On August 8th 10 groups of student researchers presented their faculty sponsored research in the School of Science’s 16th Annual Summer Research Program Symposium. A complete list of the the presenters and abstracts of their projects can be found in the 2024 Summer Research Program Abstract Book. To learn more about the Summer Research Program visit our site.
John Tiedemann, Assistant Dean of the School of Science and Director of the Marine and Environmental Biology Program, retired at the end of August. John contributed to the Monmouth University School of Science community as a teacher and scholar for 26 years, entering Monmouth University’s School of Science, Technology and Engineering dean’s office in 1999. John has been a mainstay of the School of Science Student Research Conference from its inception in 2001. The research conference has been a capstone experience showcasing student scholarship for over 24 years. For the last 16 years, John has contributed significantly to the school’s Summer Research Program, taking over the operation of the program over the last 9 years.
John taught a number of courses during his time here at Monmouth, always a student favorite in the classroom. He served as the inaugural instructor of the BY 317 Tropical Island Ecology course, traveling with students every January to the Cape Eleuthera Institute in the Bahamas. In addition, John’s project, Stripers for the Future, has educated fishermen on the proper catch and release practices to reduce mortality rates along with a tagging program to track movement and breeding grounds of these sport fish. We will miss being regaled with tales from John with outstretched arms of catching a “fish this big.”
John has always been an avid surfer and it was easy to take the time to hear him speak about the history of the Jersey shore whether it was beach access, the development of environmental policies, or how the waves would break in a particular area. His humor combined with thoughtful insight made him a valued colleague. We wish John happiness, fulfillment, and good health in his retirement from Monmouth, and joy in the company of his family and friends. Surf’s Up.
The 2023 Distinguished Teaching Award recipient is Dr. Kathryn Lionetti, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, in the School of Science. Dr. Lionetti earned her Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences and Doctorate in Genetics from SUNY at Stony Brook. She has been an educator, mentor, and advisor for the Monmouth University community for over 30 years.
The Monmouth University Distinguished Teaching Award celebrates and encourages sustained excellence in teaching, with a commitment to providing Monmouth students with a transformative and engaging educational experience that promotes critical thinking and evidence-based pedagogical practices. Dr. Lionetti has taught and undertaken major revisions in teaching both general and applied microbiology for biology majors. When the COVID pandemic forced remote learning , She developed innovative ways to accomplish lab learning outcomes for students taking the General Microbiology (lab and lecture) remotely. Dr. Lionetti published on this work in the prestigious Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education in 2022 “Teaching Microscopy Remotely: Two Engaging Options”.
We are all very proud to recognize Dr. Lionetti’s accomplishment.
