A newly appointed assistant professor in the biology department brings ideas for training future scientists, research potential and a collaborative approach to continuous teaching.

Arkansas State University recently appointed assistant professor of cell biology, Edward “Ted” Schmid, Ph. D. Originally from St. Cloud, Minnesota, Schmid began his mentoring program for new faculty this semester after standing out for his passion for teaching, expertise in neurobiology and research potential.

Many employees in the Department of Biological Sciences have retired over the last four years. So, in an area of faculty at A-State where being a cell biologist and having expertise in neurobiology is limited, Schmid was a great choice for the department. 

Someone who shared this sentiment was Maureen Dolan, an associate professor in biological sciences. She said she was part of the hiring committee that hired Schmid and has been his mentor throughout the fall semester.

“He struck me as somebody genuine, who really is interested and excited about teaching students,” Dolan said.

After studying at Ball State University and getting his master’s at Yale University, Schmid became a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles. Schmid researched the aging process in humans by using fruit flies as model organisms. The goal of his research is to extend fruit fly lifespan and ultimately healthy human lifespan.

“I have a lot of training in immunology in physiology and I’m applying that in the context of how cell biology could change with various new contacts and specifically I look at how aging affects the basic cell biology and various tissues. I use a fruit fly model to study that,” Schmid said.

During his first semester at A-State, Schmid attended lectures, helped out in classes, set up labs and lectured in a graduate-level advanced cell biology course. Schmid is also involved in the biodiversity committee and is trying to set up a collaboration to push his aging research forward. 

He plans to have a successful research program at A-State due to the student-oriented professors on campus. Schmid said he believes there is value in working with students due to their energy and enthusiasm for contributions to projects.

“I think a lot of professors, including myself, find a lot of value in working with students and enjoy the process a lot. It brings a lot of energy to the research program and just your day-to-day life,” Schmid said.

Brody Groves, a sophomore biology major from Jonesboro, is a student in the honors biology of the cell class that Schmid has been shadowing this semester.

“Those are classes that sound really interesting and probably down the line I’d be willing to take, mostly because he’s the one teaching it,” Groves said.

Schmid’s work is anticipated to lead to new educational and research opportunities by filling in gaps in the department’s expertise. He said he hopes to be able to collaborate with the agricultural sector for plant-derived compounds and develop therapeutics for aging and age-related diseases. 

Along with the new faculty, Schmid has brought new energy to the university’s biology department and Dolan said she believes Schmid’s enthusiasm and background will energize collaborative efforts including outreach programs for K-12 education. 

Schmid will be teaching courses in virology and pathophysiology next semester. 

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