COSAM plays a key role in the land-grant mission of Auburn University through its service to the public in Alabama and beyond. This service is exemplified by (1) being a first resource in providing exceptional scientific and mathematical expertise to the public through consulting and technology transfer, (2) expanding Auburn University’s educational reach through robust science and mathematics programs in support of K-12 education, and (3) enhancing economic development through workforce development in outreach, hosting national and international meetings and engaging with the private sector in business development. Well aligned with the University Strategic Plan, these service objectives fall naturally within the purview of COSAM.

First Resource

The fundamental scientific expertise of our faculty and staff is a critical resource to the state of Alabama and the nation in a wide variety of areas. These areas include statistical and numerical analysis, fusion energy development, rugged and energy-efficient electronics materials, environmental and natural hazards, cultural and socioeconomic issues in human geography, conservation and ecology, human health and physiology including cancer and viruses, biological mechanisms in fuel development, and many more. While not comprehensive, this list provides some insight into the breadth of practical expertise within COSAM. This is further demonstrated as faculty within the college serve on prestigious national and international advisory boards and panels, a reflection of their expertise that enhances the profile of Auburn University.

Economic Impact

The economic impact of COSAM comes on multiple fronts, including workforce development through outreach, hosting international workshops and conferences, and through technology transfer to the private sector and development of businesses based on new science.

• Workforce Development: The Southeastern Center of Robotics Education is a newly created initiative that is designed to prepare future generations of STEM professionals by developing and delivering student robotics programs, online robotics resources, and professional development for teachers. Over the past two years, the center facilitated the start of approximately 400 new student robotics teams throughout the state. Students learn design skills, team building, and the implementation of STEM concepts as they develop robots for competitions at the local, state and national level. Supported primarily through extramural foundation grants, the center already impacts approximately 2,000 students annually in the development of these critical workforce skills.

• International Workshops and Conferences: Departments within the college regularly host national and international scientific meetings, and host visiting scholars. In addition to raising the profile of Auburn University, these meetings impact on the local economy at the million-dollar level annually.

• Technology Transfer: Experts throughout the college procure patents associated with their research and create new technologies that are transferred to private sector. The development of businesses based on new science creates local jobs, infuses capital into the economy and enhances Auburn University reputation throughout Alabama and beyond.

PRIORITY INITIATIVES

• Attract and retain top faculty and staff.

  • Review all job descriptions in COSAM, particularly staff positions. Update as necessary so that they align with what employees actually do. Where possible, job descriptions and duties should be similar across COSAM departments and offices.

  • Improve compensation packages to attract and retain the best employees. Where possible bring salaries into alignment with SREB data (for faculty) and market rates (for staff). Continue to increase graduate student salaries as college funding allows.

  • Create discipline-dependent hiring processes that allow for increased visibility with potential candidates, with the goal of attracting a more diverse and competitive pool of candidates.

  • For faculty searches, we will develop and adapt flexible hiring plans consistent across COSAM departments that allow strategic hiring decisions to be made in a way that balances long-term strategic hiring with unforeseen opportunities (i.e., two career couples) that often arise.

  • Provide diversity, cultural and implicit bias competency training for search committee chairs and members. Where possible, expand search committees to include members from a variety of disciplines and also graduate students.

• Encourage and support professional growth of all employees.

  • Develop a program for full career mentoring for faculty and staff that is consistent across departments and colleges.

  • Develop an onboarding process specific to COSAM for staff and faculty.

  • Expand professional development offerings for staff with college level resources available.

  • Publicize faculty and staff who are recognized as fellows of their respective professional societies.

• Create an environment that maximizes teaching, research and service contributions.

  • Assess and improve the annual review process to ensure the evaluation instruments are tied to the job description. Develop a survey for staff to determine if the changes to the evaluation improved the review process to make it mutually beneficial. Compare the faculty annual review processes across all departments. Develop a minimum rubric across COSAM. Incorporate a discussion of professional and career development as part of staff the annual review process.

  • Peer mentoring of faculty and staff. Where possible, arrange for senior faculty and staff to teach professional development classes.

  • Provide opportunities through workshops and trainings for faculty and staff to increase their cultural competency. Reach 20 percent of faculty and staff each year over the next five years.

  • Continue to develop new award programs and simplify the process to reduce barriers for nominations.

• Improve workplace culture and atmosphere.

  • Continue to survey faculty and staff to assess workplace climate. Use results to identify and address problem areas.

  • Continue to conduct town hall meetings to improve communication and transfer of information. Evolve the town hall concept over time to maintain fresh approach and engagement.

COSAM plans to undertake a number of initiatives to improve employee engagement and development. Several initiatives have recently begun while others will be implemented during the course of the next five years.

Undertake several initiatives over the next five years to achieve and maintain a robust and diverse enrollment of students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

• Improve the diversity of majors, minors and certificate offerings in order to appeal to a wide-variety of students.

• Develop a targeted recruiting plan to increase the enrollment of students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM.

Work to create new relevant and marketable majors, minors and certificates that appeal to the increasingly diverse career goals of students. In conjunction with departments, work to create new major offerings that play to the strength of the current faculty as well as help shape the strategic hiring plan for future faculty members. Major initiatives to be explored include:

• Work with departments to develop new majors, minors and certificates that will appeal to students interested in medical and professional school.

• Implement interdisciplinary majors, minors and certificates that span all COSAM departments.

• Identify new major electives in order to create a less rigid degree plan and expand interest among students.

• Make changes to existing curricula to reduce the time to earn a degree.

Increase the number of interdisciplinary graduate degrees, dual degrees, collaborative programs, and certificates in strategic areas (e.g., biophysics, computational and data science, biomedical/health, environmental) aligned with major university initiatives. These new graduate programs will offer new options (including online opportunities) for students interested in conducting research across various disciplines, thus offering an excellent opportunity to grow graduate enrollment. Major initiatives to be explored include:

• Facilitate development of transformative and interdisciplinary degrees by providing support (release time, seed grants and summer funding) for faculty to design and implement new curricula and programs.

• Work with upper administration to remove obstacles and streamline processes for student admission and support.

• Hire new faculty for interdisciplinary positions or joint appointments.

• Implement an array of interdisciplinary courses, seminars, conferences, and workshops to promote student research and learning.

• Identify new partners (e.g., the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine) to offer dual degrees and collaborative programs.

Work with the VP of Admissions to cultivate an active, targeted recruiting plan which expands the diversity of the pool of potential students from all groups including factors such as URM, first-generation, geographical area and socioeconomic status. Work to identify and form mutually beneficial relationships with high schools in the state to actively recruit qualified, diverse students from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM. Major initiatives include:

• Identify and form mutually beneficial relationships with high schools that have students from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM who have the academic requirements for admission, but are not currently attending Auburn University.

• Work to form pipeline programs in conjunction with COSAM’s Office of Outreach to attract students from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM.

• Increase the numbers and size of designated scholarships for students from diverse groups (including micro-scholarships for college prep events).

• Increase collaboration with Enrollment Management to share data and coordinate recruiting events.

• Implement scheduling software to improve students’ on-campus visits.

• Implement new recruiting tools, update brochures, and create videos and advertising in order to better market overlooked majors.

Recruit a highly competitive and diverse graduate student body and provide support to ensure the success of underrepresented student groups. These students will be recruited via targeted efforts related to research experiences for undergraduate programs, site visits, and conference attendance. Major initiatives to be explored include:

• Develop prestigious graduate research assistantships for college-wide competition.

• Support infrastructure and encouraging faculty participation in continuing REU programs within the college.

• Develop a departmental and college-wide recruitment visit program.

• Enhance COSAM’s presence at undergraduate research conferences.

• Support faculty visits and connections to HBCUs and other minority serving institutions.