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.

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.

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.

Accurately forecasting snowfall can be a hit or miss proposition in North Carolina's mountains as residents and visitors can attest. Professors from Appalachian State University, UNC Asheville and N.C. State University hope to change that by collecting a range of data to refine computer models used by weather forecasters to predict snowfall.