UToledo College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

UToledo College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics https://linktr.ee/utoledonsm

Through excellence in teaching and learning through research and discovery, the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics at UToledo prepares students for future success!

šŸ“£ As promised, weā€™re announcing the additional two award recipients that were recognized at our annual Fall Faculty & St...
09/04/2026

šŸ“£ As promised, weā€™re announcing the additional two award recipients that were recognized at our annual Fall Faculty & Staff ā€œWelcome Backā€ Social held last week, just prior to the official start of the semester:

Elizabeth Zhurova, Senior Lecturer, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, received the Excellence in Teaching Award for 2025-26! In part, one of the nominations for Lisa stated, ā€œDr. Zhurova exemplifies the ideals recognized by this award. She has had a profound impact on student learning in foundational chemistry courses where she has supported thousands of students through innovative instruction, careful course design and a deeply student-centered approach. Her use of active-learning tools, interactive recitation sessions, online resources and live demonstrations has helped students engage with challenging material and develop confidence in chemistry. Her impact extends beyond course delivery. She is a mentor, advocate and role model whose students consistently recognize her compassion, accessibility and genuine investment in their success.ā€

Michal Marszewski, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, received the Excellence in Professional Service Award for 2025-26! In part, one of the nominations for Michal stated, ā€œDr. Marszewski has made substantial contributions to outreach and service in a relatively short period of time. He serves as the Institutional Coordinator for the ACS Project SEED Program, which provides research opportunities for economically disadvantaged high school students. Additionally, he has revived and now chairs the collegeā€™s Saturday Morning Science initiative, a community-facing outreach program designed to engage high school students, families and the broader public in scientific discussions and activities ... Beyond formal outreach programs, Michal has shown a sustained commitment to mentoring students at multiple levels, including pre-college, undergraduate and graduate students. His work supports the departmentā€™s mission, strengthens the universityā€™s connection to the community and helps inspire the next generation of scientists.ā€

Again, please join us in a HUGE round of congratulations for these awardees! Our is shining bright! šŸ“£šŸš€šŸ˜Ž

Saturday Morning Science - University of Toledo UToledo Physics and Astronomy The University of Toledo Research & Innovation The University of Toledo

šŸ“£ Last week, prior to the official start of the semester, we held our annual Fall Faculty & Staff ā€œWelcome Backā€ Social ...
09/03/2026

šŸ“£ Last week, prior to the official start of the semester, we held our annual Fall Faculty & Staff ā€œWelcome Backā€ Social at the Koester Alumni Pavilion where multiple awards were presented for excellence in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM). Today we are announcing three of the five award recipients (check back tomorrow for the two additional awardees):

Rita Yunker, Executive Assistant, NSM Deanā€™s Office, received the Outstanding Staff Member Award for 2025-26! In part, one of the nominations for Rita stated, ā€œRita has a list of responsibilities too numerous to count/list. She is the "face" of the Dean's Office and the main point person for almost everything that takes place in the college. From scheduling meetings to planning and coordinating events to assisting faculty/staff/students when they come into the office - and always, always, always doing it with a smile on her face and a pleasant manner, no matter how stressful or hectic things become. Rita is the "glue" that keeps the team together and successful.ā€

Dr. Nik Podraza, newly appointed NSM interim dean for 2027-26, UToledo Physics and Astronomy Department, received the Excellence in Research Award for 2025-26! In part, one of the nominations for Nik stated, ā€œIn addition to holding various grants, he is the PI of the most recent $19.2 million grant at The University of Toledo received to educate and train workforce in nuclear technology. Dr. Podraza is not only an excellent researcher with many accomplishments but also a great example and inspiration for students, researchers and his colleagues.ā€

The Department of Physics and Astronomy received the Razzle Dazzle Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Recruitment Event Participation for 2025-26! First presented in 2024-25, this is an incredibly special award as it does not recognize one single individual, but recognizes an entire department for their collaboration, outstanding commitment, enthusiasm and impact in supporting undergraduate recruitment efforts. In addition to the award certificate presented to the department chair, Dr. Rupali Chandar, a hand-blown glass Rocket ā€œtravelingā€ trophy was also presented to the department. This beautiful trophy was created by UToledoā€™s very own Eamon King, a local independent glass artist and Scientific Glassblower at UToledo.

Please join us in a HUGE round of congratulations for these awardees! Our is shining bright! šŸš€šŸ˜Ž

The University of Toledo Research & Innovation Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Toledo UToledo Stranahan Arboretum University of Toledo Lake Erie Center University of Toledo Department of Biological Sciences University of Toledo Society of Physics Students

University of Toledo Lake Erie Center Evening Explorationā€œMothing: The Right (Obsession) Hobby for You?ā€Wednesday, Sept....
09/02/2026

University of Toledo Lake Erie Center Evening Exploration

ā€œMothing: The Right (Obsession) Hobby for You?ā€
Wednesday, Sept. 9 | 7:30-9 p.m.

Activity Leader: Trevor Zook, Invasive Species Manager, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge

Summary: Move over birdwatchingā€”it's time for mothing! Discover the fascinating world of moths with regional expert Trevor Zook. He'll begin with a brief presentation showcasing the incredible beauty and diversity of moths found in our area. Afterward, we'll head outside for a "sheeting" excursionā€”where weā€™ll attract and identify over a dozen moth species. For your comfort, we recommend wearing dark clothing, long sleeves, pants and a hat, as moths may land on you as well as the sheet.

The free, public event takes place at The University of Toledo Lake Erie Center, 6200 Bay Shore Rd., Oregon, OH, 43616.


Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Toledo The University of Toledo Undergraduate Admission Greening UToledo through Service The University of Toledo Research & Innovation UToledo Office of Student Involvement & Leadership City of Toledo Toledo City Paper The City of Oregon

City of Toledo Toledo City Paper
09/02/2026

City of Toledo Toledo City Paper

šŸ§¬ What happens when a genetic mutation disrupts early brain development?Researchers at The University of Toledo are usin...
08/31/2026

šŸ§¬ What happens when a genetic mutation disrupts early brain development?

Researchers at The University of Toledo are using a human brain organoid modelā€”a lab-grown, simplified version of the human brainā€”to study PCDH19 Clustering Epilepsy, a rare and severe childhood epilepsy that can also be associated with autism.

Congratulations to Dr. Wei Niu and Lab, University of Toledo Department of Biological Sciences, on their National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke R15 grant award for the project, ā€œThe Role of Protocadherin 19 in Human Cortical Developmentā€. The project was awarded for three years (08.15.2026 to 07.31.2029) with total funding to UToledo of $587,758!

By studying how changes in the PCDH19 gene affect early brain development, this research aims to uncover what causes the disorder and provide insights that could lead to new, targeted treatments.

šŸ”¬ Understanding how the brain develops could be a key step toward preventing or reversing the effects of this devastating condition.

This project establishes the first human brain organoid research platform for undergraduate education at The University of Toledo, offering the students hands-on training in cutting-edge neuroscience techniques, including human stem cell culture, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, confocal imaging, and bioinformatics analysis. Through this research, the students will gain interdisciplinary research experience that will prepare them for advanced graduate and professional programs, directly supported by the educational mission of the NIH R15 AREA mechanism.

The University of Toledo Research & Innovation

šŸ˜Ž Beautiful day on campus to welcome our newest students to the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics! šŸš€We loved s...
08/28/2026

šŸ˜Ž Beautiful day on campus to welcome our newest students to the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics! šŸš€

We loved seeing so many enthusiastic new students getting to know our faculty, staff and amazing NSM Student Ambassadors ~ Fall 2026 is off to a great start!



The University of Toledo Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Toledo University of Toledo Department of Biological Sciences UToledo Physics and Astronomy Mathematics & Statistics The University of Toledo Undergraduate Admission Ritter Planetarium and Brooks Observatory

šŸŒŽ Congratulations to Dr. Kennedy Doro!Dr. Doro, Department of Environmental Sciences, has been selected as one of the Am...
08/28/2026

šŸŒŽ Congratulations to Dr. Kennedy Doro!

Dr. Doro, Department of Environmental Sciences, has been selected as one of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) College of Fellows Distinguished Lecturers for 2026ā€“27!

Through this prestigious program, Dr. Doro will share his research and career journey with students at colleges, universities and other educational institutions across the country ā€” inspiring the next generation of Earth and space scientists.

The lecture series also provides an opportunity to showcase UToledo's leadership in environmental geophysics, hydrogeophysics, subsurface hydrology and interdisciplinary environmental research on a national and international stage.

Congratulations, Kennedy, on this well-deserved honor! šŸŒŸ

The University of Toledo Research & Innovation

šŸ§  From the classroom to the research lab, Sampriti Senapati is helping advance our understanding of Alzheimerā€™s disease....
08/27/2026

šŸ§  From the classroom to the research lab, Sampriti Senapati is helping advance our understanding of Alzheimerā€™s disease.

As a neuroscience senior at The University of Toledo, Sampriti is researching the role of Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II (CAMK2) in Alzheimerā€™s disease under Dr. Robert Smith.
Her work combines wet- and dry-lab techniques to examine post-mortem brain samples and better understand changes associated with Alzheimerā€™s disease and mild cognitive impairment.

What makes her experience especially powerful? Sampriti joined a faculty research lab before the end of her first semester at UToledo ā€” with no prior wet-lab research experience.

And she says the opportunity to get involved early made all the difference:
ā€œI didnā€™t have to wait until I was a junior or senior here ā€” having had literally no prior wet-lab research experience, I was able to get experience in very impactful research.ā€

Today, Senapati (one of four campus nominees in 2025 for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nationā€™s most prestigious undergraduate awards for students pursuing research careers in natural sciences, engineering and mathematics) is contributing to collaborative manuscripts and preparing to present a first-author abstract at the Society for Neuroscience meeting this fall.

šŸ”¬ Hands-on research. Real-world experience. Opportunities to make an impact.

This is the Power To Do.

Read Sampritiā€™s story in UTNews: bit.ly/3SZpqlV


University of Toledo Department of Biological Sciences The University of Toledo Research & Innovation The University of Toledo Undergraduate Admission The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences

Turning AI Into a Tool for Discovery šŸ”¬šŸ¤–Meet Alex Bordovalos, a UToledo physics Ph.D. student (and alum, B.S. ā€™20; P.S.M....
08/27/2026

Turning AI Into a Tool for Discovery šŸ”¬šŸ¤–

Meet Alex Bordovalos, a UToledo physics Ph.D. student (and alum, B.S. ā€™20; P.S.M. ā€™22) who is using artificial intelligence to tackle a major bottleneck in materials research and manufacturing.

Alex is developing an AI tool to automate the analysis of spectroscopic ellipsometry ā€” a technique used to measure materials that can be many times thinner than a human hair. His goal? Make the process faster and more accessible for researchers and manufacturers in the semiconductor and energy industries.

His journey started with an industry internship through UToledoā€™s Professional Science Masterā€™s in Photovoltaics program, UToledo Physics and Astronomy, and has now grown into doctoral research involving half a million simulations. Next, Alex is taking the leap from simulated data to real-world testing using cadmium telluride solar cells that are, conveniently, readily available at The University of Toledo.

From hands-on industry experience to cutting-edge AI research, Alex is showing whatā€™s possible when physics, technology and experiential learning come together. šŸš€

Read Alexā€™s story in UTNews: bit.ly/4gmlSDd

The University of Toledo Alumni and Foundation The University of Toledo College of Graduate Studies The University of Toledo Research & Innovation

šŸ§  How do our brains build the right connections?During development, growing neurons need to find the right paths to form...
08/26/2026

šŸ§  How do our brains build the right connections?

During development, growing neurons need to find the right paths to form the complex networks that make our brains work. The University of Toledo researchers are studying how tiny molecules called microRNAs help guide these connections.

Congratulations to Dr. Guofa Liu and Lab, University of Toledo Department of Biological Sciences, on their National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke R15 grant award for the project, ā€œMicroRNA Regulation of Guidance Receptor Expression in Spinal Commissural Axon Guidanceā€! The project was awarded for three years (08.15.2026 to 06.30.2029) with total funding to UToledo of $560,925!

By understanding this process, researchers hope to uncover new insights into brain developmentā€”and eventually identify ways to correct problems with nerve connections linked to neurodevelopmental disorders.

šŸ”¬ Small molecules. Big impact on how our brains develop.

Pictured: Dr. Guofa Liu with students at the 2026 NSM Research Expo.

The University of Toledo Research & Innovation

Address

2801 W. Bancroft Street , Wolfe Hall #2246
Toledo, OH
43606

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when UToledo College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category