AUM Faculty & Staff
Directory
Randall Richardson
Lab Coordinator | College of Sciences
M.A. (1991) Auburn University at Montgomery
B.A. (1989) Auburn University at Montgomery
Mr. Randy Richardson has served the Department of Physical Sciences as Laboratory Coordinator since 1994. In this capacity, Mr. Richardson maintains the chemistry laboratory in all aspects including chemical maintenance, safety, and instruction of students while in laboratory classes. Mr. Richardson has served on several committees while at AUM including: AUM’s ADA Task Force – Helps assure AUM is in compliance with regulations related to the Americans With Disabilities Act. AUM’s Diversity Council – Established to assist the University in developing statements offering the views of the institution towards fostering and maintaining respect for the many diverse individuals that comprise the AUM population. Mr. Richardson further serves the Department of Physical Sciences and AUM as the webmaster for the Departmental web pages. He was selected to receive the Outstanding Staff Award “Administrative Category” for exemplary service and dedication, academic year 1999- 2000. Mr. Richardson is charged with the production aspects of all departmental laboratory manuals, as well as co-author of several of the manuals. Departmental Laboratory manuals are a major source of funding for the department and helps fund purchases of much needed equipment for student use in the laboratories, such as an NMR Spectrophotomter, several Jasco spectrophotometers, and a fluorimeter.
Ben Rogers
Lab Coordinator | College of Sciences
B.S., Zoology, Auburn University
M.S., Biology, University of Arkansas
Bio: Ben Rogers is a biology lab coordinator for beginning biology labs at AUM. His primary area of interest in biology is birds of prey. He studied the dynamics of a winter bald eagle roost in Arkansas for his master’s degree under the Dr. Douglas James at the University of Arkansas. He is a former zoo keeper, and has also worked for the Peregrine Fund’s aplomado falcon re-introduction project in southeast Texas. Some of his other research work involved Mitchell’s satyr butterfly surveys, salamander body sizes, and sexual dimorphism in red-tailed hawks.
He maintains a strong interest in biology education, along with a fascination for weird insects and fossil hunting.
Randy Russell
Assistant Professor | College of Sciences
Randy Russell is the Advisor for Pre-Physical Therapy studies. Additionally, Mr. Russell instructs students in Astronomy, Introduction to Physical Sciences, and Physics.
Emma Si
Lecturer | College of Sciences
Ph.D. (2011) Analytical/Environmental Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
M.S. (2003) Chemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
B.A. (2001) Chemistry, Shandong Normal University, China
Dr. Emma Si is an Assistant Professor in the AUM Department of Chemistry. Her research interests include (i) understanding the photochemistry of inorganic mercury with selected organic molecules; (ii) developing analytical methods for chemical speciation of toxic metals in aquatic environment; and (iii) developing novel remediation techniques for air and water pollution. She is actively involved in mentoring undergraduate research students at AUM and their results have been presented at various international and national conferences.
Claudia Stein
Associate Professor | College of Sciences
PhD, Biology, University of Potsdam & Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany, 2008
Diploma Biology (chemical ecology, botany), Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, 2003
Dr. Stein is Assistant Professor in Biology and Environmental Sciences specializing in plant ecology. She is broadly interested in understanding the patterns, causes and consequences of plant diversity. Her main research focusses on the mechanisms by which species interactions, such as plant-soil microbial feedbacks and plant-herbivore interactions, affect species diversity, biological invasions, and ecosystem functioning under climate change. The motivation of her work is to develop management solutions to successful restoration and conservation and to mitigate the effects of climate change. She works in a variety of systems, including grasslands, working rangelands, and woodlands.
Her recent publications include journal articles in Ecology, Journal of Ecology, Oecologia, Plant and Soil, Mycorrhiza, and Ecology and Evolution. She is a member of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) and Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GfÖ).
