Welcome to the College of Science Encompassing eight disciplines and having the opportunity to work with more than 1,600 science students, we are one of the largest Colleges at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. We serve our community through degree programs from the undergraduate to the Ph.D. level and scientific capabilities that seek to meet the needs of our community at large. We want to connect with you, and I invite you to visit us on campus, meet our exceptional students, and learn about our facilities and world-class research. We embrace collaboration, and I encourage you to get in touch and explore how we can help each other. Together, we can ignite the progress that propels us and our community forward. Go Chargers, Rainer Steinwandt, Ph.D.-- Initiatives Affordable Science We believe that affordable course materials form a key part of how we can help our students succeed. By adopting Open Educational Resources (OER) or making cost-conscious decisions when it comes to textbook selection, we acknowledge that our faculty can play a critical role in student success. COS collaborates with UAH's Enhanced Teaching & Learning Center (ETLC) to support faculty who convert high-enrollment courses to OER Through the Affordable Science program we recognize faculty and courses that focus on reducing the cost to the student. A medallion will be used to celebrate courses that have required learning materials under a certain dollar amount. The medallion may be displayed in syllabi, on Canvas, on the web, or anywhere the faculty member chooses. Interdepartmental Colloquium Series This seminar series stimulates scientific conversations between faculty and researchers from different fields by coordinating a series of interdepartmental seminar talks. In the latest iteration, in collaboration with UAH's College of Engineering, we seek to furnish effective collaboration among researchers in science and engineering. Science Faculty Scholars Program COS supports new faculty success by increasing knowledge of institutional culture. The SFS Program integrates professional development opportunities to enhance new faculty success by increasing their knowledge of UAH's and COS's culture. The Program also encourages interdisciplinary mentoring and networking. Teaching Excellence for Student Success The College of Science faculty teaches more credit hours than reported for any other UAH College. Accordingly, the success of UAH students critically relies on the quality of our teaching. To support teaching excellence in the College of Science, we recently piloted an opportunity for comprehensive professional development on evidence-based teaching practices, leading up to the ACUE Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education, as well as up to four ACUE micro-credentials in: Promoting active learning Inspiring inquiry and preparing lifelong learners Fostering a welcoming and supportive learning environment. Designing student-centered courses