Faculty Capabilities

Faculty Capabilities highlights

Faculty Accomplishments Dr. Robert C. Wingfield, Jr., facilitated our Fisk University Environmental Health Workshop “Reducing Your Family’s Exposure to Toxic Chemicals at Home, Work and Play” on March 23, 2019 in the Multipurpose Room, of Spence Hall. The workshop addressed the following topics: • Toxic chemicals of concern • Sources of exposure to toxic substance in the home and community • Routes of exposure and health risks • Steps to reduce use and exposure to toxic chemicals • Proper disposal of household hazardous waste • Going Green: “Safer Choices” and environmentally friendly chemicals for use in the home Dr. Sajid Hussainparticipated in the Google Faculty-in-Residence program in Austin, TX on March 22, 2019. Dr. Lee Limbirdis serving on the Review Pane22l for the National Institutes of Health Undergraduate training program (student stipends and tuition) to develop the next generation of neuroscientists currently underrepresented in Discovery and Leadership. Congratulations to our Principal Investigators Congratulations to our dedicated principal investigators. The list of grants and the associated Fisk faculty who brought these grants to Fisk: Targeted Infusion Project: Infusing Quantitative Biology Methods into Cognate and Upper Division Courses: Enhancement of the Life Sciences Curriculum at Fisk University

Dr. Steven Morgan(Principal Investigator) Dr. Phyllis Freeman(Co-Principal Investigator) Dr. Steven Damo (Co-Principal Investigator) Targeted Infusion Project: Strengthening the Undergraduate STEM Curriculum at Fisk University through the Infusion of Computational-Biological content in Pre-Calculus

Dr. Sanjukta Hota (Principal Investigator) Dr. Brian Nelms (Co-Principal Investigator) Dr. Lei Qian (Co-Principal Investigator) Research Initiation Award Grant: Synthesize and Characterize of Disulfonated Poly(arylene ether sulfone-tetrachlorocyclotriphosphazene) Hybrid Copolymers

Dr. Natalie Arnett (Principal Investigator) Dr. Warren Collins (Co-Principal Investigator) Research Initiation Award: Revealing the Structural Basis for Calprotectin-RAGE Signaling Axis

Dr. Steven Damo (Principal Investigator)

TIP: Transforming Computer Science Education using 'upside down' Curriculum, Course- embedded projects, Integration with other STEM disciplines, and Peer Mentors

Dr. Sajid Hussain (Principal Investigator)

Research Initiation Award: Uncovering the Role of Germline-Specific MAGE-B2 Protein in Maintenance of Cellular Identity

Dr. Saumya Ramanathan (Principal Investigator)

HBCU-UP TIP: Integrating Innovative Polymer Chemistry Research into the Introductory General Chemistry Two Course Sequence- Fostering STEM Interest and Retention

Dr. Natalie Arnett (Principal Investigator)

HBCU-UP RIA: Isolation and identification of novel chemical entities from marine microorganisms

Dr. Glenroy Martin (Principal Investigator)

Broadening Participation Research Project: Investigating the Integration of Mathematics into Biology by Reciprocal Course Content Exchange

Dr. Qingxia Li (Principal Investigator) Dr. Patricia McCarroll (Co-Principal Investigator)

Implementation Project: Achieving Greater Confidence and Competence in Quantitative and Computational Skills in STEM Disciplines at Fisk University

Dr. Lee Limbird (Principal Investigator) Dr. Brian Nelms (Co-Principal Investigator) Dr. Princilla Evans (Co-Principal Investigator) Dr. Sajid Hussain (Co-Principal Investigator)

Targeted Infusion Project: Development of an Undergrad Bioinformatics and Biomathematics Track at Fisk University to Enhance Undergrad STEM Education, Research, and Future Careers

Dr. Sanjukta Hota (Principal Investigator) Dr. Brian Nelms (Co-Principal Investigator) Dr. Lei Qian (Co-Principal Investigator)

HBCU-UP RIA: Genetic Evaluation of Structural Determinants of Dopamine Transporters

Dr. Phyllis Freeman (Principal Investigator)

Dr. Steve Damo: The American Chemical Society (ACS) made a favorable evaluation of our periodic report (covering years 2013-2018). Thus, the Fisk University BS degree in Chemistry remains an accredited degree by the American Chemical Society. The committee requires that we acquire an optical atomic spectrometer (ICP-OES for example) and incorporate its use in the curriculum.

Dr. Cathy Martin and Ms. Patricia McCarroll attended the 1st Annual TLSAMP Community College STEM Transfer Day at Nashville State Community College on April 23, 2019. they encountered 18 students in various stages of matriculation at Nashville State Community College who were interested in transferring to Fisk University. They were able to offer information in transferring to Fisk University and field questions on Fisk’s current programs and opportunities in our natural sciences and business administration.

Dr. Cathy Martin gives support for the College of Pharmacy’s proposal entitled “Establishing Pipeline Programs between the College of Pharmacy and HBCU Partners”. We began initial connections with the College of Pharmacy through their Sabbatical Connections Program and the participation of one of our Fisk students in their preview weekend and College of Pharmacy Research Forum. We are now excited to strengthen this relationship in support of our students by taking advantage of the research and graduate school opportunities that are being offered at the University of Michigan (U-M). As Dean of the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Business at Fisk and an alumna of University of Michigan, I am pleased to move forward in building our relationship with the University of Michigan. We believe that our students who are interested in biomedical research will greatly benefit from the professional and graduate programs. The success of this grant will help to bolster these efforts and build a sustainable partnership. I was delighted when I heard that our faculty member, Dr. Glenroy Martin, was selected by the U-M College of Pharmacy as their 2018 Sabbatical Scholar. His participation in this Sabbatical Connections Program has afforded him the opportunity to strengthen his research base as he works with U-M faculty who are experts in his field of research. — Fisk Forever. Go Blue.

Dr. Bryan Kent Wallace of the Physics discipline of the Department of Life and Physical Sciences has been very busy this academic year representing Fisk University. Dr. Wallace was appointed to a committee for the National Academy of Science (NAS) to review the NASA Science Activation Program (SciAct). Science Activation is a group in NASA which has over 23 research programs within its portfolio. The NAS was solicited by NASA to review their program and make recommendations on best practices in community engagement and broadening participation in STEM in America. Dr. Bryan Kent Wallace of the Physics discipline of the Department of Life and Physical Sciences has been very busy this academic year representing Fisk University. Dr. Wallace was appointed to a committee for the National Academy of Science (NAS) to review the NASA Science Activation Program (SciAct). Science Activation is a group in NASA which has over 23 research programs within its portfolio. The NAS was solicited by NASA to review their program and make recommendations on best practices in community engagement and broadening participation in STEM in America. Dr. Wallace was an invited speaker at Morrisville Middle/High School in Morrisville, Pennsylvania in the First week of May 2019. Dr. Wallace spent two

Faculty feature

Dr. Wallace gives a talk on Teaching Skills for the Center of Minority Serving institution’s ELEVATE Conference

Students sit in the cockpit of the airplane donated to Fisk University. Once refurbished, the tentative name of the aircraft will be the Fisk Flyer.

Dr. Wallace pictured here helping Morrisville Shop Students building rockets.

Dr. Wallace received a certificate acknowledging his participating in the Air War College National Security Forum.

days building rockets with 4th-period Shop students and also spoke to first through seventh-period classes about subjects ranging from Black Holes to pathways for success for graduating seniors. Morrisville faculty wrote a grant to bring Dr. Wallace out annually to engage their students and inspire them to pursue careers in STEM-related fields. Dr. Wallace received a donation $89,000 worth of Drone and Aviation equipment from the Aerospace non-profit organization BASE 11 the semester. The Memorandum of Understanding is that the Fisk Rocket Team will use this equipment to engage K-12 youth in Aerospace related curriculum for two years. The Fisk Rocket Team is currently participating in the Base 11 Space Challenge where multiple Universities are competing to launch a liquid propellant rocket into space. Dr. Wallace was a guest at the United States Air Force’s Air War College National Security Forum. This forum was a three-day event that provided dialog between the Air Force, Air War College Faculty and, the Civilian population on the latest topics concerning National Security, National Cyber Security, and US Air War Power. Dr. Wallace had the opportunity to speak with the Secretary of the US Air Force, Heather Wilson, and was in attendance for a lecture by the Air Force Chief of Staff, David L. Goldfein. Fisk University was the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) represented at the Forum. Dr. Wallace received an appointment to a research committee sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to review the NASA, Science Activation Program. This committee is made up of STEM experts at Universities, Research Laboratories, and Museums from around the country. Participants will meet with NASA officials to assess and make recommendations for enhancing program practices based on evidence-based research in STEM Engagement, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and engagement of diverse populations. The work will result in a report published in November 2019. Dr. Wallace is a participating mentor for the ELEVATE conference hosted by the Center of Minority Serving Institutions at Rutgers University. ELEVATE Fellows are 1st through 3rd-year professors at Minority Serving Institutions. Fellows of this three-day conference receive development in areas such as how to publish, getting tenure, work-life balance, and how to be a successful scholar. Dr. Wallace will host a talk on Teaching Skills. He is in his 5th year serving as a mentor for the ELEVATE conference. Dr. Wallace has been nominated and now appointed to be a Fellow in the Center for the Advancement of STEM Leadership (CASL). This program is an NSF funded Center tasked with documenting “the leadership styles and strategies” used by HBCU’s record in broadening participation in STEM curriculum, research, and workforce. This program is a 12 Month CASL Leadership Program organized around live webinars and four in-person residencies. Fellows will plan and implement a Leadership Learning Project to explore how leadership on our respective campuses related to broadening participation in STEM.

Faculty Capabilities continued

Faculty feature

dr.brian nelms

At the Spring Faculty Institute, Dr. Brian Nelms (Biology/BMB) shared open education strategies for augmenting or “flipping” the classroom using free online tools, games, interactive tutorials, and video production software. These included Nearpod, Kahoot, Screencast-o-matic, HHMI Biointeractive, Learn. Genetics, Khan Academy, and Crash Course. Dr. Phyllis Freeman provided a demonstration of several online virtual labs, and Dr. Sajid Hussain discussed adaptive learning tools. The Fisk University/National Science Foundation Implementation Project, led by Drs. Lee Limbird, Sajid Hussain, Brian Nelms, and ClarLynda Williams-DeVane, supported the Faculty Preview for the QEP Technology Literacy course. The course, which was developed and taught by Dr. ClarLynda Williams-DeVane, Willysha Jenkins, and Dr. Sajid Hussain (all faculty from the discipline of Computer Science), gave faculty a chance to learn what will be taught in a redesigned CSCI 100 (Technology Literacy), and how it will be taught, to increase faculty awareness and application of skills that will be expected of our students across all disciplines. Summer in the Nelms Lab was busy but enjoyable, with a significant cadre of students either gaining new exposure to research skills or continuing/returning to explore former projects in greater depth, supported by a variety of summer programs at Fisk. From the NSF CREST BioSS Center: Sidney Stuckett, Gisela del Valle, and Alexandra Desco; from the NIH Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) Program: Jasmine Brooks, Kofi Arthur, Kristen Oguno, and Jaia Holleman; from the NSF Targeted Infusion Program (TIP): Ashley Cosby and Vivian Iloabuche; from the NSF Implementation Project: Diamond Means, Terrance Hawkins, and Rishab Wadhwa; from the NIH MARC Program: MyKaila Jones. Also in the lab during the summer were graduate students Austin Anthony, Marina Hanna, Gustavo Garriga, and Jamarcus Robertson and postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Zeinab Yadegari. All projects were relevant to the Nelms lab goal of discovering new molecules that define the identity and function of dopamine neurons.

The Nelms lab hosted its annual Worm Academy workshop from June 6th-7th, 2019 to introduce new students that were in the lab for the summer to essential skills used in the lab. Students from NSMB faculty labs, specifically Fisk Biology graduate students Austin Anthony (Nelms/ Damo lab), Briana Whitehead (Damo lab), and Ashley Colemon (Ramanathan lab) all successfully defended their Masters theses. Austin Anthony in now at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine pursuing an MD, Briana Whitehead is now at Johns Hopkins University pursuing a PhD, and Ashley Colemon is now at Duke University pursuing a PhD. Fisk Biology graduate students Gustavo Garriga (Nelms lab), Marina Hanna (Nelms lab), and Jodiene Johnson (Ramanathan Lab) earned Certificates in Computational Genomics from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign (UIUC) after a week-long workshop hosted by the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at UIUC. The Boot Camp for Biology and Chemistry, an activity of the Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program was held for all incoming graduate students in the graduate programs in Biology and Chemistry. The Boot Camp, which ran from August 2nd- 8th, was organized and led by Dr. Brian Nelms with assistance from Dr. Saumya Ramanathan, Dr. Dina Myers-Stroud, Dr. Clar- Lynda Williams-Devane, and Bridge PhD students Kai Bracey and Isom Kelly. The workshops covered strategies and skills for reading the scientific literature, data analysis, mathematics and statistics, experimental design, and grad school expectations. Members of the Nelms lab presented their work at the 2019 International C. elegans conference held at UCLA, which was attended by more than 3000 scientists, including 3 Nobel laureates. Those attending were Dr. Brian Nelms, Dr. Zeinab Yadegari, Marina Hanna, and Gustavo Garriga. Members of the Nelms lab presented their work at the Annual Program in Developmental Biology Re- treat held at Pickwick Landing State Park. This meeting typically brings scientists from across the region, including faculty and students from Vanderbilt, UAB, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, UT Health Sci- ences Center, and Fisk University.