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JOURNEY
Spring 2016
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39
8
26
40
10
28
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DEAN’S MESSAGE
5
FACULTY AND STAFF
HIGHLIGHTS
PROFESSOR ED THOMAS
DISCUSSES PHYSICS,
RESEARCH, STUDENTS,
AND WHAT HE LOVES
ABOUT AUBURN
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
UNVEILS $1 MILLION
SUPERCOMPUTER
12
ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS’
MESSAGE
13
COSAM LEADERS
14
COSAM’S AWARD-WINNING
DIRECTOR OF STUDENT
SERVICES OFFERS SAGE
ADVICE
16
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
18
MEET COSAM GRADUATION
MARSHAL AUSTIN BUSH
AUBURN BIOLOGIST
AND ALUMNI
SEEK INVASIVE
BURMESE PYTHONS
IN EVERGLADES
COMPETITION
SOCIETY OF WOMEN
IN SCIENCES AND
MATHEMATICS
CELEBRATES 10TH
ANNIVERSARY
JESSICA WILLIAMS,
ALUMNA AND PHYSICIAN
PREPARED TO TACKLE A
FUTURE IN MEDICINE
29
DEE SMITH, CURATOR OF
THE DAVIS ARBORETUM,
RETIRES
30
AUBURN AZEALEAS
A TRADITION
ROOTED IN
TIMELESS BEAUTY
38
ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR
RESEARCH AND GRADUATE
STUDIES’ MESSAGE
COSAM BIOLOGIST
DISCOVERS NEW
TARANTULA SPECIES,
NAMES IT AFTER
JOHNNY CASH
ENGINEERING A
BETTER FUTURE:
BEST ROBOTICS
PARTICIPANT
CHANGES
CHILDREN’S
LIVES, ONE HAND
AT A TIME
46
FORMER COSAM STUDENT
TEAMS UP WITH FELLOW
MARCHING BAND ALUMNI
TO INVENT THE DRUMBELT
48
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS
51
BONDS NOT EASILY
BROKEN, COSAM ALUMNI
CHOOSE DENTISTRY
WITH THE HELP OF THE
GENERATION BEFORE THEM
52
DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS
54
BRIDGING THE GAP,
SUMMER ENRICHMENT
PROGRAM LEADS TO
COLLEGIATE SUCCESS
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 Hacker 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
On The Cover:
Campus is covered with native hybrid azaleas
that are unique to Auburn. The native beauties
are now available to the public through the new
Auburn Azalea series offered by COSAM’s Davis
Arboretum. Read more on pages 30-37.
Journey
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
College of Sciences and Mathematics
Spring: 2016
Azaleas
Auburn
a tradition rooted
in timeless beauty
THIS IS COSAM. THIS IS AUBURN.
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Journey/Spring2016
2016
Journey/Spring
College of Sciences and Mathematics
3