The Department of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) has made some big changes lately. The department just added an astronomy major approved by New York State and it recently overhauled the undergraduate curriculum to replace traditional labs with innovative "Experiencing Physics" labs—inquiry-based Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) targeted at improving both teaching outcomes and student retention in the physics major. Current A&S Associate Dean for Creativity, Scholarship and Research Jenny Ross served as department chair when these initiatives were started.

For these notable initiatives, as well as her groundbreaking explorations in biophysics and active matter, Ross was awarded the prestigious 2025 STAR Award from Research Corporation for Science Advancement. The STAR (Science Teaching And Research) Award recognizes outstanding achievements in both research and education.

A 2010 Cottrell Scholar, her research explores how cells organize themselves using fundamental physics principles, with the goal of designing next-generation materials inspired by biology.

The award includes a $5,000 prize and will be presented at the 2025 Cottrell Scholar Conference in Tucson, Arizona, this July. As a recipient, Ross will provide mentoring to early career Cottrell Scholar colleagues throughout the coming year.