THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
UPDATES FROM THE DEAN
COSMFacultyandStaff,
HappyMonday!Aswequicklymovetotheendofthespringsemesterandthe2025-2026academic year,Iwanttotakethisopportunitytothankeveryonefortheirhardworkthisyear.Thankstoyou,COSM hadagreatyear Herearejustafewhighlights:
EstablishedpartnershipwithShimadzuthroughtheSPARQprogramwhichincludesresearch collaborations,supportforstudents,anddiscountedinstrumentpurchasesasexamplesofthe partnership
ReceivedfinalapprovalsforthePh.D.programinBiomedicalSciencestostartFall,2026
ReceivedfinalapprovalsforthePh.D.programinMaterialsSciencestostartFall,2026
FormallyestablishedtheCenterforBiomedicalSciencesandInnovation
FormallyestablishedtheCenterforForensicScienceswithJan1,2026launch
LaunchedB.S.BiomedicalSciencesprogramwith135studentsinfirstfallsemester COSMsurpassed2,000studentsthisfallrepresentingagrowthof8.4%comparedtoFall2025and 22.6%ascomparedtoFall2023
Ph.D.EnvironmentalSciencesprogramexceededenrollmentprojectionswith23studentsenrolled versusthetargetenrollmentof16students(perprogramproposalsubmittedtoUSG).
LeadSTEAMBasecampeffortsasasummerbridgeprogramfornewfreshmenstudentsinCOSM, CBSS,CEC,andCAHasacollaborativeeffortwithEMSS.
LaunchedCOSMStaffCounciltoleadeffortsforstaffprofessionaldevelopmentandrecognition programs
EstablishedMOUwiththeUniversityofBelizetocreateresearchcollaborationsandstudent recruitmentpathways
Atthistime,Iamalsopleasedtoannouncetheresultsofthe2026ResearchExcellenceRecognition program.
ANNUALACHIEVEMENTS:Annualresearchexcellencerecognitionscelebrateindividualsfortheir exceptionalresearchachievementswithinaspecificyear.Theserecognitionsacknowledgeoutstanding contributionsmadebyresearchersduringthepreviousyearintermsofresearchpublications,citations, andgrantfunding.
2025AnnualResearchExcellenceRecognitions
Wenjie Li
Mitch H. Weiland
Aaron Schrey
Jose Jimenez
Chidozie “Williams”
Chukwu
Stephen Greiman
David Weindorf
David Weindorf
Wenjie Li
Weihua “Marsall” Ming
Dmitry Apanaskevich
Lorenza Beati Ziegler
Alexander M. Stokolos
Rocio Perez
Jianzhou He
Joshua D Gibson
Saeed Nasseh
Ashley Loren Mathews
Todd Beasley
Chidozie “Williams” Chukwu
Gang Chen
William Anthony Coggins
Wenjie Li
LIFETIMEACHIEVEMENTS:
Lifetimeresearchexcellencerecognitionscelebrateindividualswhohavemade outstandingcontributionstotheirfieldofresearchoverthespanoftheircareers.Theserecognitions acknowledgesustainedexcellenceandsignificantimpactmadebytherecipientthroughouttheir professionallife.
WenjieLi-H-Index20-34,Citations1000-4999,GoogleScholarPublications75-149
ShainazLandge-H-Index20-34
CliffordPadgett-H-Index20-34
Chidozie"Williams"Chukwu-H-Index20-34,Citations1000-4999,GoogleScholarPublications75-149
DmitryApanaskevich-Citations5000-9999,GoogleScholarPublications150-224
JiWu-Citations5000-9999
ChecoColon-Gaud-TotalGrantsAwarded20-29
ChristineHladik-TotalGrantsAwarded10-19
SaraGremillion-TotalGrantsAwarded($$)$2million
EricGato-GoogleScholarPublications75-149
Pleasejoinmeincongratulatingthisyear’srecipientsofaCOSMResearchExcellenceRecognition In addition,weareplanningthe3rdAnnualCOSMSummerResearchShowcaseforFriday,July24,2026.The showcasewillincludeapostersession,theResearchExcellenceRecognitionpresentationceremony,and ahappyhourcelebration.PleaselookfortheSavetheDatecalendarinvitationandmakeplanstojoinus.
WearealsonearlyreadytoannouncetheinauguralfacultythatwillbecelebratedunderthenewCOSM TeachingExcellenceandInnovationRecognitionprogramaswellasthe2ndyearoftheCOSMStaff ExcellenceAwards.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorconcerns,pleasereachouttomeatanytime.
Sincerely i
UPDATES FROM ASSOCIATE DEANS
Mustourmajorstakelower/non-major'sscienceclassesforCORE?
Quickanswer:No.Theydonot*HAVE*totakeadditionalcorescienceclasses
Facultyhavetoldmethatstudentsintheirclassesinformedthemtheywereadvisedthattheymustgo backandtakesomenon-majorsciencecoursesfortheirCOREsciencerequirements,sincetheirinitial majorsciencesequencesarepartoftheirFieldofStudy(majorprerequisiteblock).Iwantedtogetthe informationbelowouttofacultysowecanbestmentorthesestudentswhoreachouttousforguidance.
GSU(perCatalog)doesNOTallowcoursestodouble-countinboththeMajor(includesFieldofStudy) andinCORE.HoweverourinitialsequencesarevalidCOREcourses,andmaybeusedtosatisfythat CORESciencerequirement.Ourmajorsdonotoftenunderstand(orremembercorrectly)howthis flexibilityinwheretheycounttheirinitialmajor’ssequenceaffectstheiroptions:
1)Counttheirinitialmajor’ssequenceintheirFieldofStudy-inthiscasetheyWILLneedtotakesome othernon-major’sscienceCOREclassestocompletethoserequirements OR
2)Counttheirinitialmajor’ssequenceastheirCOREScience-andtake8crhrsofsomethingelseto "backfill"themissingcreditswheretheirmajor’ssequencewaslistedintheirFieldofStudyblock.They justneedtodiscussthiswiththeiracademicadvisor(whowillreachouttomeortheirDepartment Chairifastudentasksforsomethingunusual).
Note:SinceOption1classesarerestrictedspecificallytoCOREsciencecourses,Option2allowsmuch moreflexibilityforustoapproveawiderrangeof“backfill”coursesrelatedtothemajorand useful/appropriateforthatstudent’sfuturecareergoals(higher-levelmath,astatsclass,A&P,med terminology,etc).
Pleasefeelfreetoemailmeifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthis,orifyoueverhearanythingelsefrom studentsthatconcernsyouIamalwaysavailable
DrBrian
Dr.BrianKoehler
AssociateDeanofCurriculum&StudentSuccess+ASOPand
COSM 2026 FACULTY SENATE
TheresultsforCOSMspringelectionsarein.Congratulationstoallelectedcolleagues!Thankyouforyour participation!
Bestregards,
IonutIacob,SenateElectionCommittee(SEC-AppointedMember,COSM)
MaximDurach,SenateElectionCommittee(Member,COSMRepresentative)
COSM2026SpringElectionsforFacultySenateandUniversityCommittees
FacultySenator(termending2029)
BreanaSimmons(Biology)
ChunshanZhao(Mathematics)
MaximDurach(Biochemistry,Chemistry,andPhysics)
FacultySenator(termending2027)
TuyinAn(Mathematics)
FacultySenateAlternate(termending2027)
DawitDenu(Mathematics)
EricJohnson(Biochemistry,Chemistry,andPhysics)
FacultyDevelopmentCommittee(termending2028)
BrandonQuillian(Biochemistry,Chemistry,andPhysics)
LeadershipDevelopmentandEngagementCommittee(termending2027)
JohnCarroll(Biology)
Planning,Budget,andFacilitiesCommittee(termending2028)
NathanielShank(Biochemistry,Chemistry,andPhysics)
StudentSuccessCommittee(termending2028)
SaraGremillion(Biology)
UndergraduateCommittee(termending2028)
AnastasiaRusina(Biochemistry,Chemistry,andPhysics)
DavidChevalier(Biology)
ShainazLandge(Biochemistry,Chemistry,andPhysics)-AlternatePosition
UniversityCalendarCommittee(termending2028)
NathanielShank(Biochemistry,Chemistry,andPhysics)
FacultyGrievanceCommittee(termending2028)
BreanaSimmons(Biology)
FacultyServiceCommittee(termending2028)
DavidChevalier(Biology)
FacultyWelfareCommittee(termending2028)
BreanaSimmons(Biology)
GeneralEducation&CoreCurriculumCommittee(GECC)(termending2028)
DavidChevalier(Biology)
LeaPadgett(Biochemistry,Chemistry,andPhysics)
GraduateCommittee(termending2028)
UPCOMING EVENTS
ElizabethHennessy,PhD,isanassociateprofessorof History,HistoryofScienceandEnvironmentalStudiesat theUniversityofWisconsin–Madison.Shecompleted herPh.D.inGeographyattheUniversityofNorth CarolinaatChapelHillin2014.Herresearchcombines environmentalhistory,scienceandtechnologystudies andpoliticalecologyandhasbeenfundedbytheU.S NationalScienceFoundation,theSocialScience ResearchCouncil,theAmericanCouncilofLearned Societies,theMellonFoundationandtheRachelCarson CenterforEnvironmentandSocietyatLMU-Munich.Her firstbook,“OntheBacksofTortoises:Darwin,the Galápagos,andtheFateofanEvolutionaryEden”(Yale UniversityPress,2019)wasafinalistforaPEN/EO Wilson LiteraryScienceWritingAward
COSM IN ACTION
WhatcanlakesinCaliforniaandmagneticrocksintheAtlanticOceantellusaboutthehealthof Georgia'sshore?SeniorgeologymajorJemaCaumandayandseniorgeosciencesmajorEmma RobinsonworkedtogethertocreateanexhibitattheGeorgiaSouthernMuseumthatexplainshow sciencefromfarawaycanhelpuslearnaboutourownbackyard.
"Ihopevisitorstotheexhibitareabletobetterunderstandhowtheprocessoflookingatpast environmentalconditionsandanalyzingthemallowsustolookatpotentialfutureclimateandhowit canaffectourownenvironment,"Jemasaid
Thisisthefirsttimethemuseumhasfeaturedanexhibitbasedonundergraduateresearch.Emma hopesithelpsvisitorsunderstandthevaluethatstudentscanbringtotheirfieldsofstudy. "It'sgreatexposuretocurrentresearchbecausealotofpeopledon'tthinkaboutundergradworkas partofactiveresearch,"Emmasaid."It'snicetogivepeopleafeelforhowmuchworkgoesintoour projects."
2026 COSM ALUMNI AWARDS
HonoringaSignatureofExcellenceinScienceandMathematics
TheCollegeofScienceandMathematics(COSM)invitesnominationsforthe2026COSMAlumni Awards.Thesehonorscelebrategraduateswhoembodyoursharedcodeofdiscoveryandinnovation, translatingfundamentalscienceintomeasurablereal-worldimpact.
Weseektorecognizetheleadersandinnovatorswhohaveattainedexceptionaldistinctionandwhose workstrengthensourenduringscientificlegacy.Pleasejoinusinhonoringthefullarcofachievement bynominatingcandidatesforthefollowingcategories:
COSMAlumnioftheYearAward:Reservedforanindividualwhohasreachedanexceptionallevel ofprofessionaldistinctionthroughsustainedexcellence,leadershipandlong-termimpact.
COSMProfessionalAchievementAward:Recognizingalumniwhohaveachievednotablesuccess andmadesignificantcontributionstotheirfield,communityororganization
COSMYoungAlumniAward:Celebratingtheoutstandingearly-careeraccomplishmentsand serviceofgraduateswithintenyearsoftheirdegree.
NominationRequirements:Tonominateagraduate,pleasesubmitaformalnominationletterandthe nominee’sresumetocosm@georgiasouthern.edu.Nomineesshoulddemonstrateacommitmentto maintainingalifelongrelationshipwiththeCollegeandtheUniversitythroughtheirtime,talentor treasure.
SubmissionDeadline:Friday,May1,2026.
WelookforwardtorecognizingthosewhoseprofessionaljourneysexemplifyExcellence,Encoded.
SCU UPDATES
COSM SWEATSHIRTS AVAILABLE
ShowyoursupportfortheTauKappaChapteroftheBetaBetaBetaBiologicalHonorsSocietyat GeorgiaSouthern’sStatesboroCampus!TheorganizationhascreatedcustomCOSMsweatshirts,now availableforpurchaseat$35each.Proceedshelpsupportchapteractivities,studentengagement,and academicinitiativeswithintheCollegeofScienceandMathematics.
Don’tmissyourchancetograbone checkoutthelinkbelowtoplaceyourorder!
Purchasethroughthelinkhere
RESEARCH AT THE BOTANIC GARDEN
Anewundergradresearchprojectisunderwayinhidden,discreetareasaroundtheBotanicGarden (likesnakes!) AstudentteamledbyMakennaJobesunderthementorshipofDr.DeniseCarrolland Dr.LanceMcBrayeraresurveyingthebiodiversityofherpetologicalspecies. Severalcoverboardsand woodcookiesalongwithsoundrecordingandvisualobservationsarebeingusedtoconductsurveysof thediversityofspecies
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
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