Dr. Karen Kashmanian Oates, biochemist and dean of arts and sciences at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, will visit Louisiana Tech University on December 12 as a featured speaker of the New Frontiers in Biomedical Research lecture series. Oates’ presentation titled, “The Obligation of Knowledge,” will take place at 3:30 p.m. in University Hall on the Louisiana Tech campus.  The event is free and open to the public. At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Oates has had an active role in undergraduate education initiatives, previously serving as deputy director of undergraduate education at the National Science Foundation’s Division of Undergraduate Studies.  Her early research career focused on breast cancer and biological therapies with her more recent work focused on women’s health, faculty development, service learning, business-higher education partnerships and K-12 science and mathematics education. Oates conducts faculty development workshops on a variety of topics, including progressive pedagogical approaches to support learning, assessment strategies and discovery-based undergraduate research, as well as using research on how people learn to inform curricular design. Oates’ visit is sponsored by Louisiana Tech’s chapter of Sigma Xi, an international and multidisciplinary honors research society, and the Waggonner Center for Civic Engagement and Public Policy. “This collaboration between campus organizations points to the significance and universality of the issues being discussed by Dr. Oates and we are honored to host her on campus” says Dr. Jamie Newman, seminar series organizer and Sigma Xi treasurer. “Dr. Oates visit is timely, as informed decisions about matters of public policy are needed now more than ever,” said Dr. Jeremy Mhire, director of the Waggonner Center Civic Engagement and Public Policy. “We hope through her visit to show the necessary and absolutely critical connections between science and civic engagement.” The 2016-2017 New Frontiers in Biomedical Research series continues to expand on critical areas beyond the research bench to explore related career paths and the responsibility of research and education. As an interdisciplinary lecture series that focuses on advancements in the fields of biomedical engineering, biology, physics and chemistry, the New Frontiers in Biomedical Research seminar program strives to promote an understanding of human health and disease by interacting with leaders in these research fields.  The series also seeks to expose students to growing areas of research and to enhance Louisiana Tech’s own impacts in biomedical research. “The series continues to gain support from programs across campus and from members of the Ruston community, furthering the impact that these events have on Louisiana Tech students, faculty, and staff,” said Newman.  “We thank everyone for their continued interest in the series and look forward to the coming year.” All New Frontiers in Biomedical Research seminars are free and open to the public. Seminars begin at 3:30 p.m. at University Hall on the Louisiana Tech campus and are recorded for future viewing.  For more information on the series, a schedule of speakers, and to view recordings of the seminars, visit the New Frontiers in Biomedical Research website at http://biomedicalresearch.wix.com/new-frontiers or contact Dr. Jamie Newman at jjnewman@latech.edu.