University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Senior biology major Azure Yarbrough is among the more than 1,500 students who are expected to participate in UALR’s Spring Commencement on Saturday, May 18, at the Jack Stephens Center.

Yarbrough, 35, knows a thing or two about diligence. She is graduating after a 17-year gap since she first enrolled as a full-time college student.

There will be no such gap when she starts graduate school this fall, however. Yarbrough will focus her studies on cellular and molecular biology at the master’s level, leading to a Ph.D. in applied bioscience from UALR.

This summer, she hopes to work in the biology lab at UALR, trying to replicate a protein based recombinant gene known as RabK2.

“I prefer to never be bored,” she said, “and cellular and molecular biology lets me ask new questions. Plus, it’s really interesting to see the relationships between organisms. Who would have thought we humans had something in common with worms?”

Yarbrough attended college for two years directly after high school and originally dreamed of going to work for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

But her education was placed on hold following the birth of her daughter, who had a bleeding disorder. Five years later, her son was also born with the disorder, initially diagnosed with severe autism accompanied by violent outbursts. His final diagnosis was sensory integration dysfunction.

To support herself and her children, Yarbrough worked two and sometimes three jobs. But whether she was bartending, assisting at a veterinarian clinic, or helping disassemble vehicles at a garage, she never stopped dreaming of returning to school.

One Dream Realized, Another Ignited

Three years ago, her grandmother’s generous offer to pay for tuition enabled Yarbrough to stop thinking about, and instead, start living her dream.

Two weeks into her first molecular biology course, Yarbrough says she found something she could do forever.

“When I found that class, everything fell into place. That class compared to three jobs was nothing,” she said, laughing.

Along the way, Yarbrough, a Supplemental Instruction Leader at the Academic Success Center, also realized she had a knack for teaching.

“I’m not highly motivated by money,” she said. “I want to investigate what I want to study, and teaching allows you that freedom.”

Yarbrough said tutoring, with all its perks and drawbacks, is fine, but helping adults who want to learn is really a lot of fun.

“I’ve had a lot of students say I was really good at it, plus I love being at school,” she said.

Yarbrough was so determined to finish her undergraduate degree that even a prolonged hospital stay last year due to an abscessed mass and kidney failure did not deter her.

When asked what kept her going through the years, she answered, “my kids.”

She said her children, now 15 and 10, will no doubt cheer her on as she leads her college as a student marshal during the processional at commencement, an honor bestowed on outstanding students.

“I want them to know that no matter how hard it is, you can still achieve your goal,” Yarbrough said. “Life is full of difficulties and challenges, but you have to know how to overcome them.”

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently accorded an honorable mention to UALR graduate student of chemistry Charlette Felton.

Considered a significant national academic achievement, the NSF award is granted from a pool of thousands of applicants from across the country who apply for its Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Felton is working in the field of sustainable or green chemistry under the direction of Dr. Anindya Ghosh in the Department of Chemistry. Her research is focused on using environmentally safe catalysts to convert carbon dioxide into useful chemicals and products.

“The NSF’s recognition of her research is really encouraging,” said Ghosh.

“Charlette is a student of great ability and I am sure that she will be successful in her graduate studies, particularly in the field of green chemistry. I believe that she will be a leader and will promote the importance of science and technology in Arkansas.”

Applicants receiving NSF honorable mentions are provided enhanced access to cyberinfrastructure resources, including supercomputing time, in support of research toward completion of their graduate program of study.

Each applicant is reviewed according to the NSF Merit Review Criteria of Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.

The UALR College of Science, the second largest college within the university, will hold its annual awards ceremony and reception at 4 p.m., Friday, April 26.

The event, which honors top students in the fields of science, mathematics, health science and nursing, will be held in the Donaghey Student Center.

Each year, the eight departments within the college submit the names of students who have won at the department level for consideration at the college-level for the Academic Excellence Award.

2013 college-wide winners by degree level include: Kala Cline Grimes, associate’s degree (nursing); Erin Taylor, bachelor’s degree (physics/biology); Amy Alexander-LeCroy, master’s degree (chemistry); and Alokita Karmakar and Mehmet Cansizoglu, doctoral degrees (nanotechnology and physics, respectively).

A student inspired by faculty

Alexander-LeCroy, who will graduate in May, returned to UALR as a cosmetologist interested in the chemistry behind the products used in the hair-care industry.

What started as a simple curiosity slowly developed into a passion for science fueled by “the brilliant faculty within the college,” according to Alexander-LeCroy.

“Being able to work alongside and learn from the professors, experts in their respective fields, is an honor in and of itself,” she said. “The dedication of the faculty to student success is evident not only in the classroom, but also in the care and attention they offer if and when further assistance is needed.”

Alexander-LeCroy recently accepted a job at L’Oreal USA Inc. as a chemist, which was both her career and company goal upon returning to college.

Other college-level awards include: Saad Azam and Danielle Kemmer, winners of the COS Leadership Endowed Scholarship; Corey Graham, winner of the Tracy L Thompson Scholarship; and Saad Azam, winner of the Steven L. Mourning Scholarship.

In addition to the overall college and scholarship winners listed above, there will be 75-plus departmental awards and scholarships awarded from the eight College of Science departments.

Danielle Kemmer and Saad Azam, the most recent recipients of the UALR College of Science Leadership Endowed Scholarship, both said that their desire to serve is the reason they chose to major in science.

The scholarship is funded to assist undergraduate studies in health, mathematics, and science.

Kemmer and Azam received their awards at a reception honoring Charles E. Hathaway, 2013 recipient of the College of Science’s Fribourgh Award at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion on April 4.

Interestingly, Kemmer, a biology major who transferred to UALR during her sophomore year, originally chose communications as her major and expressed no interest in science.

That changed when two months into her freshman year, she was the victim of a brutal assault that resulted in major injuries requiring extensive facial reconstruction.

When her bandages were removed following surgery, it only took one look in the mirror for her to decide she wanted to pursue a degree in science.

“My surgeon gave me back my life and the ability to move on from a traumatic experience,” she said. “I knew I wanted to give back to others like my surgeon had done for me.”

Kemmer refused to take full credit for the award, saying she was very thankful she had “an amazing village” supporting her efforts. She said that while it may take a village to raise a child, it also “takes a village to get someone through college.”

“I have never regretted my decision since declaring biology as my major,” she said. “UALR has given me so many opportunities to pursue my dreams and allowed me to work with some very gifted faculty and students.”

Kemmer is a volunteer at UAMS, as well as Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Arkansas. She shadows doctors to gain experience in the field and will take the MCAT (examination for entry into medical school) this summer.

Azam made the recent decision to double major in both chemistry and biology. Because he will be spending this summer at a NASA facility on a fellowship, he postponed plans to take the MCAT and graduate.

After completing his undergraduate degree, he will apply to several MD/PhD programs.

“With that dual degree, I would not only be able to help my patients at a clinical or a surgical level, but also gain insight into the modern research enterprise,” Azam explained.

Azam said this specialized training not only organizes the experimental and clinical thinking of a physician-scientist, but will also enable him to understand the principles behind the functioning of the human body and mechanisms that result in human diseases.

“I believe understanding the mechanism and groundwork will allow me to help my patients with their problems permanently,” he said.

Delaying his planned graduation by a couple of years also helps Azam get more involved in the community, such as the Harmony Health Clinic, a non-profit organization that is staffed by volunteer professionals like doctors, nurses, medical students, and undergraduates.

“Even though my medical knowledge is limited, working in this clinic has given me the opportunity to gain hands on experience in a high-need environment,” he said.

Azam said the scholarship also enables him to have a leadership role with the 10/20 Project, designed to focus attention on individuals with urgent needs (the hungry, homeless, addicts, or disabled population). The project asks supporters to spend $10 or 20 minutes of service to help meet the needs of these individuals.

Not only that, Azam said he would also like to volunteer at Camp Aldersgate on the weekends, if possible. The non-profit organization provides summer-time experiences for kids with special needs.

“We sometimes take for granted the community we live in,” Azam said. “I believe an individual and society coexist with each other for survival and being part of a volunteer organization can really bridge the gap.”

Dr. Margaret E. McMillan, associate professor in the Department of Earth Science, received UALR’s most coveted faculty honor, the Bailey Teaching Award, at the university’s annual Faculty Excellence Awards ceremony Friday evening, April 12.

UALR associate professor and scientist Dr. Margaret “Beth” E. McMillan was honored for her dedication to preparing future scientists for cutting-edge careers. She recently revised lab exercises and projects and encouraged the learning of her students by placing each one in the role of a newly hired professional completing assigned tasks as if part of his or her duties. McMillan received a $10,000 monetary award.

Dr. Nidhal Bouaynaya, assistant professor in the Department of Systems Engineering, won the $5,000 Faculty Excellence Award in Research sponsored by the UALR Society of Philanthropy. Dr. Bouaynaya is a principal investigator of a million-dollar National Institute of Health research award and seeks to develop better methods for intervening in living organisms when they have gone awry.

Dr. Nancy Landrum, associate professor of management, won the $5,000 Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service sponsored by PepsiAmericas. She is committed to serving the community and developed UALR’s first undergraduate and graduate courses in sustainable business practices, in which students engage in service learning projects, along with teaching her students how to conduct sustainability audits and assessments and related market research for several Little Rock businesses and organizations.

College-level winners were:

TEACHING

Dr. Margaret E. McMillan, College of Science
Dr. Judith A. Hayn, College of Education
Dr. Gaurav Kumar, College of Business
Dr. Stacy Caroline Moak, College of Professional Studies
Dr. Hirak Patangia, College of Engineering and Information Technology
Stacy M. Pendergraft, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Coleen M. Barger, William H. Bowen School of Law

RESEARCH

Dr. Nidhal Bouaynaya, College of Engineering and Information Technology
Dr. Ibrahim Duyar, College of Education
Joseph R. Bell, College of Business
Dr. Kwasi Boateng, College of Professional Studies
Dr. Tansel Karabacak, College of Science
Dr. David Mastin, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Frances S. Fendler, William H. Bowen School of Law

PUBLIC SERVICE

Dr. Nancy Landrum, College of Business
Dr. Anarella Cellitti, College of Education
Amy O. Barnes, College of Professional Studies
William Jay Sims, College of Science
Dr. Angela Hunter, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Catherine Lowry, College of Engineering and Information Technology
Kelly Browe Olson, William H. Bowen School of Law

NBC’s Today Show features the Los Angeles County Science Olympiad Elementary Tournament! Watch the video here!

UALR’s Fribourgh Award Honors Charles Hathaway

Charles E. Hathaway, UALR chancellor emeritus and Donaghey Distinguished Professor, will be honored Thursday, April 4, as the 2013 recipient of UALR’s Fribourgh Award, sponsored by the College of Science.

Hathaway will be the guest of honor at a reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion. Tickets are $75 per person, of which $60 is tax deductible, to benefit the college’s Leadership Endowed Scholarship Fund for undergraduates in health, mathematics, and science. For reservations, contact Laura Beck at 501-569-3151.

“The James H. Fribourgh Award was created in 2010 to honor not only Dr. Fribourgh’s contributions to UALR and the state’s science community but to extend that honor and recognition to others who meet the high standards he set,” said College of Science Dean Michael Gealt.

Hathaway served as chancellor of UALR from 1993 to 2002. He previously served as vice president for academic affairs at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

As chancellor, Hathaway led efforts to advance the university in the areas of research, graduate education, and community engagement. Under his leadership, UALR received a three-year $1 million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help revitalize the surrounding neighborhood. He was also instrumental in helping establish the Donaghey College of Information Science and Systems Engineering, now the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology, thereby bringing engineering education to central Arkansas.

A native of Texas, Hathaway received a B.S. degree in physics from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Oklahoma. He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and History Institute at UALR.

Professor emeritus Fribourgh, the former science dean and interim chancellor for whom UALR’s Fribourgh Hall is named, was the first recipient of the award. Jerry B. Adams, president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas Research Alliance and a member of the UALR Board of Visitors, received the award in 2011, and H. Watt Gregory III, a partner in Kutak Rock LLP, was the 2012 recipient.

From a list of candidates from across the nation, Michelle Brand Buchanan & Kelly Chaney were recently selected to be members of the National Science Teacher’s Association (NSTA) Science Matters Advisory Board. NSTA (2013) “is the largest organization in the world dedicated to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.”

NASA scientist Dr. Sheila Bailey, an expert in space photovoltaics, will give a seminar Friday, Feb. 1, on how the agency is looking to use innovations in nanotechnology to improve space flight.

The seminar, from 3-4 p.m. in the Student Services Center auditorium, is sponsored by the Arkansas GREEN Research Center, Arkansas Space Grant Consortium, and the UALR College of Science.

Bailey serves as member of technical advisory committee for GREEN Research Center, which is funded by the NSF EPSCoR program and the State of Arkansas. The center, with five institutional partners including UALR, is committed to developing the next generation solar cells by using nanomaterials and nanotechnology. UALR faculty member Dr. Jingbiao Cui, physics professor, is the center’s director.

Bailey, a senior physicist at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland for 27 years, has studied nanomaterials and their possible application in space solar cells. An associate faculty member of the International Space University, Bailey has authored or co-authored more than 165 journal and conference publications and 13 book chapters.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Duke University, a master’s degree in physics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a doctorate in condensed matter physics from the University of Manchester in England.

Time permitting, Bailey will give a presentation about the types of jobs at NASA for scientists and engineers.

Dr. Michael Gealt, dean of UALR’s College of Science, has been elected to the executive committee of EAST Initiative’s Board of Directors.

Established in Greenbrier, Ark., as an antidote for bored, at-risk students, the EAST (Environmental and Spatial Technology) educational model focuses on student-driven service projects accomplished by using teamwork and cutting-edge technology.

Students identify problems in their local communities and use tools such as global positioning system and geographic information system (GPS/GIS) mapping, computer assisted design (CAD) software, 3-D animation suites, virtual reality development, and more to develop solutions, collaborating with civic and other groups in the process.

“EAST has been instrumental in helping students develop an interest in using math and science to solve community problems,” Gealt said. “EAST students have impressed me with their enthusiasm and strong work effort. I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to help EAST in their educational efforts.”

Earlier this year, a team led by Gealt and College of Education Dean Angela Sewall established a collaboration between their colleges to recruit more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduates into teacher prep programs so they can teach in these critical areas in public schools.

The new UALRTeach program answers Gov. Mike Beebe’s call to increase the number of secondary school science and mathematics teachers by recruiting more STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – undergraduate students into public schools.

The Governor’s Workforce Group selected UALR to receive $216,000 to support participation in the national UTeach program. Other state universities selected in the program were the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and University of Central Arkansas.

The ultimate goal of UALR’s collaboration is to replicate the UTeach program that started at the University of Texas in Austin and has been replicated at universities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, and more.

Last August, Beebe announced a $2.68 million initiative involving several programs, including UTeach, New Tech High Schools, where students are taught practical applications for their class programs; and EASTcore, a program to expose students to Project-Based Instruction in STEM disciplines.