Georgia Southern University Department of Biology

05/11/2026

We have another in our series of MS Exit seminars on Thursday, May 14th, by Rebekay Hueneke (Advisor: Dr. Risa Cohen). Please join us!

05/06/2026

The annual End-of-Year Potluck was held on the Armstrong Campus last week! A highlight of the event was recognizing student award recipients, new TriBeta inductees, officers from Biology Club, TERPS, and EcoAdvocates, as well as student interns, learning assistants, and research students.

Here are a few photos featuring some of the award recipients (clockwise from upper left; MC Dr. Heather Joesting):

• Anne Lundy (mentor: Dr. Marylou Chitiyo) — Faculty Recognition Award in Research
• Brandon Uche-Moon — Les Davenport Award and Highest Senior GPA Award
• Tuyen Pham — Highest Junior GPA Award
• Meghan Smith — Faculty Recognition Award in Service

Additional award recipients (not pictured):
• Ella Jane Mortensen — Faculty Recognition Award in Service
• Mackenzie Hayward — Lovejoy Vertebrate Zoology Scholarship
• Sylver Irwin and Madison Miller — Garden Club of Georgia Scholarship
• Dejanae Dixon — Highest Freshman GPA Award
• Charleigh Minehart — Highest Sophomore GPA Award

New TriBeta inductees: Hailey Chen, Stephanie Jackson, Salena Jones, Jolie Kallio, Morelia Lopez-Marquez, Kayla Martin, Chloe Robertson, and Nicholas Wells.

Congratulations to all of our students on their accomplishments and recognition!

05/06/2026

Our next MS exit seminar is by Samin Yasar (advisor: Dr. John Carroll) this Friday, May 8th. Please join us! (For those attending in person, note the room change.)

05/05/2026

T.E.R.P.S. (Terrapin Educational Research Program of Savannah) is led by Dr. Kathryn Craven - thanks for representing the university on Earth Day!

On Friday, April 24, the TERPS represented Georgia Southern at the Earth Day Festival held at Daffin Park. Their live diamondback terrapin exhibit engaged and educated dozens of local residents, visitors, and families, sparking curiosity and appreciation for these unique coastal species.

05/04/2026

TriBeta hosted a Spring Fling for students and faculty last Friday at the RAC fields—a great evening of food, kickball, and a very close trivia competition!

As you can see, Dr. Scott Harrison (Department Chair) is holding the trivia trophy on behalf of the faculty team, who edged out a 2-point win.

Pictured are the trivia participants who held out until the rain began to fall—though many attendees are not shown.

Thank you to TriBeta and the faculty advisors for organizing this fun event!

04/30/2026

Two of Dr. Lissa Leege’s students were awarded Marie Mellinger Field Botany Awards (Georgia Botanical Society) for wetland research this cycle!

Logan Brown, Honors undergraduate Biology major: “Biological control methods for treating invasive Microstegium vimineum in Georgia wetland communities.”

Faith Horton, undergraduate Biology major: “Effects of Different Control Methods on the Invasive Colocasia esculenta (taro) in a residential wetland.”

Congratulations to Logan and Faith on this outstanding achievement!

04/29/2026

Biology undergraduate Dex Bloodworth and Heather Joesting hosted a COSM booth at the first annual Savannah Tree Foundation’s Nursery Fest at the STF Nursery in Savannah GA. In addition to sharing information on COSM academic programs, they also shared information on the research being done in the Joesting Coastal Plant Ecology Lab on the reproductive ecology and nursery production of the native salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora.

04/28/2026

Please join us in congratulating Biology M.S. student Henna Gavern on being selected as a 2026 recipient of the Averitt Award for Excellence in Research. Well done!

From left to right: Dr. J. Scott Harrison (Chair, Biology), Dr. J. Checo Colón-Gaud (advisor; Associate Dean of the Graduate College), Henna Gavern, and Dr. Lisa Brown (Graduate Program Director, Biology).

04/27/2026

Recently, NSF-RaMP participants spent time at the Jones Center at Ichauway (near Newton, GA), learning about the management and conservation of the longleaf pine–wiregrass ecosystem—historically dominant across the southeastern coastal plain.

A highlight of the visit was observing a prescribed burn in action. Thank you to the Jones Center for hosting our group and providing such an outstanding, hands-on learning experience!

04/24/2026

Monday's departmental seminar is by Dr. Bradley Furman, Florida Fish and wildlife Conservation Commission. We hope you can join us in person or online!