From the Desk of the Dean

The 2019/2020 academic year was one of great challenges here at Stockton as no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic was for everyone’s lives. The year started out with great expectations for another stellar season for the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Our faculty welcomed Dr. Matthew Olson, assistant professor of Forestry in Environmental Science, Dr. Jennifer Martin, assistant professor of Biochemistry in Chemistry and Ms. Melanie Schroer, instructor in Biology to full-time, tenure-track positions. In addition, we celebrated the granting of tenure to Dr. Erin Brown of Chemistry, Dr. Steven Kalman of Chemistry, Dr. Anna Pfeiffer-Herbert of Marine Science and Dr. Melissa Zwick of Biology, all of whom were recommended for promotion to associate professor. Dr. Daniel Moscovici was promoted to professor of Environmental Science and Dr. Patrick Hossay was promoted to professor of Sustainability.

The Hal Taylor Observatory underwent significant rehabilitation by Dr. Joe Trout and his students and was rededicated in a November ceremony that marked the reopening for public telescope viewing. With the final opening of Unified Science Center 2 facilities, the F-Wing laboratories, our base of operations and home for over 45 years, were decommissioned and released for new uses. The F-Wing labs will always hold a special place in the heart of generation of NAMS students. NAMS faculty and the Coastal Research Center continued to compete for and continue work on internal and external, state and national, grants that found Stockton playing significant roles in the study of beaches, state forests, forest fire management, oysters, seagrass, tooth whitening compounds, geological formations, yeast genes, microbiomes, catalysis, photochemistry, marine debris, organic farming, fungal disease in snakes and maple syrup production, among many other topics and despite the many restrictions imposed by the pandemic as the year progressed.

The Spring 2020 semester began as any other but events soon overtook us. Classes and laboratories were transitioned to remote learning due to the N.J. Governor’s health pandemic executive order. Most offices and administrative functions moved to work from home to empty the campus.

Faculty and students worked together to finish out the semester while keeping everyone safe. Summer courses were converted to online only. Conferences, study abroad, travel, and in-person student research were canceled or converted to online. Many time-honored events were canceled including the NAMS Research Symposium and Poster competition were moved to a virtual space. Through all this, the staff worked tirelessly to provide students and faculty administrative support and to maintain the animals, plants and infrastructure of the laboratories.

We look forward to the 2020/2021 academic year which will be a mixture of online, hybrid and face-to-face held within strict health guidelines to “Mask up, Back up, Wash up” when in-person events occur. NAMS is also happy to introduce three new faculty members for 2020/2021: Dr. Lauren Seyler, assistant professor of Microbiology in Biology; Dr. Philip Eaton, assistant professor of Physics and Ms. Shannon Keough, instructor of Mathematics. The challenges moving forward, enhancing virtual learning, maintaining safe and healthy in-person experiences and dealing with uncertain financial conditions remain but we are hopeful that they can be met and surmounted by working together to provide a quality Stockton education for our students.

Dr. Peter Straub

Dean, The School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics