Distinguished Scholar Seminar
SPIRE scholars work collaboratively to plan and host the Annual Distinguished Scholar Seminar for the academic community and undergraduate students from SPIRE’s partner institutions. This event brings a distinguished science researcher, educator, administrator, or policy maker to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus to address issues relating to science education and diversity.
Past Distinguished Scholars include:
- Dr. Zuleyma Tang-Martinez
- Professor of Biology, University of Missouri – St. Louis
- Dr. Julio Ramirez
- R. Stuart Dickson Professor of Psychology, Davidson College, Davidson, NC
- Dr. Todd Coleman
- Associate Professor of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego
- Dr. Rob Dunn
- Professor of Biology, North Carolina State University
- Dr. Catherine Drennan
- Professor of Chemistry & Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Dr. Diane Ebert-May
- Professor of Plant Biology, Michigan State University
- Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan
- Professor of Chemistry, Lewis & Clark College/HHMI
- Dr. Mark Forsyth
- Professor of Biology, College of William & Mary
- Dr. Ben Cuker
- Professor of Marine and Environmental Studies, Hampton University
- Dr. Marian Johnson-Thompson
- Director of Education and Biomedical Research Development, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- Dr. Joseph Dunbar
- Professor and Chair, Department of Physiology, Wayne State University
- Dr. Shirley Malcom
- Head, Education and Human Resources, American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Dr. George Langford
- Professor of Natural Sciences, Dartmouth University
- Dr. Howard Adams
- Professional Mentor and Educator
- Dr. Juliette Bell
- Professor of Chemistry, Fayetteville State University
Undergraduate students meet with the DSS speaker and attend the keynote seminar. Their visit to UNC-Chapel Hill also includes activities designed to promote their interest in scientific research, including:
- Meeting faculty members from UNC-Chapel Hill’s graduate programs
- Attending an information session on undergraduate summer research programs
- Joining a roundtable discussion with graduate students and postdocs
- Touring research labs at UNC-Chapel Hill