Ashland microbiologist presents on integrating research and teaching at national conference

Paul Hyman, Assistant Professor in the Biology/Toxicology department, gave a talk and presented a poster entitled “Integrating Teaching and Research: Mutant Identification and Characterization for Host Range Study” at the 20th Evergreen International Phage Meeting. The meeting was held in August in Olympia, Washington.

Ashland University students Rachel Farley and Nathaniel Green were co-authors on the presentations, which described a series of classroom lab exercises and a related student research project that Dr. Hyman has developed. The class exercises allow Biology students to identify bacteria containing particular classes of mutations and identify a specific mutation by sequencing the gene. These bacteria are later used in a student research project. In addition to using the bacteria to study pathogen evolution, the research students are identifying ways that improve the classroom exercise. The two settings, classroom and research lab, thus both support each other and allow all of the students to contribute to a single research program.

Alumna serving with AmeriCorps

Megan Liggett '13

Alumna Megan Liggett (’13, Biochemistry) reports that she has found a position serving with AmeriCorps with the Monday Creek Restoration Project in southeastern Ohio:

Megan writes: “I am serving as an AmeriCorps State and National volunteer with the nonprofit organization Rural Action.  Rural Action consists of a variety of projects including watershed restoration projects, Environmental Education, and Zero Waste Initiative, as well as work with several partner organizations, all working towards the goal of environmental, economic, and social development in Appalachian Ohio.  My specific assignment is with the Monday Creek Restoration Project in New Straitsville, Ohio.  Monday Creek has been heavily affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) as a result of mining that has occurred in the area over the past century. The primary goal of this project is to work with the community within the Monday Creek Watershed to address AMD and other environmental factors in order to improve the water quality of Monday Creek and its tributaries, and to improve the overall health of the watershed.  Over the course of the next 12 months I will be involved in a wide variety of projects including chemical water quality assessment, biological assessments, environmental education, training, and community involvement, as well as a number of other tasks both in Monday Creek and Rural Action.  I’m very excited to have this opportunity to serve the community in such a unique way, while learning skills that will help me with my future career and making memories that will last a lifetime.”

Monday Creek

Three Environmental Science majors awarded competitive scholarships by Ohio EPA

This month we learned that three seniors majoring in Environmental Science have been awarded $2,500 scholarships by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for the 2013-2014 academic year.  The three students are Cassie Nix (EVS/Biology/Toxicology, AU’14), Mitch Ramsey (EVS/Geology, AU’14), and Zack Weilnau (EVS/Biology, AU’14).

“The scholarship program is administered by the Ohio Academy of Science. It is designed to motivate students to enter environmental fields of science and engineering and reward outstanding undergraduate students based on merit.” (Aug. 8, 2013 News Release from OEPA)

Cassie Nix (AU'14) with Mt. Hood, OR, in background.  Cassie plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology.

Criteria for selection include GPA, recommendation letters, extra-curricular activities, and ability to communicate effectively.  Students present evidence of “original research, scholarship, employment, volunteering or other unique contributions they have accomplished in environmental science or environmental engineering.”

In 2012, two Environmental Science/Biology majors, Kelly Sullivan and Amanda Kriner, were awarded this same scholarship for their senior year (2012-2013).  Altogether, the awards to these five students represent an outstanding level of success for AU Environmental Science students in recent years:

“Within the past year [2012-2013] Ashland University students have received more Ohio environmental science and engineering scholarships of the $63,500 awarded from The Ohio Academy of Science and the Ohio Environmental Education Fund than students at any of the other 15 Ohio schools with students receiving scholarships.” 

 --Dr. Lynn Elfner, CEO, Ohio Academy of Science

Congratulations to all!

Zack Weilnau (AU'14) plans to work in a wildlife/zoo setting and/or be a Physician's Assistant.

Mitch Ramsey (AU'14) plans to go to graduate school in meteorology.

Environmental Science alumna working in bioassessment

Environmental Science alumna Rachel  Day ('11) reports back that she will be completing her MS degree at Miami of Ohio this December and has already started a job with the Midwest Biodiversity Institute, an environmental assessment organization.  Rachel writes that:

My position as chemical crew leader assists with the collection of data for a bioassessment of the Great Miami River. Some of my work will include deploying a datasonde at each sampling site to acquire a profile of the water chemistry. I'll also be obtaining sediment and surface water grab samples to send to a lab in Cincinnati for testing.

Rachel mentions that the environmental sampling and assessment experience she gained in the Limnology course here at AU was a big plus when applying for this position.

Do you have news about a new career move?  Please let us know so that we can mention you on this blog, our Facebook page or electronic newsletter.

Ashland Biology major entering dental school at Case Western Reserve University

Recent graduate Zack Haley (Biology '13) will be starting this Fall at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine.  Zack conducted research for three years with Dr. Mason Posner while at Ashland and had the opportunity to present his work at the 2012 annual meeting of the Ohio Academy of Sciences and at two undergraduate research symposia held at Ashland University.

Zack's research examined how a type of stress protein involved in preventing diseases as diverse as lens cataract, cancer and Alzheimer's disease are produced.  Zack used the model fish species the zebrafish to examine how regions of DNA that switch on the production of these stress proteins work.  The image below shows a 3-day old zebrafish that is glowing green wherever one of these DNA switches is active. This image was part of a poster presentation given by Dr. Posner at the 2013 meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology last month in Seattle, Washington.

Green fluorescent protein showing activation of a DNA
switch for a disease preventing stress protein

In addition to his research experience, Zack's coursework at Ashland University and his shadowing experiences with local dentists paved the way for his successul application to an excellent dental school.

Ashland Toxicology and Environmental Science major in summer internship with DHS

Senior Cassie Nix, a double major in Toxicology and Environmental Science, is spending her summer in Washington State as a paid research intern with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  Cassie is taking part in the Homeland Security related Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (HS-STEM) Summer Internship Program.  Her assignment is with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington, working on a project entitled "Improving Emergency Preparedness for Incidents Involving Airborne Release of Hazardous Chemicals".

Cassie recently wrote us the following:

I started today (Washington is AWESOME). I will be researching several respiratory irritants and their effects to humans if released in mixtures. There are over 3000 chemicals in their database, and each is classified by its specific modes of action, PAC's and health code numbers. Using this data, a hazard index is generated for the mixture of chemicals. If over one, then action may need to be taken to address adverse human health effects.

Biochemistry Alum Receives Medical Degree

Congratulations to Dr. Rebecca Loi (Biochemistry, ’08), who graduated from SABA University School of Medicine this June and is now waiting to begin a residency to complete her medical training.  During her time at Ashland, Rebecca conducted research with Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer on the measurement of monoterpenes within plants using solid phase microextraction.  Rebecca, who is originally from Malaysia, is one of several international students who have graduated from Ashland in recent years with a degree in the sciences.