JOURNEY
2015
DEAN’S MESSAGE
4
FACULTY AND STAFF HIGHLIGHTS
5-7
GIVING BACK SPOTLIGHT
7
ARMBRUSTER DISCOVERS CATFISH
SPECIES, NAMES IT FOR STAR WARS
CHARACTER
8-9
FACULTY PROFESSORSHIPS INSPIRE,
PROMOTE FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
10
FORMER ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS’ MESSAGE
11
ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC
AFFAIRS’ MESSAGE
NAME CHANGE FOR DEPARTMENT OF
GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY REFLECTS
BROAD RANGE OF EXPERTISE
35
DOES REPRODUCTION CAUSE AGING?
36-37
FIGHTING TERRORISM IN THE LAB
38
INTERNATIONAL DUSTY PLASMA
WORKSHOP HELD AT AUBURN
UNIVERSITY
39
PROGRAM PROMOTES WORLDWIDE
MATHEMATICS RESEARCH IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA
40-41
STUDENT SPACE PROGRAM RECEIVES
NSF FUNDING TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND
LAUNCH SATELLITES
12
42-43
DEAN’S MEDALISTS
CRAYFISH IN TALLAPOOSA
RIVER BASIN PRESENT
CRYPTIC DIVERSITY
44-47
13
MAKING AN IMPACT: STUDENTS
DISCUSS HOW SCHOLARSHIPS AFFECT
COLLEGE CAREERS
14-15
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
16-19
BECAUSE THIS IS AUBURN CAMPAIGN
BP EXECUTIVE INSISTS SCIENCE AND
MATH ARE DEFINITELY FOR GIRLS
48
DIRECTOR OF COSAM
OUTREACH’S MESSAGE
20
49
UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL
SCHOOL ACCEPTANCE
RATES SOAR AT AUBURN
21-23
BEST ROBOTICS PROGRAM
CATAPULTS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
TO PRESIDENTIAL SCIENCE FAIR
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE OFFICE OF
DIVERSITY AND MULTICULTURAL
AFFAIRS
24
BUILDING ACADEMIC CONFIDENCE:
COSAM ALUMNUS REFLECTS ON
SUMMER BRIDGE EXPERIENCE
25
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS
26-29
THIS IS A ROCK-SOLID
FRIENDSHIP.
THIS IS AUBURN.
30-33
ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH
AND GRADUATE STUDIES’ MESSAGE
34
50
CURATOR OF THE DONALD E. DAVIS
ARBORETUM’S MESSAGE
51
DAVIS ARBORETUM INSTALLATION OF
POLLINATOR MEADOW IS
UNDER WAY
52
COSAM
Mission Statement
The mission of the Auburn University College of
Sciences and Mathematics is three-fold: to teach by
providing an environment that ensures excellence
in the biological, physical, and mathematical
sciences for the purpose of preserving, interpreting,
and conveying existing knowledge; to research by
creating, integrating, and applying new knowledge;
and to reach out to others by fostering educational
exchange within the university, the Alabama
community, and society as a whole. The Auburn
University College of Sciences and Mathematics is
committed to providing opportunities of inclusion
for its faculty, staff, and students.
For more information on the Auburn University
College of Sciences and Mathematics, visit
www. auburn.edu/cosam. Journey is published by
the Auburn University College of Sciences and
Mathematics. Issues are printed annually and are
distributed to alumni and friends of COSAM.
Inquiries, suggestions and news items concerning
Journey should be directed to:
Candis Birchfield
315 Roosevelt Concourse
Auburn, AL 36849
[email protected]
Dean
Nicholas Giordano
Writer and Editor
Candis Birchfield ’97
Writer
Lindsay Miles ’13
Graphic Designer
Jennie C. Hill ’03
Photographers
Candis Birchfield
Lindsay Miles
Jeff Etheridge
Melissa Humble
Special thanks to the Auburn University Office of
Communications and Marketing and the Auburn
University Athletics Department for contributing
features.
DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM OF
NATURAL HISTORY’S MESSAGE
53
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
OFFERS JUNIOR CURATOR CAMP
54
IN MEMORIAM
55
On The Cover:
More than 1,000 miles separate 1979 geology
graduates Art Merkle and Herb Martin, but a
bond made at Auburn University connects them
for life. Read about their enduring friendship
and dedication to COSAM on pages 30-33.
The cover image and be