCornishwilldiscusshow to build on your grantseeking successes to continue achieving your career goals
CONTACT PRESENTERS
Melissa Cornish Managing Grants Consultant Hanover Research
A versatile grant writer, Melissa has won over $95 million in funding from the USDA, NIH, NSF, DOD, PCORI, and a number of private foundations Prior to joining Hanover, Melissa served as project leader at several large research institutions where she managed research collaborations, leveraged institutional resources, and provided extensive business development. Melissa has experience at all stages of the grantseeking life cycle, including proposal development, strategic planning, program development, and communications and marketing
Dr. Kristina Weaver Managing Grants Consultant Hanover Research
An interdisciplinary social scientist, Kristina has worked internationally as an academic, public policy mediator, trainer, and grants professional She has supported proposals yielding more than $216 million in awards, including grants from the National Science Foundation, Lilly Endowment, and W K Kellogg Foundation
For questions about these webinars or if you are interested in working with Hanover, please contact John Carroll (jcarroll@georgiasouthern edu)
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
VISITUSONLINEATGEORGIASOUTHERN.EDU/COSM