This was Mary Anne Hanner’s, the dean of the College of Sciences, last ScienceFest before her retirement.

“It is bittersweet,” Hanner said. “I just enjoyed the day. (ScienceFest) is designed to be a day of education and celebration.”

ScienceFest is an annual celebration organized by the College of Sciences that showcases the accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate science students, as well as, science faculty members.

The celebration concluded Friday afternoon with an award ceremony in the University Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The theme for this year’s ScienceFest was “Renewable Energy: Powering the 21st Century and Beyond.”

Eleven students received the Graduate Student Investigator Awards and 12 students received the Scholars in Undergraduate Research at Eastern Award. Each student’s faculty mentor was also recognized.

Hanner said the College of Sciences gives 10 to 15 students awards every year. She said students must fill out an online application, present their research and then a committee selects the winners.

Faculty awards included awards for the student advisory board, teaching, service and research.

“If you look at those people as a group you are just astounded by their accomplishments,” Hanner said. “I’m always inspired by people and the work they do. Student research is impressive because it is over a relatively short time. Faculty awards show a career of accomplishment.”

James Conwell, a physics professor, received the Teaching Excellence Award. He said it is easy for him to teach because of the topics available to him.

“I have a great product to sell,” Conwell said. “I get to teach the instruction manual to the universe, and for the most part I get to use pretty pictures.”

Andrew Methven, a biological science professor and recipient of the Lawrence A. Ringenberg Award, said he loves Eastern for the balance of teaching and research he gets to do.

“I came to Eastern thinking I would be here a few years and move onto something bigger and better. I then realized I had already found that place,” Methven said.

While this is her last ScienceFest as dean, Hanner said she can still come back to Eastern and enjoy the celebration during her retirement.

Other faculty awards included the Student Advisory Board Outstanding Faculty Award given to Methven, the Alan and Carlene Baharlou Distinguished Service Award given to Steve Daniels, a physics professor and the Lida G. Wall Faculty Research Mentor Award given to Amitabh Joshi, a physics professor.

ScienceFest Awards

College of Sciences Advisory Board Student Assistance Award

Manisha Pant, a biological sciences major

College of Sciences Women in Science and Mathematics Research Awards

Lena Elmuti, a chemistry major

Mahlet Gezahegn, a biological sciences major

Graduate Student Investigative Awards

John Anderson, a biological sciences major

Joe Bell, a political sciences major

Kelsey DePew, a communication disorder and sciences major

Andrew Durso, a biological sciences major

Mahlet Gezahegn, an economics major

Tony Golf, an economics major

Mara Hampton, a communication disorders and sciences major

Md. Khan, a biological sciences major

Cassi Moody, a biological sciences major

Paul Oindrila, a biological sciences major

John Saathoff, a chemistry major

Scholars in Undergraduate Research at Eastern Awards

Olivia Buttram, a psychology major

Daniel Cassidy, a biological sciences major

Amanda Clevinger, a psychology major

Joshua Dye, a geology/geography major

Lena Elmuti, a chemistry major

Leigha Graham, a communication disorders and sciences major

Jonathan Jones, a physics major

Jacquelyn Liesen, a communication disorders and sciences major

Alain Marcelin, a biological sciences major

Gerald Presley, a biological sciences major

Amanda Wildenberg, a biological sciences major

Joshua Wiseman, a chemistry major

Social Science Writing Award

Logan Bruce, a history major

Seth Schroeder can be reached at 581-2812 or scschroeder2@eiu.edu.

Lena Elmuti, a sophomore biological sciences major, explains her research on carbon-hydrogen and pi bond interactions Friday at ScienceFest in the University Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. Elmuti received the College of Sciences’

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