What's Happening in CoSE

📷: Cal Poly

James Widmann Named Next Dean of the College of Science and Engineering

After an extensive national search and following careful consideration of feedback from faculty and staff, an offer was extended to and accepted by Dr. James M. Widmann to become the next dean of the College of Science and Engineering at Idaho State University.

“I am extremely excited by the opportunity to join the Idaho State College of Science and Engineering," said Widmann. "The strength and commitment of its faculty and staff to its education and research missions are clear. I am humbled to be part of the positive impact they have on their students, the state of Idaho and our nation through their hard work and dedication."

Excellent work, Jared Cantrell!

Jared, a research engineer and lab manager in the civil and environmental engineering department, was named the 2024 Young Engineer of the Year by the Southern Idaho Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The award recognizes engineers in the early stages of their career who have made outstanding contributions "to the field of civil engineering through leadership, research, and career accomplishment."

Jared Cantrell receives an award from the ASCE - Southern Idaho Section.

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us and celebrate our honorees at the Pillars of Achievement reception!

A groundbreaking biophysicist's visit to Pocatello was highlighted in this month's edition of the Biophysical Society Bulletin.

Bertil Hille, Professor Emeritus and the Wayne E. Crill Endowed Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Washington, visited campus for a seminar titled "History of the Action Potential and Bioelectricity Starting in 1600." Hille is a pioneer in the field of biophysics, and his work is credited with much of our understanding of how ion channels work in cells. After the seminar, he took questions from students about the challenges of introducing new concepts in science, the importance of confidence in the scientific journey, and more.

Hille was invited to ISU by Assistant Professor Lizbeth de la Cruz and Professor James Groome. Lizbeth was a postdoctoral scholar in Hille's lab at UW before coming to Idaho State.

Great job, Associate Professor Minhaz Zibran, and graduate students Md Fazle Rabbi and Arifa Champa!

Recently, a paper authored by Zibran and Rabbi earned a Best Paper Award in the mining challenge track at the 22nd IEEE International Conference on Mining Software Repositories held in Ottawa. Their study uncovered how more frequent updates to Maven, a software project management tool, led to fewer security vulnerabilities.

Meanwhile, Arifa Champa took home a Distinguished Junior Reviewer Award for her work reviewing papers that were submitted for the conference.

Two photos in a collage of Minhaz Zibran Md Fazle Rabbi and Arifa Champa receiving awards at the 22nd IEEE International Conference on Mining Software Repositories.

Idaho Museum of Natural History Receives Artemis I Moon Tree

A seedling whose beginnings were beyond this world has found a home at Idaho State University.

The Idaho Museum of Natural History has become the custodian of a Douglas fir Artemis Moon Tree. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement Next Gen STEM Project partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to fly five species of tree seeds aboard the Orion spacecraft during the successful uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022 as part of a national STEM Engagement and conservation education initiative. Before it takes root in its permanent location, thanks to the generosity of Life Sciences Greenhouse Manager, Sunshine Denney, the Douglas fir will be temporarily housed and cared for in the Life Sciences Greenhouse.

A collage of two photos from the MoU signing between ISU and UTEC

A photo of Mustafa Mashal onstage giving a keynote address

Idaho State University Signs New MOU with Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología in Peru

Idaho State University is expanding its global research footprint through an agreement with an institution in Peru.

Recently, representatives from Idaho State University signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología (UTEC) in Lima, Peru. Over the next five years, ISU and UTEC plan to advance research initiatives, including submission of joint proposals, faculty and student exchanges, joint research symposiums, co-supervision of undergraduate and graduate students, and more.

The MoU was signed during the XII Regional Forum of Civil Engineering Students, where Mustafa Mashal, professor of civil engineering at ISU, was a keynote speaker.

Dean's Excellence Fund Accepting Requests from Students

The College of Science and Engineering Dean's Excellence Fund is intended to support students in their journey through ISU. The Dean's Office is particularly interested in providing financial assistance to students who might not be able to enroll in or complete the semester because of short-term financial hardships. Students seeking such support should be in good academic standing.

If you know of a student who is in need of short-term support, please have them complete this form.

CoSE Chairs and Directors Meeting Minutes

From Around ISU

$1.2 Million IMPACTS Project Launches with First Cohort of Future STEM Teachers

A five-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program has launched the Idaho Making Progress Against Critical Teacher Shortages in STEM (IMPACTS in STEM) project at Idaho State University (ISU). ISU students selected for the prestigious Noyce Scholarship will be awarded full tuition as well as cost-of-living expenses throughout degree completion.

First Male Student Earns Ph.D. in Nursing from Idaho State University

A recent graduate, Isaac Ayabei, is the first male student to earn a Ph.D. in nursing from Idaho State University.

Ayabei's Ph.D. dissertation research was titled: “A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of African Refugee Women with Physical and Mental Health Care Needs While Living in Refugee Camps and have Resettled in Boise, Idaho” and was supervised by dissertation chair, Mary A. Nies, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAAHB.

More than 2,000 Honored at Spring Commencement Ceremonies

May 12, 2025

Speaking from the podium at spring commencement ceremonies, Idaho State Alumni Donell Morgan told graduates he remembered being where they are today.

“When I came to ISU, I didn’t have it all figured out. I had a scholarship, a few suitcases and a dream — like many of you did when you first got here. I thought I knew where I was going. I thought purpose was a destination,” he said. “But let me tell you what I’ve learned since then. Purpose isn’t something you stumble onto. It’s something you build: one choice, one experience, one relationship at a time.”

Dates to Remember

May 19	Summer 2025 Classes begin for Early-4, Early-6, Early-8 and Full term
May 26	Memorial Day holiday (Monday - no classes)
June 2	Early-4 final grading opens
June 16	Early-6 final grading opens
June 16	Middle-4 and Late-8 courses start
June 17	Early-4 final grading closes at 4:00 pm
June 19	Juneteenth Day (Thursday – no classes)
June 30	Early-8 and Middle-4 final grading opens
June 30	Late-6 courses start

Upcoming Events in the College of Science and Engineering

For a complete list of CoSE events, check out the College Event Calendar. Updates can also be found on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram. To add events to the calendar, please contact the Administrative Assistants in your department. The university-wide calendar of events is available here.

Department/Program

Biological Sciences

Event

INBRE Reception

Details

Mon, May 19

9 am

GLS Lobby

Help Us Share Your Accomplishments!

Our College’s outstanding faculty, staff, and students achieve many notable research and professional accomplishments. In addition, our departments regularly have newsworthy advancements. We want to make sure those stories are shared publicly. Here are a few ways you can provide a news tip to help get the word out:

Use this Story Submission Form to send your news tip to the Office of Marketing and Communications.

Send an email to Logan McDougall (loganmcdougall@isu.edu) with a brief description of the news to be shared.

You are always welcome to create a draft story, submit it via the Story Submission Form, or send it to Logan. The Office of Marketing and Communications and Logan will coordinate to get the story finalized and distributed to the media outlets/platforms that best tell the story.

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