College of Science

Britney Phippen, a doctoral student in biological sciences, and Rahul Upadhyay, who is pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, are the 2015-16 recipients of the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards.

Distinguished College of Liberal Arts & Sciences alumni are among those honored in April by the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association for outstanding contributions to their professions, their communities and to the university.

Stanley Schneider from the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is one of the recipients of the 2016 UNC Board of Governors Awards 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.

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences faculty will lead Charlotte Teachers Institute 2016 seminars on a wide variety of engaging, interdisciplinary topics for Charlotte-Mecklenburg teachers from all grade levels and subject areas. CTI recently announced its new seminars, which also will be led by faculty members from UNC Charlotte College of Education and Davidson College.

What began as a biological sciences’ extra-credit assignment bloomed into a project that is helping to slow the erosion of sediment into Toby Creek by converting a barren parking lot into a diverse natural habitat.

As people worldwide cry out for safe drinking water, UNC Charlotte master’s degree student Billy Johnson has discovered a way to help, through nanoscience. Working with his UNC Charlotte faculty mentor Jordan Poler, Johnson has developed a novel nanomaterial.

Hundreds of UNC Charlotte undergraduates have participated in the Charlotte Research Scholars initiative at UNC Charlotte in a 10-week summer program. Those chosen receive a scholarship to work closely with faculty mentors conducting research and participate in professional development sessions to better prepare them for graduate school and careers.

Sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and other devastating illnesses threaten the lives of millions of people and livestock worldwide. While tsetse fly and other insect bites spread the diseases, the true culprits are trypanosomatid parasites, with their unique mitochondrial DNA structure known as kinetoplast DNA. UNC Charlotte mathematician Yuanan Diao is working with researchers across the country to unlock the secrets of the organisms’ DNA.

On this episode of The Live Wire, UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens Director Jeff Gillman shares insights into all that the Botanical Gardens has to offer and what’s ahead for this community treasure.

In a significant botanical accomplishment, UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens staff have successfully pollinated a Titan Arum, using pollen from another Titan Arum at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. “The pollination of the Titan Arum is very significant for UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens,” said Paula Gross, UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens assistant director. “We were the first to bloom this rare plant in the Carolinas, and now we are the first in North America to have achieved pollination with fresh, or unfrozen, pollen.”