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Natural Science and Mathematics

Minors Offered

Extracurricular Activities

Allied Health Club

Math/Science Education Club

Impact Club

Dr. Paul Yeary

Division Head

Andersen Science Center

Location

ALC's Natural Science & Mathematics Goals

The Natural Science and Mathematics Division offers excellent programs of study. In these programs, faculty work with students in the classroom and individually in order to broaden the students’ view of the world. The Natural Science and Mathematics curriculum allows students to study the scientific approach to learning about the natural world using the problem solving and critical thinking techniques associated with the major areas of science and mathematics, including biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and statistics. Since the observable world can be viewed from either the macroscopic, microscopic, or atomic viewpoints, students are encouraged to develop their concrete and abstract thinking and reasoning skills. Many graduates of Alice Lloyd College who receive a degree in science further their education by entering programs in medicine, pharmacy, engineering, dentistry, teaching/education, nursing, physical therapy, and so on. It is the desire of the science and mathematics faculty that students develop an appreciation for learning and so become life-long learners.

Students wishing to seek advanced degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, etc. are encouraged to consider the opportunities available through the Caney Cottage Scholarship Program. This competitive scholarship is available to qualifying students who are accepted into graduate or professional schools.

Also, take a look at our Science and Math Brochure (pdf), which introduces you to some of our standout students and relates their experiences at ALC.

Pre-Professional Programs with Transfer Agreements in Engineering and Pre-Pharmacy

To assist students transferring from Alice Lloyd College to professional programs in pharmacy, direct transfer agreements have been established with the University of Kentucky and West Virginia University. Similar agreements to assist students transferring from Alice Lloyd College to professional programs in Engineering at the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and West Virginia University have also been established. Students may complete two years of study in Pre-Engineering or Pre-Pharmacy and transfer directly to the chosen university for completion of the appropriate degree in Pharmacy or Engineering. For further details, please contact the Pre-Engineering advisor, Pre-Pharmacy advisor or the Vice President for Academics/Dean of the College. Students interested in these pre-professional programs should establish their program with the designated advisor at the beginning of their studies at Alice Lloyd College

Meet our Faculty

Dr. Paul Yeary

Dr. Yeary graduated from Alice Lloyd College in 1985 with a degree in Math/Physical Science. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry from the University of Kentucky. After completing his studies at UK, Dr. Yeary worked for the Teknor Apex Corporation in Brownsville, TN, Remington Industries in Benton, TN, and for the Thomasville Furniture Company/Founders Furniture in Appomattox, VA as a Process Improvement Chemist. Subsequently, in 2000, he accepted a professorship at Alice Lloyd College where he is currently the chair of the Natural Sciences & Mathematics division.

Along with his duties as Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Yeary serves as the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, as well as on the Caney Scholarship and Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) committees. He is deeply involved in other campus programs and activities. Dr. Yeary is an active and longtime member of the American Chemical Society and has won a number of awards, including the Teaching Excellence & Campus Leadership Award and ALC’s 10-Year Service Award.

Dr. Yeary has co-authored and published two academic papers: “On the Importance of Carbocation Intermediates in Bimolecular Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions in Aqueous Solution” in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (1993) and “Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes” in Nanomaterials: Inorganic and Bioinorganic (2008). He has also participated in various research activities at the University of Kentucky and has given recent scientific presentations at the Carbon Society Workshop and the International Conference on Carbon (both in Seattle, WA) and at the Appalachian College Association (ACA) Summit. From 2004-2012 he served as a summer research associate with the Center for Applied Energy Research at the University of Kentucky where he worked on a variety of projects in material science.

Dr. Billy Haigler

Dr. Haigler is an Associate Professor of Biology and Chemistry at Alice Lloyd College. Born in Mississippi and raised in Texas, he received a B.S. in Zoology in 1975 and a B.A. in Microbiology in 1978 from the University of Texas at Austin. He then earned a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1986 where he studied the enzyme naphthalene dioxygenase from soil bacteria.

Dr. Haigler did his post-doctoral studies at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida where he later accepted a position as a Research Microbiologist. Before joining Alice Lloyd College in 2000, he was a Research Microbiologist for Applied Research Associates, Inc. in Panama City, Florida.

At ALC, Dr. Haigler is a co-sponsor to the Allied Health Club and the college chapter of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society.

Dr. Robert Hamilton

Dr. Hamilton serves as Professor of Biology in the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Alice Lloyd College. He received his bachelor’s degree in Ecology from the University of Guelph in 1986. Dr. Hamilton received his Ph.D. in Botany from The Ohio University in 1991. He served as an assistant professor, associate professor and professor of biology in the Department of Biology at Mississippi College from 1991 through 2009. Dr. Hamilton has served as Professor of Biology at Alice Lloyd College since 2010.

Dr. Hamilton has published 19 papers in peer reviewed journals and symposia. He has conducted 10 workshops for high school teachers in the area of Molecular Biology and Ecology. He has mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate student researchers. Dr. Hamilton has authored 3 successful grant applications to the National Science Foundation and participated in a successful grant application to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He has made dozens of presentations of his scientific work to academic societies and symposia. Dr. Hamilton has also served on the education committee of the Ecological Society of America, served as a Biology Councilor for the Council on Undergraduate Research, and served as chairperson and vice chairperson of various sections at the Mississippi Academy of Sciences on numerous occasions. 

Dr. Joseph Noroski

Dr. Noroski serves as an associate professor of Chemistry and Physics at Alice Lloyd College.  He majored in chemistry and English writing, earning a B.S. in 1993.  While earning a M.S. in science education and a M.S. in chemistry along the way, Joseph earned a PhD in chemistry in the area of physical chemistry in 2009.  His research involved excited noble gas chemistry and Penning ionization spectroscopy.  He also was certified to teach chemistry and physics in Pennsylvania public schools, requiring much additional coursework in physics.  All degrees and certifications were earned at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Noroski has co-authored and published two academic papers, one in The Journal of Chemical Physics (2006) and the other in Chemical Physics Letters (2009).  Additionally, he has published numerous textbook supplements.  He has taught at the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Clarion University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and numerous community colleges.

Dr. Janelle Pryor

Dr. Janelle Pryor serves as Professor of Biology at Alice Lloyd College. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology, graduating cum laude, from Muskingum College (New Concord, Ohio) in 1984.  She also received minors in Chemistry and Computer Science. An excellent student, Dr. Pryor was a member of the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society. Two years later, she went on to garner a master’s degree in Botany from Ohio University, as well as earning a Ph.D. in Environmental and Plant Biology.

Dr. Pryor completed additional graduate coursework at Mississippi College and earned a second Ph.D. in Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  She is a proud member of the Phi Kappa Phi Interdisciplinary Honor Society.

She is active in campus activities in which she is a faculty sponsor of the Allied Health Club and the IMPACT Club.

Assistant Professor Ernest Brewer

Mr. Ernest Brewer serves as Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Alice Lloyd College. Mr. Brewer hails from Mission, Texas. He worked as an athletic trainer at a physical therapy and sports medicine facility in Nacogdoches, Texas until attending physical therapy school at Texas Women’s University in Houston. He initially worked as Physical Therapist and Rehab Coordinator for American Rehab Group (Lexington, KY) at Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital in Ashland, Kentucky. In 1996, Ernest co-founded East Kentucky Associates in Rehab and, most notably, was Director of Physical Therapy at Highlands Regional Medical Center for sixteen years. Over the past eight years, he has worked as a Senior Physical Therapist in his company’s outpatient clinics, HPT Physical Therapy.

Assistant Professor Michael Dexter

Mr. Dexter grew up in Southern Appalachia. He studied for a major in Biology and a minor in Environmental Studies at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina where, in 1988, he earned a B.S. and received high honors. He went on to complete a M.S. in Biology in December 1996 at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina where he also received honors. Mr. Dexter has extensive college teaching experience that includes Wake Forest University, Salem College, High Point University, Washington State University, and Misericordia University. Before finding Alice Lloyd College, he also taught at Guilford Technical Community College, Davidson County Community College, and Jackson Community College.

Mr. Dexter was excited to return home to the region to teach in the familiar setting close to family and friends. With primary training in the fields of Ecology and Organismal Biology, he has taught a wide variety of Biology and Biology-related courses in his career. He considers teaching his life’s work and loves working at Alice Lloyd College, where he can get to know his students as individuals and they can get to know him. In his free time, Mr. Dexter has been known to attend home sporting events at ALC. He also enjoys observing the flora and fauna in Caney Creek and its ecosystem.

Assistant Professor Marsha Neace

Ms. Marsha Neace serves as Assistant Professor of Math and Physics at Alice Lloyd. Prior to teaching at ALC, she taught courses in physics, mathematics, and computer science at Evarts High School, The June Buchanan School, and Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Prestonsburg, KY. She holds an M.A. in Secondary Education from Georgetown College and has completed additional graduate hours in Mathematics and Physics from her alma mater Georgetown, the University of Kentucky, Converse College, and the University of Virginia.

Ms. Neace graduated magna cum laude and is a six-time inductee in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Interestingly, she was also an online reviewer for the NASA website PUMAS. Ms. Neace also received the Alice Lloyd College Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award for the 2020-2021 school year.

Instructor William Slone

William Slone is a native of eastern Kentucky and has always lived in the Mallie community. His early education was at the June Buchanan School where he graduated with the distinction of valedictorian in 2010. Thereafter, he attended Marshall University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics Cum Laude with a minor in Biology, and later a Master of Arts degree in Mathematics with an emphasis in Statistics. Additionally, he earned a Master of Science degree in Library and Information Science from St. John’s University. His work experience includes working as Public Services Librarian at Alice Lloyd College and, currently, as a math professor at ALC.

William Slone is an avid reader and enjoys many different genres – his favorite is the action-adventure Jack Reacher series. He also likes to work jigsaw puzzles of at least 2,000 pieces. Furthermore, he loves to go to the movie theater to watch the latest releases. He never misses a MARVEL movie or other superhero film.

Mr. Slone enjoys his pets. Recently, he adopted a twelve-week-old kitten, Nemo, who is learning to coexist with his two dogs: Ernie and Riley.

As a full-time math instructor at Alice Lloyd, Professor Slone is excited to teach others about the intricacies of mathematics.