From the Desk of the Dean

Fall 2022 Issue

From the Desk of the Dean

I am thrilled to begin serving as dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at ��Ƶ University. I want to first express my appreciation to Dr. Peter Straub for his stewardship of NAMS. Under Pete’s leadership, NAMS saw tremendous growth, notably in the expansion of academic programming and in the completion of the Unified Science Center complex. Pete led the School with a steady hand during the extended COVID-19 disruption, and this is a task that deserves particular recognition. Personally, I would like to thank Pete for his gracious assistance and generous advice. I invite you to join me in wishing Pete all the best as he transitions back into full-time teaching and research.

We are fortunate to have three new colleagues joining us this fall. Mr. Luis Arriaga is a new teaching specialist in Biology, and he will contribute to the Anatomy and Physiology curriculum. Most recently, Mr. Arriaga served as an instructor and director of Anatomy Labs at Collee of St. Scholastica. Dr. Domhnall OShaughnessy has joined the Chemistry Program as a teaching specialist. He comes to us from Shenandoah University, where he was an associate professor of Chemistry and the chair of the Chemistry and Physics Department. Finally, Dr. Camilla Alves Souto, is a new assistant professor of Marine Science. Dr. Souto’s areas of expertise are invertebrate zoology and paleontology. Prior to joining MARS, Dr. Souto was a Deep Time Peter Buck Fellow at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution. We extend a warm welcome to our newest NAMS faculty colleagues.

Since arriving at ��Ƶ in July, I have been spending time getting to know our dedicated staff and faculty, as well as touring our exceptional facilities. With the start of the school year, I am now also beginning to meet our talented students as well. I have been uniformly impressed with the genuine commitment all our community members have to deliver an exceptional education for our students. NAMS faculty are accomplished teacher-scholars, contributing to their disciplines and our communities at a high level. They have continued to hone their instructional skills and engage in disciplinary scholarship, earning competitive grants, presenting their findings at academic conferences, and publishing their work.

Dr. Amanda Norvell Dean — Dr. Amanda Norvell

Notably, NAMS faculty also involve ��Ƶ students in their research, and many are included as co-authors on publications or professional presentations. A full list of their accomplishments from this year is available in the ��Ƶ Scholarly and Professional Activities Book, and I encourage you to take a look, as there is not nearly enough space for me to share it here. We are very proud of these achievements.

Finally, we have had a few significant facility updates happen since the spring. First, in May, the R/V Rudy G. Arndt, a shallow draft research vessel, was formally dedicated. Named for late Marine Science Professor Rudy G. Arndt, the boat can carry up to 12 passengers and is optimal for navigating the shallow waters of the bays and creeks. We are grateful to Judy Arndt, Dr. Arndt’s sister, for the generous gift that supported its purchase. Secondly, thanks to a substantial anonymous donation, the Physics Department has just installed a new 17-inch PlaneWave Telescope in the Harold E. Taylor Observatory. We are grateful for generous contributions like these, as they allow us to make improvements to our facilities. They are gifts that also allow us to honor the legacy of beloved ��Ƶ faculty like Dr. Arndt and Dr. Taylor.

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