Provost's Newsletter: July 2021

Message From the Provost

What a year we have had! This May, we graduated another amazing class of Golden Knights, who refused to be held back by the challenges of a historic year. If anything, our students, faculty and staff used the challenges to their advantage, creating opportunities to expand their research projects and connect with a greater virtual world. We are highlighting just a few of their stories in this issue. I hope you enjoy reading them.

— Robyn Hannigan, Provost

Stalling Snails

For something that moves so slowly, nonnative snails have caused a lot of trouble in New York as they invade the state’s rivers and lakes. But Professor Andrew David is on the case. Funded by a grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the Great Lakes Research Consortium, David is looking for ways to limit their spread.

SPEED Thrills

Clarkson’s Baja SAE SPEED team did not shy away from rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands — and everything else — dirty on the road to victory at a recent regional competition in Louisville, Kentucky. The rough terrain and mud were no match for the team, which came in third overall, their best finish in over a decade.

Righting the Ratio

The lack of Black educators is an urgent problem in the U.S. As our Chair of Education Catherine Snyder put it, “Black students who have just one Black teacher are more likely to graduate from high school …, yet just 7% of teachers are Black.” Our MAT program supports Black teacher candidates, and we recently received assistance in this endeavor with a grant from the National Center for Teacher Residencies.

STEM Challenge

Always willing to embark on a new pursuit, Clarkson students participated in this year’s inaugural STEM QuESTS Challenge (Questions that Explore STEM for Teachers and Students). This competition invited students to answer the question, “What inspired you to choose your STEM major and career pathway?” and to create educational activities that would inspire young people.

Stalling Snails

SPEED Thrills

Righting the Ratio

STEM Challenge

Quick Hits