USU CoS
Your August 2020 College of Science Newsletter
Whether your presence virtual or physical, we are glad you are a part of the College of Science. "We’re all in this together and together we’ll get through it!" says Dean Maura Hagan.
Welcome to Utah State University
A Message from Dean Hagan
Dear College of Science Students,

The faculty and staff in the USU College of Science look forward to welcoming you for the start of Fall 2020 semester. We worked hard all summer long to prepare for your arrival. Some of you will join us in person on the USU campuses, while others will attend classes virtually. We are eager to engage with all of you. We adapted to these unprecedented times by creating new, innovative and stimulating learning experiences for you. 

Most of us remain unsettled and challenged by the events of recent months. The lives, health and well-being of some of our family members and friends is continuing to be compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, racially motivated violence against American citizens is contributing to widespread anguish.  

Let's do our part to make this world a better place by recommitting to the Aggie Initiative: 

  • THINK about our peers, our campus, and society.
  • CARE about the well-being of others and the health of our environment. 
  • ACT to make a difference. 

Let’s keep our communities and our campuses operating and safe for all by staying home when we’re sick, by practicing good hygiene all of the time, by wearing masks outside of our homes and by continuing to socially distance to every extent possible. Let’s also be kind and considerate of others, especially those who are different from us.

We’re all in this together and together we’ll get through it! 
Dean Maura E. Hagan
Dr. Michelle Baker to Serve as USU Interim Science Dean During 2021 Search
Michelle Baker, associate dean in Utah State University’s College of Science and professor in the Department of Biology and the USU Ecology Center, will serve as the college’s interim dean, beginning January 1, 2021. Baker’s appointment, announced by USU Executive Vice President and Provost Frank Galey July 28, follows current Science Dean Maura Hagan’s June announcement she is retiring from her post December 31.

“We are very pleased Dr. Baker has agreed to lead the College of Science, while the university seeks Dean Hagan’s successor,” Galey says. “Dr. Baker’s proven guidance and experience will keep the college on a steady course, while we conduct a thorough and unrushed search for the college’s next dean.”
Registration Open for
2020 Hansen Life Science Retreat
Register now for the 2020 Hansen Life Sciences Retreat, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-19. Celebrating its 10th year, the annual gatheirng, which will be held online this year, is open all USU undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, from any college, involved in the study of biological processes at the molecular level. Learn more and register at: https://chem.usu.edu/events/hansenretreat/index.
Science Writing Center Hosting
NSF GRFP Workshop Series This Fall
The Science Writing Center is hosting a remote workshop series for students applying for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) this fall. Current and former Fellows will mentor new applicants through the application process over the course of five meetings, which will be held over Zoom.

Students who plan to apply this fall and who can attend all five meetings (2:00–3:30 on 8/27, 9/3, 9/24, 10/1, and 10/8) are invited to register for the NSF GRFP Workshop Series. The twelve slots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Applicants who are not able to participate in the NSF GRFP Workshop Series are encouraged to contact the Science Writing Center (sciencewritingcenter@usu.edu) for workshop-like guidance.
2020-2021 Science Unwrapped Speaker Schedule
Science Unwrapped Explores 'Brave New World' in 2020-21 Series
During the 2020-21 academic year, the College of Science's public outreach program, Science Unwrapped, explores the excitement and challenges of emerging science. If public gatherings are allowed, events will take place, as always, on Friday evenings at 7 p.m. in ESLC 130, with appropriate social distancing measures and masks worn be all attendees.

As always, talks will be recorded and made available online. No after-talk activities will be held. Whether you experience Science Unwrapped at an in-person or virtual gathering, we promise a provocative series!  

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August 27
  • Science Writing Center NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Workshop 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | Register Here

August 31

September 4

September 5

September 7

September 21

September 25
  • Science Unwrapped: Spread of Misinformation through Social Media by Dr. Nick Flann | More Info