ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ

October 24, 2024, 12:28 PM: The note from the Dean has been amended since its publication.

Greetings from the dean’s office - as the seasonas shift from summer into cooler weather happens, we are also enjoying the start of the academic year. While the summer months provide time and space for faculty and students to engage in their scholarly pursuits in a sustained manner, September brings new students, exciting classes and a buzz of activity on campus and at our field sites. 

On the academic side of the house, ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ has welcomed a new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Michael Palladino. Dr. Palladino is a scientist, earning a B.S. in Biology and a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology. During his academic career, Dr. Palladino’s research focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying testis biology and function. More detailed biographical information can be found on the website. Since arriving at ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ in the late spring, he has spent considerable time touring our campus and facilities. We have hosted visits to the Port Republic Marine Field Station and Coastal Research Center, as well as the on-campus Sustainability Farm and Maple Sugar Grove. Dr. Palladino brings a wealth of experience as a leading science educator, researcher, and academic leader. Please join me in welcoming him to ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ, we look forward to working with him.

We are also thrilled to have a new Director of Academic Laboratories, and three new faculty colleagues join us in NAMS. 

I’m excited to announce this past March, we welcomed Dr. Hajar Faal as the new Director of the Academic Laboratory and Field Facilities in NAMS. Dr. Faal is a trained entomologist with a focus in chemical ecology. She earned her Ph.D. from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). Prior to joining us, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher at U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Plant Protection and Quarantine. Dr. Faal brings a wealth of experience in facility operations, laboratory management, and safety protocol. We are excited to see how her contributions will inspire even greater achievements in our research and teaching efforts. 

Dr. Hannah Taylor, Assistant Professor of Mathematics. Dr. Taylor comes to ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ following an appointment as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Texas, Austin, where her thesis work focused on the symmetries of knots, branched cyclic covers, and L-spaces.
She was an undergraduate at Ball State University, where she earned a.BS. in Mathematics. Dr. Taylor will continue her research on the topology of structures like knots and braids here at ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ.

Dr. Min Kook Kim, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies. Dr. Kim earned a Bachelor of Economics from Chung-Ang University and went on to earn an M.A. in Education at Seoul National University and an M.A. in Urban Planning from SUNY Buffalo. 

He received a Ph.D. in Forest Resources from the University of Maine. Prior to joining ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ’s faculty, Dr. Kim was a tenured Associate Professor of Natural Resources and Recreation Management, Natural Resources and Earth Sciences at Marshall University. His research program focuses on using geospatial technology for natural resource management and conservation.

Dr. Kayla Pennerman, Assistant Professor of Biology. Dr. Pennerman is a microbiologist with a research program that investigates fungal communication and mycotoxigenicity. She earned a B.S. in Biology from Salisbury University, a Master’s in Biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology from Rutgers University. Immediately prior to joining the Biology Program, Dr. Pennerman was a Visiting Scientist at the US Department of Agriculture and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

I also want to share the news that our colleague, Dr. Weihong Fan, Professor of Environmental Science, retired at the end of June. Dr. Fan has been a tremendously dedicated and successful faculty member in ENVL since 1995. During her tenure, she helped to establish and grow ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ’s Environmental Sciences Program as one of our hallmark areas. In addition to being an effective and thoughtful teacher, she was also an incredibly productive researcher. Dr. Fan led the program’s efforts in bringing GIS technology into their curriculum. ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ has certainly benefited enormously from her deep and sustain contributions to ENVL and NAMS. Weihong, please accept our sincere appreciation for all you have done and our very best wishes for your well-earned retirement.

As you will see from the stories shared in this issue of The Essential Elements, ÒùÐÔÊÓƵ faculty, staff and students are doing remarkable things. I am tremendously appreciative for their tireless efforts to provide a first-class educational experience for our students. We are also eager to hear about the accomplishments of our graduates, so please do reach out to share news and updates. 

All the best,

Dr. Amanda Norvell
Dean of the School of Natural Sciences