The bacterium that causes cholera has been a bit of a mystery to scientists since it was first identified in the mid-1800s. Dr. Ece Karatan, an associate professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Biology, hopes to unravel some of those mysteries, and in the process find ways to help mitigate the effects of the potentially deadly disease most common in Third World countries and areas with poor sanitation.

Children who play on an athletics field at Appalachian State University’s Camp Broadstone in Valle Crucis may not realize the history that lies beneath their feet. This summer, university students in Appalachian’s archeology field school found a 4,000-year-old cooking hearth and a small vessel nearly as old about two feet underground.

Dr. Timothy J. Smith’s project grew out of a Fulbright grant Smith received in 2001 to conduct dissertation field work in Sololá, where he studied the customs, traditions and practices of the town’s indigenous government.

Mixing or spilling chemicals in a laboratory can have dangerous consequences. Samuella B. Sigmann, a lecturer and chemical hygiene officer in Appalachian State University’s Department of Chemistry, educates students and faculty about chemical safety to reduce the risk of personal injury or property damage.

Ground-penetrating radar and an electrical resistivity system are being used to confirm the location of African-American graves in the Boone Cemetery.

Carefully digging, scraping and sifting. It's how archeologists seek clues into human history. Students at Appalachian State University learn these skills - and find cool artifacts - in a field archeology course each summer.

Fifteen secondary-level biology teachers were selected by the Fulbright Commission to attend a six-week training program at Appalachian in July and August of 2007. They spent four weeks strengthening their skills in science, educational technology, teaching and English. Then, they spent two weeks applying what they learned by team teaching in Watauga County Schools. While in the public schools, they also shared information about their native culture with children in social studies and other non-science classes.