Faculty & Staff

Fermentation Sciences lab manager Daniel Parker (left), and lab director Brett Taubman (right) stand in App State’s Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences Service Lab in Mountain Laurel Hall Sept. 30.

The newest dairy alternative comes from sweet potatoes [faculty featured]
Oct 15, 2026

Two professors in the Fermentation Sciences Program founded a sweet potato milk startup company, seeking to promote nutrition and combat food waste....

Watercolor of a playful, bearded man in sunglasses and a red bandana, giving a thumbs-up in an autumn forest; his Bigfoot shirt adds humor.

English professor Mark Powell reflects on Halloween, folklore, and wonder in WNC Magazine
Oct 15, 2026

There’s nothing quite like autumn in the mountains. The air crisps, and by September, you can feel fall in the deeper shade. By October, the forests...

Dr. Matthew Robinson

Dr. Matthew Robinson quoted in Los Angeles Times article on capital punishment
Oct 12, 2026

Matthew Robinson, a criminal justice professor at Appalachian State University and author of a book on U.S. capital punishment titled “Death Nation,...

A biologist holds an Eastern hellbender, which can grow up to two and a half feet. USFWS

App State biologist Michael Gangloff featured in Grist coverage of endangered species protections
Oct 12, 2026

According to Michael Gangloff, who studies freshwater life at Appalachian State University, human development is the biggest threat to hellbenders. Bu...

Studio portrait of a long-haired man with a thick beard, wearing a bright yellow, blue, and green knitted scarf over a checked shirt, against a black background.

App State neuroscience project partners with new $19 million national connectomics initiative
Oct 8, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — An Appalachian State University-led effort to bring cutting-edge neuroscience research into undergraduate classrooms will partner with...

A smiling woman with short brown hair and glasses wears a tan blazer over a black top and white collar, posed against a black background.

Lynn McNeil '09 honored as North Carolina's 2026 French Teacher of the Year
Oct 8, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Lynn McNeil '09, senior lecturer of French in Appalachian State University's Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, has b...

Studio portrait of a smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair and patterned glasses, wearing a charcoal cardigan and olive top against a black background.

Gwendolyn Zugarek receives Excellence in Academic Advising Award
Oct 8, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Gwendolyn Zugarek, lecturer in the Appalachian State University Department of Sociology, is the recipient of the 2025–26 Excellence ...

Smiling man with glasses and a beard, wearing a black shirt patterned with yellow geometric shapes against a bright yellow background.

Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa strengthens App State's global ties through Fulbright Specialist residency in South Africa
Oct 5, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa, professor of public administration in Appalachian State University's Department of Government and Justice Studie...

By Giada Copersito

2 years after Helene, local organizations fear aid is in jeopardy [faculty featured]
Oct 2, 2026

Wayne Pitts, associate professor in App State’s Department of Government and Justice Studies and former executive director of Ashe County’s Habita...

Dr. Ellen Key

UNCA students navigate mixed opinions on voting ahead of the midterms [faculty featured]
Oct 2, 2026

“If you want politicians to take you seriously, you need to make your voice non-ignorable. The best way to do that is by voting,” said Ellen Key, ...