ETSU Geosciences Professors, Students Earn Recognitions

From East Tennessee State University:

January 10, 2022

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Students and professors in the Department of Geosciences at East Tennessee State University are earning prestigious awards and generating important research.

“These honors and accolades reflect the phenomenal work happening in Geosciences at ETSU,” said Dr. Arpita Nandi, department chair. “Our faculty are engaged in exceptional mentoring, and our students are producing important contributions to the field.”

A look at some of the work happening in Geosciences:

Dr. Ingrid Luffman, an associate professor in the department, won the Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring Award from the South Eastern Division of the American Association of Geography. Her deep commitment to undergraduate students mentoring and research is impressive, Nandi noted, and was evident in student testimonies.

Graduate student Rachel Whiteman won several categories at the Tennessee Geographic Information Council Fall Forum. Her storymap on elk habitation restoration in the eastern U.S. was granted best narrative and analysis award. Whiteman completed her undergraduate education in geosciences and is currently a graduate student in the department.

Melissa Magno, a recent graduate from the Honors-in-Discipline program, published two peer-reviewed research papers from her thesis on toxic metal mobility in abandoned mine sites. Her publication in Applied and Environmental Soil Science has already been downloaded nearly 800 times. The journal accepts only 22% of submitted articles. Magno is currently a staff geologist in a private-sector industry.

To learn more about the Geosciences Department, visit etsu.edu/cas/geosciences/.

This press release was produced by East Tennessee State University. The views expressed are the author's own.