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- Dr. Kellen Myers has published research on how COVID-19 has effected jailed populations. His article is linked here.
- Dr. Conor Keitzer does work on how climate change affects different species in niche habitats. He has recently been published in the journals Science of the Total Environment and in Freshwater Biology investigating the effects of climate change on fish species. The articles are open access, available below:
NEW CHAIRMAN NAMED FOR THE NATURAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT
We are excited to share that Dr. Chuck Pearson has been named the new chairman of Tusculum’s Natural Sciences Department.
He oversees the chemistry, biology, environmental science and environmental studies programs and collaborates with Dr. Heather Henson-Ramsey, dean of the College of Science, Technology and Math, to attain their next level of achievement. Dr. Henson-Ramsey selected him for the chairmanship.
Of late, the programs have made their mark in research. Dr. Dennis Ashford, an assistant professor of chemistry, and Dr. Conor Keitzer, an assistant professor of environmental science, earned fellowships from the Appalachian College Association for research on cancer-fighting medications and biodiversity preservation, respectively. But the programs have achieved success on other fronts as well.
Dr. Pearson has served as an associate professor of natural sciences at Tusculum since 2016 and has taught in higher education for 20 years. He has been published multiple times and made several presentations.
At Tusculum, he has served on the Admissions and Standards Committee since 2017 and now serves as its chairman. He is also a member of the Faculty Council and the Online Learning Task Force.
He has demonstrated civic engagement through his support of academic competitions for middle and high school students. He has served as a moderator in matches at quiz tournaments and championships in various parts of the country and at the Tennessee Science Bowl.
Dr. Pearson has a Bachelor of Science in physics from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, and a doctorate in biophysics from The Ohio State University. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
“The Natural Sciences Department is performing excellently in preparing our students to be career-ready professionals,” Dr. Henson-Ramsey said. “With Dr. Pearson’s leadership, we will continue to be pioneers in all fields and enhance the value of a Tusculum education.”