Forensic Biology Major Rachel Stanchek receives academic athletic award

Rachel Stanchek, a rising senior Forensic Biology major, was recently recognized with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference's Women's Elite 26 Award. This annual recognition goes to one athlete from each sport in the GMAC competing at the conference championship with the highest overall GPA. Rachel was recognized in Women's Swimming and Diving, out competing nominees from 12 other schools in the conference.

Rachel presenting at URCA 2026

Rachel writes that: "It's really cool to be recognized for this, and it was not something I expected to win. In my opinion, swimming is a sport where student athletes usually take a lot of pride in academics as well as athletics. I've always been a school comes first person, so being able to prioritize my academics while still competing at the collegiate level has been a huge learning curve but also something I'm really proud of. It's always nice to see hard work pay off, but the recognition is not something I expected."

"I am still focused on a career in forensic science. My goal is to become a crime scene investigator although I think careers in criminal investigations also sound interesting. This summer I'll be coaching while I also start work on writing my honors capstone. After I complete my degree, I plan to get a job hopefully in the forensics or criminal justice field (still looking for different options!)."

Rachel recently presented her undergraduate research with AU faculty member Cindy Perkovich at our Spring URCA event.

AU Alumnus Steve Walczak ('19) working as a forensic scientist in Tennessee

Steve Walczak graduated from AU in 2019 with a Biology major and concentration in Forensic Biology interested in pursuing a career as a DNA analyst. After working eight months in a clinical lab in Pennsylvania, Steve took a position as a Special Agent Forensic Scientist with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, where he has worked for the past three and a half years in serology and DNA analysis, as well as a crime science investigator with the Violent Crime Response team. Steve has also been key in helping more recent AU forensic biology graduates with their job searches, helping recruit at least one other AU graduate to Tennessee. You can find Steve on LinkedIn. We asked Steve a few questions about his career path and and experience since graduating from AU:

What has your career path been since graduating from AU?

I graduated from AU in May of 2019 and spent the summer and fall applying for any forensic science job that I could. It did not matter the state in which I was applying. I had a few interviews along the way, but nothing truly panned out. So, a few days before the COVID shutdown, I was hired as a Specimen Prep Technician at a clinical lab, Associated Clinical Laboratories, a sister company of Quest Diagnostics. I spent from March 2020 to September 2020 working there. In July of 2020, I interviewed for a position within the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and was hired and started in October of 2020. I have been a Special Agent Forensic Scientist in the Forensic Biology Unit ever since.

How did your AU education prepare you for your career?

AU helped prepare me in several ways. With the class sizes being so small, it was easy to get that 1 on 1 with the professor. This helped me whenever I had any questions or wanted to sit down and talk. It made it easier to get a recommendation letter from them. I gained the ability to talk to and hold conversations with people in management positions. My major gave me the ability to apply for many forensic science jobs. Those types of jobs require specific classes and/or a certain amount of chemistry hours. I was able to get all of those in just my 4 years at AU. To get a job in a Forensic Biology Unit, 4 specific classes are needed and the track I was on, they were built into the program. The coursework gave me the opportunity to learn the basics behind the technical side, the science, behind what I do. Even down to some of the techniques that we learn in the lab, pipetting for example. At some larger universities, the students might not learn how to do so. So, knowing that ahead of time makes learning that aspect of my job easier.

What advice do you have for our upcoming graduates as they prepare for a career after college?

I would say, do not be afraid to apply to as many jobs as you can. Getting in the forensics field is competitive and stressful. Don’t be afraid to interview whenever you get the opportunity, the more you interview, the better chance you have to land that job. The more I did, the less nervous I became, and the quality of the interview increased. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to a lab or to someone who knows someone who works in the lab. For me personally, I am happy to talk to you and explain how things work, what life is like, etc.... One thing I wish I had when I was going through that time in my life was that ability to reach out to someone and ask questions.

AU Alumna publishes her research and continues studies at Wright State University

AU forensic biology and toxicology alumna Maria Kern (’20) is the author of a recent paper on her Honors’ Thesis research, titled “Buyer beware: Inexpensive, high cadmium jewelry can pose severe health risks.”  The paper was published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, and reports the results of extractions that Maria performed to determine how much cadmium could be released if jewelry containing as much as 90% cadmium by weight is mouthed or swallowed.  Her results show the potential for serious hazards from this jewelry.  The paper was co-authored by Dr. Mallorie Boron, who had previously done work on the potential of high cadmium to release cadmium when disposed of in landfills, and Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer, who supervised the work.

Maria has kept busy in the past year, just graduating with a Master’s degree in Toxicology from Wright State.  This program focused on Leadership in science, and she found that it greatly improved her leadership, communication, writing, and presentation skills. Maria offered some comments on her experience at Ashland. 

What was the most valuable aspect of working on your research project?

The two most valuable aspects of this research project were the technical skills and the confidence that I gained from completing the project. I learned so much over the course of this project about how to conduct research in the lab, develop timelines, set deadlines, record data for later use, and how to combine everything into a paper that was eventually published. I also learned many technical skills specific to laboratory methods, instrumentation, data analysis, quality control, and even cleaning that will be used throughout my entire career as a scientist. Upon completing the project, I gained much more confidence in myself and my abilities as a scientist. It really proved to me that I was capable of completing extended research projects and then publishing the data for the rest of the scientific community and the word to see. 

How did your time at Ashland prepare you for the future?

Without my time at Ashland, I do not think I would be where I am today. Because of the small class sizes, I got lots of hands on experience in the lab, and formed close relationships with several of my professors, making it easy to ask for help when I needed it. During my time in the Honors Program, I completed a three-semester long research project, which instilled me with many technical skills that will be useful during the rest of my career as a scientist. 

What were the highlights of the AU Science Program for you?

The small class sizes and the abundant research opportunities are both highlights of the AU science program. Small class sizes allow for a free flow of ideas during class discussions, as well as allowing students and professors to form relationships outside of the classroom. Smaller class sizes and better relationships with professors also make it easier to ask for help or get further clarification on subjects you may be struggling with. The research opportunities at AU are remarkable, and really sets AU apart from other universities. There are numerous projects going on at any given time, in many different majors. This ensures that any interested student can participate in extra research and learn hand-on skills if they are interested.Both of these are huge highlights of the science program at AU and some of the reasons that I chose to attend AU. They are also both reasons that I will now recommend the AU science program to anyone who asks, and something that I will always be grateful for participating in. 

Ashland Alumna named director of Office of Emergency Management at Johns Hopkins Hospital

Alumna Mary Brown (Ashland ’13, Forensic Biology) has recently been named director of the Office of Emergency Management at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.  Mary served as interim director prior to being named director, and as interim director Mary oversaw the Johns Hopkins Hospital Incident Command structure and was deeply involved in pandemic response activities, including the launch of the COVID-19 testing tent and COVID-19 vaccine clinics.  Prior to that, she served as emergency management specialist, responding to more than 30 emergencies. 

Following her time at Ashland, Mary served as a Postbaccalaureate Research Fellow at the National Institutes of Health, and then earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

How did your time at Ashland prepare you for the future?

“I believe every step taken, including my time at Ashland University, plays a part in my success today as Director of Emergency Management at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. One of the most influential opportunities I took part of at Ashland was undergraduate research in the Department of Biology. The individualized training I received by the Posner Lab helped develop the skills needed to excel in a competitive research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health post-graduation, which then further opened doors as my career progressed. I am thankful for my time at Ashland University to help build the solid foundation for where I am today.”   

 What was the best part of your Ashland University experience?

“The best part of my undergraduate experience has to be the life-long friendships I made while at Ashland University. From the friends made through the Departments of Biology and Chemistry, the Center of Religious Life, the Rec Center, and everywhere else in between – I really cherish those friendships gained during my time at Ashland.

Additionally, I would be remiss not to mention convo being a highlight of my experience. Any graduate of Ashland University can think back on their favorite meal in convo – mine was salmon day! “

What were the highlights of the AU Science Program for you?

“I took a variety of courses in the Kettering Science Center as I pursued a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Ashland University. The best part of my experience in the Science Program were the faculty who every day demonstrated their passion for their work, were committed to the success of their students, and provided countless opportunities to challenge and prepare us for our future careers. I am grateful for every Ashland University Science Program faculty member who helped me get to where I am today as the first female Director of Emergency Management at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.”

Toxicology student presents research on Pesticide Analysis

Cillian Donahue, a senior Toxicology and Biology major (with a concentration in Forensic Biology) from Strongsville, had the opportunity to present her research on “Using Passive Sampling as a Method for Pesticide Analysis” at the recent National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in New Orleans.  Cillian has been investigating a new method using silicone tubing to absorb pesticides from sediment for her Honors Capstone project.  She is supervised by Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer (Chemistry) and Dr. Andrew Trimble (Toxicology).

Cillian writes that the feedback she received will be useful for other presentations of her research in the coming year, and that she was able to see projects that that Honors Students around the country are working on.  While in New Orleans, Cillian had the opportunity to check out a couple of museums related to her scientific interests – the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum and the New Orleans Museum of Death, which has memorabilia related to famous crimes among other forensic-related topics. 

The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum (photos below) was located in a pharmacy that was founded in the 1800s. The building housed old pharmaceutical equipment and various questionable medications. Tinctures ranged from mixtures of cocaine and red wine, to heroin and sodas. In addition, there was no shortage of heavy metals, including lead coated pills for the rich, and lead baby bottles to sooth young ones. Overall, Cillian found the museum was very educational and interesting, particularly for Toxicology majors. 

                               

Ashland Toxicology and Forensic Biology major receives Ohio EPA scholarship

Senior Maria Kern is the latest AU Science student to receive a $2500 scholarship from the Ohio EPA’s Environmental Education Fund. Maria has conducted environmental science research as part of our University’s water monitoring program at our Black Fork wetlands preserve. More recently she has started a new research project with chemistry professor Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer. In the summer of 2018 Maria was part of the field research internship program at Central Michigan University. Maria is also a member of the University’s honors program and a Choose Ohio First scholar.

Maria writes about her new scholarship:

Winning the 2019 OEEF Scholarship was a great start to my senior year. This award provides valuable scholarship opportunities which allow natural science students with experience in environmental research to continue their education. This award will allow me to focus more fully on my classes and research without having to worry about covering the cost of books or any tuition not covered by other scholarships. Additional focus on my research will increase the quality of my capstone which I will be defending in the spring, and may create new job opportunities for me after graduation.  

Maria is the 24th Ashland University science student to be chosen for the Ohio EPA scholarship since 2006, including four just last year.

AU grad receives prestigious Yeager Award

Corianna Borton ’19 (center) with adviser Dr. Brian Mohney (center left) and co-adviser Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer (center right).

May 2019 AU graduate Corianna Borton was selected as the recipient of this year’s Ernest B. Yeager award by the Cleveland Chapter of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy (SAS) and the Analytical Topics Group of the American Chemical Society (ACS).   The Yeager Award honors the memory of Ernest B. Yeager, the Frank Hovorka Professor Emeritus at Case Western Reserve University who was known for his pioneering contributions to the fundamental understanding of electrochemical reactions and to the development of fuel cell and battery technology.

The award was presented on May 22^nd at the annual Conference on Spectroscopy and Analytical Chemistry at John Carroll University, where Borton gave a presentation of her research that has focused on collecting, separating and analyzing plant root exudates (harmala alkaloids) from Syrian rue in soil using silicone tube microextraction probes—a technique for repeated sampling of lipophilic compounds in soil developed in Dr. Mohney’s and Dr. Weidenhamer’s lab.  Syrian Rue releases molecules into the soil that affect the growth of other plants in the vicinity and negatively impact organisms that live in the soil near the plant.  Borton’s technique utilized silicone probes to sequester and concentrate lipophilic organic compounds allowing her to quantify the root and soil alkaloids.   Once sequestered, compounds were extracted from the silicone and the concentration of each compound was measured using ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), fluorescence spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography with UV and fluorescence detection.   She has used these techniques to probe the dynamic release of harmala alkaloids from plants and to examine the effect the alkaloids have on monocot and dicot plants. The Yeager award recognizes Borton’s achievements in independent research, particularly in the application of spectroscopy to the analysis of these root exudates.  She received a certificate, a $400 monetary award and a year's membership in SAS.

This is the third time an AU student or students have been selected to win this prestigious award.  Corianna’s co-adviser, Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer, professor of chemistry, received the award as an AU undergraduate student in 1979, and Jennifer Miller Tully and Daphne Guinnwere selected as co-recipients in 2011 for their work on cadmium contamination of inexpensive jewelry.

Dr. Mohney notes, “The Yeager Award is quite an honor for both Corianna and for Ashland University.  Corianna has been an exceptional member of Ashland University’s Honors program. She has excelled in using analytical and instrumental methods at solving research problems and has been able to perform high-level independent research at a graduate-student level since her junior year at Ashland.“ Corianna is pursuing a career in forensic science, and has been accepted into the Bowling Green State University Master’s Program in Forensic Chemistry.