2013 Plumeri Award Recipient
Gregory D. Smith
Associate Professor of Applied Science
A theoretical biologist who applies mathematics to the life sciences, Professor Smith’s research program focuses on stochastic dynamics in cell physiology, in particular, calcium signaling in cardiac myocytes and neurons. As a Neuroscience Program Faculty Affiliate, Smith developed and instructs Cellular Biophysics and Modeling, a challenging interdisciplinary academic course that combines nonlinear dynamics and electrophysiology. This class is required of all undergraduate neuroscience majors and many graduate students in the Applied Science doctoral program. Cellular Biophysics and Modeling helps William & Mary’s Neuroscience Program to stand out as one of the best in the country. As director of the William & Mary Biomath Initiative, Smith helps promote faculty-student research in quantitative biology and fosters academic community among the College’s mathematical scientists. Smith’s publications include 45 peer-reviewed scientific articles and several pedagogical book chapters. Smith is a mentor to graduate and undergraduate students at William & Mary and beyond, e.g., he is lead organizer of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory International Summer School in Computational Cell Biology. Smith has served on many university committees, including the Faculty Assembly, the Faculty Research Committee, and the Procedural Review Committee. Smith earned a doctorate in biophysics from the University of California, Davis.
