Mathematician tackles a perplexing problem:
Where will currents go next?
The great swirling current that swoops tropical waters through the Gulf of Mexico carries tantalizing clues about the future. Occasionally, once or twice a year, it spins off a huge eddy that can merge again with its mother multiple times before it meanders westward in the Gulf and finally dissipates. Scientists don’t know what causes these eddies to form, what factors might foretell when they occur, or even how to define the precise moment when they occur.

With support from a $234,109 grant from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, Dr. Helga Huntley is developing a mathematical diagnostic to forecast the formation of these eddies, using ocean physics and dynamical systems theory. Read more.
Civil and environmental engineering head receives STEM civic leadership award
For Dr. Kauser Jahan, professor and head of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering, working in leadership and outreach “becomes part of who you are.”

The New Jersey STEM Pathways Network honored Jahan with the 2021 NJ STEM Civic Leadership Award in March. In addition to founding Engineers on Wheels, which in 2013 received national recognition from the WEPAN Outstanding Women in Engineering Program Initiative, Jahan also founded Rowan’s Attracting Women into Engineering outreach program in 1999. Read more.
Researcher begins human trials for cancer treatment drug
Could a targeted therapy derived from a plant used medicinally in China for centuries offer the next breakthrough in cancer treatment? Dr. Gary Goldberg, associate professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM), is undertaking a human clinical trial to find out. 

Goldberg and his team are collaborating with a group at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School to test a new drug candidate called MASL. Read more.
Engineers are developing a method to strengthen fibers—with lasers
Fibers are used in virtually every industry — from aerospace to athletics, energy to health care. So scientists have long worked to develop stronger, better fibers.

With a $523,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Vince Beachley and his team will now take these efforts to the next level, working to create the strongest polymer fibers to ever exist. Read more.
Advancing transportation infrastructure through technology
Three researchers at Rowan University’s Center for Research & Education in Advanced Transportation Engineering Systems (CREATES) have received grants to improve the upkeep and safety of intersections, bridges and helipads through new technology.

“This is going to save human lives,” said Dr. Ghulam Rasool, an electrical and computer engineer. Read more.
Psychology professor awarded NIH grant for smartphone-based smoking cessation intervention
Abstain from smoking, get virtual tokens to unlock your favorite apps. Puff away, and your smartphone applications stay locked.

That’s the choice smokers attempting to quit will have when using Re-Connect, the smartphone-based smoking cessation intervention for which the National Institutes of Health awarded Dr. Bethany Raiff a three-year, $658,097grant. Read more.
Chemist wins prestigious award in separation science
Dr. James Grinias has received the American Chemical Society’s 2021 Satinder Ahuja Award for Young Investigators in Separation Science.

The prestigious national award recognizes and encourages outstanding contributions to the field of separation science by a young chemist or chemical engineer from academia, industry or national laboratories. Read more.
Dr. Martin Finkel honored with RowanSOM Founders' Award
Dr. Martin A. Finkel, co-founder and co-director of the CARES (Child Abuse Research, Education and Service) Institute of Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM), was recently honored with the medical school's Founders' Award. The prestigious Founders' Award, created a decade ago as part of RowanSOM’s 35th anniversary, honors those individuals who have made significant and enduring contributions to the development of the medical school. Read more.
First clinical psychology doctoral students graduate
Five Rowan University students received their doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, the first class to graduate from the program since its 2016 launch.

“It is with great pride that we recognize our first doctoral graduates in the College of Science & Mathematics at Rowan University,” Dr. Karen Magee-Sauer said. “This Ph.D. program is a historic milestone in our University’s journey in becoming a major research-intensive institution.” Read more.
Summer in the lab: Undergrads return to campus for paid research experience
Launched a decade ago, the College of Science & Mathematics’ Summer Undergraduate Research Program (CSM SURP) is the University’s largest paid summer research program for students.

CSM SURP is supported in part by Rowan University, as well as through NASA’s New Jersey Space Grant, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and multiple N.J. industry grants. Read more.
Pophristic named the next College of Science & Mathematics dean
After an intensive national search, Rowan University announced the appointment of Dr. Vojislava Pophristic as the next dean of the College of Science & Mathematics.

Pophristic is a professor of chemistry and interim dean of the Misher College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. An acclaimed faculty member at the University of the Sciences since 2004, Pophristic is also a prolific researcher, who has won more than $2.5 million in grant funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, Pennsylvania state programs and others, including private industry. Read more.
Announcing new dean for Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering
Giuseppe R. Palmese, Ph.D., will join Rowan University as the next dean of the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering.

Formerly interim dean of Drexel University’s College of Engineering and longtime head of its Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Palmese is a distinguished university professor of chemical engineering and the first George B. Francis Professor of Engineering at Drexel in Philadelphia, where he has served on the faculty since 2000. Read more.
Notable Achievements
Dr. Tabbetha A. Dobbins, interim vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School at Rowan University, was a keynote speaker for the 238th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. A founding member of the American Institute of Physics' TEAM-UP Task Force, aimed at increasing the representation of African American undergraduate students in physics and astronomy, Dr. Dobbins focused her discussion on TEAM-UP's work and the lessons learned from it, as well as recommended action items for physics and astronomy departments.

The forthcoming film “Jurassic World: Domination” will feature a dinosaur discovered by Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, founding dean of the School of Earth & Environment. Lacovara, who in 2005 discovered Dreadnoughtus, which was believed to be the largest dinosaur ever based on the fossilized bones he recovered, will see the extinct animal come to life in the next Jurassic franchise movie. Director Colin Trevorrow told the website Empire in June that the forthcoming Jurassic World: Dominion, which is expected in theaters in 2022, will feature a herd of Dreadnoughtus. “I had a clue that this might happen, because a vial of DNA in the last film was labelled ‘Dreadnoughtus,’” Lacovara said. “I’m particularly excited to see my big baby brought back to life by the world’s best special effects artists at Industrial Light & Magic. It’s pretty much every paleontologist’s dream.”

Dr. Laura Osorno, former Ph.D. student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rowan University, presented her research at the virtual Biomedical Engineering Emerging Scholars Symposium at Boston University. Dr. Osorno’s doctoral work included the engineering of advanced biomaterials for ocular drug delivery with a focus on novel treatments for post-capsule opacification after cataract surgery. The Emerging Scholars Symposium is geared to support and promote the next generation of top academic faculty members who are from historically underrepresented groups in the field and offers emerging scholars the opportunity to present their work to a diverse audience and network with other established researchers. 
Notable Grants (April-June 2021)
College of Science & Mathematics - School of Health Professions

Dr. James Grinias, Chemistry & Biochemistry, won the second phase of a $122,726 grant from Axcend LLC (Prime sponsor: National Institutes of Health) for the project, “Portable Liquid Chromatography Platform for Diverse Pharmaceutical Applications.”

Dr. Helga Huntley, Mathematics, won a $158,243 grant from the University of Delaware (Prime sponsor: Office of Naval Research) for the project, “Coherent Lagrangian Pathways in 3D+1 Submesoscale Transport in CALYPSO.”

Dr. Lark Perez, Chemistry & Biochemistry, won initial funding for a five-year, $160,654 grant from Tufts University (Prime sponsor: National Institutes of Health) for the project, “Signaling mechanisms in VIBRIO Cholearae Parallel quorum sensing pathways.”


Cooper Medical School of Rowan University

Dr. Darren Boehning, CMSRU assistant dean for research, won a $332,739 grant from the National Institutes of Health for the project, “Regulation of Calcium Signaling by Protein Lipidation.”


Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering

Dr. Vincent Beachley, Biomedical Engineering, won a $522,865 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the project, "Laser-Zone Drawing and Annealing of High Strength Polymer Nanofibers."

Dr. Mohammad Jalayer, Dr. Adriana Trias Blanco and Dr. Ghulam Rasool, CREATES, won a $200,000 grant from the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) Regional UTC Consortium, led by Rutgers University, for projects to improve the upkeep and safety of intersections, bridges and helipads.


Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Dr. Sergei Borukhov, Cell Biology & Neuroscience, won third-year funding for a $326,830 grant from UCLA (Prime sponsor: National Institutes of Health) for the project, "Structural Dynamics of RNAP-Promoter Complex in Late Transcription Initiation."

Dr. Howard Chang, Cell Biology & Neuroscience, won a $338,100 grant from the National Institutes of Health for the project, "The role of superoxide dismutase SOD-1 in microbe-gut-brain interaction."

Dr. Anita Chopra, New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, won a $750,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the project, "Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program."

Dr. Richard Jermyn, Rehabilitation Medicine, won a $500,000 grant from the N.J. Department of Human Services for the project, "Southern New Jersey Medication Assisted Treatment Center of Excellence."

Dr. Archana Kumari, Cell Biology & Neuroscience, won a $161,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health for the project, "Defining gene expression and regulation in taste and non-taste lingual papilla epithelium."

Dr. Kingsley Yin, Cell Biology & Neuroscience, won a $402,500 grant from the National Institutes of Health for the project, "Antimicrobial Mechanisms of Specialized Proresolving Mediators."
Developing Innovative Research
Research at Rowan occurs in a collaborative, learning-centered environment. Highly qualified and diverse teams of faculty, staff and students integrate teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity and community service.


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