Roane State Community College

March 7, 2026

The Arts and Lectures Committee at Roane State will present its inaugural Faculty Research Lightning Colloquium on Friday, March 20, 2026, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. ET in the City Room of the Oak Ridge Campus.

Speakers from various disciplines and fields will present interesting research, creative projects, and innovative course experiences with the wider college community. This event is designed for the presenters to highlight and share the key points of their research projects with colleagues. The audience will be invited to ask questions and learn more about the work being done by Roane State’s innovative faculty.

"We hope that this inaugural event will inspire wider participation in the coming years and be a regular platform for recognizing the tremendous accomplishments of our faculty," said Dr. Geol Greenlee, the college's dean of humanities.

The following speakers will be featured during the event:

• Dr. John Brown, Professor of Political Science. Dr. Brown teaches American Government, Intro to Political Science, and Early & Modern U.S. History, on the Roane County and Oak Ridge campuses. He will present research from an article published in the Tennessee Historical Quarterly titled, “Dr. Anderson's Choctaw Sick House: Race, Organized Medicine, and an Appalachian Herb Doctor” that examines the practice of an African-Choctaw herb doctor in Kingston, Tennessee, in the early 20th century during the age of medical reforms.
   
• Mary Dyer, Adjunct Faculty - Humanities. Dyer teaches Introduction to Art, Survey of Art I, and Survey of Art II at the Roane and Cumberland County campuses. She will present “Lemon Balm and St. John's Wort-Supports for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” Dyer’s project will relate how contemporary studies show that lemon balm and Saint John's wort can be used as alternate supports for the re-experiencing, arousal/reactivity, and mood symptoms of PTSD.
   
• Mary Ann Sexton, Associate Professor of Biology. Sexton teaches Anatomy and Physiology as well as Microbiology at the Cumberland County campus. She will present “Cooperative Learning and Student Growth in Anatomy and Physiology Laboratories: Investigating the Impact of the Jigsaw Method.” Associate Prof. Sexton’s presentation will demonstrate how students in Anatomy and Physiology courses must master extensive scientific knowledge while also developing essential healthcare skills like teamwork, communication, and explaining complex concepts clearly. This study found that using the Jigsaw cooperative learning method in lecture and lab settings increased student engagement, sense of belonging, collaboration, and confidence, making learning more interactive and better preparing students for the collaborative demands of medical and allied health careers.
   
• Dr. Keenan Golder, Assistant Professor of Geology. Dr. Golder will be presenting on his published paper titled “Physical and Historical Geology - Source(s) of the Smooth Caloris Exterior Plains on Mercury: Mapping, Remote Analyses, and Scenarios for Future Testing with BepiColombo Data.” Dr. Golder’s work details how the use of geologic mapping, spectral data, and crater counting techniques led to the identification of two distinct plains units northwest of the Caloris impact basin on Mercury.
   
• Dr. Julie Hall, Professor and Program Director of Radiologic Technology. Dr. Hall will be discussing the radiology training she has been doing in Liberia (West Africa).

The Faculty Research Lightning Colloquium is open for all to attend. Faculty, staff, students, and members of the community are welcome.

For more information on this event, contact John Noto (notojj@roanestate.edu) with the Roane State Arts & Lectures Committee.