4th & 5th Grades

4th & 5th Grade Overall Best in Show Best in Show: Surface Tension – Brett Rehoud, Ariel Olds, Charles Burgamy – Carver MST
First Place: Testing Filters – Ne’Andream Peterson – Kelly Springs
Second Place: Soil vs. Water – Emma Varner – Selma Street
Second Place: Sticky Science – Guilianna Dixon – Mulkey Elementary
Third Place: Strike Out Stains – Annie Precise – Mulkey Elementary
Honorable Mention: Digestion Detective – Lucy Frilot – Mulkey Elementary
Best Poster Presentation: How High – Cameron Baker – Selma Street
Best Oral Presentation: Pot Science – Sophia Roney, Sadie Watkins – Mulkey Elementary

6th – 12th Grades

Engineering Technology: Statistics & Dynamics

1st: Shelter Shapes – Abby Skinner – Houston Academy
2nd: Maglev Explained – Emmalyn Sutton – Highlands Elementary
3rd: Investigating the relationship between coils of wire and magnetic strength – Egan Sullivan – Highlands Elementary

Medicine, Health & Translational Medical Sciences

1st: What brands of mouthwash are better at eliminating bacteria in your mouth? – Mary Todd Nicholas – Houston Academy
2nd: Which cleaning wipe is the best – Eleanor Heersink – Houston Academy
3rd: Mint Condition – Thomas Mustin – Dothan Prep

Animal, Plant, Computational & Bioinformatics Sciences

1st: Finding the best eyeliner – Caroline Heersink – Houston Academy
2nd: Shining Light: Growing plants in sunlight and UV light – Layla Rogers – Houston Academy
3rd: Ready…Set…Grow – Carmine Biasella – Houston Academy

Chemistry

1st: Chocolates in Science – Adeline Egbert – Houston Academy
2nd: Which stain remover works best? – Charlotte Lagsdon and Kalli Smith – Highlands
3rd: Curly Cue – Kahmara Orange and Jada Leger – Dothan Prep

Material Sciences & Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design

1st: Parallelogram Prevention – Noah Creel and Collier Nowell – Highlands Elementary
2nd: Roof Shapes and Floor Feels – Amare Harris and Matthew Miller – Carver School for Math, Science, and Technology
3rd: The Mouse Guard – Sincere Rowell and Darien Reeves – Morris Slingluff

Earth & Environmental Servies: Environmental Engineering

1st: Tsunami Erosion Prevention – Isabella Gil – Houston Academy
2nd: Saving Water – Shafia Khan – Highlands
3rd: Eco Friendly Moving – Charlotte Rushing and Promyse Bryant – Highlands

Behavioral & Social Sciences

1st (tie): Would you eat it? – June Haynie and Layla Pfister – Dothan Prep
1st (tie): Man vs Machine – Ella Burgess – Dothan Prep
2nd: The effect of color on taste – Ethan Pemberton – Houston Academy
3rd: Catch or release – Mac Steltenpohl and Dawson Deloney – Highlands Elementary

Robotics Systems & Communication Technology

1st: Spot the Bot – Noah Freeman and Web Griggs – Carver MST
2nd: TB-64E – Karson Cullen and Lachlan Owens – Dothan Prep
3rd: Blocking Wifi – Zayd Ali, Kaleb Lawson, and Brody Sands – Carver MST

Physics, Astronomy & Mathematics

1st: Trials of the Glider Games – Edwin Jones and Aidyn Bui – Carver School of Math, Science, and Technology
2nd: DIY Railgun – Carter Bright – Houston Academy
3rd: Cooking at Light Speed – Houston Fetsko – Dothan Prep

Cell, Molecular, Microbiology & Biochemistry

1st: Fizz or Fizzle – Lennon Strickland, Lily Potts, Jenna Mitchell – Carver MST
2nd: The Great Cookie Dunk – Maggie Knight – Heard
3rd: Culinary Biotics – Addison Clayton and Liam Lugo – Dothan Prep

Bio-medical Engineering

1st: Medical Medals – Jacob Champlin – Dothan Prep

The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine will present the 2024 Wiregrass District Science Fair early in 2024.

The Wiregrass District Science Fair is a recurring annual event where local middle schoolers, as well as fourth and fifth graders, participate by presenting projects in one of several categories including Chemistry, Robotics & Communication Technology, Bio-Medical Engineering, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Engineering Technology, and more. Last year’s event saw more than 150 projects presented by some of the area’s most talented young minds.

The upcoming event will be held on Wednesday, February 21st at the Dothan Civic Center. If your school would like to participate, please reach out to Christina Kennedy, PhD, ACOM Director of Community Partnerships, at or by calling 334-944-4030

Southeast Health and the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) are pleased to announce that R. Wayne Parker III, PharmD, has been elevated to associate professor of Pharmacology.

Prior to his promotion, Dr. Parker served as assistant professor of Pharmacology since 2017.

Dr. Parker received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from Auburn University in Auburn.

Dr. Parker’s research interests include opioid overdose pharmacology and population health with naloxone. He has served on the Alabama Opioid Task Force since 2019. Dr. Parkers spends much of his time educating the community about the dangers of opioids, especially Fentanyl, and the use of Narcan to reverse the effects of addictive pain drugs.

Students from ACOM’s Neurology and Psychiatric Interest Group, joined Physicians, nurses, first responders and clinicians from throughout the region gathered at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine Friday to participate in Southeast Health’s  annual Stroke Symposium. The event, sponsored by the Southeast Health Foundation, provided attendees the opportunity to learn about the latest technology and information concerning stroke care. As a Level II Trauma Center and Comprehensive Stroke Center, the Emergency Department (ED) at Southeast Health Medical Center offers the highest level of care in the region. We are one of three hospitals in Alabama designated as a Level I stroke center. Because of that designation, we continue to be committed to the advancement of stroke care through continuous education on the science and treatment of stroke. To learn more about our comprehensive stroke care, click on https://www.southeasthealth.org/stroke-care/.

On behalf of the Dean’s Cabinet, we are pleased to announce Christina M. Kennedy, PhD, has added director of Community Partnerships to her current duties as associate professor of Physiology.

As director of Community Partnerships, Dr. Kennedy will help strengthen ACOM’s relationship with the local community, healthcare organizations, and various stakeholders. She will impact our mission by fostering positive relationships, driving initiatives, and engaging with the community.

Dr. Kennedy, who has been a member of the ACOM faculty for 10 years, earned her Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences and her doctorate degree in basic medical sciences from the University of South Alabama in Mobile.

On behalf of the Dean’s Cabinet, we are pleased to announce Richard R. Thacker, DO, MACOI, has been named associate dean of Clinical Sciences and Martin Sinclair Clemmons, DO, FACOI, will assume the role of interim associate dean of Clinical Resources.

Prior to taking over his new role, Dr. Thacker served as associate dean of Clinical Resources for more than two years. As associate dean of Clinical Sciences, he will oversee clinical curriculum, including collaboration with the clerkship directors, course directors and the Curriculum Committee.

In addition to his new role Dr. Clemmons will continue as department chair of Primary Care in the division of Clinical Sciences. As interim associate dean of Clinical Resources, he will oversee third- and fourth-year clinical training through ACOM’s expansive network of hospitals, clinics and preceptors.

Please join us in congratulating and supporting Dr. Thacker and Dr. Clemmons in their new leadership roles.