College of Science and Technology at Temple University

Staring college can feel overwhelming, but a few small steps can make your first week a little easier. Sophomores, juniors, seniors, and alumni - what advice would you give a new CST owl? Share in the comments!

Last week, EES had the honor of hosting an incredible group of high school teachers from eight Philadelphia-area schools for the 2026 EES STEM Teacher Workshop at Temple’s Ambler Campus.

During the workshop, educators explored how single-board computers can be used to build low-cost environmental sensors to collect data like air temperature and air quality, giving them new ideas and tools to bring hands-on STEM learning into their classrooms.

What makes a virus capable of infecting humans?

New research co-authored by Temple biologist Sergei Pond found that SARS-CoV-2 showed no signs of unnatural evolution and suggests many viruses may be able to spread to humans with far less adaptation than scientists once believed.

The findings could help researchers better identify and prepare for future pandemic threats. Published in the journal Cell Press on March 6, 2026 titled “Dynamics of natural selection preceding human viral epidemics and pandemics”.

Congratulations to CST undergraduate researchers Stephen Autieri, who earned second place in inorganic chemistry, and Camilla Tahirova, who took first place in physical chemistry at the 89th Annual Intercollegiate Student Chemists Convention.

Both students presented original research from the lab of Professor Eric Borguet and were recognized among undergraduate researchers from across the region.

“The ISCC was a great opportunity to present my research and connect with and learn about the research of other undergraduates in chemistry,” said Autieri.

“The ISCC was a fun opportunity and I’m extremely thankful for their recognition with my award,” added Tahirova.

Congratulations to Stephen, Camilla and everyone in the Borguet Lab on this outstanding achievement!

One professor saw something in Seth Herzon, CST ‘02, before he saw it in himself.

As a student, Seth nearly didn’t go to college and wasn’t sure what direction his life would take. Then he met the late Professor Grant Krow, whose mentorship sparked a passion for chemistry and helped shape a career that led Seth to Yale University.

Today, Seth is honoring Krow’s legacy by establishing the Grant Krow Memorial Scholarship, helping create the same opportunities that changed his own life.

“Temple is such a great school because it’s big enough to have a full menu of options, but the faculty will also spend time with you and invest in your development.”

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“Temple is a safe space where international students can truly be themselves and share their culture with pride while pursuing their goals.”

CST alum Ayna Mammedova (’23, ’24), one of the first recipients of Temple’s scholarship, earned her professional science master’s in bioinformatics and biological data science in just five years and now works in cancer research at the Coriell Institute for Medical Research. 

What if AI could help anticipate how Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia progress, leading to more personalized care before conditions worsen?

At Temple CST, Associate Professor Xinghua Mindy Shi is working to make that vision a reality through Pennsylvania’s new Keystone AI + Quantum Factory. By developing a trustworthy agentic AI system that continuously models dementia progression over time, her research aims to support clinicians and improve care for patients and families facing these complex diseases.

With access to advanced computing infrastructure, Shi’s team can accelerate large-scale AI training and simulations, opening new possibilities for healthcare innovation and scientific discovery.

Read more on our website.

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Please join us in welcoming Dr. Shohreh Amini as the Interim Dean of the College of Science and Technology!

A dedicated educator, accomplished researcher and longtime leader at Temple, Dr. Amini has spent more than 25 years advancing scientific discovery, mentoring students and strengthening the CST community. We’re excited for the future and look forward to her leadership as she guides the college into its next chapter.

Help us congratulate Dr. Amini, and read more about her appointment on our website.

Researchers at CST are helping solve one of science’s longest-standing mysteries: why water behaves differently than almost every other liquid on Earth.

The interdisciplinary team, based in Temple’s Institute for Computational Molecular Science, combined artificial intelligence with quantum mechanical simulations to uncover new insight into water’s unique density behavior. Their findings were recently published in Science Advances.

Beyond helping explain one of water’s defining properties, the research demonstrates how AI can be used alongside fundamental physics to tackle complex challenges across chemistry, materials science and energy research.

Pictured (left to right): Yizhi Song, postdoctoral researcher and first author of the study; Henry Howard, doctoral student; and Yupei Zhang, postdoctoral researcher.

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From collecting more than 1,900 arthropods in the field to presenting research at national conferences, Isabella “Izzy” Miller is using science to better understand climate change and protect local communities. 

The CST Earth and Environmental Science senior found her passion through hands-on research at the , where she studied how tornado disturbance impacts biodiversity and ecosystems.

“I’ve had the space to exercise my curiosity.”

Now, she’s continuing her journey through Temple’s 4+1 Sustainability program with plans to make an impact through environmental communication, conservation and policy work.