Arts & Sciences has over 1,000 faculty and staff who utilize their diverse expertise in the pursuit of research breakthroughs, gaining a deeper understanding of the world's most pressing issues and serving as mentors of the next generation.
Barbara Kunkel, a professor in the Department of Biology, has been awarded $645,000 from the National Science Foundation in support of research on "Roles of Auxin During Pseudomonas syringae Pathogenesis."
Adia Harvey Wingfield, professor of sociology, studies the intersection of race, work and sociology. In addition to writing regularly about such matters for The Atlantic, she also has written numerous scholarly articles and books, including No More Invisible Man: Race and Gender in Men’s Work.
Swanne Gordon, assistant professor of biology, talks about her background, career challenges and passionate belief in embracing diversity and broadening horizons. "As a minority in STEM it is easy to feel that you don’t belong in academia because there are rarely people that look like you in positions of power in it, or really in any positions at all. The overt racism my father went through as a black scientist in North America in the 70’s has now given way to more covert racism (although my experiences show me the other definitely still exists); where people in academia (students and staff) devalue your merits, question your presence even in spite of your CV, limit your promotions, cite and collaborate with you less, etc. It is imperative that we fight against and fix these issues. The importance of this cannot be overstated because as I always say and wholeheartedly believe, only when the broad diversity of humanity is fairly represented, can science truly appeal to our society as a universal knowledge."
Mairin Hynes has been recognized with an Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award.