Come join the discussion about the impacts and responses to global warming. There will be several planned activities and opportunities to get involved.

All interested persons are welcome!

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Program was created to encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering and to foster excellence in those fields. Current sophomores and juniors in these fields who have excellent academic credentials and are interested in a research career are invited to attend these meetings. Freshman may attend to learn about preparations for a future scholarship application.

To be eligible, students must be pursuing a graduate degree in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computational sciences, or environmental sciences during 2010–2011. Full details, including eligibility, stipends, and application information, can be found at the Department of Energy Office of Science page.

IUP College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Kaplan’s Practice Test is a terrific opportunity for prospective graduate, medical, and dental students to answer a critical question, "If I took the exam today, would I be prepared for the test questions?"

Last year, tens of thousands of Kaplan Practice Test participants assessed their test-taking skills while learning valuable strategies to help them ace the real test. Since admission to graduate school is fierce, a high exam score is crucial to the admissions process.

We would like to invite you to participate in the Kaplan Practice Test event taking place on campus on Saturday, October 24. To register, students may call 1-800-KAP-TEST or visit the Kaplan website.

If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Seisek by phone at 412-621-4620, ext. 0.

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The social will be held the area between Walsh/Weyandt halls and the Northern Suites. In the case of inclement weather, the event will be held in the lobby of Weyandt Hall. We especially welcome our new freshmen. Many student organizations in the college will be represented at informational tables.

Application instructions are available on line at the National Science Foundation. For further information concerning benefits, eligibility, and tips on applying, applicants are encouraged to visit the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes website or the National Science Foundation.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI) is a flagship international fellowship program for developing the next generation of globally-engaged U.S. scientists and engineers knowledgeable about the Asian and Pacific regions. The Summer Institutes are hosted by foreign counterparts committed to increasing opportunities for young U.S. researchers to work in research facilities and with host mentors abroad. Fellows are supported to participate in eight-week research experiences at host laboratories in Australia, China, Japan (10 weeks), Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan from June to August. The program provides a $5,000 summer stipend, round-trip airfare to the host location, living expenses abroad, and an introduction to the society, culture, language, and research environment of the host location.

NSF recognizes the importance of enabling U.S. researchers and educators to advance their work through international collaborations and the value of ensuring that future generations of U.S. scientists and engineers gain professional experience beyond this nation’s borders early in their careers. The program is intended for U.S. graduate students pursuing studies in fields supported by the National Science Foundation. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply for the EAPSI. Applicants must be enrolled in a research-oriented master’s or Ph.D. program and be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents by the application deadline date. Students in combined bachelor’s/master’s degree programs must have matriculated from the undergraduate degree program at time of application.

The first Summer Institutes began in Japan in 1990, and to date approximately 1,800 U.S. graduate students have participated in the program. For the 2009 competition, NSF received 317 applications and issued 187 awards. EAPSI applicants are representative of most U.S. states and territories. The 2009 awardees pool included representation from ninety-five universities and forty states.

The NSF-EAPSI Operations Center (eapsi@asee.org or 1-866-501-2922) is administered by the American Society for Engineering Education.

IUP College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The presentation is on Friday, September 18, 2009, at 2:30 p.m. in Weyandt Hall, room 331. Light refreshments will be provided.

Dr. Houseknecht will discuss how you can increase your annual salary by $10,000 to $20,000 via a one-semester program at Penn State, where you gain clean room experience, work with the latest instrumentation, and prepare for internships. See Nano4me.org for more details.

IUP College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Together, Larkin and Duchamp have been studying Pennsylvania’s Allegheny woodrat population. The woodrat can provide vital information about forest health. In an earlier interview, Larkin’s research on the impact of habitat changes on golden-winged warbler populations was described. The interviews were conducted by The Allegheny Front, environmental radio for Western Pennsylvania, and can be heard at the Allegheny Front website; check the archives for the weeks of July 15 (Golden-wing Habitat) and August 12, 2009 (Woodrats).

Dr. Kupchella replaces Dr. Fred Morgan, who left the position due to his imminent retirement. The college thanks Dr. Morgan for his service and welcomes Dr. Kupchella to his new position.

This visit involves the inspection of any vertebrate animals involved in research or teaching, the facilities in which animal subjects are housed and research is conducted, as well as the files and protocols of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Once again, the university was found to be in compliance with all the USDA regulations regarding animal health and welfare. Dr. Bill Meil, Psychology Department, is chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and is responsible for ensuring that IUP meets all USDA standards.

College of Natural Sciences and mathematics

Dr. Adkins has served as a member of most of the important committees in the Mathematics Department and has been chair of many, including the Graduate Curriculum Committee and the Service Courses Committee. He also serves as the graduate coordinator of the Applied Mathematics M.S. program and, since arriving at IUP, has contributed greatly to the direction and development of that program.

Within the college, he has served as chair of the NSM Technology Committee, developed the on-line Science Festival Registration website, and is a member of the Visiting Scientist Program. He also plays a key role in Sigma Xi, serving as secretary-treasurer and vice president.

At the university level, he served on a Middle States Review subcommittee and as chairperson of the Liberal Studies Subcommittee on Science of the Natural World.

He has shared his expertise with the community through presentations at the Annual Science Festival, at workshops on computer controlled robotics for secondary school students, and through his active participation in the ARIN-IUP Mentorship Program. Dr. Adkins has provided extensive service to the PASSHE by utilizing his extensive knowledge of technology to help develop the Keystone University Network.

Dr. Hershman served as the director of the Teacher Education Program, as a member of the NSM Pre-Professional Committee, as a fund raiser for the Physics M.S. graduate program and was a member and often chair of almost every Physics Department committee. He served as chair of the Department prior to his retirement in 2007.

He led many curriculum development projects, including the Kids and Computers videotapes, which were sold to Vernier Software, the Physical Science for Fine Arts course, and the development of the Liberal Studies 499 course Exploring Science with the Computer.

Dr. Hershman was especially effective in outreach to regional physics teachers and served as the director of the IUP Alliance of Physics. He received an ExCEL grant for $150,000 for support of the Science Education Program, a $100,000 grant for supporting second certification in Physics for high school teachers,and was a co-PI on the Electro-Optics PA DCED 2+2+2 EO program, which has provided over $500,000.

Dr. Hershman’s extensive dedication to serving the success of IUP students is best demonstrated by his continuing to regularly tutor students in Physics during his retirement years. His selfless contribution in helping students understand physics is greatly appreciated by the students being served as well as by his faculty colleagues.

Details about eligibility and how to apply can be found on the scholarship page.

• Dr. George Long, professor of Chemistry, received the Sponsored Programs Award for Outstanding Achievement in Curriculum and Instruction.
• The New Investigator Award was given to Dr. Katherine L. Farnsworth, assistant professor of Geoscience.
• The Graduate Dean’s Award for Outstanding Commitment to Sponsored Programs was awarded to Dr. Jeffery L. Larkin, assistant professor of Biology.

These three faculty members continue the long tradition of excellence in research exhibited by faculty members in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

He was recognized at the recent University Honors Day and will be recognized again at the University Commencement. Details can be found at the IUP Reporter page. 

This year, forty-two women (four faculty members and thirty-eight students) presented thirty-five research posters.  A panel of judges, composed of  Dr. Seema Bharathan (Biology), Dr. Nate McElroy (Chemistry), Dr. Mark Palumbo (Psychology), Dr. Ruiess Ramsey (Chemistry, Professor Emeritus), and Dr. Janet Walker (Mathematics), and coordinated by Dr. Vida Irani (Biology),  recognized five undergraduate and two graduate projects.

Undergraduate Student Awards

First Place Award

• Ashley Hill
  Biology (Pre-Med)
  Supervisor: Seema Bharathan
  “Determination of the Optimum Concentration of Monoclonal Antibody BCI-2 to be used in Immunohistochemical Analysis of Prostate Cancer Tissues”

Second Place Awards

• Caitlin Williamson
  Biochemistry
  Supervisor: Keith Kyler
  “Calcium Tungstate: A Convenient Recoverable Catalyst for Hydrogen Peroxide”
• Amy Devlin
  Chemistry
  Supervisor: Nathan McElroy
  “Effect of pH on Uptake Rates of Non-Polar Organics by Semi-Permeable Membranes”

Third Place Awards

• Patricia Tolu-Ajayi
  Biology (Pre-Med)
  Supervisor: W. Barkley Butler
  “Effects of Temperature on the Ability of Tamoxifen (Novaldex), A Drug Used in the Treatment of Breast Cancer, to Induce Breast Cancer Cells to Behave More Like Normal Cells” 
• Rachel DeStefano and Kelsi Lindblad
  Biology Education
  Supervisor: Tim Nuttle
  “The Hormetic Response to Roundup in Brassica Rapa”

Graduate Student Awards

First Place Award

• Galit Regev and Nikki Kibe
  Biochemistry/Biology
  Supervisor: N. Bharathan
  “Characterization of Salicylic Acid Treated Mutant for Double Stranded RNA in the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Rhizoctonia Solani: Isolate 303”

Second Place Award

• Anindita Sengupta
  Physics
  Supervisor: Feng Zhou
  “A Fiber-Optic Q-Switch Based on Electro-Optic Ceramic for Fiber Lasers”

Congratulations to the award winners, and thank you for your participation in and support of this event.  We look forward to next year’s event, and hope for an even larger turnout.

We will be accepting submissions through April 1.

Congratulations to our students and their faculty mentors!

The session will be led by representatives of the Princeton Review. The first hour will give general strategies for the test, and the second hour will offer strategies for the math section.

Space is limited, so please RSVP to Se Hee Kim (rdcn@iup.edu) by Saturday, February 21.

The college would like to thank the faculty members who coordinate each program: Dr. Mike Briggs (Chemistry), Dr. Ken Coles (Geoscience), Dr. Stan Sobelewski (Physics), Dr. Holly Travis (Biology), and Dr. Janet Walker (Mathematics).

Please note that this is a public area of the Northern Suites and I-card entry is not required—simply use the main entrance. There will be light refreshments and door prizes. Representatives from the college’s student organizations will also be present.

The recipients are as follows:

Dean’s Scholarship

Ashley M. Hague, Geoscience Department
Marissa L. Umbel, Physics Department

The Patricia Hilliard-Robertson Scholarship

Christina L. Ritter, Geoscience Department

Albert R. Pechan Scholarship

Elizabeth C. Paladin, Chemistry Department

Wienken and Associates Scholarship

Beth M. Leverett, Chemistry Department

The Emerging Scholar Award recognizes outstanding rising sophomores studying at Phi Kappa Phi member institutions. Congratulations Deanna!

“Creating a Data Resource for Biology: Lessons from the Protein Data Bank” will be presented by Dr. Helen M. Berman of Rutgers University from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 2008, in Eberly Auditorium.

You are invited to attend! This presentation is open to the public and appropriate for a general audience. Please also encourage students to attend.

Description

There are many considerations when building a community resource for enabling science. One is the necessity of a scaleable infrastructure that can handle vast amounts and different types of data. This infrastructure must also be able to adapt to new and changing technologies. Another concern is how to solicit and incorporate the needs and wants of a variety of user communities. How are policies created and enforced? A case history of a global resource for science, the Protein Data Bank (PDB), will be presented. The PDB has been the archive for the three-dimensional coordinates for experimentally determined biological structures. Today, it is a resource used by researchers and students studying the structures of biological macromolecules and their relationships to sequence, function, and disease.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Berman is director of the RSCB Protein Data Bank, a repository for three-dimensional structural data of proteins and nucleic acids, and professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Rutgers University. Dr. Berman has contributed significantly to the understanding of the relationship between the structural properties of biological molecules and their biological functions. She also spearheaded the creation of the Nucleic Acid Database. Both these efforts have greatly helped the scientific community establish methods to collect, archive, and analyze structural data. Her research focuses primarily on the structures of protein-nucleic acid complexes and the role of water as a mediator in intermolecular interactions. Dr. Berman completed her Ph D. in 1967 at the University of Pittsburgh.

For more information, contact Rick Adkins by e-mail at fadkins@iup.edu or by phone at 724-357-3790.

Also find more information on the Sigma Xi website.

Join us for a tour of the current sky, weather permitting, followed by a star party with some classic telescopes (Newton’s telescope/The Galileo Project).

The telescope viewing will be at 8:00 p.m.

If it is clear, we will set up several telescopes on the lawn between McElhaney and Ackerman halls. The moon, Saturn, Mars, and several other celestial sights will be visible once it gets dark enough, shortly after 8:00 p.m. Come take a look!

This event is sponsored by the IUP Geoscience Department and the College of Natural Science and Mathematics.

The planetarium is on the first floor of Weyandt Hall, which is on the east side of the Oak Grove, next to Oakland Avenue. Weather permitting, participants are invited to observe the sky after the various planetarium shows.

Seating is limited; doors will open fifteen minutes before each show. Groups that wish to attend are asked to call in advance. For more information, call 724-357-5626 or 724-357-2379.

The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics invites you to the Women in Mathematics, Science, and Technology program, a module of Research Appreciation Week.