CLEMSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE NEWSLETTER

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026

As we reflect on another remarkable year, I am filled with pride and gratitude for all that our faculty, staff, students and alumni have accomplished. Together, we’ve significantly advanced scientific discovery and innovation, enhanced learning and the student experience, and deepened K-12 and community engagement. We’re delivering on our mission as a world-class, student-centric, land-grant college of science.

From exploring the frontiers of human health to studying ocean wildlife off the coast of South Carolina, our pioneering faculty are leading teams of students focused on improving lives locally, nationally and globally. They are decoding the secrets of crop efficiency, discovering how chronic arsenic exposure affects the nervous system and shaping national conversations on AI and the future of health care.

Our students continue to shine as scientists and innovators. Biochemistry alumna Elizabeth Caldwell, the 2025 Norris Medal winner, headed to Yale to continue the research on neurodegenerative diseases that she began in the labs here as a Tiger. And a team of undergraduates, led by chemistry major Lukas Garcia, turned curiosity into entrepreneurship with a project that harnesses AI to grow crystals used in pharmaceutical research and drug development.

Thank you to all of you in the Clemson Family who have joined us on this journey. With your support, the College of Science will continue building on our momentum, helping move Clemson Fiercely Forward — one discovery, one student, one moment at a time.

Mel Walker worked in finance before she decided to return to school to study environmental toxicology. Working in the lab of toxicologist and Clemson Assistant Professor Kylie Rock’s lab, her research examines how pollutants like mercury and so-called “forever chemicals” accumulate in coastal shark populations. What she discovers could help protect the environment and human health.

We live in a time when improvised explosive devices and chemical contamination present escalating threats to the public. Kirkland Sheriff, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Ya-Ping Sun, is working to develop sensors that can rapidly detect their presence at low concentrations and “stand-off distances.”

It’s called science fiction, but much of what we see on television and in films is grounded in real science. Earlier this month in honor of National Science Fiction Day, faculty from the College of Science separated fact from fiction in popular sci-fi hits.

Tony Perticone’s original plan was to use his math degrees for a career in teaching. That all changed when he decided that getting experience in industry would make him a better teacher. It turned into a 35-year career. But Perticone found a way to positively impact young people through mentoring and coaching.

Molecular “age clocks” promise to tell people how fast they are aging biologically. But Shyamalika Gopalan, a member of the Clemson Institute for Human Genetics, says that’s not true for some populations of people because of the way the clocks are built. 

Join the Clemson Alumni Association for Alumni Spring Break, a weekend of fun, activities and concerts with your old classmates and friends March 20-21. Tickets go on sale this month.

Much like humans, young stars may undergo a late growth spurt — a finding that challenges long-time beliefs about how stars slightly more massive than the sun form. The research was led by Clemson’s Sean Brittain.

ScienceNet is a platform for connecting our SCIENCE family — students, alumni, friends, faculty and staff. It is where you can exchange ideas and experiences, engage in professional development and explore careers in the life, physical and mathematical sciences. Join ScienceNet.

The most read article in the last issue of Science Matters was about Daniel Whitehead’s appointment as chair of the Department of Chemistry.

This undated photo shows two people taking advantage of the snow in front of Long Hall. (Photo provided by Clemson University Digital Collections)

Snow days always generate excitement on the Clemson University campus, and February seems to be the prime month for them. Enjoy this Facebook gallery of past snow day photos, including this archive photo of sledders in front of Long Hall. Did it snow on campus when you were a student? When you’re taking a look at the gallery, feel free to share your favorite Clemson snow memory. Will it snow this winter? Only time will tell.

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