Academics News

The 12th annual University of South Alabama Conference in Teaching and Learning will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Wiederman, professor, director of leadership and professional development, and co-director of family medicine faculty development fellowship in the department of family and community medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. for the in-person session Wednesday, May 11, 2022. He will speak on “Building Resilience for Ourselves, Our Students & Those Whom We Lead.”
The virtual session will be held on Thursday, May 12, and the keynote speaker will be Dr. Mary McConner, founder and principal consultant of Inclusive Excellence Consulting and an American Council on Education Fellow. She will speak on “Digital Equity & Inclusion: Narrowing the Digital Divide in Higher Education to Enhance Student Learning.”

Conference on Teaching and Learning Focuses on Building Resilience & Promoting Equity
April 1, 2022

Chaired by the Innovation in Learning Center, the 12th annual Conference will feature both in-person and virtual sessions in May. ...

Dr. Sean Powers, right, professor and director of the School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, walks the halls of the school's renovated 20,000-square-foot campus facility at its dedication last year.

Majors Added in Marine Sciences, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences
March 25, 2022

The two new undergraduate degrees in the School of Marine and Environmental Sciences complement the school's existing programs in research and graduate education. ...

Timothy Johnson, who earned an education degree from the University of South Alabama in 2010 before working as a teacher in Mobile County public schools, is an Alabama Technology in Motion specialist at South. His position serves students and teachers in 10 school districts.

Robots, Drones and Green Slime
March 22, 2022

South graduate Timothy Johnson brings science education to life as a specialist for Alabama Technology in Motion and through public television segments for 'Alabama STEM Explorers.' ...

The USA Black Faculty & Staff Association is hosting its first Education Summit focused on retention to inform underrepresented students at South Alabama about successful strategies to graduate with a degree. It will be held from 9:00am until 12:00pm on April 2, 2022, at the Mitchell Center North Lawn East.

Summit To Support Underrepresented Student Success
March 17, 2022

South's Black Faculty & Staff Association is hosting an inaugural Education Summit on Retention for underrepresented students. ...

New federal grants will help Nursing continue to expand the training it's able to provide the SOUTH SANES, (Sexual Assault Nursing Empowerment and Support) program. The SANES program is designed to train nurses to address the needs of survivors and provide trauma-informed care.

Federal Grants Expand Training for Sexual Assault Response
March 17, 2022

South's College of Nursing received two federal grant awards that will assist in its efforts to educate and certify nurses as sexual assault examiners. ...

An artist rendering of the planned expansion and renovation of the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

$60 Million Earmarked for College of Medicine Building
March 14, 2022

The appropriation from U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby will help fund construction, which will include a new addition and an extensive renovation of the 1974 existing structure. ...

University of South Alabama mechanical engineering seniors, from left, Madison Bomeke, Hayden Jenkins, Bryson Hatcher, Will Sergeant, Gavin Brown and Evan Moulds work on a 82-inch-long wing that will provide stability for their remote-control cargo plane in the Design, Build, Fly competition.

Design, Build, Fly
March 10, 2022

South mechanical engineering students look forward to flying, landing and unloading a remote-controlled plane they designed and built for an international competition in Kansas. ...

Philanthropist and longtime University of South Alabama supporter, Abraham Mitchell is funding two new undergraduate programs that will be housed in the School of Computing and the College of Education and Professional Studies.

Mitchell Supporting Two New Undergrad Programs
March 8, 2022

Bachelor of Science programs in Industrial Management and Technology as well as Organizational Leadership will be offered. ...

Dr. Matt Howard, an associate professor in the University of South Alabama's Mitchell College of Business has been selected as one of 55 winners for the Association for Psychological Science Rising Star Award.

A Rising Star
March 8, 2022

South Assistant Professor Dr. Matt Howard has been selected for the Association for Psychological Science Rising Star Award. ...

A research team of nursing faculty and USA healthcare professionals led by Associate Professor Dr. Joyce Pittman received a research grant from Smith & Nephew, a company that designs and manufactures technology to help patients have a better quality of life.

College of Nursing & USA Health Study Pressure Injury Prevention
March 4, 2022

The study led to the creation of a gap analysis instrument to evaluate pressure injury practices and can be used nationwide. ...

University of South Alabama Study Abroad students will receive free passports. The free passport project is a collaborative effort between the Office of International Education and the Institute of International Education. Several of them will also be featured on the new podcast “Spilling the Tea on Travel.” Pictured from left: Amiaya Ross, Jacksonville, Ala; Hanna Dudley, Saraland, Ala; Kya Richardson, Hoover, Ala; Eight Mile, Ala; Corian Evans, Eight Mile, Ala; and Abby Sargent, Milton, Fla.

South Students Receive Free Passports to Study Abroad
February 16, 2022

25 students will get opportunities for new experiences as they receive free passports for future Study Abroad educational journeys. ...

Deforestation Rises in the Rainforest
February 15, 2022

The research of Dr. Gabriel de Oliveira, published in Science magazine, suggests there has been a dramatic increase in the deforestation of the Amazon, one of the most important and endangered ecosystems in the world. ...

Dr. Kenneth Hudson, associate professor of sociology and social work at the University of South Alabama, urges students to challenge conventional wisdom using data. “I spend a lot of time looking at numbers, what I call the view from 33,000 feet. ... And there are certain kinds of questions where you have to land the plane, get out and walk around and talk to people.”

'Good Jobs and Bad Jobs'
February 9, 2022

Dr. Kenneth Hudson, an associate professor of sociology and social work at South, studies the dual labor market, income inequality and their implications for society. ...

Darlene Lewis, who earned a bachelor's degree and then a master's in school counseling from the University of South Alabama, works with students at Blount High School in Prichard, her hometown.

'This Is My Place'
February 4, 2022

Darlene Lewis turns two education degrees at South into professional success — and personal satisfaction — by guiding students in Mobile County Public Schools. ...

The University of South Alabama celebrates the history and heritage of African Americans throughout February with activities, speakers, exhibitions and more. All are open to the public and free of charge. This year's theme is "Better Together."

South Celebrates Black History Month 2022
February 4, 2022

Free events will be held on campus throughout the month of February celebrating African American history and heritage. ...

University of South Alabama student volunteers in the Mitchell College of Business will interview clients, prepare tax returns from client provided documentation. They receive internship credit that satisfies the experiential learning requirement toward a bachelor's degree.

Student Volunteers to Prepare Tax Returns
January 28, 2022

Upper-division accounting students taking part in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program providing free tax preparation. ...

Timothy Holden, who earned a degree in electrical engineering at the University of South Alabama, is a contractor at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado.

Space Force Career Launched
January 28, 2022

Timothy Holden served in the Marine Corps and as a police officer before earning his engineering degree at South. His job as a Space Force contractor involves satellite communication systems. ...

Dr. Elena Pavelescu shows the logic activity she created called "A Game of Cats" that was awarded the third place Rosenthal Prize. Sponsored by the National Museum of Math, the Rosenthal Prize recognizes the most innovative math educators from around the world who are creating engaging, hands-on lesson plans for elementary and middle school students.

National Museum of Mathematics Honors South's Pavelescu
January 24, 2022

Dr. Elena Pavelescu was recently awarded the third place Rosenthal Prize for Innovation and Inspiration in Math Teaching. ...

University of South Alabama doctoral student Kim Pusey says her work in areas of social justice has been fueled by her own upbringing and observations of race and the criminal justice system. “Part of my work, part of the research I do, is in service of trying to make things better for little black and brown kids,” she said.

Studies in Social Justice
January 24, 2022

Kim Pusey chose South for graduate school because of an opportunity to work with at-risk youths. She now plans for it to be her career. ...

Dr. Kern Jackson, director of USA's African American Studies program, co-wrote and co-produced the film "Descendant" premiering January 20-30, 2022 at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT.

South Professor's 'Descendant' Premieres at Sundance Film Festival
January 18, 2022

Dr. Kern Jackson will be recognized for his work on the film featuring the slave ship Clotilda and Africatown community. ...

South Celebrates MLK Day with Event Series
January 13, 2022

The University will celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King with a series of in-person and virtual events. ...

Dr. Amy Upton, assistant professor of school counseling at the University of South Alabama, is a passionate advocate for school counselors. The Alabama School Counselor Association recently honored her for an article titled “School Counseling District Supervisors’ Experiences and Perceptions Regarding School Counselor Preparation for Practice.”

Alabama Counseling Association Recognizes South's Upton
January 13, 2022

USA assistant professor receives the Alabama counseling Association's Individual Publication Award at its annual conference. ...

Former Congressman Jo Bonner, seen here walking into the Administration Building, brings political experience and a personal touch to his role as the fourth president of the University of South Alabama.

Meet Jo Bonner
January 10, 2022

The former congressman brings political experience and a personal touch to his role as the fourth president of the University of South Alabama. ...

Hanna Bobinger, a first-year medical student at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine has been awarded the $8,500 Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi National Fellowship award.

South Med Student Wins National Award
January 3, 2022

First-year med student Hanna Bobinger is recognized for academic success as well as her research and service contributions. ...

University of South Alabama alumna Dr. Deidra Suwannee Dees, the archive director for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, earned graduate degrees from Cornell and Harvard universities.

Working for Her Tribe
January 3, 2022

A bachelor's degree from South led Dr. Deidra Suwannee Dees to a doctorate from Harvard and the position of tribal archivist for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. ...

Academics News Archive

Conference on Teaching and Learning Focuses on Building Resilience & Promoting Equity April 1, 2022

Majors Added in Marine Sciences, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences March 25, 2022

Robots, Drones and Green Slime March 22, 2022

Summit To Support Underrepresented Student Success March 17, 2022

Federal Grants Expand Training for Sexual Assault Response March 17, 2022

$60 Million Earmarked for College of Medicine Building March 14, 2022

Design, Build, Fly March 10, 2022

Mitchell Supporting Two New Undergrad Programs March 8, 2022

A Rising Star March 8, 2022

College of Nursing & USA Health Study Pressure Injury Prevention March 4, 2022

South Students Receive Free Passports to Study Abroad February 16, 2022

Deforestation Rises in the Rainforest February 15, 2022

'Good Jobs and Bad Jobs' February 9, 2022

'This Is My Place' February 4, 2022

South Celebrates Black History Month 2022 February 4, 2022

Student Volunteers to Prepare Tax Returns January 28, 2022

Space Force Career Launched January 28, 2022

National Museum of Mathematics Honors South's Pavelescu January 24, 2022

Studies in Social Justice January 24, 2022

South Professor's 'Descendant' Premieres at Sundance Film Festival January 18, 2022

South Celebrates MLK Day with Event Series January 13, 2022

Alabama Counseling Association Recognizes South's Upton January 13, 2022

Meet Jo Bonner January 10, 2022

South Med Student Wins National Award January 3, 2022

Working for Her Tribe January 3, 2022