CAS News

Oklahoma State University associate chemistry professor Jimmie Weaver enthusiastically describes his work building synthetic molecules as “elegant,” “remarkable” and “robust.” His descriptions characterize the properties of molecules he’s made in the laboratory that are building blocks of many of the most successful pharmaceuticals and other chemical products. From that enthusiasm, and an entrepreneurial spirit, a business was born. 

A love of math, physics and the outdoors adds up to one passionate geologist.

You can find all of those traits in Camelia C. Knapp, the new Boone Pickens School of Geology head.

Farida Jalalzai had chaired the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ Department of Political Science for two years when she came to Oklahoma State University for a non-administrative position in August 2015. Thanks to a recent promotion, she is now head of OSU’s Department of Political Science.

Jalalzai served as interim department head from July 2017 to July 2018, when she accepted the promotion. She is excited to utilize her experience at both universities to oversee what she calls a “moment of reflection” for the Department.

Many people oversimplify the concept of geography, thinking of it as memorizing maps. Speak with Alyson Greiner, head of the Department of Geography, and she will explain how much more interesting it is than that.

For example, as a cultural historical geographer, she specializes in the similarities and differences between America and Australia. She is fascinated by the ways Oklahoma’s landscape changed as a part of the New Deal projects during the Great Depression, including eradicating malaria. She even explains the northward migration of the sweet-tea line – the prevalence of that drink has historically been one way to differentiate the South from its neighboring regions, but that boundary is moving, or at least blurring, of late.

As a young undergraduate student, Dr. Ramesh Kaipa had a very different plan for his life. “I had intended on becoming a medical doctor,” Kaipa said, “but I’m glad that I chose this profession.”

According to Kaipa, one of the great challenges in speech/language pathology and audiology is that it is largely seen as a female-oriented profession. His graduating class, he explains, was nearly 90-percent female.

Laura Belmonte calls herself an “odd duck” because of how much she loved the often-thankless role of department head. It inspired her to pursue the next logical career step: becoming the College of Arts and Sciences’ associate dean for instruction and personnel.

Among the many responsibilities of this position are ensuring quality instruction, handling student and faculty complaints, and overseeing faculty hiring and promotion.

As a member of the College Art Association, Cristina González looks forward to receiving The Art Bulletin each quarter. Producing an article worthy of inclusion in this academic journal is a major goal of scholars in visual studies and art criticism. González earned an even higher honor recently when her contribution was featured as the cover story.

The associate professor of art history published “Beyond the Bride of Christ: The Crucified Abbess in Mexico and Spain” in issue No. 99, vol. 4, which is dated December 2017.

“You’re going to be a theatre major? You can’t make a living with that!” 

This has been the concern of no small number of parents, and this is the sentiment that Lloyd Caldwell is determined to change.

Jeanette Mendez has been a leader in Oklahoma State University’s College of Arts and Sciences since 2011, when she was named head of the Department of Political Science. She has also twice served as interim associate dean for research and facilities. Now she has been promoted to that position on a permanent basis.

Mendez officially became the first woman named an associate dean for CAS during the March 2 OSU/A&M Board of Regents meeting.