“Curiosity is the foundation for every scientist’s motivation to understand complex problems,” said Chandler Woo, a senior chemistry major at Mississippi State. “Exploring the uncharted and finding answers to a problem that has not been successfully solved is what excites me about research in general.”

A Mississippi State University faculty member is reaching national audiences with an upcoming book that tackles a deeply human challenge—the fundamental need for restful sleep.

As a faculty member in MSU’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Jacob Tschume savors the moments his students begin understanding daunting formulas and abstract concepts. “Helping students—being able to see their light bulb click—is what I love most,” he said.