Spiders and their sticky webs can seem scary, but for UNC Charlotte spider researcher Dr. Sarah Stellwagen, they are always a source for scientific discovery.

“I love Halloween, and I love that spiders get their special time of the year, because people spend most of the year being afraid of them or at least acting afraid of them,” said Stellwagen, a postdoctoral fellow in biological sciences. “Then Halloween rolls around, and everyone decorates their houses with spiders, and they put giant spiders up on their porches and spiderwebs in their bushes. I like that they get their chance to be celebrated.”

Stellwagen’s fascination with spiders started in a pet store at an early age. “When I was 11, there was a big hairy tarantula for sale at the local pet store. I saw her, and for whatever reason, it clicked in my brain, and I had to have that spider,” she said.

Now, she celebrates – and studies – spiders year-round. Her research centers on spider glues, gene discovery, and sequencing technologies. Specifically, she studies the sticky substance that spiders use to trap insects in a web.

She and collaborator Rebecca Renberg achieved the first-ever complete sequences of two genes that allow spiders to produce their glue, and published their findings in Genes, Genomes, Genetics. Stellwagen started the work as a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, which funded the research, and published the findings as a postdoctoral fellow at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The sequencing was so complex that it took two years to complete.

“We don’t have very many full length spider silk sequences in general, and the glue is really just a modified silk,” she said. “It has similar genetic properties to the other silks, in that they’re these huge genes that are repetitive. For the glue in particular, applications like biodegradable pest control are really important. The glue evolved to catch insects, so that would be a great use for it. It’s water soluble, it’s non-toxic, and it’s really good at doing what it does, which is keeping insects stuck.”

While these applications are well into the future, Stellwagen envisions a manufactured glue that could be sprayed directly on crops, or used in mosquito control, or even in ventilation to capture pests.

The innovative research moves science forward, with broader implications for future gene sequencing and advances in biomaterials.

“Silk genes are difficult to sequence,” she said. “They’re huge and they are extremely repetitive, and the sequencing technology that we’ve had in the past, which was fantastic for what it could do, wasn’t great at sequencing really long, really repetitive genes. Only in the past approximately five years has new sequencing technology come out that has allowed us to sequence complicated areas of genomes and things like spider silk genes.”

While more than 45,000 known species of spiders exist, the full genetic structure of spider silk is not well known because only about 30 complete genes have been sequenced.

Stellwagen was able to develop a protocol for sequencing these long, complex genes. In the past, technologies have been more “needle in the haystack” and yielded results less reliably, she said.

“That project was the first independent project I led after completing my Ph.D.,” she said. “I had this little bit of freedom, complete control of the project, and was able to work on it from the beginning to the end with my colleague to figure it out. It was very satisfying to be able to discover something that people had not yet been able to figure out.”

Stellwagen has completed gene sequencing of orb weaving spiders, which spin the classic spiral webs that can hit you in the face when you’re walking your dog In the woods, and would like to tackle others like the house spider, which makes a tangle web with lines that drop down from the web and loosely attach to the ground.

“At the bottom of those vertical lines are little droplets of glue, so a walking insect will come along and kind of bump into those glue droplets. Because the line is so loosely tied to the ground, the strand will release from the ground, pulling the insect into the air, where it will dangle until the spider can reel it in,” she said.

She is also interested in the genes of the Bolas spider, which releases a single strand of silk with a single glob of its glue on the end, which the spider twirls around and tosses into the air to catch moths. There are other glues made by other organisms, for predatory purposes, for attaching themselves to substrates, or for defense. Glowworms that live at the top of caves in Australia and New Zealand are one example. She would like to branch into this research in the future.

Stellwagen joined UNC Charlotte Biological Sciences researcher Adam Reitzel’s lab in summer 2020, adding her genetic sequencing knowledge to the Reitzel lab team. Her advice for students, particularly undergraduates, is to find researchers to work with who are doing research that “jazzes” them. “Research progresses the most and is the most fun when you are excited about it,” she said.

Listen to an interview Stellwagen did earlier in October with National Public Radio Station WYPR with its “On The Record” program.

Words: Lynn Roberson, CLAS Communications Director | Image: Marlayna Demond for UMBC | Illustrative Treatment: Ashley Plyler, CLAS Graphic Designer

Therapeutic nucleic acids are a promising but still emerging area of biomedical treatment, with several drugs already in use and many more in trials. These are lab-created segments of DNA or RNA, designed to block or modify genes, control gene expression or regulate other cellular processes.

Nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) are programmable assemblies made exclusively of nucleic acids with a number of therapeutic nucleic acid sequences embedded in their structure in a specific configuration, designed for the packaging and delivery of a number of intercellular or extracellular treatments simultaneously, to cause multiple, therapeutic actions human cells.

Perhaps predictably for a new class of drugs, this promising new form of treatment has often run into difficulties in clinical testing. Recurring problems have kept many products under development from being approved for use, and have had a discouraging effect on continuing research. The foremost of these difficulties have been adverse immune reactions in response to the delivery of NANP-based formulations.

In a paper in Nature Protocols, nanotechnology researchers Marina Dobrovolskaia from the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, and Kirill Afonin from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, describe the development of a reproduceable protocol that accurately assesses the qualitative and quantitative immune properties of different NANPs when used to deliver therapeutic nucleic acids.

“Ten to twenty percent of all drugs are withdrawn during clinical trials due to immunotoxicity – nucleic acid therapies are not an exception,” said Afonin, whose research, among other things, focuses on NANP development and understanding immune responses to NANP’s. “This is especially true for NANPs because therapeutic use of nucleic acids is a relatively young area.”

The protocol proposed in the paper is a detailed step-by-step process for assessing inflammatory properties of any given NANP design when administered to humans, using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (“white blood cells”) as a test model. The in vitro experiments performed in the paper used cells freshly drawn and isolated from the blood of over 100 healthy human donors, though the paper notes that as few as three donors could be adequate to account for individual genetic diversity in immune cells.

“Aiming for a broad sample in our studies, we used more than 100 donors, and the blood was drawn over different periods of the year, so it was a very heterogeneous pool of blood cells,” Afonin noted.

“This protocol is reproduceable and it uses the most accurate model,” he said. “It’s more predictive of cytokine storms than animal models, which is, frankly, amazing. This also makes it affordable for more researchers, because they don’t have to work with animals.”

A reliable and accurate standardized protocol for assessing human immune response to different particle designs can be of great value in supporting research in NANPs, the paper argues: “In order to further advance the translation of NANPs from bench to clinic, the field is in great need of reliable experimental protocols for the assessment of both safety and efficacy of these novel nanomaterials.”

“This is important because there are hundreds of researchers working on NANPs and everyone has their own preferred formulation,” Afonin said. “The problem is that they all also use different protocols. When you read their publications, it is difficult to say which formulation is better because the conditions that they have tested them under are completely different – there is no harmony.”

While a toxic immunological response might preclude a specific NANP design from entering clinical trials, the paper notes that in some therapies, some of the specific immune responses caused by some NANPs may, in fact, be useful and desired.

The protocol measures both the quantitative nature of the cell’s immune reaction – the scale of the immune response – and the qualitative nature of it – what exact kind of chemical response(s) the immune reaction causes.

“The ‘quality’ being measured here is what kind of interferons or cytokines will be produced in reaction to the specific NANP,” he said. “Both quality and quantity are crucial questions. And sometimes the immune response is not bad or undesired – by using this protocol, we can assess the quality and quantity of the immune response of a specific NANP so it can be used – as a vaccine adjuvant, for example.”

Afonin is confident that the protocol produces highly accurate results because of the extensive experimentation that went into its design.

“The steps of this protocol have been thought through and validated for more than 60 different NANP designs, generated both by my lab and by other people in the field – a very representative sample,” Afonin emphasized. “Our goal is to harmonize testing and make something that will be a milestone for future research.”

Research reported in the article was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01GM120487 (to K.A.A.). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The study was also supported in part (to M.A.D.) by federal funds from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, under contract HHSN261200800001E and 75N91019D00024. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Words: James Hathaway | Top Image of Kirill Afonin (left) and nanoscale science doctoral student Justin Halmn in The Afonin Lab: Lynn Roberson | Other images: Courtesy of The Afonin Lab | More about the research can be found here.

Optical Science and Engineering doctoral student Shohreh Shadalou is one of five award winners in Synopsys’ 2020 Robert S. Hilbert Memorial Optical Design Competition.

The annual competition celebrates exceptional research projects designed using Synopsys’ optical software solutions. Shadalou competed against graduate and undergraduate students from across North America. Other winners are students from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the University of Arizona, and the University of Rochester.

Shadalou’s project used freeform optics and Synopsys’ LightTools software to design a tunable LED-based desk lamp.

“Illumination engineering is the art of guiding the light from a given source to a desired target in an efficient manner,” Shadalou said. “Tunable illumination can improve functionality for different applications such as interior lighting, automotive lighting, medicine and dermatology, security cameras, and so on.” Other applications include virtual reality and augmented reality.

Fundamentally, optics are devices that control and direct light. Conventional optics such as lenses and mirrors are typically composed of flat, spherical or other symmetric shapes. Freeform optics contain more complex non-symmetrical shapes, and allow optical designers more degrees of freedom to improve the optical performance and reduce the size of optical systems.

The desk lamp project allowed for efficient tuning of the lamp’s light, from a small bright illuminated area to a larger illuminated area with a dimmer but uniform light. While the project had practical results, its deeper purpose was to serve as a conceptual example of the design process and its potential for other applications.

“The most interesting thing about this project is that it includes all three aspects of design, manufacturing, and testing of illumination systems,” Shadalou said. “Using the novel concept of freeform in following the idea and working towards realization as a final product was appealing to me. I became familiar with this field working with my mentor, Dr. Thomas Suleski, through a Center for Freeform Optics project.”

The Center for Freeform Optics, housed at UNC Charlotte and the University of Rochester, is focused on transforming the optics industry through freeform optics, with funding from the National Science Foundation and support from industry.

Shadalou and Suleski are collaborating with Dr. Matthew Davies and a student team in the Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science Department to build a prototype of her design.

“I worked in industry for a number of years before becoming a professor,” Suleski said. “So it’s always in the back of my mind, with the research that we do, that while something might be a wild idea, it can be a wild idea with a payoff down the road. I really enjoy seeing projects like this come to fruition, something that hasn’t been done before and could be very useful.”

Industry collaborators with the Center for Freeform Optics also have shown excitement about the potential for the research, said Suleski, who is director of the UNC Charlotte CeFO site.

Before pursuing her doctoral degree, Shadalou earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from UNC Charlotte. Here’s a bit more about the project, as described by Shadalou.

Q. Can you describe the underlying concepts involved?

Most of the time when people think about optics they are thinking of imaging. A camera system is a representative example. A lens (or group of lenses) is used to form and capture an image of an object on film or another sensor. High quality images will be precise, crisp, and clear, which drives very specific requirements on the shape and quality of the lenses or mirrors that are used.

Eyeglasses, contact lenses, microscopes and telescopes are other common examples of imaging optics and systems. For almost the entire over 1000-year history of imaging optics, such components have had radial symmetry around a central axis, largely because such surface shapes are easier to analyze, design, fabricate, and measure.

More recently, advances in computer aided design, computer numerically controlled manufacturing, and advances in measurement have enabled creation of freeform optics, which, simply put, are optical components that do not possess or require radial symmetry.

Relaxing the requirement for symmetry enables revolutionary improvements in imaging performance and order-of-magnitude reductions in system size, but places significant challenges and requirements on the accuracy of the freeform surface shapes themselves.

In contrast to imaging optics, illumination optics are intended to transfer light from a source to a target without the particular requirements or precision necessary for imaging. In many cases, an illumination system is intended to take a very non-uniform source of light and ‘transform’ it into a uniform light pattern with a particular shape or angular distribution.

Design procedures for illumination optics are complex and very different from standard processes for imaging optics. Optical components for illumination typically have looser tolerances on shape accuracy and smoothness than imaging optics, but can also have radically freeform shapes.

Simple examples include automotive headlights, television backlights, luminaires for room lighting, shaped mirrors for sunlight concentration in solar energy, and light-shaping elements for laser manufacturing.

Q. How have you prepared for this research project, and what have you learned from doing it?

My varied classes and experiences have prepared me for this design competition, which, in turn, has given me an opportunity to learn more about design and software tools.

I have taken optical theory and optical design courses as part of UNC Charlotte’s Ph.D. program in Optical Science and Engineering, which have helped me to have a better understanding of the governing rules of illumination and optical system design.

3D imagination and visualization skills from my mechanical engineering background accelerated the modeling process and helped me have a clearer vision of manufacturability of the design.

My programming skills also helped me in evaluating the system performance and analyzing the test results.

I thought I would gain a good documentation of the design process, even if I were not selected for the award. I also gained motivation, encouragement and confidence by receiving positive feedback about our design from experts. This competition was really good for me to give me the confidence that this was not just a simple idea. It’s a valuable design.

Words: Lynn Roberson with Shohreh Shadalou | Photo of Shadalou and Suleski: Lynn Roberson

UNC Charlotte Physics and Optical Science professors Gregory Gbur and Thomas Suleski are named 2021 Fellows by the Optical Society Board of Directors.

OSA Fellows are recognized for advancing the fields of optics and photonics through distinguished contributions to education, research, engineering, business and society. The number of fellows elected each year from around the world is limited to approximately 0.5% of the current membership total. This year’s 118 fellows come from 24 countries.

Both are well-known in the Charlotte region and more broadly for their research, and their dedication to sharing their expertise and practical implications for optics and photonics with others.

Gbur researches the merging of singular optics with optical coherence theory, with one current focus of improving optical communications in free space – such as through the air – to wirelessly transmit data. Gbur also studies optical invisibility and invisibility cloaks and has recently applied the techniques of singular optics towards the design of superoscillatory waves for high-resolution imaging.

His first two books are Mathematical Methods for Optical Physics and Engineering and Singular Optics (Series in Optics and Optoelectronics). His third book, Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics, will be the subject of a UNC Charlotte Personally Speaking talk in January 2021.

Gbur maintains an active interest in the history of science and in sharing science topics. He has written articles for popular science magazines and created a popular science weblog, Skulls in the Stars. He founded and co-moderated the blog carnival, The Giant’s Shoulders, which focused on the history of science.

He has contributed to the book, Science Blogging: The Essential Guide, and has written articles for science magazines, including La Recherche, American Scientist, and Optics and Photonics News, as well as papers in academic journals.Two of his blog posts have been included in books about the “best of online science.”

He earned doctoral and master’s degrees in physics from University of Rochester, and a bachelor’s degree in physics with honors from University of Chicago.

Suleski has over 25 years of experience in optical design and manufacturing. He is UNC Charlotte site director for the Center for Freeform Optics, a National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center. The center’s mission is to advance research and education in the science, engineering, and applications of systems based on freeform optics through dedicated industry and university partnerships.

Suleski is co-author of the book Diffractive Optics: Design, Fabrication, and Test and serves as senior editor for the Journal of Optical Microsystems. He served as senior editor for the Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS and MOEMS from 2004-2020.

He has held leadership roles for international professional societies, including chairing or co-chairing international technical conferences on optics. Suleski is also a Fellow of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, and the 2017 recipient of the John J. Turin Award for Outstanding Career Accomplishments from the University of Toledo.

Suleski received doctoral and master’s degrees in physics from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Toledo. He worked at Digital Optics Corporation, a spin-out company from UNC Charlotte, from 1996 until 2003. While at Digital Optics, he worked with a range of military and commercial partners on the design, application, and manufacturing of micro-optical components and systems.

Founded in 1916, OSA is the leading professional association in optics and photonics, home to accomplished science, engineering, and business leaders from all over the world.

“Congratulations to the 2021 Fellows,” said 2020 OSA President Stephen Fantone. “Your election, by your peers, is affirmation of your impressive accomplishments within our field. Thank you for your dedication to OSA and for advancing the science of light.”

Words: Lynn Roberson |Image: Gregory Gbur (left) and Thomas Suleski are well-known in the Charlotte region and more broadly for their research, and their dedication to sharing their expertise and practical implications for optics and photonics with others.

This year’s UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens sale format will offer a wide selection of plants and the expertise of Gardens’ staff. However, it will feature online ordering instead of in-person shopping, and scheduled in-person pick-ups, in response to COVID-19 distancing requirements.

The link to order will be emailed to all current Botanical Gardens’ members on the first day of the member sale, which is Saturday, Sept. 19. The links to sign up for a pickup time will be emailed after online checkout.

For non-members, online sales begin Sept. 26 at 7 a.m. The link to the public online sale will be posted on the Gardens website at 7 a.m. on September 26. Pickup will be touch-free. Botanical Gardens staff and volunteers will load plants for purchasers.

Members receive a discount of either 10% or 15% depending on the type of membership, a free native plant, and more time for questions and answers during Zoom chats. Memberships, which are good for one year, can be purchased here.

Buyers will find an outstanding selection of native and non-native hardy shrubs, trees, perennials, wildflowers, and ferns. This sale will be a bit more limited this year than in years past, with no annuals, houseplants, succulents, or tropicals. All proceeds support the operations of the Gardens, including the McMillan Greenhouse.

Learn more about the Gardens and the plant sale on the Gardens website.

Creating classrooms that encourage a free exchange of ideas among students connects the six finalists for the 2020 UNC Charlotte Excellence in Teaching Awards.

Five of the six finalists teach in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. They are Paula Connolly, Eric Heberlig, Tonya Bates, Susana Cisneros, and Kathleen Nicolaides.

Paula Connolly, professor, English Department; Eric Heberlig, professor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration; both in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, are finalists for the Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence. Heather Coffey, associate professor, Department of Middle, Secondary and K-12 Education in the Cato College of Education, is the third finalist. Coffey was chosen to receive the award.

Tonya Bates, senior lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences; Susana Cisneros, senior lecturer of Spanish, Department of Languages and Culture Studies; and Kathleen Nicolaides, teaching professor, Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology; are finalists for the UNC Charlotte Teaching Excellence Award. Bates was chosen to receive the award.

The Bank of America Teaching Excellence Award, presented since 1968, honors full-time, tenured faculty members who have at least seven years of service to the University; the UNC Charlotte Award for Teaching Excellence, in its second year, is presented to full- or part-time non-tenure track faculty members with at least five years of service.

Bank of America Teaching Excellence Award Honors Tenured Faculty

Paula Connolly is known for development of students’ keen, critical analyses. Her preparation for classes begins with extensive research to help her understand the range of work on a topic and to formulate new arguments on the material. This ultimately models for students how to engage in critical analysis.

Eric Heberlig employs three key principles in his approach to help students be active participants in their own learning. First, engage the student. Second, be rigorous. Third, emphasize analysis, synthesis, research and communication skills. He seeks to apply active learning techniques consistently in a variety of classes, to integrate them with assignments, and to take advantage of opportunities outside of the classroom.

Heather Coffey sets high expectations for her students and models the respect and appreciation for diversity that can lead to rich discussion and impactful learning. She encourages a social justice mindset in her students and gets to know her students so they are comfortable sharing concerns about teaching in environments that do not mirror their own experiences. 

UNC Charlotte Award For Teaching Excellence Taps Non-Tenure Track Faculty

Tonya Bates is considered a pioneer and leader within the Department of Biological Sciences in incorporating active learning, inquiry-based learning and technology in the classroom. Her courses, including high-enrollment, general education classes for non-majors, are strongly student-centered and focus on real-world applications and scientific literacy in an effort to better connect students with the material.

Susana Cisneros creates academic experiences outside of the classroom that students often say are life-changing. Known for her enthusiasm and positive attitude, Cisneros seeks to engage students in learning both the Spanish language and the culture by exposing them to such places as a Latino supermarket, a quinceañera store or an archaeological site in Argentina.

Kathleen Nicolaides has achieved an enviable balance for a classroom instructor – scoring high both in classroom rigor and in student support. Her dedication to teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students led to the adoption of innovative teaching strategies and ground-breaking curricular changes resulting in positive student and peer evaluations and the receipt of several awards. She seeks to train students to become critical thinkers and leaders in their fields, and to provide a learning experience that is inclusive.

The two recipients of UNC Charlotte’s Excellence in Teaching Awards for 2020 will be announced Thursday, Sept. 17.

Students Can Collaborate With Faculty, Industry Partners On Research Projects

If you are interested in biomedical school, or in a career focused on innovative technologies in the life sciences, two new UNC Charlotte graduate certificates can help you meet your goals.

The Department of Biological Sciences has developed graduate certificates in biomedical sciences and in biotechnology, in response to growing student and societal needs.

“The world’s critical need for biomedical professionals is driving a demand for biotechnology and biomedical professionals,” said Christine Richardson, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences and graduate program director for the certificates. “With these graduate programs, students will gain the academic and research experience they need to prepare them to make an impact in related fields. In addition to classroom experiences with engaged faculty, students will conduct timely research with engaged faculty and with industry representatives in some cases.”

The deadline for applying for the Fall 2020 semester for these certificates has been extended to Aug. 15, due to a change in the UNC Charlotte academic calendar in response to COVID-19.

Biomedical Sciences Certificate

The Biomedical Sciences Certificate will provide students with core competencies or exposure to biomedical sciences to prepare them for professional biomedical schools, such as medical, veterinary or dental schools. Students also have the opportunity to work one-on-one work with a faculty member in an area of interest. They will choose from course offerings in the areas of:

• anatomy and physiology
• biochemical principles and metabolic pathways
• microbiology, immunology, and infection
• embryology, cell biology, and development

Biotechnology Certificate

The Biotechnology Certificate will offer a multi-disciplinary program designed to combine advanced biotechnology course work with activities that develop communication and technical skills that are highly valued by employers in the biotechnology industry. Students will gain practical experience through internships in laboratories on campus or in local industry. A seminar series will cultivate an awareness of ethical, policy, and management issues related to the biotechnology industry.

In addition, certificate students will be able to transfer credits into the UNC Charlotte master of science and doctoral degrees in biology, if their career goals change.

“The certificate programs are designed in a flexible way to help students with a variety of goals, even as those goals may evolve,” Richardson said. “They can broaden students’ competitiveness for jobs, or prepare them for professional admissions exams such as the MCAT and entrance into  programs. Students also will benefit from networking with professionals in biomedical and biotechnology fields to build relationships and find opportunities.”

Given that certificates are not degree programs and are intended to provide streamlined educational opportunities, standardized test scores, such as the GRE, GMAT, or MAT, are not required for admission. The UNC Charlotte Graduate School has more information on the application process, while the Biological Sciences Department has more information on the two certificates.

Words: Lynn Roberson, College Communications Director

Image: Christine Richardson, chair of the Biological Sciences Department, is eager to welcome new graduate certificate students to the department. (Image shows Richardson and previous lab team members.)

In recognition of their exceptional teaching and abilities to connect with students, Didier Dréau, Andrew Goff and Angela Jakeway have received the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Excellence in Teaching Awards for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Dréau, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, received the Integration of Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award. Goff, an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences, received the Outstanding Teaching by a Part-Time Faculty Member Award. Jakeway, a lecturer of German in the Department of Languages and Culture Studies, received the Outstanding Teaching by a Full-Time Lecturer Award.

They received their awards earlier in May during a virtual celebration designed to comply with social distancing measures in response to COVID-19. Over 100 guests attended the online ceremony to celebrate the nine finalists.

Creating connections makes the difference in student learning, said College Dean Nancy A. Gutierrez.

“This intellectual and sometimes emotional connection that takes place is the space in which learning occurs,” Gutierrez said. “It is clear when you hear about the teaching accomplishments of our finalists today that they excel exactly because they have successfully identified strategies that allow meaningful connections whether virtually or otherwise.”

Integration of Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award

The recipient of the Integration of Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award, Dréau has effectively coupled his extensive research on the tumor microenvironment with his teaching. The awards committee was especially impressed by his long history of working directly with undergraduate and graduate students on a wide range of research experiences, inside and outside of the classroom. He has mentored over 70 undergraduate students, 20 Honors students, and 13 graduate students, and has been a member of over 50 Honors thesis committees and over 60 graduate thesis committees.

Alumnus Seth Flynn said Dréau helped him see research as more than a means to an end, but, rather, as an opportunity for interest-guided exploration and scientific advancement.

“I am so thankful for his encouraging nudges in that direction – his hands-on mentorship and the skills I learned both in his laboratory and classroom greatly influenced my decision to choose Duke School of Medicine, where I will have the unique ability to complete an entire year of basic science research,” Flynn said.

With $1.7 million in extramural funding, Dréau has engaged students in a variety of his projects. He also has collaborated with fellow faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students to present at 95 international, national, and local research conferences.

The National Science Foundation funded his Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation project that aimed to generate three-dimensional models of breast tissue in vitro. With this project, underrepresented and first-generation undergraduate students gained an introduction to hands-on research, most of whom went on to further training and successful careers as graduate students, medical school students, or professional scientists. These efforts earned him the UNC Charlotte Outstanding Faculty Award from the Office of  Multicultural Academic Services (now the Office of Academic Diversity and Inclusion) in 2014.

Integration of Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award Finalists

Finalists for the award were Kirill Afonin, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, and Alan Rauch, a professor in the Department of English.

Afonin is emerging as an internationally-known investigator in the field of RNA nanotechnology, and has attracted major external grant funding to support research, including a $1.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), plus numerous other grants as principal investigator or co-PI. Many of his over 20 academic papers have included undergraduate students as coauthors. Afonin has developed and taught courses with research experiences, including an undergraduate independent research course, “NanoBioChemistry.” Afonin has also developed “ouRNAno”, a YouTube channel that provides tutorials on lab standard protocols and procedures.

Rauch integrates his training as a scientist with his literary scholarship, with a bachelor’s degree in biology, master’s degrees in zoology and English literature, and a doctoral degree in English literature. Rauch has developed a number of courses that integrate the sciences and the humanities. As one example, he developed a course, The History of the Book: From Print to Pixel, that combines challenging readings with practical introductions to paper making, printing, binding, bookselling, reading practices, and digital media. A laboratory component provides the opportunity to learn printing techniques and create letterpress materials, combining literature, art and chemistry.

Outstanding Teaching by a Part-Time Faculty Member Award

The recipient of the Outstanding Teaching by a Part-Time Faculty Member Award, Goff is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences who sees one of the most important ways to help students is by being accessible.

“As an educator, I strive to be the person that my students will approach with questions when seeking guidance during their academic careers,” Goff said. “By making myself approachable to my students, I can have an honest dialogue with them regarding their study habits and preparation for lectures and exams. Through these seemingly simple interactions, I hope to impact each of my students in a way that fosters a lasting approach to understanding, appreciating and respecting the biology and science in the world around them.”

Students commend Goff for his enthusiasm and innovative teaching. “I greatly enjoyed this class,” one student wrote. “Professor Goff had great energy and passion towards biology that he brought with him to every class. This enthusiasm definitely helped to bring the material alive and made the overall class more interesting.”

Goff uses classroom polling and response-type activities to gauge students’ understanding and retention of the material, and uses nature documentaries in his lectures to demonstrate scientific concepts. He hosts creek clean-ups each semester with students and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Storm Water Services. The work of a volunteer student group he founded, UNCC Trashtaggers, has been recognized in the community, including a nomination for the 2020 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award.

He earned a master’s degree in Marine Biology at UNC Wilmington and worked as an environmental toxicology researcher for a year, before joining the department in 2017. Past work with the Nature Conservancy and the National Oceanographic Centre, and his research experiences help him guide students in collaborative research projects.

Part-Time Faculty Award Finalists

Finalists for the award were Henry Doss, a part-time instructor in the Department of English, and Evan Nooe, a part-time instructor in the American Studies Program.

Doss brings a lifetime of professional achievements to the classroom, with over 35 years in banking, venture capital, and consulting. Doss earned a master’s degree in liberal arts and a bachelor’s degree in English from UNC Charlotte. He is noted for encouraging students to gain practical and philosophical insights into the value of their college education, especially among students earning humanities degrees. His teaching philosophy is centered around the two key principles of respect and self-learning. Colleagues commend him for bringing to the classroom compassion, enthusiasm for the humanities, generosity, good humor, and commitment to students.

Nooe has developed courses for the American Studies Program that give students an in-depth look at the history and culture of the American South. Class assignments incorporate experiential learning opportunities ranging from face-to-face exhibit tours and discussions at the Levine Museum of the New South, to analyses of digital content of popular plantation tourist destinations, to a study of Charlotte-area restaurants to connect them with Charlotte’s history and foodscapes. To make topics accessible to students, he uses technology, varied media including podcasts and films, collaborative work groups, writing workshops, and peer-editing roundtables.

Outstanding Teaching by a Full-Time Lecturer Award

The recipient of the Outstanding Teaching by a Full-Time Lecturer Award, Jakeway has played a key role in developing the German curriculum and building relationships with German majors and minors. Drawing from her undergraduate degree in finance and several years of work in banking, she initiated the German business certificate program, creating five advanced level courses.

She currently directs the program and exposes students to a variety of opportunities, including paid internship placements in Germany. She invites German business professionals to her classes as guest speakers and organizes visits to regional German companies. She is faculty advisor for all German majors and minors.

The judges noted that she seeks to create a positive, welcoming relationship between her students and the German language by encouraging them to experiment with the language, talk about themselves in German, and she uses hands-on problem-solving activities to reinforce their learning.

Jakeway recalls one teacher from her childhood who told her she would never learn English. That teacher inspired her to teach in an engaged, supportive way.  “I love teaching,” she said. “Unlike the teacher I had as a child, I am dedicated to providing a positive learning experience for all students no matter where they are in their educational journey.”

Students often recognize her in the UNC Charlotte Senior Survey as the person at UNC Charlotte who has made the most significant, positive contribution to their education. “The German department and Professor Jakeway have my most sincere thanks and utmost gratitude for properly equipping me to begin my international career at Daimler,” one student wrote in a letter to Chancellor Philip Dubois. “Professor Jakeway is one of the most genuine, caring, and hands-on professors I’ve had, along with the entire German department. Thanks to many professors like Frau Jakeway, our school is and will continue to be a top destination around the country.”

Full-Time Lecturer Awards Finalists

Finalists for the award were Rebecca Agosta, a lecturer in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Studies and director of the Writing Resources Center, and Sarah Wells, a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry.

Agosta teaches first-year writing courses and tutors and mentors undergraduate and graduate student writing tutor. She supervises work with faculty writers, and she assists in delivering the course “Topics in Writing and Reading: Writing Partnerships: Texts, Contexts, and Collaboration,” which determines how future graduate and undergraduate tutors will teach other students. She uses peer workshops in the classroom where students become each other’s sounding boards and questioners. Students in the writing center course find themselves in a constant space of collaboration. Agosta designs her curriculum on the philosophy that writing is social and rhetorical.

Wells teaches chemistry courses that students may find intimidating or not related directly to their career plans, leading her to redesign portions of her courses to foster student success. She encourages peer-to-peer instruction and interactions through in- and out-of-class group work and discussion boards. She engages students in problem solving through polling technologies and exercises in which students are immediately asked to apply what was just discussed. She encourages students to participate in priming exercises where they answer a few pre-class questions based on their reading so they are ready to engage in the active problem solving activities during class.

Scientists and citizens are thinking about how slowdowns and shutdowns from COVID-19 might be helping the environment.

Among those exploring this issue is UNC Charlotte atmospheric scientist Brian Magi, who is part of a local and global network of researchers who consider air quality and climate.

“Every incremental reduction in air pollution has the potential to save lives because air pollution is directly connected to increased health risks at the population scale,” says Magi, a professor in the Department of Geography & Earth Sciences.

“How many lives are saved is still to be determined because we haven’t figured out how much of a reduction in air pollution there is and will be from COVID-19,” he says. “We also have to be careful not to confound the very real and often rapid decline to death associated with COVID-19 with the often slow, long-term increased risk in factors that lead to death from increased air pollution.”

Locally, observers are seeing hints of changes in air quality that may be a result of less activity, but it’s still too soon to say definitively, he says. “Air pollution arises from many sources, and vehicle miles travelled is a big one,” he says. “With people driving less, this could be a reasonable hypothesis to explore, but then you have to remember that we still have commerce and transport happening even though there is a stay-at-home mandate.”

Large trucks are moving to keep grocery stores and distribution centers stocked, and power plants and many businesses are still operating. Furthermore, the biggest controlling factor on air quality is often the weather.

“A rainy month can create great air quality,” Magi says. “Windy days can also clear out pollution from local sources.  Our county has had a good month in March for air quality, but we still need to put that next to past time periods and next to the weather we experienced in Mecklenburg.”

Charlotte-based Clean Air Carolina has placed a network of air pollution sensors around North Carolina, working with air quality scientists like Magi. “I certainly will be studying the data that emerges from our air pollution sensors,” he says.

Because Mecklenburg County air quality is quite good, measurable and sustained changes might be challenging to document, he says. “I think there is a better chance of detecting a change in air quality in more polluted parts of the world that are responding similarly to COVID-19, such as megacities in China and India,” he says.  

While data collection and analysis still are emerging, other lessons already are clear. One important lesson is that communities can mobilize quickly when faced with a crisis, Magi says.

“Another big lesson is that scientific expertise matters when we face a crisis,” he says. “Americans respect expert opinion, and we are the country we are because of how much time and effort we have invested in all levels of education from kindergarten through college, and in supporting wfundamental research.”

Words: Lynn Roberson

Two graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences – Nitika, who is pursuing her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, and Caroline Brinegar, who is pursuing her master’s degree in Geography – were recently designated UNC Charlotte’s most Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistants.

The pair were recognized remotely as part of the University’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic.  Each received the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, which includes $1,000 and a plaque.

The Graduate School presents the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award annually to honor top teaching assistants who are nominated by faculty supervisors for their work.  The awards, presented at the doctoral and master’s degrees levels, recognize outstanding and innovative teaching techniques,

Nitika is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Biological Sciences program.  In addition to teaching classes on topics including genetics, she has published nine high-impact peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals. Her research involves understanding the regulation of a key protein in cancer.

“She was the first student at UNC Charlotte to master CRISPR technology and now trains graduate students and PIs from other labs in cancer genomes,” said Andrew Truman, Biological Sciences assistant professor. CRISPR technology is a tool for editing genomes that allows researchers to alter DNA sequences and modify gene function. PIs are principal investigators — people who are leading research projects.

Caroline Brinegar is a first generation, non-traditional master’s student in the geography program.  She has worked as a teaching assistant as both an undergraduate and graduate student.

“The comments provided by students paint a picture of someone who cares about teaching and her students, provides a supportive and helpful classroom environment, is conscientious and respectful in her interactions with students, and is an excellent instructor,” said William Garcia, senior lecturer in the Geography and Earth Sciences Department. Brinegar repeatedly receives the highest evaluations among the teaching assistants, and has some of the highest evaluations of any teaching assistant he has supervised, Garcia said.

Graduate Teaching Assistants play an important role, assisting department chairpersons, faculty members, and professional staff by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, including teaching lower level courses, developing teaching materials, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers.

Graduate students interested in obtaining a graduate research or teaching assistantship should contact their academic department directly. The Graduate School’s Funding for Graduate Education webpages have information about administrative assistantship opportunities.