Events sponsored by Grand Canyon University (GCU) add richness and nuance to academic life. Gain greater knowledge in your field of study by attending the special on-campus events scheduled to help add greater depth to your education, and learn about the latest news at GCU and the accomplishments of our faculty. Check out what is new at the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.
Accolades
At GCU, we think it is important to acknowledge the successes that our students, faculty and staff have achieved. Here are just a few of many accomplishments:
Student leaders from GCU’s chapter of the Arizona Health Occupations Student Association (AzHOSA) made their year-end program of work presentations on campus in May 2015, marking the end of a school year in which chapter membership nearly doubled to more than 460 students. Former president Rita Bybee, who graduated in April with her pre-med degree, and other student leaders detailed developments in the areas of academic excellence, development, fundraising, public service and student community. Students Daniel Harned and Caitlyn Garmer were elected president and vice president for the 2015-16 school year.
GCU’s campus chapter of AzHOSA was recognized as the nation’s largest post-secondary/collegiate chapter during HOSA’s 2015 National Leadership Conference on June 22-26, 2015 in Anaheim, CA. The chapter had 460 student members last year and hopes to expand to 700 pre-health majors this year. Chapter president and pre-med senior Daniel Harned received a post-secondary mastery level award for his score on the Healthcare Issues Exam, while student members Kelly Stublaski (top 10 for the Pathophysiology Exam), Breanna Wilcox (top 5 for the Physical Therapy Exam) and Caitlynn Pulley (Barbara James Service Award for her work with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) also received honors.
While men still outnumber women in STEM fields, GCU is encouraging women to study in STEM programs and earn their degree in fields like engineering, computer science and information technology. Arizona CBS News featured a report in November 2016 about GCU's new STEM programs, with interviews from two College of Science, Engineering and Technology students. Rachel Wecker, a biomedical engineering major, explained that she chose her major because she loves math, she wants to develop new technologies and the pay in the field is good. Annaline Romero, a biomedical engineering major and president of the Women in Tech club, found her passion for STEM at a young age.
Biology instructor Demelash Biffa Areda, DVM, earned a certificate from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) for completing a scientific writing training led by the organization’s education board. Dr. Areda also served as a 2014-15 ASM science teaching fellow.
Executive Director of GCU’s Center for Integrated Science, Engineering and Technology Michael Mobley, PhD, represented GCU on a panel at a National Academy of Science workshop at Arizona State University on Jan. 23, 2015. The workshop was titled “Improving Higher Education’s Responsiveness to STEM Workforce Needs.” A primary focus of the event was to “understand the Phoenix region’s pattern of STEM degree production, its alignment with workforce needs as identified by employers and relevant regional demographic and STEM labor market characteristics,” among other trends in Arizona higher education and high-tech workforce development. Dr. Mobley is responsible for designing the new STEM programs at GCU and building industry partnerships to help prepare students for industry careers.
The GCU Cyber Team competed in their second competition, the Western Regional Cyber Defense Competition, and finished fourth. The team began competing just three months earlier and finished sixth in its first event. Albert Kelly, an associate professor in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology and the team's coach, said, "This is a remarkable feat for a brand new team."
