Sharon Meyer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Toxicology. She is a published researcher and is nationally recognized for her expertise regarding the adverse effects of environmental chemicals on human health. Dr. Meyer is currently the PI for a research proposal funded by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. This project is designed to study the adverse effects of nitroaromatic exposure on the energy metabolism and exercise endurance in mice.

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Past Stars

January - February 2012
	Catherine Estis, Executive Program Director in the office of Vice President of Student Affairs - Dr. Estis’ research work focuses on low income and disadvantaged populations. She is a published author whose research has been presented nationally and internationally. Dr. Estis currently serves as the director of the two federal programs active at ULM: the Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound program. These programs work to assist low income and potential first generation college students by arming them with the necessary skills to enter into the post- secondary segment. Dr. Estis’ recent research also includes the problems with public transportation and the economic barrier it presents for the poor in the South.
November - December 2011
	Lynn Clark, Assistant Professor, Curriculum and Instruction - She has an extensive background in curriculum development in both print and web media. Dr. Clark has published and presented nationally and internationally on issues relating to diversity. Her sponsored programs effort focused on developing the CEHD Culture Connection Center. This center provides a space where international students can meet and cross cultural exchanges between different students and faculty can take place. The CEHD Career Connection is also equipped with a video production studio and a dual platform curriculum development lab that is equipped to collect video narratives from students and faculty, creating a media database of different perspectives that can be used to infuse diversity into course curricula.
November - December 2009
	Dr. Kevin Baer, Department Head, Toxicology, is the first department head to be elected Star of the month. His independent research involves the development of synthetic media for culturing and bioassay testing Daphnia magna.  Other research interests include the use of biochemical and physiological biomarkers in freshwater fish, invertebrates and amphibians to assess environmental contamination. Currently, he holds three sponsored programs that involve testing and monitoring of potential pollutants in Louisiana's waterways. To read more, follow THIS link.
October 2009<
	Dr. W. Greg Leader, Dean, College of Pharmacy, is the first dean to be elected Star of the month. His sponsored projects are designed to enhance existing facilities as well as educational programs. He has been able to secure external funding that increase number of faculty across all three COP campuses (Monroe, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge) as well as expand capacity of the main building. His funding comes from a variety of sources, including state and federal.
August - September 2009
	Dr. Seetharama Satyanarayanajois (Jois), Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry is the first elected Star of the month in the new 2009 academic year. Jois' research seeks answers to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is an autoimmune disease, which means that one's body is not able to distinguish between its healthy tissues and harmful substances. As a result, the body attacks itself. There are over eighty types of autoimmune diseases and no known causes for any particular type. Most of them are chronic diseases but many can be controlled with treatment. Jois' research is funded through Board of Regents and National Institutes of Health through Louisiana Biomedical Research Network housed at LSU.
April 2009
	Thomas Sasek, Ph.D. Sasek is seeking an explanation for the relative resistance of particular plants to ozone pollution and carbon dioxide interactions in physiological studies. Increased CO2 levels can result in a noticeable effect on photosynthesis, pollution uptake, and biomass accumulation, thereby reducing ozone stress. He also leads a team of Louisiana scientists, funded by the National Science Foundation, in development of an electronic statewide database featuring all of Louisiana's 1.1-million plant specimens, of which 475,000 are housed at the ULM Museum of Natural History.
March 2009
	Paul Sylvester, Ph.D. - During a distinguished career, his credits include an endowed chairship, teacher of the year award, outstanding professor by the Mortar Board Honor Society as well as maintaining his teaching, research, service and mentorship responsibilities. Dr. Sylvester's current research, entitled "Cancer Research and Health Project" received funding from First Tech International, Limited, of Hong Kong. This five-year project in excess of $5.3 million brings Dr. Sylvester closer to the goal of developing a cure for breast cancer. To read more about this research, click HERE.
January - February 2009/td>
	Jana Sutton, Ph.D. - As an early career faculty, she has published multiple journal articles, a book chapter, invited presentations and multiple externally funded sponsored programs. Dr. Sutton’s current funded research focuses on youth therapy for the 4th Judicial District Court Juvenile Drug Court. This year’s renewal brings the multi-year award to a total of $360,000. The support provides ULM students the opportunity to gain experience through the internship component.
December 2008
	Beverly Flowers-Gibson, Ed.D. - During a distinguished career, her credits include community and profession service, peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and more than a dozen externally funded sponsored programs. Her current funded project entitled “Louisiana-Mississippi Regional Transition to Teaching Project” (Teach Delta Region) received funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The project is a partnership among ULM, Jackson State University and twenty-six high-need local education agencies in the two states. Their focus is to enhance alternative certification programs to enable participants to achieve teaching certification in an accelerated timeframe.
November 2008
	Rebecca L. Stephenson, Ph.D.  - Democracy is at work. Our first star is Dr. Rebecca Stephenson. In a short four year time, her credits include a book chapter, some refereed journal articles, many conference presentations, as well as, being dedicated teacher. Dr. Stephenson’s funded research entitled “The Politics of Language:  Byrhferth, Aelfric, and the Multilingual Identity of the Benedictine Reform” received funding from the LA Board of Regents ATLAS (Awards to Louisiana Artists and Scholars) program. The panel of out-of-state experts evaluated the proposal and deemed it "exceptionally fine." The funding allows her a year-long sabbatical and a trip to England where she will be researching old manuscripts. The grant award totals $36,975, and was one of only 11 awarded in the state.