Category Archives: Academic achievements

Auburn junior named Barry M. Goldwater Scholar


Posted on

Patrick DonnanAUBURN UNIVERSITY – Patrick Donnan, an Auburn University Honors College student double-majoring in physics and music, has been chosen as a 2013 Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, an honor bestowed only to approximately 300 students nationwide each year. The scholarship is widely considered the most prestigious award in the United States for undergraduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.

Donnan, an Auburn native, conducts research with Professor Francis Robicheaux as part of the theoretical and computational atomic physics group in the College of Sciences and Mathematics’ Department of Physics.

Continue reading →

Auburn researcher receives National Science Foundation CAREER award to study biofuels


Posted on

Dr. Maobing TuAUBURN UNIVERSITY – Maobing Tu, an assistant professor in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, has received a $401,155 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award for his research in biofuels and bioenergy.

The CAREER program offers the NSF’s most prestigious awards, honoring junior faculty who excel in research and teaching and integrating these roles at their institutions.

Tu said the five-year project promises to improve efficiency in the biorefining process for butanol production from forest and agricultural biomass. The study is titled “Carbonyl Inhibition of Butanol Production from Biomass Hydrolysates by Clostridium acetobutylicum.”

Continue reading →

Auburn University mock trial competition team wins bid to national tournament


Posted on

AUBURN UNIVERSITY – The Auburn University mock trial competition team has won a bid to the opening rounds of the national American Mock Trial Association tournament in Memphis, Tenn., at the end of March.

The Auburn team won the bid as a result of its performance during the regional tournament in February in Orlando. Team member Helen Agha received a “Best Attorney” award for her performance in the regional tournament.

Continue reading →

Auburn University receives STARS Silver Rating for sustainability achievements


Posted on

AUBURN UNIVERSITY – Auburn University has received a STARS Silver Rating in recognition of sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, is a new program that measures sustainability performance and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.

The Auburn University Office of Sustainability collaborated with Academic Sustainability Programs to conduct the comprehensive self-assessment throughout 2012 and submitted findings to STARS in January. Representatives from a number of areas of campus participated in gathering and providing data.

Continue reading →

Three Auburn University students named YMA Fashion Scholars


Posted on

AUBURN UNIVERSITY – Three Auburn University students in the Apparel Merchandising, Design and Production program in the College of Human Sciences were named YMA Fashion Scholars, earning $5,000 competitive scholarships from the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund.

Sara Gardner and Hannah Blevins, both seniors in apparel merchandising, and Kelsey Reynolds, a senior in apparel design, were selected along with 122 other fashion students from 38 colleges and universities across the country as YMA Fashion Scholars. All recipients were recognized recently at the annual YMA FSF Geoffrey Beene National Scholarship Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

Continue reading →

Auburn University doctoral student provides literacy training in Senegal as Fulbright-Hays fellow


Posted on

Kimberly SmithAUBURN UNIVERSITY – Kimberly Smith, a doctoral student in Auburn University’s Department of Curriculum and Teaching in the College of Education, is conducting literacy research in Senegal as a Fulbright-Hays Fellow.

Smith earned more than $27,000 in funding and is working with Senegalese educators to evaluate students’ oral vocabulary development in French and Wolof, a local language spoken by nearly 40 percent of the country’s population, and to promote French literacy skills necessary for academic and career success.

A native of Brewton, Ala., Smith has been working in the West African republic since the start of the 2012-2013 academic year.

Continue reading →