Whitman’s new Science Center, which opened for classes in September, is the focus of research, discussion, and study for chemistry students and faculty as well as those in other sciences. Adam Hardtke, ’03

2 Whitman Magazine Teaching and Learning c h e m i s t r y

The Stevens Atrium is airy and filled with space and light. Rising high on one side is a wall of Texas limestone embedded with thousands of small-animal fossils. A stairway of wood treads in an open framework of steel and glass sweeps up three floors in a shower of natural light from above. Through glass walls two chemistry laboratories are open to view, including one where large exhaust snorkels hang above student work- stations equipped with state-of-the-art scientific instruments. In these labs and three others in this new Science Center, lots of chemistry is going on. If you’re a chemistry student at Whitman College you will spend whole afternoons in a laboratory that has the latest and best instru- ments and equipment, a stockroom with all your supplies and solutions As classes begin in the close at hand, and the most advanced safety features available. Best of new Science Center, three students meet in the all there will be just you, your professor, and fewer than two dozen of Stevens Atrium. This your fellow students. brightly lit display case If you are a senior chemistry major, you will be working beside and others now contain various scientific instru- your professor in a lab with as few as five or six other students. You ments and collections of may have spent the previous summer working on a research project rare shells, fossils, and mineral samples. — continued on page 4

At left, a wall of windows provides a view of laboratory work carried on by Eric Hennen, left, Stephen Muir, and Ryan Nelson. In this lab, ceiling-mounted exhaust snorkels can be precisely directed to draw off fumes from an experiment.

3 Whitman Magazine along with graduate students at a university. Or, you may be collaborating with a Whitman professor on your own research project. “We have high expectations,” says Professor Chuck Templeton. “We expect students both to learn theory and to be able to apply it. We emphasize problem-solving, and we prepare our students thoroughly for graduate school or work in industry.” All senior chemistry majors do original research projects. Often they capture highly competitive summer research posi- tions offered by universities, or they collaborate with Whitman professors in research on campus or elsewhere, such as at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. Following the research, students write final research reports, or theses if they are aiming for honors in their major, and they present seminars on their work. The Whitman Under- graduate Conference serves as one opportunity, with many students giving multimedia-assisted presentations or poster presentations. “We really stress the need for students to be able to convey their science not only to other scientists but also to the general public,” Templeton says. Outstanding senior chemistry majors also have opportu- nities to present their research at professional meetings. Seven students, for example, will accompany Professor Frank Dunni- vant this spring to the national American Chemical Society meeting in New Orleans, where they will present their research. Whitman’s chemistry faculty back up their high expecta- tions for students with daily personal attention. And the new Science Center encourages interaction and collaboration among faculty and students. Faculty members have personal research labs adjacent to their offices where they can work with students, and the building’s many study lounges promote contact between students and faculty. “Students can work together to solve problems. They can write lab reports there, take exams, work with tutors, or just relax,” says Templeton. Most of all, he notes, the lounges make it easy for students and faculty to get together for casual conversation. Informal interaction like this is exactly the kind of experience that is most memorable to Whitman alumni.

The atrium stairway’s treads are of warm-grained wood, milled in Walla Walla from three locust trees that stood just west of the original science building. The

Adam Hardtke, ’03 old trees, at the end of their natural life span, were in danger of falling.

4 Whitman Magazine At work in the organic chemistry laboratory are, from left, Maggie Ross, Nick Zifcak, and Julia Barcelo.

In this lab, students do all of their work in large fume hoods, which make the laboratory safer and more pleasant when students are using volatile or hazardous compounds. Adam Hardtke, ’03 New laboratories enhance real science

ith 24 workstations apiece, three for the storage of hazardous and flam- or university labs. “We have acquired W laboratories in the new Science mable chemicals. about $500,000 worth of equipment Center accommodate eight sections Students taking instrumental meth- for approximately $6,000 in shipping of general chemistry during the week. ods, physical chemistry, or environ- charges,” Dunnivant says. Those Each is next to a satellite stockroom mental chemistry courses work in a instruments include two atomic absorp- which contains the supplies for the day laboratory that contains various pieces tion spectrophotometers. brought from the main stockroom to of high-tech instrumentation, some Occasionally a piece of instrumenta- be dispensed as needed. Next to each designed to do trace analysis of pollut- tion turns out to be a lemon. In that laboratory is a “balance room,” con- ants in air and water. case, Dunnivant and his students apply taining sensitive instruments on which Professor Frank Dunnivant has it to a different learning experience by students can weigh samples as light as acquired much of the instrumenta- taking it apart and using the parts to a human hair or a fingerprint. tion for this lab at little or no cost as build something else or to repair exist- Each laboratory has a learning cen- surplus from government, industry, ing instruments. ter for pre-lab lectures. “All students can see the chalkboard at the learning center from their workstations,” says Professor Chuck Templeton. “We can do the pre-lab lecture and discuss the experiment, then the students can immediately get to work. In addition, we can leave equations or other infor- mation on the board for reference.” In the organic chemistry lab, each student sets up his or her experiment at a workstation featuring a sink and controls for water, air, lights, voltage, heat, and vacuum. Each of these 24 workstations is contained within a large fume hood, which makes the laboratory safer when volatile or haz- ardous compounds are used. In addition, the organic chemistry stockroom and the main chemistry Instructor Deberah Simon confers with general chemistry students Andy stockroom contain vented cabinets McKeever, left, and Geoff Bergreen.

5 Whitman Magazine C h e m i s t r y S t u d e n t s John Terence Turner John Terence Senior chemistry major Josh Wnuk, left, and Assistant Professor Frank Dunnivant try out the software on Two seniors conduct research a brand new gas chromatograph. in environmental chemistry We had it “purring like a kitten,” says Wnuk. s a first-year student, Josh from Lynnwood, Washington. Wnuk became infected He believes his study will disprove A with chemistry professor decades of industrial research Frank Dunnivant’s enthusiasm. which has purported to show that As a senior, he is set on earning dredging is not detrimental to an a Ph.D. and pursuing a career in ecosystem. environmental chemistry. “Industry says that after the “Now I get to work side by side initial fast-release of adsorbed with Professor Dunnivant on pollutants from a particle of sedi- research that is really meaningful ment, there is no further signifi- to the ecosystems that are being cant release, even though a thin decimated by industrial practices.” filament of pollutant — the ‘slow- His senior research “revolves release phase’ — still adheres to around the issue of dredging and the sediment. the negative environmental impact “My research hopefully will that it has,” says Wnuk, who is show a mechanism illustrating the

6 Whitman Magazine The research Erin Finn did for her senior project is part of the body of continuing research that may develop into a way to clean up the Hanford nuclear waste site, she says. Below at right, Finn works in the lab with senior Ana Petrovic, left.

opposite. Once the particle has own research, Wnuk serves as an country clean up hazardous waste. settled and is buried by other parti- organic-lab assistant and instrument “I’m most definitely an environmental cles, it is no longer being purged by assistant for the chemistry depart- chemist although, as a sort of side- the water. During this period, the ment and tutors other students, a line, radiochemistry is really interest- pollutant forms a new fast-release task that is “unquestionably one of ing, too.” and slow-release phase. When my greatest pleasures,” he notes. The research she did for her the particle is agitated again, the Away from the Science Center, senior project is part of the body of new fast-release phase is purged, Wnuk works in Penrose Library as continuing research that may develop leading to adverse effects on the circulation student manager. Last fall, into a way to clean up the Hanford environment.” adding yet another responsibility, nuclear waste site. Last summer Wnuk was one he joined the debate team and plans “My senior research involved of three of Professor Dunnivant’s to continue competing during the doing kinetics studies on oxidizing students to work on developing spring semester. chromium by persulfate with a environmental education software silver catalyst. The presence of the packages under a Louis B. Perry rin Finn loves the outdoors — chromium in nuclear waste makes Scholar Award. His project took hiking, camping, pick-up the vitrification process impossible. him to waste-water and water treat- E sports, and especially white- Vitrification is the conversion of ment facilities to create a survey water rafting. It’s not surprising then, waste to a stable glass form that can and an informational film. that as a chemistry major, her inter- then be stored without fear of corro- In addition to working on his est is in studies that will help the sion or other breakdown, which is

7 Whitman Magazine summer she attended the Nuclear and Radiochemistry Summer School held at Brookhaven National Labora- tory in New York. Finn is applying to graduate schools for study in environmental chemistry. “I hope to earn a Ph.D. in this field and go on to work with hazardous/radioactive waste remediation.” The best part of chemistry studies for Finn and her fellow chem majors is “getting to work in the lab. . . . We get to develop solutions to real-life problems and gain experience in analysis of various mixtures of com- pounds, especially in instrumental analysis. I love learning about all the different instruments. “In addition to all the successes, there have been failures along the way, but those add variety and are in themselves valuable learning experi- ences. Sometimes figuring out what went wrong is as important to under- standing something as being able to say you got pretty results.” Finn’s contributions to the campus include her four years of service on the Renaissance Faire committee. Besides the fun she has helping to plan that annual event, “anything that gets me outside makes me happy,” she says.

Research project part of studies related to diabetes

enior Jon Hallstrom is one of Jon Hallstrom is majoring Whitman’s first students to earn in biochemistry, biophysics, what we are currently experiencing S his degree in biochemistry, bio- and molecular biology, with older steel and concrete contain- physics, and molecular biology ment vessels,” Finn explains. Whitman’s new interdisci- (BBMB). The new interdisciplinary “By finding faster, easier ways to major was launched at the beginning plinary study. Above, oxidize chromium, we could remove of the 2001-02 academic year. Hallstrom demonstrates a it from the waste tanks at Hanford so Hallstrom is most interested in the biology study on the that the remaining hazardous waste aspect of his studies that deals with cardiovascular system of can be vitrified and put into geologic biological systems, from biochemis- mammals. The treadmill is repositories in a safe form.” try and protein function to molecular part of an experiment Finn, who is from Pullman, Wash- biology and gene regulation. He is assessing physical changes ington, conducted her research at one of a group of students for whom in response to exercise. Washington State University, work- making recombinant bacteria, assess- ing with Associate Professor Sue ing gene expression, and examining Clark. Since completing her thesis, protein levels and function is a basic she has returned to Clark’s labora- component of laboratory education. tory to work on other projects in the Hallstrom’s interest has taken him research group. In addition, last deep into basic research that might

8 Whitman Magazine ultimately add to medical knowledge of previous findings which demon- Senior combines about type 2 diabetes. strated that chronic hyperglycemia, He completed his research last or elevated blood glucose levels, can politics & science summer during an internship at lead to beta cell dysfunction through Pacific Northwest Research Institute as yet unknown mechanisms by lex Williamson is not one of (PNRI) in Seattle. The institute spon- reducing insulin transcription factor this year’s 14 graduating sors basic research in biochemistry, and thus insulin gene expression. A chemistry majors, but “I had molecular biology, and immunology This may exacerbate the onset of a blast in my chemistry courses,” as they pertain to the clinical areas of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 2 DM he says. cancer and diabetes. is a growing epidemic and affects The experience was significant Hallstrom explains that his work about 135 million people worldwide. enough to influence the subject he had to do with production of insulin “My research is not groundbreak- chose for his senior research and by beta cells of the pancreas and the ing, but I believe it is aiding in our possibly the direction of his career. several transcription factors that exist understanding of beta cell dysfunc- A senior politics-environmental for the insulin gene. Transcription tion and diabetes.” studies major, Williamson is inter- factors “are responsible for activating Outside the laboratory, Hallstrom, ested in chemistry as it pertains to the expression of a gene or group of who is from Maple Valley, Washing- energy and energy policy, “for exam- genes. ton, takes part in intramural sports ple, the chemistry of industrial and “My thesis research involved mea- and volunteers at a free medical clinic photochemical smog, global climate suring insulin transcription factor in town. change, acid deposition, nuclear levels in a clonal pancreatic beta cell After graduation in May, he plans power, and photovoltaics.” line in response to chronic exposure to tour Alaska before taking up an Williamson notes, however, that with elevated glucose concentrations. internship in a research, clinical, or his enticement into the field of chem- “The research was a continuation hospital setting. istry, “to be honest, had more to do with chemistry professor Ruth Russo’s teaching than with anything specifically chemistry oriented. For Alex Williamson, a politics-environmental studies major, chemistry “Had I not taken chem courses courses led to an interest in energy and energy policy. from Russo, I doubt I would be writ- ing my thesis on energy. . . . It would probably be on the environmental impacts of Marxism or something equally obnoxious.” Thus “saved from communism,” as Williamson quips, he is writing an honors thesis “addressing the unsus- tainability of current U.S. energy policy and identifying the viability of alternative policies.” The goal now for the Kent, Wash- ington, student is law school with a specialty in environmental law and eventually a career as an environ- mental lobbyist. Williamson has played rugby throughout his college career, serv- ing as head coach as well since his sophomore year. He also has spent considerable time in the Hall of Music, playing string bass for Whit- man’s jazz ensemble and orchestra. At home in the Seattle area, his musical talents are featured in a “garage band” called DORK. The band, whose gigs last year included the Experience Music Project, recently recorded a CD. While they may send the CD off to a few music connections in Los Angeles, mostly, Williamson says, “we just play for fun.”

9 Whitman Magazine C h e m i s t r y F a c u l t y

Charles Templeton As the faculty liaison for the new Science Center construction project, Professor Chuck Templeton spent much of the past year in the thick of the action. He participated in the planning, tracked progress, gave presentations, responded to architect and contractor requests, and served as “point man” for communication with his colleagues. Templeton, a 32-year faculty veteran, has shouldered many adminis- trative responsibilities over the years, and he has taught a range of courses including inorganic, analytical, physical, and general chemistry. In addition, he is an affiliate staff scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, where he collaborates on soil chemis- try research. The project — in which Templeton involves his advanced chemistry students — focuses on the chemical modification of clay minerals for use in remediation of contaminated soils and environmental cleanup. Over the years, Templeton’s research also has included synthesis, kinetic, and spectroscopic studies of transition metal com- plexes; mass spectrometric studies of inorganic compounds; and appli- cations of microcomputers to laboratory instrumentation. Templeton earned his B.A. at the College of Wooster, an M.A. at Wesleyan University, and his Ph.D. at the University of Colorado, Boul- der. He and his wife, Lillian, have two daughters, one grandson, and twin granddaughters.

Leroy “Skip” Wade Professor Skip Wade’s textbook, Organic Chemistry, published by Prentice-Hall, is recognized as one of the most widely used and respected texts on the market. The Whitman professor’s writings also can be found in the new edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica under

Adam Hardtke, ’03 several headings in Chemical Compounds. Wade is the author of other Professor Chuck Templeton served educational materials as well and has published journal articles on his as faculty liaison for construction research in the field of organic chemistry. of the new Science Center. Active in professional organizations, he is associated with the Chem- istry Consultants Service of the American Chemical Society, visiting chemistry departments at other institutions to provide evaluations. At Whitman he has served as department chair and liaison with the Murdock Trust. Opposite, from top, are Professor A graduate of Rice University, he earned an A.M. and Ph.D. in Skip Wade (working in the organic organic chemistry from Harvard University. He taught organic chemis- chemistry lab with student Julie try at Colorado State University for 15 years before joining the faculty at Armstrong); Associate Professor Whitman College in 1989. Ruth Russo; and Associate Wade, who has two daughters, serves as a deputy sheriff for Walla Professor Jim Russo. Walla County and as the county’s lead marine safety patrol officer.

R u t h R u s s o Associate Professor Ruth Russo’s academic interests range from the chemistry of coffee to the classics. She teaches biochemistry, molecular biology, general chemistry, and chemistry in the natural world, but she

10 Whitman Magazine also can be found holding forth on Homer or conducting a “writer’s boot camp” as part of the College’s first-year core program. She has written a number of articles in which chemistry meets the humani- ties, including “A Natural History of Agôn,” published last summer in Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. In it she examines the term “ago- nist,” which has a narrow and specific meaning in biochemistry, but a long metaphorical and etymological history, and seeks to bring the term’s original connotations back to life for the scientific community. Her current project is a paper titled “Iron in Homer,” which looks at Homer’s uses of iron as a metaphor, and how his images of iron reveal the metallurgical understanding of his times. In other work, Russo has researched the structure and function of beta-1, 4 galactosyltransferase, and she has involved students in such research projects as the chemistry of coffee. A graduate of Gonzaga University, she received her Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She joined the Whitman College faculty in 1990. She and her husband, Jim Russo, share a faculty appointment in the chemistry department.

James Russo Associate Professor Jim Russo teaches courses in general chemistry and biochemistry, and his research involves biochemical approaches to pharmacological questions. Recent articles and guest lectures have included “The Enzymology of Retinoic Acid Biosynthesis: Insights into the Regulation of Hematopoiesis,” which describes work done in his and others’ laboratories over the past decade. The research demonstrates that the activity of the aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme ALDH1A1 plays a critical regulatory role in the development of immune cells from bone marrow stem cells. Russo recently led the project to create a new major program in the sciences that combines study of biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology. The program already has attracted about three dozen majors. Russo, who also serves as chair of the College’s pre-medical advisory committee, earned a B.A. in chemistry at Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington. He completed his Ph.D. at the Johns Hopkins University in the department of pharmacology and molecular sciences. He and Ruth have four children.

Allison Calhoun Allison Calhoun, an assistant professor of chemistry who is new at Whitman this year, conducts research on the role of surface chemistry in polymeric systems. Based on her work on the use of mineral additives in polymeric systems, she has three patents at various stages of approval in the U.S. Patent Office. All photos this page by Adam Hardtke, ’03 A graduate of the University of Georgia, Calhoun majored in second- ary education with a focus on biology. Continuing on at the University of Georgia, she received her Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1996. She spent the following five years working for Imerys Pigments and Additives in its Performance Minerals business unit, where her responsibilities included new product development, basic research, technical group management, and technical marketing. Last year she served as a visiting assistant professor at Mercer Uni- versity in Macon, Georgia. At Whitman she is teaching General Chemis- try, Physical Chemistry I and II, and Physical Biochemistry. Calhoun and her husband, William, have two daughters, Kaitlyn, 5, and Jordan, 2.

Frank Dunnivant Assistant Professor of Chemistry Frank Dunnivant earned a Ph.D. in environmental engineering (with an environmental chemistry option) at Clemson University. He has practiced a form of “nomadic science” since then, he says. After conducting his Ph.D. research involving extraction and mea- surement of PCBs in lake systems, he completed a post-doc appointment at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, then migrated to the University of Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute for Water and Waste Water Pollu- tion. He worked for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory before turning to teaching. He joined the Whitman faculty in 1999 to teach Instrumental Methods of Analysis, Environmental Chemistry, and other courses. He brings his practical experience and his industry and government connections to his classes and labs.

Deberah Simon A Whitman chemistry major herself, Deberah Simon, ’72, teaches four of the seven sections of general chemistry lab, oversees all of them, and teaches science and math methods for the education department. After graduation from Whitman, she worked first at Boeing as a quality control chemist. Later, at the University of Chicago, while her husband, Dick Simon, ’72, attended medical school, she worked in a viral oncology lab where research focused on retroviruses. She ran transmission and scanning electron microscopes and the “new” tech- nology of gel electrophoresis, looking for immunological markers on T and B cells in hairy cell leukemia. While in Chicago she studied and worked as a calligrapher, continu- ing to practice that art after she, her husband, and their daughter Anna and son Michael (’02) moved back to Walla Walla. She returned to Whitman to complete her education degree and subsequently taught in the gifted education program for the Walla Walla School District. Chemistry department faculty include, Teaching at Whitman, however, is “the best thing I’ve ever done,” she from top, Assistant Professor Allison says. “I want students to love science.” Calhoun, Assistant Professor Frank Dunnivant, and Lecturer of Chemistry Deberah Simon.

Karen Smith, right, joined the chemistry department this year as laboratory coordinator and chemistry stockroom manager. A native of Modesto, California, Smith attended UC Davis and Portland State University, completing a degree in biochemistry. She worked at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, before coming to Whitman. She and her husband, Scott, have a 15-month-old son, Alex.

12 Whitman Magazine C h e m i s t r y a l u m n u s

Barry Stoddard,’85, heads lab at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

arry Stoddard, ’85, has spent more than 15 years studying B the form, function, and mecha- nisms of something very small — enzymes. But his most recent lab success is very big. “We basically took all we knew about a particular enzyme and used that info to create a totally new enzyme. And it worked exactly the way we thought it would,” says Stoddard, a full member and associ- ate director of basic sciences at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) in Seattle. “This is an extremely exciting development. The potential of this work for new Barry Stoddard, ’85, is co-director of the Graduate Research Program in medical therapies is huge.” Molecular and Cellular Biology for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research One group of redesigned enzymes Center and the University of Washington. acts as a catalyst for a novel cancer treatment called anti-cancer gene therapy. In theory, the new therapy chemistry. Following a postdoctoral The most recent enzyme redesign helps patients avoid the usual side fellowship at the University of Cali- work from the Stoddard Lab was pub- effects of traditional chemotherapy fornia at Berkeley, Stoddard joined lished in the journal Molecular Cell — hair loss, sickness, fatigue, etc. — the faculty at the Fred Hutchinson and has generated interest world- by containing the toxic form of anti- Cancer Research Center and was wide. Recognition for the research cancer drugs within the tumor itself. named adjunct professor at the may go to Stoddard, but he’s quick to A separate group consists of artifi- University of Washington School of point out that his lab is a collabora- cial enzymes that have the potential Medicine. tion of many minds. “Our work is all to function as “gene surgeons” by For more than 10 years, Stoddard done by a team of graduate students repairing or replacing mutant genes has been teaching and supervising who are pursuing their own doctoral responsible for disorders such as a FHCRC laboratory — and he’s degrees,” says Stoddard. One of cystic fibrosis and hemophilia. “The drawn on the skills he developed at these graduate students is Jennifer bottom line is that we’re trying to Whitman to direct a collaborative Eastberg, ’01. take naturally occurring proteins, and multidisciplinary approach to What’s next for Stoddard? More both of which are enzyme catalysts, research. “The work we’re doing lies research. “Science is just so fluid and and re-engineer them to carry out squarely at the intersection of chem- dynamic,” he says. “The reality is that functions for genetically targeted istry, physics, genetics, cell biol- what you’re doing at the end of the therapies,” explains Stoddard. ogy and medicine,” says Stoddard. year may be very different from what Stoddard received his bachelor’s “Whitman provided a first-class edu- you started out doing at the begin- degree in chemistry from Whitman cation in chemistry and the liberal ning of the year.” in 1985. He entered graduate school arts. It was instrumental in helping And there is always the chance it, at the Massachusetts Institute of me to focus my ideas and find ways too, will be big — another big step in Technology after a summer at the to make connections between my the field of medical research. Monsanto Corporation and earned research and other people’s related his doctoral degree in biophysical interests and work.” — Valarie Hamm, ’01

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