Coker professor Flaherty earns $502,000 grant

HARTSVILLE — Coker College biology professor Dr. Joe Flaherty has received the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious award for junior faculty members, the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant.

The $502,000 grant will enhance Coker College’s biology program by supporting Flaherty’s student-centered research on the genetics of fungal diseases that cause tremendous damage to agricultural crops worldwide, according to a press release issued by the college Tuesday.

Flaherty, assistant professor of biology and chair of Coker’s department of science and mathematics, will receive the CAREER grant over a period of five years. By awarding him the grant, the National Science Foundation is recognizing Flaherty as one of the country’s foremost teacher-scholars who combines education and research into their programs.

“This award is acknowledging Joe’s exceptional capabilities as a teacher and researcher and, just as importantly at Coker College, his commitment to mentoring students,” Dr. Patricia Lincoln, provost and dean of the faculty, said in the release.

Since joining the Coker College faculty in 2005, Flaherty’s goal has been to develop a research program that is built on student participation. Several of Flaherty’s recent students have already continued their studies at distinguished graduate schools, including the University of Georgia, the Medical University of South Carolina, North Carolina State University, and The Ohio State University.

“Research is a key component of the educational experience for undergraduate students majoring in the sciences,” Flaherty, who holds a doctorate from Purdue University, said in the release. “It builds a foundation for lifelong success, including graduate school and career.”

The CAREER grant will enable Flaherty to establish extensive collaborations at research-intensive institutions such as Purdue, the University of Arkansas, N.C. State University, Southern Illinois University, and Texas A&M University. These partnerships will further enhance the educational experiences for Coker College biology students while adding to the scientific community’s understanding of fungal diseases, including Fusarium head blight caused by Fusarium graminearum.

A fungal plant pathogen, Fusarium graminearum is globally significant because it causes devastating diseases in cereal crops. In the past decade, Fusarium head blight has resulted in more than $3 billion of crop loss in the United States alone, according to the release.

“Fusarium species account for substantial crop loss around the world,” Flaherty said, “yet there is still a lot to learn about the biology of these important organisms.”

Flaherty and his research team of Coker students plan to discover and characterize fungal genes involved in growth and reproduction in hopes of providing future strategies to control high impact crop diseases. Achievement of Flaherty’s research goals will involve an innovative approach to mentoring undergraduate students as they work on independent projects.

“Joe is a transformative professor who personifies the Coker College educational experience,” Dr. Robert Wyatt, president of the college, said in the release. “His classroom and lab work is benefitting students on an individual level while he’s also working for the greater good.”

The National Science Foundation’s CAREER grants are extremely competitive and funded at a low rate. In addition to Coker College, other institutions that have recently received a CAREER grant include Duke University, Northwestern University and Vanderbilt University.

Coker is an independent, comprehensive liberal arts college founded in 1908. The living and learning environment at Coker fosters participation in the community of scholarship and the development of ethical character, leadership skills and social responsibility. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Coker one of “America’s Best Colleges.” The Princeton Review rates Coker a Best Southeastern College based on academic reputation and student satisfaction.