If you were to ask a random group of people to name five famous female scientists, their list may begin and end with Marie Curie. Historically, science has been considered a “man’s field,” and today’s up-and-coming female scientists often find themselves lacking female mentors. For this very reason, UWG senior chemistry major Edidiong Umoren says more women should be driven to chase their scientific dreams – not give up on them.
“I feel women can do anything,” said Edidiong, who goes by “Edi.” “We should feel more empowered. It’s kind of been ingrained in us that men are doing so much in the sciences, but because we need more female figures out there, that should be enough [motivation] for women to succeed in and of itself.” Read more ...
Assistant Professor Dr. Christopher Jett of the Department of Mathematics at the University of West Georgia has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Grant for his CAREER: Broadening Participation in STEM: A Qualitative Analysis of African-American Male STEM Majors’ Mathematics Experiences and Career Decisions. The recognition is one of the government agency’s most prestigious for junior faculty members and is presented to those who incorporate education and research into the missions of their institutions.
“I am both humbled and excited,” Dr. Jett stated. “This grant allows me to engage in a study exploring African-American male students' educational experiences and trajectories, so the implications of this work could improve the climate for these students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors and fields.” Read more ...
If you have ever received or applied for a scholarship to pay for school then you can relate to UWG Professor of Mathematics Emeritus Dr. Earl Perry. Born into a financially poor family, he made his way through college with the help of charitable scholarships. Just like someone else had the confidence in him, today he continues to do the same for other scholars like him. He recently established an endowment in the sum of $50,000 for the mathematics department.
For nearly 30 years he held memberships in Alpha Tau Omega national social fraternity, Phi Kappa Phi national scholastic fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership fraternity, Kappa Mu Epsilon national mathematics fraternity, as well as the Mathematical Association of America on top of his teaching responsibilities. Read more ...
Two University of West Georgia students get the chance to fulfill lifelong ambitions to become the men they have always admired. Michael Stevens and Taylor Payne graduated in December and have been accepted to medical school for start in the fall. Michael will attend Mercer University School of Medicine in Atlanta, and Taylor will be attending the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.
Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in Organic Chemistry. He is a two time cancer survivor, which fueled his drive for becoming a doctor to help others in the same predicament he has overcome. Michael sees pediatric oncology as a special area of medicine, but he is entering medical school with an open mind and plenty of options to choose from. Read more ...
Dr. Satyanarayana Swamy Mruthinti, a professor of biology at the University of West Georgia, was recently invited to give a lecture on the “Possible Link Between Diabetes and Neurodegenerative Diseases” at Kakatiya University in Warangal, India. In his lecture, Dr. Mruthinti talked about the prevalence of diabetes and how it is reaching an epidemic proportion with over 265 million individuals who possibly suffer from it worldwide. He continued about the characteristics of the disease, which include high levels of plasma glucose, the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), concomitant upregulation of receptor for AGEs (RAGEs) and inflammation. Read more ...
Dr. Nick Sterling, the University of West Georgia’s first astronomer with a Ph.D., will be hosting a series of astronomy talks with the goal to educate, entertain, and inspire the Carroll County community. The first talk, A Journey to Darkness: The Unseen Universe, will be held on Saturday, February 27 at 6 p.m. in the Boyd Building on the UWG campus. The talks will last about an hour, and the last 30 minutes will be open for questions from the audience.
“As a professional scientist, we should give back to the community and talk about the cool things that we do,” said Dr. Sterling. “Everyone looks at the night sky and wonders, to a certain extent, what’s up there.” Read more ...
The University of West Georgia's College of Science and Mathematics placed 18th in the nation for its online Information Technology program according to the 2016 ranking of online programs by U.S. News & World Report.
“The College of Science and Mathematics at the University of West Georgia is proud to be able to claim such a reputable and recognized program,” said College of Science and Mathematics Interim Dean Dr. Scott Gordon. “We would like to congratulate our colleagues in the computer science department on this accomplishment and thank them for their hard work and dedication.” Read more ...
The University of West Georgia sent a team of geology majors on an experiential learning trip to Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. Fourteen undergraduate students collected samples for research from the Leucite Hills, the Thomas Range, and the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Nine of the students went on to present their research in November at the Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA) in Baltimore: two on the Leucite Hills lamproite; five on the Thomas Range; and two on the pegmatite and hydrothermal veins in granite.
Their journey began in Boulder, Colorado then continued to Rock Springs, Wyoming, to Delta, Utah, then returned to Colorado Springs. Students were able to conduct hands-on fieldwork under the supervision of Dr. Curtis Hollabaugh. Read more ...
The University of West Georgia is pleased to announce the Lois Martin Endowed Scholarship. Lois’ son, Dr. Frederick “Rick” Martin, established the fund in honor of his mother. Dr. Martin started this fund in 1988 as an annual scholarship, benefiting more than 50 students. The now endowed scholarship, totaling $70,000, will be awarded annually to students majoring in biology or chemistry, and with an interest in pursuing a medical degree. This year’s recipients want to return to Carrollton and help those within the community.
Lois Martin was born in Clayton County, Alabama in 1911 on a farm with her parents and nine siblings. Lois moved to Carrollton with her husband, Thomas Watson Martin, after World War II. Read more ...
On Thursday, November 5, the University of West Georgia College of Science and Mathematics held their annual Popular Lectures for the 2015 Nobel Prizes winners. The event included presentations from three UWG faculty members. Each lecturer discussed the winner’s impact in the of advancements science. Dr. S. Swamy Mruthinti, professor of biology, hosted the event and introduced faculty members before they discussed their topics.
“This series has been going since 2010,” said Dr. Mruthinti. “It's the sixth one in the series. Our idea is to bring the Nobel Prize living work and explain to our students so they will understand the significance of this year’s Nobel Prize.” Read more ...
When University of West Georgia Professor Emerita of Chemistry Dr. Lucille Garmon passed away in October, members of the UWG community couldn’t believe it. The fiery 79-year-old known for her eccentric driving, strength to outrun college students, ability to jump on stools in a single bound, and, most importantly, the love of her students and her craft had lost her battle with cancer.
“She didn’t let it get her down,” her daughter Alizon Garmon recalled at a recent memorial held by the chemistry department. “She would come into this office with her wheelchair and walker.” Read more ...
Physics Demo Night has always been an evening of excitement at the University of West Georgia. This night, full of thrills that almost seem like magic tricks, brings people of all ages from UWG and the community to witness and participate in some out-of-this-world demonstrations. This year’s event featured high voltage electricity, lightning, electrostatics, tornadoes, hurricanes, smoke rings, ignited methane bubbles, a gas bottle rocket, a light bulb bicycle generator, the “Electric Pickle,” and a million volt zap cane.
As unbelievable as these demonstrations may be, there is a science behind it all. The “Electric Pickle” has 120 powerful AC volts that run through it. The first thing to occur is the pickle begins to sizzle and crack as it establishes a polarity. Read more ...
University of West Georgia senior Michael Stevens doesn’t remember a time before cancer. Diagnosed with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at the age of four and then again at 14, the disease has not only shaped his past, but his future as well. “I’ve had to deal with this my whole life,” said Michael, who is a chemistry major. “You spend your whole life doing this one thing, and it becomes your identity. You are a cancer survivor. That defines you.”
Although Michael has been cancer free for over five years, he’s still fighting, and he doesn’t plan to quit. At the end of high school when asked what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, he said he wanted to be a doctor. His love of science and appreciation of medicine, combined with his identity as a survivor, made the decision an easy one. Read more ...
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