With $1.52 million in funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2023, Washington State University continues to be a leader in antimicrobial resistance research.
The funding is the second most of any university in the Western United States and ranks ninth nationally among public educational institutions.
“Most antimicrobial resistance does not arise in the United States, but because WSU has such a large global footprint, we’re able to assess and understand what is happening in other countries and work to stop those drug-resistant bacteria from being imported into the U.S.,” said Guy Palmer, WSU’s senior director of global health.
Antimicrobial resistance, recognized by the CDC as an urgent global public health threat, occurs when bacteria develop the ability to resist the drugs designed to kill them, which allows infections to persist.
According to the CDC, antimicrobial resistance killed nearly 5 million people in 2019. In the U.S., more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur each year.
To combat this, WSU leads research projects in Guatemala and Kenya as well as in Washington state.
In Guatemala, researchers are examining samples from livestock, companion animals, milk, and drinking water to better understand the transmission of antimicrobial resistant bacteria as it relates to community sanitation and hygiene.
In Kenya, researchers are surveying drinking water and its sources as well as other water sources for antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli to improve prevention measures.
WSU researchers in both countries are part of the CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance in Communities and Hospitals (ARCH) program, studying the burden and risk factors for colonization with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. They also assess health and economic impacts of colonization with resistant bacteria.
At WSU Pullman, associate professor and infectious disease epidemiologist Eric Lofgren is building up the antimicrobial resistance workforce through the Resistance Epidemiology Modeling Initiative (REMI). The initiative is funded by the CDC and supports the research of three pre-doctoral fellows at WSU who use computational tools and mathematical methods for modeling the spread of pathogens in health care.
WSU is also part of a new Intermountain West infectious disease surveillance program that monitors antimicrobial-resistance threats.
Washington State University STEM majors Clara Ehinger, Julia Jitkov, and Brayan Osegueda Velazquez are the latest recipients of national Barry Goldwater distinguished scholarships.
“Each of these future scientists will receive significant financial support for the next academic year, which recognizes their outstanding accomplishments in research,” said April Seehafer, director of the WSU Distinguished Scholarships Program.
Since 1986, Goldwater awards have been available to students intending to pursue a research career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. WSU’s newest recipients bring the number of WSU students who have received Goldwater’s to 53. They are among 438 new awardees nationally this year, selected from 1,353 students nominated by 446 institutions.
Every Goldwater awardee has interesting goals and is taking significant steps toward reaching them, said Mary Sánchez Lanier, assistant vice provost. She is WSU’s representative to the national Goldwater organization.
For example, Ehinger, a junior from Yelm, Washington is a chemical engineering major, minoring in mathematics and a member of the Honors College. She plans to get a Ph.D. and research catalysts for sustainable energy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she chose to attend WSU because of the opportunities available to conduct research as an undergraduate and to also study abroad. She had never set foot on campus until part-way through her freshman year.
She has worked in three laboratories at WSU—first with Von Walden in the Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, next with Su Ha in the O.H. Reaugh Laboratory for Oil and Gas Research, and currently, with Yong Wang’s group, which is focused on testing catalysts for the production of biofuel.
“This will be done by using single atom catalysts doped onto metal oxides such as ceria. By using single atoms, we are trying to maximize the efficiency of catalyst per unit of mass of catalyst used. By developing better methods for producing biofuels, industries that are reliant on liquid fuel sources, such as aerospace, can use less carbon intensive fuels than traditional petrochemicals as a step towards carbon neutrality,” Ehinger said. “I am honored to have been selected. The recognition that my interest in pursuing a career in catalysis research aligns with my ability to be a successful researcher, at least in the eyes of Goldwater, is appreciated and valued.”
Goldwater recipient Jitkov, a junior from Pullman, is a physics/astronomy and applied mathematics major and Honors College member. She plans to earn a master’s and Ph.D. degree in astrophysics. Her goal is to eventually teach and lead researchers studying ways to enhance scientific understanding of the universe using light, particle, and wave observations.
She said she appreciates receiving a Goldwater award to support her studies, and she will do her best to contribute meaningful insights to the academic community.
Her faculty mentor is Vivienne Baldassare. Jitkov is currently working with Baldassare to identify supermassive black holes that are found in nuclear star clusters at the center of dwarf galaxies.
“Mapping the population of black holes in the universe can help astronomers understand processes involved in their formation and evolution of galaxies,” she said.
President of the WSU Physics and Astronomy Club, Jitkov’s experience also includes a summer 2023 Research Internship for Science and Engineering (RISE) award from DAAD at the Technische Universität Dortmund in Germany, and a research assistantship at the Institute for Shock Physics at WSU Pullman.
She chose to attend WSU because of its rigorous academics, opportunities for research, meaningful interactions with faculty, and great community of students.
Osegueda Velazquez is a junior from Auburn, Washington who is majoring in bioengineering and is a member of the Honors College. He is also in the MARC-WSU program and participates in WSU LSAMP, and was previously in the two-year Esteemed MIRA program. His career goal is to earn his doctorate and become a protein engineering researcher and professor.
He came to WSU Pullman in 2021 with his brother, Brandon, who is studying secondary education and rhetoric. Both are first-generation students, and Brayan said his brother was always there for him through thick and thin and that means more than he can say.
At WSU, he appreciates the sense of family and belonging.
“The tight-knit community makes me feel like I belong and there have been kind souls who have constantly reached out to and supported me,” he said.
Osegueda Velazquez conducts research in the lab of Alla Kostyukova, his “mentor in research and life.” They explore the link between bench work protein engineering and computer simulated protein stability changes.
He dedicates his Goldwater award to the late Nickolas Starks, a research assistant in Kostyukova’s lab.
“He made an impact on my life with the enthusiasm and intense passion that he carried with every project and every experiment. And brought with him an energy of positivity and whimsicality that lit the lab up and uplifted everyone around him,” said Osegueda Velazquez. “Nick inspired me, like many others, to keep pushing and exploring the sciences, not just as a degree, but as something to put your everything into.”
Osegueda Velazquez conducted summer research with Michael Regnier at the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Washington. He has received several awards and scholarships including an award in the engineering, physics, and mathematics category of the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists; volunteers as a supplemental tutor at Gar-Pal High School near Pullman; and is a mentor for undergraduates in laboratories in the Voiland College of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering.
Mary Garcia, human development instructor for Washington State University, is the winner of the 2023–24 Excellence in Online Teaching Award. The student-nominated annual award is sponsored by WSU Global Campus.
The award, now in its eighth year, seeks to acknowledge and reward Washington State University faculty members teaching Global Campus courses who employ best practices to engage, inspire, support, and show care for students in an online environment. Garcia will receive $3,000 in faculty development funds and a trophy in recognition of her win.
“What an honor to be selected for the Excellence in Online Teaching award among the many awesome Global instructors at WSU,” said Garcia. “It means a lot to me to know that my students feel that I positively made a difference in their lives and nominated me for this award.”
Garcia holds the philosophy that thoughtfully engaging with students in an online environment is critical to their academic success.
“I believe that each student who takes any of my classes should have the same experience regardless of whether it’s online or in-person,” said Garcia. “Though online students are not physically in a classroom raising their hand to ask a question, I make it my goal to respond to every single post a student makes and address all their questions.”
Garcia, who lives in Colorado while working as an adjunct online instructor, was one of 56 online instructors nominated for the award.
She has been instructing online courses, and correspondence courses before that, for 24 years, teaching an estimated 6,000 students.
“I enjoy telling people that I meet that I work for WSU even though I live in Colorado,” Garcia said. “Being an online teacher has been a very rewarding experience for me.”
Christie Kittle, assistant director for WSU Learning Innovations, led the committee that reviewed nominations and selected a winner.
“Mary’s nomination stood out to us because of the outstanding responsiveness and engagement she displayed towards her students. Her dedication and passion for teaching was very evident,” said Kittle. “Mary, along with all the faculty that were nominated by their students, make a lasting impact on the lives of their students every day. We take great pride in being able to recognize those tireless efforts.”
Nineteen faculty, four staff, and seven graduate students were honored for outstanding achievement and their commitment to excellence at the 2024 College of Arts and Sciences Appreciation and Recognition Social last week.
Professor Nairanjana (Jan) Dasgupta, a national leader in data analytics, received the college’s distinguished faculty award. Cheryl Schultz and Michael Berger, both in the School of Biological Science at WSU Vancouver, were recognized for outstanding career achievement. Faculty honors also included excellence in teaching and service, and spanned eight disciplines and three campuses.
School of the Environment lab manager Charles Knaack led the staff career achievement awards, and top graduate students were recognized in the humanities, arts, and sciences.
Visit the CAS awards poster gallery to meet all the award recipients.
Twenty-three outstanding seniors, each representing a degree program offered in the College of Arts and Sciences at WSU Pullman, will be honored at a separate medallion ceremony on Friday, May 3, the day before commencement.
The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest academic college in the WSU system, encompassing more than 600 faculty, 180 staff, 580 graduate students, and thousands of undergraduate students across five WSU campuses. The college delivers more than half of all student credit hours of instruction at WSU, and supports scholarly, research, and creative activities across the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
Washington State University sleep scientist Kimberly Honn has been elected as president of the Working Time Society, serving a three-year term that started on April 1.
The Working Time Society is the academic counterpart of the Scientific Committee on Shiftwork and Working Time of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH), a non-governmental organization recognized by the United Nations. With an international membership that represents more than 27 countries across six continents, the society brings together stakeholders to address the psychosocial aspects and health problems connected with shift work and working hours. It also advises national and international bodies on occupational issues related to working times.
An associate professor in the College of Medicine and a researcher in the WSU Sleep and Performance Research Center, Honn studies the effects of sleep loss and shift work schedules on cognitive performance, safety, and health. To find ways to minimize sleep loss-related errors and negative health impacts, she conducts laboratory-based human subjects research that uses specially designed computerized tests to identify cognitive functions that are especially vulnerable or resilient to the effects of sleep deprivation. Her research is translated into real-world settings through driving and flight simulator studies and field research projects in commercial transportation, including aviation, trucking, and rail.
An active member of the Working Time Society since 2015, Honn co-chaired the society’s biennial meeting — the International Symposium on Shiftwork and Working Time — held in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, and organized by the WSU Sleep and Performance Research Center in 2019. In 2021, she became a member of the society’s 12-person board.
“I’m honored to be entrusted with the position of board president and look forward to working with other executive officers on the society’s board,” Honn said. As president, she will support the society’s return to in-person meetings following the COVID-19 pandemic, with the next in-person meeting slated to be held in Brazil in November 2025. Other efforts she will be engaged in include the hosting of global webinars to provide regular opportunities for members to share their work and the continued diversification of the society’s membership across different nationalities, races/ethnicities, career paths and research interests, among other initiatives.
Third-year veterinary students Christopher Ibarra Gervacio and Regina Meeks were recently recognized with national diversity leadership scholarships from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.
Ibarra Gervacio was awarded a $20,000 scholarship for being selected as one of 15 students nationwide for the Chewy Veterinary Leaders Program. The Chewy scholarship recognizes third-year veterinary students from underserved groups who have demonstrated a keen interest in and aptitude for developing leadership capabilities.
Meeks was awarded the Merck Animal Health Diversity Leadership Scholarship, which includes $8,000 for her commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion within the veterinary profession and her passion for creating positive change.
“This scholarship means a lot because I have such a huge passion for diversity and leadership, and then going against students from all these different schools, and knowing they have a lot of passion for diversity efforts in the profession. It just makes me feel really proud of what I’ve done so far,” said Meeks, who is half Black and Taiwanese. “It makes me even more excited I can still make a difference and continue working toward the goal of diversifying this field.”
According to 2023 figures from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, white veterinarians account for nearly 90% of all veterinarians in the United States. Black veterinarians account for 1.3%, Asians 5.9%, and Hispanic or Latino are 7.9% of the field.
Ibarra Grevacio and Meeks agree — representing underrepresented groups in veterinary medicine is not only a motivator for them but also a responsibility to show others it is possible.
Representing underrepresented groups in veterinary medicine is not only a motivator for Ibarra Grevacio and Meeks but also a responsibility to show others it is possible.
“It’s been the same thing since I decided I wanted to be a veterinarian, you go to the vet, and there’s not a lot of them who look like you working in a clinic. But I get a special feeling when I see another Latino family come in. Just feeling that makes me want to make sure that I am doing what I can do to represent them and show them I am here, and they could do this, even though there’s not a lot of us right now,” Ibarra Grevacio said.
At WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, diversity, equity, and inclusion have been a top college priority since Dean Dr. Dori Borjesson took the helm in 2020, beginning with the hiring of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director Maurice Cottman and the formation of the college’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, which Meeks and Ibarra Grevacio are heavily involved with.
Meeks, who also attended WSU Pullman as an undergraduate, said fostering an inclusive environment at WSU is one of the big reasons she chose to stay at WSU for veterinary school.
“I had the opportunity to go back to California and go to vet school, but I really made a point to choose WSU. Not just for the curriculum we have that I really appreciate, but also the fact that I really wanted to make a difference in diversity and try to help influence future applicants that even though WSU’s vet school is predominantly white, there are still other people like us here, and we’re thriving. I know by coming here, I’m limiting myself from being around people who look like me, but I know that by being here I’m making a difference for future applicants.”
Washington State University veterinary students Randa Boler and Tanya Weber are recipients of one of the most competitive scholarships in veterinary reproductive medicine — the Nandi Theriogenology Scholarship.
It’s the second time in as many years that two WSU veterinary students have received the international scholarship, and just the second time two veterinarians from the same institution have been awarded the scholarship.
The Nandi scholarship is awarded by the Theriogenology Foundation to four veterinary students annually who demonstrate superior potential for future clinical and scholarly excellence and leadership in theriogenology.
“It is such an honor to be awarded the Nandi scholarship. Not only does this ease the financial burden of veterinary school, but it also represents all the mentors I have been fortunate to work with who have believed in me and supported my development as a future bovine veterinarian,” Weber said.
Weber was nominated by Dr. Salman Waqas and received recommendation letters from Drs. Ramanathan Kasimanickam and John Wenz.
“They all supported my success with this scholarship, and they have also provided crucial mentorship in bovine theriogenology and herd production medicine, which I will benefit from for my entire career,” Weber said.
Boler was nominated by Kasimanickam, whom she said has had a major impact on her education.
“Dr. Ram has been instrumental in developing my interest and skills related to bovine theriogenology. From his theriogenology elective to his four-week advanced beef cattle theriogenology course, the opportunity to visit many operations and work large numbers of cattle is irreplaceable. He is the reason I was awarded the Nandi scholarship,” Boler said.
Boler and Weber were selected from a pool of 18 applicants representing veterinary schools across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. They will be recognized and receive awards of $10,000 each in July at the annual Therio Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
WSU’s theriogenology program is one of just a handful of such resources in the Pacific Northwest that specializes in the field for small and large animal reproduction.
Both Boler and Weber will officially earn their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine on Saturday.
Boler is headed home to northwest Montana to work at a mixed animal practice, but she is drawn to ambulatory medicine and particularly passionate about reproductive medicine in cattle.
Weber will begin a career with TELUS Agriculture as a Professional Services Veterinarian. In this role, she will use her skills and knowledge in herd production medicine and theriogenology to support continuous growth and improvement of the beef industry.
Christopher Clarke, an assistant professor in the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University, has been awarded the 2024 Oaks Academic Technology Award. The annual award, sponsored by WSU Global Campus, honors faculty members for their innovative use of technology to enhance teaching and learning.
Clarke earned the award for his innovative use of high-quality instructional videos, which he shares with students via platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Over the years, Clarke has produced 50 instructional videos for his online class, and hundreds of short, educational, TikTok videos, attracting over 48,000 followers and gaining millions of views.
“In today’s world, many things compete for our attention, and the demand for high-quality educational videos from educators has never been higher,” Clarke stated. “I hope my efforts help increase WSU’s presence in our society.”
Clarke’s approach leverages short-form video formats to engage younger students who increasingly seek information through social media.
“Chris’s videos engage students,” said Jill McCluskey, director of the School of Economic Sciences. “He draws them in to think about and understand how economics affects their lives and the larger world around them.”
His videos, created with software typically used by online influencers, are designed to be both engaging and informative.
“Teachers need to meet students where they are. Students and the public increasingly consume information through videos and social media,” Clarke noted. “Public universities play a role in education both in and outside the classroom, and I’m excited to participate in that broader conversation.”
Clarke prioritizes accessibility in his videos by audibly describing visual elements and ensuring closed-captioning and other technical accessibility measures are in place.
The Oaks Award is named in honor of WSU Dean Emeritus Muriel Oaks and provides $3,000 in faculty development funds to the recipient’s academic department. Clarke expressed gratitude for the recognition, saying, “It is an honor to see teaching recognized by the university. The student experience is our number one priority.”
WSU faculty members may nominate themselves or their colleagues for the Oaks award. The winner is selected by a committee consisting of representatives from the provost’s office, the faculty senate, the WSU Teaching Academy, WSU libraries, and Global Campus, as well as a previous award winner.
Muriel Oaks, a pioneer and visionary for WSU from 1979 to 2010, was known for her contributions to distance education. She recognized emerging learning technologies as opportunities to support the land-grant mission, expand access to WSU education programs, and enhance the quality of the student experience. Under her leadership, WSU was one of the first universities in the country to offer video-based distance education courses. She later led the transition to fully online program offerings.
To view some of these educational videos, visit Clarke’s YouTube playlist or Clarke’s TikTok Channel.
Washington State University bioengineering senior Katy Ayers has received a Fulbright U.S. Student award to further her fungus studies at the University of Exeter in southwest England.
Her Fulbright scholarship will support her Master of Science program in advanced biological sciences and research into potential antifungal drug targets for Cryptococcus neoformans. It causes fungal meningitis that infects about 150,000 people each year.
“It’s hard to describe the feeling that this type of life-changing opportunity—the Fulbright—evokes,” Ayers said of her scholarship that brings with it a year in the United Kingdom starting in September.
Winning a Fulbright is the realization of a lifelong dream, she said, as is studying at the University of Exeter, home to the Centre for Medicinal Mycology and “working shoulder-to-shoulder with experts in medicinal mycology.” The experience aligns with her goals to research pathogenic fungi.
Ayers said, “More than anything, I am grateful for all those who have helped me along the way to the Fulbright.”
She credits three people in particular:
April Seehafer, director of the WSU Distinguished Scholarships Program, for counseling her through Fulbright applications essays, encouraging confidence in herself, and connecting her with campus resources throughout the process.
Her mother, Deb Ayers, for being a constant and helpful companion during her baccalaureate studies.
Her WSU faculty research mentor Alla Kostyukova for teaching her how to produce and purify proteins and understand how their structure might play a role in function.
“Fungi also produce many proteins, some of which may be responsible for their ability to infect people. If we are able find proteins that help infection progress, then identify the binding site, we can design a molecule to fit into that site and clog it up, preventing human infection.”
Her undergraduate research aligns with her career trajectory. Following completion of her master’s program, Ayers plans to return to the U.S. pursue her Ph.D. at MD Anderson Cancer Center-University of Texas Health, in Houston. She will be part of the molecular and infectious disease program. Ayers’ ultimate goal is to “get ahead of the problem of emerging fungal pathogens.”
“As global temperatures continue to rise, more fungi will adapt to live at body temperature. Our current antifungal drugs are not as effective as they could be, so I want to help prepare before we are in an emergency pandemic situation. My actual career plan is constantly being refined.”
Ayers came to WSU in 2021 after earning an Associate’s of Science degree at Central Community College in Columbus, Nebraska, her home state. While there, she grew a 7’6”-long canoe from fungus, papier-mâché molds, an inner wooden skeleton, and a hammock. That floating feat earned her recognition from Guinness World Records as well as Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
What drew her attention and a move to the Inland Northwest was the WSU Honey Bee and Pollinator Research and Education program’s research into medicinal fungus and its effect on viral infection rates in honey bees. Ayers’ work involved growing bee hotels as nesting habitat using medicinal fungi for cavity-dwelling pollinators.
“I liked the hands-on approach of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, and I also knew I wanted a degree in bioengineering.”
The Fulbright is the second distinguished scholarship she has received in a year. In May 2023, she received a Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, becoming the first from WSU to receive it in the environment category. In November, she also was named a finalist for a Marshall Scholarship, another prestigious, nationally competitive award.
Ayers will graduate in May with also a minor in mathematics. In support of and in addition to her academic and research pursuits, Ayers is a MARC Scholar and a TRIO SSS member.
Her Fulbright U.S. Student award is the 68th received by WSU students since 1949.
Washington State University’s Carson College of Business recognized the exceptional contributions of its faculty, staff, and graduate students at an annual awards event.
Outstanding Faculty Research
Kunter Gunasti
Department of Marketing and International Business
Since joining the Carson College in 2016, Gunasti has established himself as a prolific researcher, publishing highly regarded work in top journals including the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Marketing Research, and the Journal of Consumer Psychology. His research spans a number of fields including numerical cognition, consumer experiences, and branding. In 2023, his research was published in highly regarded journals, including the Journal of Consumer Research and the Journal of Business Ethics, underscoring his reputation as a leading scholar in consumer behavior.
Outstanding Faculty Service
Chuck Munson
Department of Finance and Management Science
Munson is recognized for his significant contributions to education and academic development. He serves as director of the PhD program, where he guides aspiring educators and chairs numerous dissertation committees. Munson is committed to advancing teaching methodologies through workshops and actively participates in university committees. He serves on five editorial boards, showcasing his dedication to fostering educational excellence and engagement.
Department of Marketing and International Business
Cicek is honored for his role as an engaging and caring professor who provides immense value to his students and the Carson College of Business. In 2023, Cicek taught more than 700 students across six courses, making him one of the most sought-after instructors in the college. Even while managing large classes, Cicek excels in fostering personal connections with his students. He also serves as faculty advisor for the International Business Club, among other mentorship roles. His commitment to student success and innovative teaching approaches exemplify excellence in faculty instruction.
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