Eberly News

Gregory Dunaway will conclude his tenure as dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at the end of this academic year. The 2025–26 academic year will mark the final chapter of his leadership of the Eberly College, the largest academic unit at the University, serving more than 5,000 students across over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs, which span disciplines in the humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and the social and behavioral sciences.

“MARS was created because there was a lack of STEM opportunities for youth in West Virginia. It started out locally and now has grown statewide, so the focus is to provide, through competitive robotics, hands-on learning for K-12 students throughout the state,” said Earl Scime, Oleg D. Jefimenko professor of physics and astronomy in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, and MARS director. “We are able to reach these students because of the strong support of our partners, including WVU, K-12 schools, private foundations, companies like Boeing and EQT, and others who want technically trained employees. MARS is preparing our kids to meet those needs.”

Political science, engineering, biology, health sciences, chemistry, physics and astronomy are some of the disciplines uniting to support 13 future WVU doctoral students who will collaborate with K-12 schools and regional industry to enhance West Virginia’s economic development in evolving energy.

A West Virginia University psychology professor has been honored for her exceptional teaching of writing during the University’s annual awards season.

Julie Hicks Patrick is the 2024-2025 recipient of the Caperton Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Writing. Established in 2007, the award was made possible by the generosity of former West Virginia Governor and College Board president Gaston Caperton. Caperton’s intent was to “increase awareness of the need for improved writing skills,” identifying writing as a critical issue necessary to maintaining America’s competitive edge in the global market. 

Renee LaRue, teaching associate professor in the School of Mathematical and Data Sciences, was named the 2025 College Level Mathematics Teacher of the Year during the West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference held at Stonewall Resort.

For Amy Hessl, professor of geography at West Virginia University, the past can predict the future. Hessl is a dendrochronologist, a scientist who unravels climate histories and trends through the study of tree ring growth patterns. So when wildfires engulfed the Los Angeles, California area in January 2025, resulting in dozens of deaths and tens of thousands of destroyed structures, Hessl wasn’t taken aback. In fact, she said, ongoing warm air temperatures and variable precipitation – which can be presumed from her studies of climate history trends — will lead to even more extreme fires in the future.

Katy Goodrich, an assistant professor in the West Virginia University Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, was honored with a Big 12 Conference Faculty of the Year Award for her groundbreaking work in plasma and space physics. This prestigious award recognizes faculty from all 16 of the Big 12 institutions who have demonstrated incredible work, diversity of research breakthroughs and educational opportunities for their university.

As the destruction continues with southern California’s wildfires that could be the costliest in U.S. history, one West Virginia University researcher said ongoing warm air temperatures and variable precipitation will lead to even more extreme fires in the future. Amy Hessl, a geography professor and paleoclimatologist in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, has studied the relationship between fire and climate throughout the world, particularly North America, Central Asia and Australia. She attributes the widespread devastation of California’s fires to an unusual weather pattern, known as the Santa Ana or “devil winds,” that are unique to that area.

“We are excited to have Dr. Ryan, whose clear passion for and expertise in the humanities will build on the incredible foundation of the WVU Humanities Center as a cultural and intellectual hub,” Dean of Libraries Karen Diaz said. “Dr. Ryan will capitalize on the great synergies that already exist on and off campus, and work to evolve the roles the center plays in strengthening the University’s R1 status and commitment to the land-grant mission.”

Jessica Deshler, director of the School of Mathematical and Data Sciences, and Erin Goodykoontz, mathematics teaching associate professor, discuss the University’s responsibilities to its students and the state of West Virginia.