Roseann White
Associate Director & Professor, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine
Highlighted Faculty Fall 2012 – Associate Director/Professor
– Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine
– Associate Chair Molecular Biology and Microbiology Department
– Years at UCF: 43
– BS Chemistry, University of Florida
– PhD Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
I came to UCF in August 1969 as an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences when the university was in its second year and had only 1500 students. I taught a variety of courses over the years, including Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Genetics and was awarded two TIPs. I was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 1974 and Professor in 1984. During our first few years with almost no research space or equipment, I drove to Cape Kennedy to complete atomic absorption trace elemental analysis as part of a NASA grant on solid rockets and acid rain. Later I became involved in flavonoid research related to development of plant patents but in the 1980s moved into allergy and immunology research. Over my career, I was an invited fellow to the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, received over $530,000 grant funding, published 20 journal articles and over 80 abstracts/proceedings, and was awarded an RIA. When the Biological Sciences Department was split into two units, I and my colleagues developed a new BS program in Molecular Biology and Microbiology (now Biomedical Sciences) that grew from an initial 30 students in 1990 to over 2300 today. I feel very privileged to have played a major role in creating an outstanding program for our students who have exceled in their subsequent graduate and medical/health professional school programs. After the arrival of Dr. Kolattukudy in 2003, I served in a variety of roles: Associate Chair of Molecular Biology and Microbiology in COHPA, Associate Dean of the Burnett College of Biomedical Sciences, Interim Director of Pre-Health Professions Advisement, and currently as Associate Director of Academics in the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine
