(2012-05-03) Dr. Mark Welch, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, received the College of Arts & Sciences Researcher of the Month Award for April. Dr.Welch's current areas of research include molecular mechanisms that hasten evolutionary rates in sunflowers, and factors that govern the survival of small populations of iguanas. He was recently notified that he will be awarded an NSF grant (approximately $370,000 over 3 years) to fund his proposed sunflower research. Dr. Welch is also extremely interested in providing undergraduate students with research experiences. Since his arrival at MSU in 2007, he has had 15 undergraduate students work in his lab. These students have received a combined total of more than $15,000 in grants, scholarships and awards for research, and six have been co-authors on refereed journal articles. He is a founding member of the Biology Undergraduate Research Program (BURP) and has coordinated this program since its inception 5 years ago.

(2012-04-20) Lavanya Challagundla, Ph.D. student in Biological Sciences, recently received the Biological Sciences Department 2012 Ph.D. Teaching Assistant of the Year Award as well as the MSU 2012 Donald Zacharias Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year Award. Ms. Challagundlas's Major Professor is Dr. Lisa Wallace.

(2012-04-20) Andrea Rodgers, Biological Sciences Master's student, was recently awarded the Spring 2012 MSU Women's Club Scholarship. The award goes to female masters and doctoral students who demonstrate records of excellence in academics, leadership and service.

(2012-04-20) Steven Shaak, Biological Sciences Master's student, is the recipient of the Biological Sciences Department 2012 Master's Teaching Assistant of the Year Award. Mr. Shaak's Major Professor is Dr. Brian Counterman.

(2012-04-20) Prachi Matsye, Biological Sciences Ph.D. student, is the recipient of the Biological Sciences Department 2012 Research Assistant of the Year Award. Ms. Matsye's Major Professor is Dr. Vincent Klink.

(2012-04-18) Biological Sciences students Hanna Dorman and Jessica Martin placed First and Second in Poster Presentations at the MSU Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by The Shackouls Honors College. Undergraduates involved in faculty-guided research this academic year were invited to participate in the symposium.

(2012-04-13) The Biological Sciences Department's Biology Undergraduate Research Program (BURP) hosted the 2012 Annual Research Symposium on April 13 in Harned Hall Atrium. There were nineteen undergraduates as well as departmental Faculty and graduate students that presented posters describing their research in biological sciences. Three undergraduate researchers were presented the Downer Undergradute Research Award: First Place-Adam Cassella; Second Place-Hanna Dorman; Third Place-Whitney Wilson. Dr. Don Downer, for whom the award is named, was present for the event and presented the awards along with Dr. Mark Welch, Faculty Advisor for BURP, and Dr. Nancy Reichert, Department Head. Pizza was provided for all participants as well as a T-shirt, framed certificate, and custom-designed flashdrive.

(2012-04-10) Mary Celeste (MC) Reese, Biological Sciences Instructor, is the Faculty recipient of MSU's 2012 Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Award. The awards ceremony will be held Tuesday, April 24 at 2 p.m. in the John Grisham Room of Mitchell Memorial Library. Ms. Reese also received the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Outstanding Advising Award (Faculty Academic Advising) in late April. This award honors individuals and institutions making significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising.

(2012-04-03) Alexandra (Alex) Ruhl of Gulfport received a Student Leadership Award from The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW). Ruhl is a microbiology major and Dean's List Scholar and also works for the department.

(2012-03-30) On March 30, 2012, MSU's College of Education hosted Dr. Martha Kanter, Undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Education as the keynote speaker for the 5th Annual Research Forum. Benjamin Elam presented a poster of the work performed in the lab of his research mentor, Dr. David Chevalier, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences. Dr. Chevalier's research focuses on the molecular mechanism of regulation of the cell-to-cell signaling mechanism in plants using Arabidopsis Thaliana as a model system. Mr. Elam is an undergraduate student double majoring in Biological Sciences and Secondary Education (Biology concentration). He is a recipient of a Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow Baccalaureate grant offered through the U.S. Department of Education to encourage the growth of high quality science teachers in high-needs high schools. Visit http://tctb.msstate.edu/aboutus.html for information about the "Creative Research-Based Science Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow" program at Mississippi State.

(2012-03-20) Dr. Lisa Wallace, Assistant Professor and Herbarium Curator, is the recipient of the "2012 Arts & Sciences Research in the Natural and Physical Sciences and Mathematics & Statistics Award."