College of Sciences
The College of Sciences (COS) at Old Dominion University is committed to providing undergraduate and graduate programs of the highest quality. We offer a strong academic environment where students can grow and discover. Our undergraduates learn in the classroom, in the laboratory, in the field, and around the world. They go on to graduate or professional school and to very successful careers in industry. Many undergraduates work with faculty on innovative research, developing skills that will benefit them in whatever career path they choose. The faculty are well-known for their cutting-edge research in basic and applied sciences, impacting our community and the nation more broadly.
Our Faculty
Over 200 full time faculty with numerous awards for research and teaching, including 8 State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Outstanding Faculty award winners, 3 Virginia Outstanding Scientist award winners, 35 Eminent Scholars, and 17 University Professors. Over 24 faculty have been elected as fellows of their professional societies.
Goals
- Provide high quality undergraduate and graduate programs
- Prepare students for rewarding careers in teaching, industry, academia, government, and the military
- Enhance research capabilities and scope
- Facilitate engagement between students, faculty, and the community
- Increase undergraduate research and internships opportunities
Fundraising Goals:
Leave Your Legacy Inside the Building
Imagine seeing your name or a loved one's name on one of our interactive learning centers, or on a research integrated lab or perhaps on the premiere planetarium and digital theater. Your gift will enable us to provide cutting edge STEM-H research and educational opportunities for Old Dominion students.
Please contact Krista Kimme, Major Gifts Officer (757) 756-7226 or kkimme@odu.edu for more information on how you can get involved in this transformative project for the College of Sciences.
Undergraduate Research
When undergraduates work with faculty and graduate students on cutting edge research projects they get hands-on experience and learn the joy of solving real world problems. This kind of experience is valuable whether the student is headed to industry, teaching, graduate school, or a professional school. Funds would be used to purchase supplies and small equipment, pay student researchers a stipend, and cover travel to conferences and workshops where students can present results. $50,000 would enable us to provide support for 10 undergraduates to carry out research over the calendar year building upon their academic knowledge to learn valuable skills and gain confidence.
Graduate Scholarships
The importance of graduate students to a research university like ODU is difficult to overestimate. As the next generation of faculty, they contribute significantly to both the research and teaching missions of the University. Most Ph.D. students in the College of Sciences receive a stipend, either from serving as a teaching assistant or working as a research assistant paid by a grant. We must offer our best applicants an increased stipend so that we can attract them to ODU. $70,000 would allow us to provide an additional $5,000 to the annual stipends of 14 graduate students, which would enhance the quality of our graduate programs, increase research productivity, and ultimately lead to increased recognition for the outstanding work of our faculty and for the university.
Research Support
In order to increase the capacity of our faculty to do cutting edge research, we must increase the scope of our research and technical support. $125,000 per year would allow us to support two research technicians who would provide services and expertise to the faculty. New investment in this area will make our faculty more competitive for additional sources of external funding and enable them to do more projects in basic and applied science. Ultimately such research has a large, long-term economic impact on the region and the Commonwealth.
Faculty Endowed Chairs
Endowed chairs and professorships are a crucial part of the strategy to recruit and retain the best faculty. Supporting and building a base of very talented faculty enriches the academic environment, providing our students with opportunities to learn from scholars who advance knowledge and contribute to the resolution of real world problems. Each endowed chair or professorship provides funds to the faculty member to advance his/her research program, fund students, and pursue new ideas.
