Research Notes
Academic Magazine Features Professors’ Research
College of Science and Mathematics
Solving what appears to be a simple problem can lead to interesting results. That was the case with two faculty members in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, professors Hua Wang and Colton Magnant and two former graduate students, Jeremy Davis (‘12) and Martin Hall (‘14), when the team of mathematicians set out to find integer solutions to classic calculus problems, such as finding the dimensions of the largest open-topped box that can be constructed from a sheet of cardboard by cutting out the corners and folding the sides. Their results appeared in the May 2014 edition of the College Mathematics Journal, one of the premier publications of the Mathematical Association of America. Their article was even featured in the electronic announcement to promote the journal, sent worldwide to members of the world’s largest professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level.
Nursing Professor Named Scholar
College of Health and Human Sciences
School of Nursing Professor Kathy Anderson has been selected to participate in a two-week health disparities research course by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Integrating Principles of Science, Practice and Policy in Health Disparities,” is an intensive two-week course that aims to provide the knowledge and research tools needed to help eliminate health disparities. It provides specialized instruction on the concepts, principles, methods, and applications of health disparities research, practice and policy interventions. Selection to the course is extremely competitive and Anderson will travel to the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland to participate in the session.
Peace Commended
Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health
Karl E. Peace, Ph.D., has been commended as a prolific biostatistician and educator by the Virginia General Assembly. A June 12 House Joint Resolution noted his impact on the field of biostatistics. The scholarships he’s created have helped more than 50 students earn master’s or doctorate degrees from the Medical College of Virginia. Peace is the Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholar and Professor of Biostatistics in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern.
New Nanomaterials Lab
Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology
Mechanical Engineering Professor Mujibur Khan has established a Nanomaterials Research Lab in the Carruth Building for advanced nanostructure and nanocomposite synthesis and manufacturing. A grant from the National Science Foundation has allowed Khan to equip the Lab with state-of-the-art facilities for fabrication, characterization and performance tests of nanocomposite materials for structural, biomedical, energy and environmental applications. The Lab will allow Khan and his graduate and undergraduate students to conduct research on core-sheath bio-nanofibers for controlled release, and targeted cancer drug delivery and high-performance hybrid nanocomposite fibers, among other projects.
COE Professor Adds To National Research Profile
College of Education
Professor Kymberly Drawdy has been elected to serve as a councilor on the Social Sciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). Drawdy, a Department of Teaching and Learning professor, has been spearheading undergraduate research with two COE colleagues, Meca Williams-Johnson and Kathleen Tootle, by embedding action research in the special education teacher education program. CUR is a national organization representing more than 900 colleges and universities created to support and promote high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship.
University Teaching Award Winner
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Bryan Miller, Ph.D., won the University Award for Excellence in Contribution to Instruction. He was cited for demonstrating excellence in the classroom, and beyond, by making contributions to the discipline and to the overall institutional mission. Miller is credited with spearheading the Inside-Out prison exchange program in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, in which University students join incarcerated students at local prisons to take criminal justice courses.
New mydevice Classroom in the College of Business
College of Business Administration
The College of Business Administration is excited to announce the very first “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) classroom on the Georgia Southern campus. During the summer, one of the College’s computer labs was converted into a wireless, interactive classroom. This technology will allow students to utilize their own device, whether a laptop or tablet, as individuals or teams to complete assignments and research projects. Certain courses have been, and will be, designated for use of the mydevice classroom. Additional classrooms will be converted to the BYOD classroom format over time.