New year, new titles, and a fond farewell
New Faces
We started 2020 by welcoming new faculty and a new executive secretary.
Morgan DeSantis is now officially an Assistant Professor in MCDB. Her research explores the molelcular mechanisms of motor proteins.
Stella Bublitz is the new executive secretary. She joins us from the Plymouth-Canton schools.
Professor Gary Huffnagle has joined MCDB full time and is moving his lab to the Biological Sciences Building, 3rd Floor Tower C.
Other new faces include Margo Gebbie, laboratory/classroom services supervisor. She succeedes Dennis Drobeck, who retired after 13 years.
Promotions
Sara Aton and JK Nandakumar were promoted to Associate Professor with tenure, effective in September 2019.
Lyle Simmons was promoted to Professor.
New Chair
Ken Cadigan, UM faculty member since 1998, took on the duties of Department Chair in July, 2019. He is following a very successful five years under Robert Denver.
Fond Farewell
We celebrated the retirement of executive secretary Diane Durfy on January 17. She joined what was then Biology in 2001 and was a go-to resource for everyone in the Department. Her presence will continue to be felt as we enjoy the squirrel drawing gracing the administrative suite, in honor of her love of feeding the squirrels at our old home, the Kraus Building.
Other news is recounted in our recent eNews.