Meet the Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Mathematics faculty who will be entering USC Dornlife this fall. [3½ min read]
This fall, scholars of the natural sciences and mathematics will join USC Dornlife to teach and research. (Synthetic: Dennis Lan)
Four new faculty members will join the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Mathematics departments for the fall 2021 semester. They recently shared their academic and personal interests.
Michael Campbell | Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Academic focus: Current genetic and paleontological evidence indicates that anatomically modern humans evolved in Africa about 300,000 years ago and then migrated around the world within 100,000 years. Demographic events associated with natural selection have shaped patterns of genetic diversity in modern populations.
One of the current ‘great challenges’ with the sequencing of the human genome completed is to better understand the interplay between evolutionary history, genomic variation, and human trait development. My research explores how to identify polymorphisms (where DNA on one chromosome differs from a matching spot on another chromosome) using statistical, computational, and field-based approaches. I’m here. population.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I don’t have much free time these days, but when I have free time, I like to play trivia games.i am stubborn Danger! fan.
If you could invite anyone, dead or alive, to dinner, who would you choose? What’s on the menu? Although technically not alone, we invite former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. (I consider them an inseparable marriage unit.) This makes for a very casual dinner with barbecue chicken and steak on the menu.
What foods and condiments do you have in your kitchen? Avocado, bread and ketchup (not necessarily all together).
Derrick Morton | Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Academic focus: My research focuses on incorporating genetic approaches to understand the key pathways that control organismal growth and development and how changes in gene expression contribute to neurological disease. .
What inspires you? Civil rights greats inspire me. I stand on the shoulders of giants. Their collective sacrifice is a constant reminder of what I need to achieve. I don’t have enough words to express my gratitude.
If you could invite anyone, dead or alive, to dinner, who would you choose? What’s on the menu? This is a big deal. I would choose to take Barack Obama out to dinner – for obvious reasons – he’s a former US president and seems like a pretty cool guy. My dinner his menu could include Southern dishes and desserts. His old fashioned banana pudding.
What foods and condiments do you have in your kitchen? Chicken, seafood (seafood boil ingredients: snow crab legs, shrimp, potatoes, sausage, corn; my husband is from Florida), unsweetened tea (I know, I’m not so Southern) and wine.
Morton is teaching BISC 502a, Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, this fall.
Chris Negron | | Assistant Professor of Mathematics
My work focuses on the intersection of abstract algebra and mathematical physics.
What do you like to do in your spare time? skateboard.
Where is your favorite travel destination? Mexico, Oaxaca.
What’s your favorite book you’ve read recently? no pimming Leanne Bettasamosake Simpson
Negron is teaching the graduate course MATH 510a: “Algebra” this fall.
Kate White | | Assistant Professor Gabilan chemistry
Academic focus: The goal of my lab is to develop new experimental and computational tools for multi-scale structural biology from the atomic to cellular level, to explore structural biology (how biomolecules are constructed, function and interact with each other). function) and physiology. Our lab investigates insulin chemistry and multiscale organization of pancreatic beta cells and applies novel approaches to whole-cell modeling.
If you could invite anyone, dead or alive, to dinner, who would you choose? What’s on the menu? Elon Musk. I don’t care what I ate. Just interested in the discussion.
Where is your favorite travel destination? Yosemite.
What inspires you? the unknown.
To see other faculty members attending USC Dornlife this fall, click here >>
