Spring 2006 Newsletter

Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer

“In the Wake of Columbus: The Biological Consequences of Contact and Colonialism in the Americas” Dr. Clark Spencer Larsen Distinguished Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences Chair of the Department of Anthropology The March 1, 2006 7:30 pm in 112 Pearson Hall.

Dr. Clark Spencer Larsen received his B.A. in anthropology from Kansas Stat e University (1974), and holds an M.A. (1975) and Ph.D. (1980) in physical anthropology from the . Larsen taught previously at the University of Massachuset ts, Nort hern Illinois University, , and the University of Nort h Carolina, where he was the Amos Hawley Dist inguished Professor of Anthropology. He has an appointment as Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural Hist ory. He is the former president of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. He has served on various edit orial boards, and is currently the Edit or-in-Chief of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, the leading research journal in physical anthropology.

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Congratulations again to Dr. Actis, Sigma Xi Researcher of the Year!

Bacterial biofilms and iron acquisition systems. What have we learned from two human pathogens? (seminar presented on Feb. 1, 2006) Dr. Luis A. Actis Department of Microbiology

*********************************** New Membership Drive - It's time to nominate those outstanding budding scientists and to promote those who have accomplished to full members!

If you would like to nominate (or promote to full) someone, please have them send their completed applications by Friday, March 24, 2006 (we normally induct new members in the Spring). The application forms can be found at http://www.sigmaxi.org/member/join/index.shtml The nominee should download either the MSWord or PDF form (do not use the interactive form – it is for nominations where there isn’t a local chapter), print it out, complete it, and send it together with a check ($35.00 for student nominees, $70.00 for faculty or promotions to full) made payable to Sigma Xi to Paul Harding, Department of Zoology, 150 Pearson Hall, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056. More information regarding membership can be found at http://unixgen.muohio.edu/~sigmaxi/membership.html

This past year we inducted 51 new members (44 associate and 7 full members) to our chapter. The Miami University Sigma Xi Chapter was recognized as the TOP ELECTING CHAPTER FOR 2005 THROUGHOUT ALL SIGMA XI CHAPTERS. Congratulations to our new members and we hope your scientific efforts continue to be fruitful! Congratulations also to all the recipients of departmental awards and honors, great work!

Our chapter has been quite active in the University and the surrounding community, and we are very committed to fostering a healthy atmosphere and forum for performing scientific research and invite you to join us in doing so.

Spring Annual Awards Banquet 2006

Our spring 2006 Banquet is scheduled for Thursday, April 13, 2006 @ 6:00 PM in the Heritage Room at the Shriver Center.

Some Items to keep in mind...

Researcher of the Year

Nominations for the next Researcher of the Year can be forwarded by Department chairs or from Sigma Xi members at large. Grants-in-Aid of Research

The spring deadline Grants-in-Aid of Research is March 15, 2006. The Fall deadline is October 15, 2006. For more information see http://unixgen.muohio.edu/~sigmaxi/events.html

The program awards grant s of up to $1,000 to students from all areas of the sciences and engineering. Designated funds from the National Academy of Sciences allow for grants of up to $5,000 for astronomy research and $2,500 for vision relat ed research. Student s use t he funding to pay for travel expenses to and from a research site, or for purchase of non-standard laboratory equipment necessary to complete a specific research project. Congratulations to the following recipients of a Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid Research Award.

March 15, 2005 Deadline:

Student Advisor Department Project Sean P. McBride Herbert Jaeger Physics Study of Displacive Phase Transition in Zirc on and Hafnon

Samuel Mutiti Jona than Le vy Geology Dete rmining the susceptibility of drinking wate r sourc es to virus c ontamination effe ctivene ss of river bank filtration

Eliz abeth J. Gannon Marc ia Lee Micr obiology Syne rgistic Activity aga inst Conidia and Hyphae of Fusa rium by Pentamidine and Amphotericin B October 15, 2005 deadline:

Student Advisor Department Project Paromita Banerjee Tom Dockendorf Zoology Role of KH RNA Binding Domains of Fragile X Protein in Regulating Protein Synthesis.

Meepa Lokuge Kenneth Wilson Botany Dehydrin Protein Expression and Cold Tolerance in Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix - Family, Arecaceae)

Ashley Richmond Nancy Solomon/Brian Keane Zoology The Relationship of Polymorphism of the avpr1a microsatellite and Indicators of Monogamy in the Male Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster)

Arunima Sengupta Paul James Zoology Roles of the Na,K-ATPase, the Na/H Exchanger, pH, and Protein Kinase A in Sperm Motility

Your Chapter Officers 2005-06:

Immediate past president: Dr. Diana Spillman (PHS) President: Dr. Robin Thomas (PSY) [email protected] President Elect: Dr. L. James (Jay) Smart (PSY) [email protected] Treasurer: Dr. Quinn Li (BOT) [email protected] Secretary: Dr. Paul A. Harding (ZOO) [email protected]

If you have news ... If you have some news that you think our members would be interested in such as talks, discussions, presentations, or poster sessions, please forward information to the Chapter Secretary, Paul Harding, Department of Zoology ([email protected]). • Undergraduate Research Forum April 19, 2006 Oral Presentations 9:00 – 4:00 PM Poster Presentations 1:00 – 4:00 Miami University Shriver Center

• Steve Hinkle Memorial Poster Session, Psychology Department April 28, 2006, Benton Hall Room 103

• Cell & Molecular Biology Program Retreat Time & Place to be announced.