Dr. Kenneth Nusbaum retired from the College of Veterinary Medicine in December. An Emeritus Professor, Dr. Nusbaum will return as a visiting professor to participate and teach in the undergraduate minor in public health at the college.

Above: Dr. Calvin Johnson (left), head of the Dept. of Pathobiology, congratulates Dr. Ken Nusbaum at his retirement party in December.

Dr. Nusbaum developed the multi-college undergraduate public health initiative that currently includes two new courses, Introduction to Public Health, first offered fall 2010, and Introduction to Epidemiology, to be offered summer 2011.

He will also continue his role in developing the combined DVM-MPH degree program in the College of Veterinary Medicine in conjunction with the School of Public Health at UAB.  He will coordinate programs to recruit veterinary students into the public health specialty, represent Auburn on the national Public Health Committee of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, and assist in infectious disease lectures and laboratories offered in the veterinary curriculum.

Dr. Nusbaum has been active in the college’s food biosecurity and public health programs since 1999.  He joined the faculty in 1982 in the Department of Pathobiology.  He holds a Ph.D. in virology and a M.S. in medical bacteriology from the University of Georgia.  He obtained his D.V.M. and B.S. from Cornell University.

In support of the development of international programs at the College of Veterinary Medicine, full-time tenure track and tenured faculty are invited to apply for international program development awards of up to $5,000 per faculty member.  Successful applications will include a clear statement of how the proposal will advance the college’s scholarly programs. The proposal must include an itemized budget outlining how the funds will be spent and a statement of activities to be performed.  Applicants are encouraged to use the awards to leverage additional extramural support for proposals.

More information about the International Scholars Program and sources of additional funding are posted on the CVM’s website under the community section: http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/community/international-scholars-program

Faculty applicants are encouraged to develop proposals in collaboration with the college’s existing international partners, or to use the opportunity to develop new strategic partnerships.

The awards program will be administered through the Office for Research and Graduate Studies (ORGS) with review of proposals performed by the Committee on International Affairs. Recommendations of this committee will be forwarded to the associate dean for research and graduate studies and to the dean for final approval.

Deadline for submission of proposals is March 30, 2011.  A standard application format is available from ORGS. 

The college currently has formal agreements with Austral University in Chile, Iwate University in Japan and the University of Tandil in Argentina. Informal contacts have been made with the following universities:University of Pretoria, South Africa; University of Nairobi, Kenya; Mekelle University, Ethiopia; University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania; and University of Berne, Switzerland.

If you wish to contact these schools, please coordinate your communications with Dr. Akingbemi, chair of the Committee on International Affairs.

A large group attended the CVM orientation held Dec. 1 for new employees. The college welcomes:

• Deepa Bedi, Pathobiology, Research Fellow
• Nathan Bogert, Animal Health and Performance Program, Canine Instructor
• Kristina Cammack, Pathobiology, Histo Tech
• Lisa Elrod, Clinical Sciences, Vet Tech
• Marjorie Fritts, Animal Health and Performance Program, Admin Support
• Sara Griffin, Animal Health and Performance Program, Lab Tech
• Adesola Odunayo, Clinical Sciences, Clinical Instructor
• Alicia Payne, Animal Health and Performance Program, Canine Instructor
• Andrea Turley, Animal Health and Performance Program, Canine Instructor

Three new employees attended the orientation session on January 5.  From left to right are: Eva Matthews, a large animal/small animal technician with the Southeastern Raptor Center, Department of Clinical Sciences; James Barrett, a clinical veterinary fellow with the Animal Health and Performance Program; and Matthew Shiver, a purchasing coordinator with the Department of Clinical Sciences. 

The College of Veterinary Medicine is paired with the College of Architecture, Design and Construction for this year’s Dean’s Challenge Competition.  The Auburn Women’s Basketball team plays Mississippi State on Sunday, February 6, at 2 p.m.  Pizza, cookies, and drinks will be served prior to the game in the Super Suite. Pick up tickets for you and your guests in the administration office, 104 Greene Hall.

This annual competition, held by the Auburn Athletics Department, pairs schools for a game.  The team with the highest percentage of tickets used (based on the number of tickets scanned) will win. The winning team will receive a $3,000 scholarship to divide evenly.  The CVM, along with the School of Nursing and the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction, won the $3,000 scholarship award last year. “This initiative has made a significant impact over the years on attendance, atmosphere, and overall interest in our program and we are very appreciative of your efforts and enthusiasm,” said Mike Hales with Athletics. 

The CVM Graduate Student Association is continuing its ab initio lecture series. For the event, CVM faculty members are asked to talk about their journey ab initio, or from the beginning, through academia, including undergraduate/graduate studies, post-doc training, and other experiences that contributed to their current career in science as a researcher / professor / veterinarian. They are also asked to share their opinion on additional careers for graduate students who possibly plan to follow in the speaker's academic footsteps.

Dr. Stuart Price of the Department of Pathobiology and Dr. Juming Zhong of the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology are February’s Ab Initio speakers. Their talk is scheduled for February 8 from noon to 1 p.m.  The location will be noted in a forthcoming e-mail. Food is to be provided and graduate students and faculty are encouraged to attend.

The American College of Veterinary Microbiology selected a talk by Dr. Dubraska Diaz, a graduate student under the direction of Dr. Kenny Brock, as the best in vitro oral presentation during the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Disease in Chicago in December.  Dr. Diaz presented her research on "Microbiological and molecular characterization of coagulase positive Staphylococcus species isolated form canine clinical specimens."  

The Healthy Tigers clinic comes to the CVM on Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Employees who elect to take advantage of the "2011 Healthy Tigers Initiative" can earn a $25 per month credit on their health insurance premiums (up to $300 per year) by participating in a free annual health and wellness screening program that is coordinated by the Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center. The health screenings include completing a short health and wellness questionnaire, having a finger stick blood test performed to check cholesterol and blood sugar levels, getting a blood pressure measurement, and participating in an optional height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and percent body fat analysis.

For the Feb. 23 CVM clinic, go to this link to schedule an appointment. 

Employees who were not screened in 2010 have until March 31 to be screened and to qualify for the premium discount for the remainder of 2011. The discount will take effect the month after the screening process is completed. Employees with Auburn University Blue Cross Blue Shield individual coverage screened during the grace period will be qualified for the discount for the remainder of 2011 as well as 2012. Those with Auburn University Blue Cross Blue Shield family coverage must also have spouses screened in 2011 to qualify for the discount in premiums during 2012. Healthy Tigers screening appointments are available through the Healthy Tigers website. Go to this link to schedule a screening. For more information, contact the Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center at 844-4099 or e-mail aupcc4u@auburn.edu.

The Lee County Humane Society’s winter event, Fat Cat, is to be held Saturday, March 5 at the Event Center in downtown Opelika. Fat Cat is the society’s Mardi Gras Ball to benefit feline enrichment and adoptions programs at the shelter.

Fat Cat will feature live entertainment by local favorite Kidd Blue. The event will combine the spirit and celebration of Mardi Gras while underscoring the need to care for the homeless cats within our community. Tickets are $60 and include dinner, door prizes, and a cash bar. Tickets may be purchased online at www.leecountyhumane.org, by phone (821-3222), or by mail (LCHS, 1140 Ware Drive, Auburn, AL 36832). All proceeds from Fat Cat will assist in developing programs and accommodations to enhance the quality of life for cats during their stay at the Lee County Humane Society.

The Lee County Humane Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the citizens of Lee County through animal rescue, the promotion of responsible animal companionship, and the elimination of pet overpopulation. 

Severe winter weather throughout much of the United States has caused the cancellation of more than 14,000 blood and platelet donations since January 1. There is a critical need for donors now. All blood types are needed, but type O negative donors can make the difference between an adequate blood supply and a shortage. Donations will help replenish the blood supply to ensure that blood continues to be available for patients with serious medical needs.

A blood drive sponsored by the CVM and the American Red will be held Monday, February 7, in the lobby of Greene Hall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A photo ID is required to donate. Donors will be entered into a regional drawing for a pair of roundtrip Delta Air Lines tickets.