COSMWEEKLY
THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
UPDATES FROM THE DEAN
WelcometoFall!Withtheweatherchanging(andhopefullynotafalsefall),therecontinuetobea numberofinitiativesunderwayinCOSM.TheprogramproposalforthePhDinBiomedicalSciencesison theagendafortheBoardofRegents’October14–15meetings.AfterathoroughreviewbytheUSGstaff,we areoptimisticthattheBoardwillapproveitwithoutanymajorissues.WithfinalapprovalbySACSCOC expectedinthespring,theprogramwilllaunchinFall2026,alongsidethePhDinMaterialsScience We havealreadyinitiatedactiverecruitingefforts,includingfacultyvisitstoregionalfour-yearuniversities, planningadigitaladvertisingcampaign,engagingthenewgraduaterecruiterstoattendregionaland nationalconferences,andmore
Wehavecompletedtwooftheleadershipsearches,withtheremainingtwointheinterviewphase.Iam excitedtoannounce:
Dr.EdMondor,AssociateProfessorofBiology,hasacceptedthepositionofInterimDirectorforthe CenterforForensicSciences.EdwillofficiallystartinJanuaryandwillcontinuetobuildonthe momentumgeneratedbytherecentForensicScienceWorkshopsponsoredbyShimadzu.
Dr.SaraGremillion,ProfessorofBiology,hasacceptedthepositionofInterimAssociateDeanfor FacultyAffairsandStudentSuccess.SarawillbeginherroleonNovember1,2025.
InterviewsareunderwayfortheInterimChairoftheDepartmentofBiomedicalSciencesandthe AssociateDeanforResearchandGraduateStudies Hopefully,thesewillbewrappedupbytheendofthe month
AnewCOSMStaffCouncilisbeingdevelopedtoamplifythevoiceofstaff,fosteropencommunication, andpromoteasupportive,collaborativeworkplaceculturewithintheCollegeofScience&Mathematics Oncemembershipselectionisfinalized,thefirstCOSMStaffCouncilmeetingisexpectedtotakeplaceby theendofthemonth.
Thereare11facultysearchesplannedforthisacademicyear,withatargetstartdateofFall2026.The breakdownis:
Biology–onetenure-tracka BCP–twotenure-trackassis Mathematics–threetenureSEES–onetenure-trackassis BiomedicalSciences–three
Thankyoutoeveryoneparticipating of theinterviews!
Haveagreatweek!
Sincerely, Mike
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
AreyouplanningtorecruitundergraduateresearchstudentsforSpringand/or Summer2026?
COURcanhelpusingConnectogen!
Undergraduatestudentsareofteninterestedinresearchbutdon’tknowhowtogoaboutfindinga researchmentor Tothisend,COURwantstohelpconnectstudentsandfacultyusingConnectogen,a networkingsitethatallowsuserstofindcollaborators,developmentor-menteerelationships,and maintainanupdatedCV.
IfyouareinterestedinrecruitingoneormoreundergraduateresearchstudentsforSpringand/or Summer2026,pleasecompletetheUndergraduateResearchRecruitmentForm.TheCOURofficewill postyourprojectontheGeorgiaSouthernUniversity–COSMnetworkonConnectogenforstudentsto viewandhelpconnectyoutofutureresearchstudents.Ifyouhavemultipleprojects,pleasesubmit multipleforms.
PleasedirectanyquestionstoHeatherJoesting(hjoesting@georgiasouthern.edu).
WhyShouldYouJoinConnectogen?
ConnectogenallowsyoutodevelopresearchcollaborationswithotherfacultywithinCOSMandother institutions ItalsohastoolstohelpyoueasilymaintainanupdatedCVandprepareitemsforannual reviews Joinforfreeatwwwconnectogencom
COSM WORK ORDERS
COSMhaslaunchedanewWorkOrderFormthatwillnowbeusedforbothCOSMandCCRLrequests. Tobetterprioritizeneeds,requestswillbecategorizedas:
Emergency–Needstobecompletedthesameday
Urgent–Needstobecompletedwithin72hours
Routine
Other
When submitting a request, please include as much detail as possible so that Darrin Moore and Sam Futch can properly assess the situation. They may follow up with you if additional information is needed.
Forquestions pleasecontact:
DarrinMoore,InstrumentationMaintenanceandResearchSpecialist darrinmoore@georgiasouthern.edu
SamFutch,DirectorofElectronics&ResearchTechnology cfutch@georgiasouthernedu
OurfirstsessionofthefallwillbeonThursday,October16thfrom12:30to1:30pm Thissessionwillbe focused on implementing and interpreting mid-semester student feedback surveys. Faculty are invited to bring their lunch and contribute to the discussion. Participation will count as part of the 'Evidence Based Teaching' badge track for those that are working on it, but it is open to all COSM faculty (and other programs/departments that may be interested, so please invite other colleagues!).
Facultythatareabletojoinusforthesessionshouldsignupusingthelink: https://tinyurl.com/scaryfeedback
LUNCH AND LEARN LUNCHAND LEARN
COSM NEWS
New post-baccalaureate program helps shape the next generation of coastal scientists by mentoring undergraduate students.Herearesomeoftheminthefield alongwithsomeCOSMprofessors.
BiomedicalSciencesstudentsandfacultyenjoyalivelyMeet andMingleeventheldonboththeArmstrongandStatesboro campuses. Attendees share food, laughter, and engaging conversationswhileconnectingovertheirsharedinterestsin scienceandresearch
Dr. Eric Johnson and Dr. Leah Williams in the Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Physics hosted its annual study mixer for Principles of Chemistry I (CHEM 1211) students on Monday, September29th,ontheStatesborocampus.
CCRL - INSTRUMENT OF THE WEEK
ThisweekisfocusedontheConfocalMicroscopeZeissLSM-710withAiryscaninstrument.Thisis locatedinroom1116AofBiologicalSciencesBuildingoftheStatesboroCampus.
TheZeissLSM710withaninvertedAxioObserverZ1andAiryscanupgradeisapowerfulconfocal microscopesystemcapableofimagingawidevarietyofsamples,bothfixedandlive.Here'sa summaryofitscapabilitiesandthekindsofsamplesyoucanuse: SampleTypes:
Fixedandlivecells:TheinvertedAxioObserverZ1standisidealforimagingcellsandtissuecultures, providingversatilityforvariousapplications.Thesystemincludesaheatedstageand environmentalcontrol(temperature,humidity,CO2)specificallyforlive-cellimaging.
Tissuesections:TheLSM710canbeusedformorphologicalanalysisofneuronalstructuresinboth cellculturesandbrainsections.
Smallorganisms:ItcanbeusedtoimageminutestructureslikeyeastorDNA.
Plantsamples:Examplesincludeimagingfluorescentproteinexpressioninplantrootsandstems. Fluorescentlylabeledspecimens:Thisincludessamplesstainedwithfluorescentproteinexpression, immunohistochemicallabels,orfluorescentindicatorssuchasAlexa-Fluors,GFPvariants,DAPI,and manyothers
Capabilities:
Confocalandsuper-resolutionimaging:TheLSM710providesstandardconfocalimagingwith excellentresolutionandopticalsectioningcapabilities.TheadditionofAiryscanenhances resolutionandsignal-to-noiseratio,enablingsuper-resolutionimaging,accordingtoNIH.
Live-cellimaging:Itsenvironmentalcontrolfeaturesandreducedphototoxicitymakeitsuitablefor observingdynamicprocessesinlivingsamplesoverextendedperiods.
Multi-channelandspectralimaging:Thesystemcanacquireimageswithmultiplefluorescent labelssimultaneously.Itsspectraldetectorallowsforprecisespectralunmixingtoseparatesignals frommultiplefluorophoresorremoveautoflu 3Dreconstruction:Stacksofopticalsections
High-speedimaging:Airyscanallowsforfas FRAPandFRET:TheLSM710canbeusedforF andFörsterResonanceEnergyTransfer (FRET)experimentstostudyprotein dynamicsandinteractions
Inessence,theZeissLSM710withAiryscan providesaversatileplatformfordetailed imagingandanalysisofawiderangeof biologicalsamples,particularlyincelland molecularbiologyresearch.
IfyouhavenotusedoneoftheConfocial Microscope,pleasecontactAndrew Diamandurosforasession.
ThisConfocalMicroscopeimagewascapturedbyDr.RobertMansfromtheDepartmentofBiology.
Figure:Astrocytesinthezebrafishtelencephalon.
Green:labelingwithGFAPprimaryantibody
Blue:DAPIcounterstainfornuclei
Magnification:400X
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