SWU Division of Science

05/22/2026

Yay! Dr. Eller!!!

Congratulations to Dr. Michele Eller who was recognized as the recipient of the 2026 South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) Excellence in Teaching Award.

Read the full article at swu.edu/news

05/21/2026

From Dr. Johnson: After 21 years, I have some news to share with our Division of Science community.

I have accepted a position as Clinical Associate Professor in the Biomedical Sciences Department at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, and I will be transitioning into that role this summer. It has been an honor to teach, mentor, and build programs alongside so many talented students and colleagues here. I carry this chapter with me with great pride.

To our Division of Science students, past and present — I am so proud of you. Keep going.

If you want to stay connected, please follow my personal page so we don't lose touch. I would love to continue cheering you on from my next chapter. 🎉

04/28/2026

🧠 Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Staci Johnson at the 2026 American Physiology Summit!

Dr. Johnson represented SWU at the 2026 American Physiology Summit in Minneapolis, MN, where she had an incredible week of scholarship and service. She moderated the Concept to Classroom pre-conference workshop, presented two research posters, and participated as a panelist in a session on AI in the college classroom.

And if that wasn't enough — while at the conference, Dr. Johnson received final proof approval on her invited review article in Current Opinion in Physiology on assessment design in the era of generative AI! 🎉

We are so proud of the work Dr. Johnson is doing to advance physiology education nationally. Way to represent the Division of Science, Dr. Johnson! 👏

04/24/2026

One of the sweetest traditions of the year in the Southern Wesleyan University Division of Science is our end-of-term chapel celebrating graduating seniors. It is a joyful time of reflection, gratitude, and a little friendly faculty competition as we all try to claim the honor of choosing a verse of Scripture to speak over these students as they step into their next season. Together, we celebrate not only all they have accomplished at SWU, but also the faithfulness of God in guiding them to this moment and into the future ahead.

This year’s celebration was filled with excitement as we recognized graduate school acceptances, job placements, and other wonderful next steps already taking shape. We are incredibly proud of our seniors and thankful for the ways they have enriched our classrooms, labs, and community. It is a gift to celebrate how far they have come and to send them out with prayer, encouragement, and confidence that the Lord will continue to lead them well.

04/23/2026

This semester, students in Exercise Physiology took their learning beyond the textbook through Journal Club discussions focused on real-world application of research.

Each student read a peer-reviewed journal article, helped lead discussion on the study’s methods and findings, and then applied that evidence directly to a semester-long case study project—building an exercise training plan for a client. The key? Not just designing a plan, but clearly explaining the physiology behind why it works.

A highlight of the semester was being joined by SWU alumnus Dr. Nemanja Lakicevic, who met with our class to discuss two of his published papers. Dr. Lakicevic, a former basketball player and Exercise Science major at SWU, is now an internationally recognized researcher and educator focused on weight cutting in contact sports.

We are especially grateful for his willingness to invest in his alma mater and spend time engaging with our students—it made a meaningful impact on their learning experience.

This is what it looks like when students connect classroom learning with current research—and begin to think like exercise physiologists.

04/23/2026

🧠A&P in the News: Connecting Physiology to the Real World

In Anatomy & Physiology, learning doesn’t stop at memorizing structures — it’s about understanding how the body works in real-life situations.

Our A&P in the News assignment challenges students to take concepts from class and apply them to current claims, everyday questions, and clinical scenarios. Students evaluate evidence, think critically, and communicate science in a way that others can understand.

🎥 In this video, Riley Webb investigates a widely discussed claim:
Is COVID-19 more damaging to the lungs than smoking?

Riley analyzes the physiology behind lung function and injury to explore what the science actually says.

This is what meaningful learning looks like — applying knowledge, asking better questions, and making informed decisions.

04/21/2026

Today was the last Dr. Mohr Herpetology field trip of the term, and the class went out strong. With the last week of classes here and final exams next week, students spent one more great day in the field and added several more finds to their photo project. 🐍🦎🐸

In order of appearance, the group came across a common watersnake (Nerodia sipedon), black racer (Coluber constrictor), rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus), brown snake (Storeria dekayi), three-lined salamander (Eurycea guttolineata), and northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans).

Not a bad way to wrap up the field portion of the semester. Mud, sweat, sharp eyes, and a pretty respectable lineup of herps to finish things off.

Photos 1-4, 7 by Dr. Mohr; Photo 5 by Chloe; Photo 6 by Christa

04/17/2026

Congratulations to Christa Paulus and Amanda Magnin on their outstanding Honors Program presentations today!

We are proud to celebrate these two Division of Science students for representing our programs so well through their hard work, scholarship, and poise in presenting their research. Their presentations reflected the kind of thoughtful inquiry, academic excellence, and dedication that we love to see from our students.

A special point of pride for the Division of Science: 100% of the student presenters in this round of Honors Program presentations came from Science.

Well done, Christa and Amanda!

04/16/2026

In Dr. Beth Stuart’s microscopy course, forensic science students are digging into the details literally. By comparing soil samples through Munsell color matching, separating fractions by size and density, and examining minerals under the microscope, students are seeing how even the ground beneath our feet can become powerful forensic evidence. It is hands-on, detail-driven science and a great look at the kind of careful analysis that helps turn tiny clues into big answers.

04/15/2026

Queen Snake

Christa just reached over and grabbed a queen snake (Regina septemvittata) off a branch like she does that every day before breakfast. 🐍🌿

Meanwhile, the rest of us were reminded that queen snakes are slick little stream specialists and that sometimes your students decide to embarrass everybody else by making a difficult catch look ridiculously easy. Another solid day in the field with Dr. Mohr and SWU Herpetology.