2016 Student Research Evaluation Team (L-R):
Dr. Jim Wetzel-Presbyterian College, Dr. B. G. Stephens-Wofford College, Dr. Steve Farra-Columbia International University, Dr. Neval Erturk-Converse College, and Dr. Rich Keen-Converse College)
On March 22, 2016, SCICU recognized Dr. B. G. Stephens, professor emeritus at Wofford College, for his many years as facilitator of the SCICU Undergraduate Research Evaluation team. In this role, Dr. Stephens has led the efforts each year of a team of professors from SCICU member institutions in evaluating student research proposals for funding. He has been involved with the evaluation of student research proposals submitted to the SCICU Undergraduate Student/Faculty Research Program since the beginning of the research program in 1995. For nearly all of the research program’s 20+ years, Dr. Stephens has also served as moderator of the Research Symposium, the annual gathering at which the student researchers present the findings of their SCICU-funded research projects.
Dr. Stephens’ career at Wofford College has spanned for more than 40 years. After earning a Bachelor degree at Wofford in 1957, Stephens received graduate degrees (MS and PhD) from Clemson University. He joined the Wofford faculty in 1964 and was named dean of the college in 1972. Dr. Stephens became the college’s first vice president for technology, a position he held until retiring in 2000.
Dr. Stephens continues to work part-time as Wofford’s director of foundation relations, and has assisted Wofford in securing substantial external funding, including significant grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the National Science Foundation and the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation. He also has been a primary leader in the acquisition of property and development of the facilities and academic program in his native community of Glendale for the college’s environmental studies program.