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Teachers lay the foundation for students to understand and embrace science. This significant role holds true whether the students aspire to scientific careers or simply need as citizens to understand how scientific research can help their everyday lives. Despite their critical role, teachers often find themselves limited in their exposure to the settings where scientific research occurs. Charlotte Teachers Institute has worked to address that gap, including through a new research experience for teachers.

New research by UNC Charlotte scholar Shan Yan and colleagues has revealed the function of a widely shared enzyme component, the Zf-GRF domain, as a critical molecular tool necessary for manipulating DNA during repair processes.

When Vasily Astratov explains complex principles of physics, specifically in the world of optics, he turns to St Paul’s Cathedral in London and its Whispering Gallery. Whisper on one side of the iconic dome, and someone standing a hundred feet away on the other side can hear the whispered words. The same principle is at work in optics, which has helped shape the groundbreaking work in Astratov’s lab in the Department of Physics and Optical Science at UNC Charlotte.

“I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues. And I am asking you at the top of my lungs.” Many of us recognize this quote from Dr. Suess’ book The Lorax from when we were young. Biological Sciences faculty member Aaron Kampe describes the Arbor 49er project in which he and his students have created a physical and virtual educational experience focused on 49 distinct tree species on UNC Charlotte’s campus.

Associate Professor of Chemistry Daniel Jones is among the five finalists for one of the University’s highest honors – the 2016 Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence. In a 43-year career at UNC Charlotte, Jones has taught more than 5,000 students. Throughout these years, his teaching philosophy has been student-centered and holistic.

Larry Mellichamp, retired director of the University’s Botanical Gardens, received the 2016 Tom Dodd Jr. Award of Excellence at the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference held at Western Carolina University in late July. Currently president of the North Carolina Native Plant Society, Mellichamp was recognized for his dedication to the study, propagation and promotion of the native plants of Southeastern North America.

Gain an intoxicating perspective on the leaves, bark, seeds, roots, flowers and fruit imbibed around the world when Amy Stewart, best-selling author of The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks, keynotes a UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens’ 50th Anniversary Symposium on Saturday, October 8, 2016.

UNC Charlotte distinguished cancer researcher Pinku Mukherjee has received a 2016 Inspiring Women in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Inspiring Women in STEM Award honors women who work to make a difference in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

English language learners in Mariella Duarte’s eighth-grade class at Whitewater Middle School in Charlotte face the steep task of learning middle school math in a language they have yet to master. For these students, the cognitive load can prove overwhelming. Anthony Fernandes, a mathematics professor at UNC Charlotte, is seeking solutions to that struggle.

At the May 14 College of Liberal Arts & Sciences’ commencement ceremony, Stanley Schneider, Biological Sciences, officially received a 2016 UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching. As a teacher, one of Schneider’s goals is to change the way students think about and live on Earth. “I want them to experience awe and a sense of privilege and responsibility for living on this planet,” he says.