The Outstanding Reseacher award recognizes faculty members for their dedication, perserverance, and outstanding work in externally sponsored research. A reception will be held November 4, 2009, in the Breezdale Library from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

This is a two-year project to study White Nose Syndrome, which is associated with widespread bat mortality in the Northeastern United States, including the endangered Indiana bat. The initiative involves states in the eastern part of the country from New Hampshire to Virginia.

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 on the Allegheny Front website. Check the archives for the weeks of July 15 (Golden-Wing Habitat) and August 12, 2009 (Woodrats).

The symposium was held at the University of Washington in Seattle from September 8–12, 2009. Symposium attendees represented several countries including, Russia, Canada, the U.S., Poland, Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, and Japan.

Award winners were:

• Thomas Melvin, “Gauging the Nature of Science for Non-Science Majors” (Faculty Advisor, Dr. Tom Lord) [Outstanding Paper Presentation Award]
• Patricia Tolu-Ajayi, "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.” (Faculty Advisor, Dr. Barkley Butler) [Best Poster Award and Best Bibliography Award from IUP Libraries]
• Joseph Rocco, "Induction and Modulation of Host Murine Toll-Like Receptor-2 (TLR2) and Cytokine Responses on Infection with Different Mycobacterium avium serovars and their ssGPL Mutants" (Faculty Advisor, Dr. Vida Irani) [Sigma Xi Best Science Posters Award (second place) and Best Posters Award]
• Danielle Botelho, "Metabolic Responses of Acid Mine Drainage and Non-Acid Mine Drainage Campostoma anomalum" (Faculty Advisor, Dr. David Pistole) [Best Bibliography Award from IUP Libraries]

Joseph Rocco and Patricia Tolu-Ajayi

Professionals in the field, as well as students from IUP, Shippensburg, Juniata College, York College, Missouri State University, Chatham University, Pennsylvania State University, and Pennsylvania State University–Altoona, gave talks. Dylan Schneider was named Best Student Paper and Lindsey Heffernan, and Hance Ellington each were named runners-up for Best Student Paper.

From left: Lindsey Heffernan, Dylan Schneider, and Hance Ellington

The authors and titles of the IUP graduate student presentations were:

• DeVivo, M. T., J. E. Duchamp, J. D. Kougher, L. M. Heffernan, J. L. Larkin, J. M. DeBerti, and M. J. Gritzer. 2009. Elk Calf Survival, Movements, and Neonatal Habitat Use in Northcentral Pennsylvania. Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Chapter of The Wildlife Society. State College, PA. March 28.
• Ellington, H. E., S. Gess, J. E. Duchamp, J. L. Larkin, M. J. Lovallo, and M. Dzialak. 2009. Resource Selection of a Re-colonizing Fisher Population in Pennsylvania. Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Chapter of The Wildlife Society. State College, PA. March 28.
• Evans, A. M., J. E. Duchamp, J. L. Larkin, and M. White. A Comparison of Nest Site Characteristics Between Successful and Unsuccessful Cerulean Warbler Nests.
• Gess, S. W., H. E. Ellington, J. E. Duchamp, J. L. Larkin, and M. J. Lovallo. Characteristics of Fisher (Martes pennanti) Rest Sites in Southcentral Pennsylvania.
• Grata, J., J. L. Larkin, and J. E. Duchamp. Assessing Golden-Winged Warbler Breeding Habitat in Northcentral Pennsylvania.
• Heffernan, L. M., J. E. Duchamp, J. D. Kougher, M. T. DeVivo, J. L. Larkin, J. M. DeBerti, and M. J. Gritzer. Influence of Age, Sex, Season, and Landscape Composition on Diets of Elk in Northcentral Pennsylvania.
• Hoffman, J. N., J. E. Duchamp, and J. L. Larkin. Response of Allegheny Woodrat Populations to Varying Levels of Human Disturbance on Chestnut Ridge, Pennsylvania.
• Kougher, J. D., J. E. Duchamp, M. T. DeVivo, L. M. Heffernan, J. L. Larkin, J. M. DeBerti, and M. J. Gritzer. 2009. Multiple Scale Resource Selection by Elk in Northcentral Pennsylvania.
• Schneider, D. R., J. E. Duchamp, J. L. Larkin, C. Barton, and J. Cox. Salamander Communities of Ephemeral Streams in a Mixed Mesophytic Forest of Eastern Kentucky.
• Wester, J. C., J. L. Larkin, J. Humphreys, and S. Bi. Assessing Diet and Disease in a Re-colonizing Fisher Population in Pennsylvania.
• Winner, J. Z., J. L. Larkin, and C. M. Butchkoski. Migratory Patterns and Behavior of the Eastern Red Bat Along the Allegheny Mountains of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Funding was awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation via Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Dr. Larkin’s research is part of a larger effort by a team of international scientists that is examining the habitat needs and demographics of this bird species that is critically threatened.

In recognition of Dr. Larkin’s grant-funded research on the Golden-winged Warbler as well as other wildlife species, including Elk, Cerulean Warbler, Allegheny Woodrat, and Fisher, he received the 2009 IUP Graduate Dean’s Award for Outstanding Commitment to Sponsored Projects.

The students are:

• Mary Mock studying “Golden-winged Warblers and Their Use of Natural Gas Well Sites” with Dr. Larkin
• Richard Biemiller studying “Seasonal Variation of Macroinvertebrates in Naturally Occurring Leaf Packs” with Dr. Brenneman
• Danielle Botelho studying ”Effects of Acid Mine Drainage on the Metabolism of Minnows” with Dr. Pistole
• Ken Glassford studying “Biology Comparison Between the Roles of Tumor Suppressor Gene p53 and Oncogene BCI-2 as Indicators for Localized Prostate Cancer Using Immunohistochemical Analysis” with Dr. Butler
• William Glassford studying “The Significance of ERα in the Doming Effect of Tamoxifen on the MCF-7 Cell Line” with Dr. Butler
• Eric Goodrich studying “The Effect of Caffeine on Circadian and Ultradian Rhythms in Paramecium tetraurelia” with Dr. Hinrichsen
• Dennis Hock studying “The Comparative Morphology and Evolutionary Similarities of Constricting Colubrids” with Dr. Pistole
• Lynda Jones studying “Biology Circadian and Ultradian Rhythms in Paramecium tetraurelia—Lithium Disruption as a Means to Ascertain Their Relationship” with Dr. Hinrichsen
• Christie Ritchey studying “The Effect of Melatonin on the Circadian Rhythims of Paramecium tetraurealia” with Dr. Hinrichsen
• Patricia Tolu-Ajayi studying “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”

These include school and summer programs offered by the Crooked Creek Environmental Learning Center, the Junior Naturalist Outdoor Adventure Camps run by American Adventure Sports, the Upward Bound Math and Science program offered at IUP, the Armstrong County Envirothon, and work with field trips, school visits and youth programs. She is active as chairman of the Crooked Creek Environmental Learning Center Steering Committee, as coordinator for the Jefferson County Animal Response Team, and has presented teacher workshops on inquiry in science and using insects in the classroom. She is also the coauthor of a book on the ferns and fern allies of Pennsylvania.