Volume 6 WINTER 2010-11

Melissa Haber ’12 Prof. Wayne Leibel Honored Receives EPA Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement elissa Haber ’12 (Piscataway, N.J.) Mhas received the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greater Research Opportunity fellowship, which will finance research supplies and provide tuition assistance and a stipend during the semester. The fellowship also includes a three-month internship with the EPA next summer. Haber’s passion for biology began in high school and was further piqued through a two-week externship at Rockefeller University in during her first year at Lafayette. She’s looking forward to the challenges of conducting research outside academia. “[The field of] biology is always changing,” she says. “There are new Wayne Leibel, Kreider Professor of Biology, and Christina Chen ’11 observe cichlids in Kunkel Hall. discoveries every day and I love to be a part of the exploration. Entering the EPA project will force me to conquer hroughout his career, Professor are parental, guarding and raising their the steep end of the learning curve Wayne Leibel’s hobbies and scientific offspring, which is unusual for fish that quickly, which is a valuable skill.” Tinterests have often overlapped. typically scatter large numbers of fertilized Haber has worked extensively with Since childhood, Leibel has raised eggs. Because of this behavior, they have Laurie Caslake, associate professor tropical fish, maintaining large collections in evolved elaborate colorations and courtship and head of biology, on research using aquariums in his home. A family of tropical behaviors, and have speciated dramatically. microscopic bacteria to strengthen freshwater fish called cichlids (pronounced There are about 2,500 species, with a soil. Through Caslake’s collaborative SICK-lids) has captured his interest most, wide variety of colors and patterns. National Science Foundation grant, Haber both for their interesting behaviors and In the classroom, Leibel uses cichlids spent this summer working with Jason their beauty. Cichlids are one of Leibel’s as an example of explosive, rapid evolution DeJong, associate professor of civil and main areas of research, and he incorporates and speciation. He talks about them in his environmental engineering at University much of this work into his courses. Evolutionary Biology course, as well as in his of California-Davis. They researched a The American Cichlid Association has senior seminar on Molecular Evolution. He is process that potentially could be used to made Leibel a Guy Jordan Fellow, which working with biology major Christina Chen ’11 strengthen the soil beneath structures honors those who have made significant (Westfield, N.J.) on female territoriality in where natural disasters frequently occur. n lifetime contributions to the advancement of the “convict” cichlid. Convicts are medium- the knowledge and appreciation of cichlids. sized black-and-white-striped cichlids from Leibel, Kreider Professor of Biology, Central America that serve as a model is the eighth person to be given the system for behavioral studies, particularly honor since the first recipient was named concerning territoriality and mate choice. in 1987. “I am humbled by and proud Other students also have done honors and of this recognition for what has been independent research with Leibel on cichlids. a labor of love, one that will hopefully “As a trained scientist, my interest in continue for years to come,” he says. cichlids transcended the obvious aesthetic The complicated behavior of cichlids is charm of these animals to their evolution one reason for Leibel’s particular interest in and behavior. My contribution to the hobby them versus other aquarium fish. Cichlids (Continued on page 2) From the Department Head

s the calendar flips to Learning project in the STEM A December and faculty and disciplines. We continue to Note: all email addresses are @lafayette.edu students alike look forward to a review and refine our program Faculty well-deserved Christmas break, with an eye toward the future Laurie F. Caslake we celebrate another year of of biology in the context of the Associate Professor and progress toward our collective increasingly multi- and trans- Department Head goal of making the Lafayette disciplinary life sciences. (610) 330-5462, caslakel biology program the best it can What remains constant in James R. Dearworth be now and into the future. all of this positive change is Assistant Professor and Marked by passion in our commitment to providing Chair of Neuroscience Program teaching and research, our inquiry-based research (610) 330-5466, dearworj faculty continues to engage students in experiences for our students through Anna Edlund critical thinking and active learning in our vigorous and rigorous independent research, Assistant Professor courses and research labs. Recently, our honors research, EXCEL Scholars, and (610) 330-5465, edlunda assessment of student learning indicated Nalven Summer Scholars programs. These Charles W. Holliday a need to focus on the acquisition and research experiences routinely culminate Professor presentation of data more intensively in student-faculty presentations at regional, (610) 330-5461, hollidac throughout our curriculum. To this end, national, and international professional Wayne S. Leibel the General Biology laboratory—thanks to meetings and co-authored publications. Gideon R., Jr., and Alice L. John Drummond—has again been tweaked We are, justifiably, proud of our Kreider Professor (610) 330-5460, leibelw to make each lab more data intensive and students and their accomplishments. inquiry driven. With support from the The neuroscience program continues Robert Kurt Associate Professor McCutchen Foundation, the newest addition to be successful in attracting and (610) 330-5681, kurtr to the biology department, a pontoon graduating robust numbers of excellent Manuel Ospina-Giraldo boat, allowed Professor Nancy Waters science students. For the next three Assistant Professor to develop Advanced Aquatic Ecology. years, this program will be ably led by (610) 330-5655, ospinam Professors Megan Rothenberger and Anna Professor Jim Dearworth. We, along with Elaine R. Reynolds Edlund have developed additional new psychology, will continue to enhance and Associate Professor courses. Professor Manuel Ospina-Giraldo expand this very successful program. (610) 330-5654, reynolde has firmly established Genomics in the Enjoy the newsletter. As always, Megan Rothenberger ’02 curriculum and tweaked his specialty course we love to hear how you are doing. Assistant Professor into Essentials of Plant Infectious Disease. (610) 330-5459, rothenbm Professor Robert Kurt continues to Nancy McCreary Waters administer the health and life science Associate Professor minor, which is attracting students from (610) 330-5467, watersn across the campus. Culminating in fall 2010, Kurt was intimately involved in our three- Staff year PKAL Facilitating Interdisciplinary L. Philip Auerbach Department Technician (610) 330-5468, auerbacl John Drummond Leibel Receives Award Leibel has published about 250 articles Laboratory Coordinator (Continued from page 1) on cichlid biology, mainly for popular (610) 330-5912, drummonj has been to make understandable through my science magazines, and has written two Paulette McKenna writing the science of cichlids to people who books on new world cichlids. He also has Department Secretary might otherwise not appreciate it. been an invited speaker at conventions and (610) 330-5456, mckennap My contribution to the science of workshops throughout the country. He has cichlids has been as a conduit for hobbyists edited the American Cichlid Association’s Biology is published annually by the Department of Biology, Lafayette to contribute their observations to the journal for eight years, and has served College, Easton, PA 18042 for current cichlid science community,” he says. on the association’s board of trustees biology majors, prospective students, Leibel has been teaching at Lafayette since many times, including twice as chairman. and biology alumni with the assistance 1983, and served nine years as head of the Most recently, he has been in charge of of the Division of Communications. biology department. He helped create the administering the association’s yearly Editors: Wayne Leibel and Bob Kurt neuroscience program along with Provost grant program that funds cichlid research, Photographer: Chuck Zovko Wendy Hill and other colleagues from the primarily helping doctoral and postdoctoral biology and psychology departments. researchers to complete their studies. n

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BIOLOGY at Lafayette 2 Interdisciplinary Course Merges Art and Science

rt and science are closer cousins than A they are often recognized as being. That is the theme of a new cross-disciplinary course, taught by biology and art faculty, that explores the connected history and current intersection between the two fields. Art, Neuroscience, and Consciousness was taught by Elaine Reynolds, associate professor of biology, and Ed Kerns, Eugene H. Clapp II ’36 Professor of Art. The course is an extension of the Emergent Patterns project, where art and science students worked with Kerns, Reynolds, and Chun Wai Liew, associate professor and head of computer science, to produce the Computation, Vision: Emergence exhibition. Funding for the course was provided by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Students and faculty from art, biology, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and mathematics explored the The class studied the connections between connections between art and science in a project that culminated in the exhibitionComputation, Vision: Emergence. art and science that have existed over time, and then examined the current interaction their discipline in a different way. It is The class drew the interest of neuroscience, between art and neuroscience in under- really a different approach to problem biology, psychology, and art majors, as well standing visual processes, perception, solving—if you think about a problem from as several students who were majoring in two creativity, and consciousness. They a different perspective, then you may be disciplines involving science and humanities. also looked at how the fields can work able to see a new angle to its solution. I also “I took this class because I had not really had together to produce models to further think the students gained a tremendous any exposure to art throughout my education understanding of these topics. amount of respect for each others’ and thought it would be interesting to see what “We hope that the course will broaden disciplines and a new viewpoint on the correlations could be made through the study of student thinking and get them to approach universality of knowledge,” Reynolds says. art and neuroscience—two seemingly unrelated (Continued on page 7)

Students Explore the Effects of Drugs on the Body

he members of the Class of 2013 weren’t Szu-Ying (Sandy) Chen (Bangkok, surprised by how much he got out of the class. Teven born when the anti-drug public Thailand) had Dearworth’s course at the “I never heard of mescaline before in my service announcements featuring the top of her list of First-Year Seminars she was life, but after listening to the lecture and egg in the frying pan first started airing interested in taking. “Although I am geared writing a paper about it, I’m now smart enough in 1987, but the “This Is Your Brain on more toward pursuing a degree in chemical to know not to use that drug,” he says. Drugs” message of those television ads has engineering, I do plan on taking a minor in At the end of the semester, students worked found new life in a First-Year Seminar. biochemistry because I have always been in teams to develop a presentation that argued Taught by James Dearworth, assistant interested in understanding how chemicals either to legalize or to illegalize a drug—such professor of biology, the course covered affect our brain and body—which is exactly as alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, heroin, or how society perceives what drugs are, drug what I gained from this class,” she says. cocaine. They were required to define the usage, and the physiological effects of drugs The course covered the biological drug, how it affects the brain, provide reasons on people. Students compared readings composition of drugs and how they affect why it should be legalized or illegalized, and by authors from various disciplines— the brain and people’s behavior. Initially, propose a plan to carry out its legalization including biology, neuroscience, psychology, the class focused on two drugs: alcohol and or illegalization. Students were required to philosophy, anthropology, history, mescaline, a hallucinogen derived from the find, read, and critique primary literature English, and theater/film to understand peyote cactus and originally used by Native sources to support their presentations. different viewpoints and how opinions on Americans during religious ceremonies. In addition to classroom work, the this subject have changed over time. Students were required to write papers students traveled to to see “Being a neuroscientist, I have always been on each of these drugs and advocate for the “Body Worlds 2 & The Brain” exhibit interested in knowing how the nervous system either using the drug or argue against it. at the Franklin Institute. Included in the works. Given the opportunity to teach a First- Andrew Bahr (Richmond Hill, N.Y.) exhibit were plastinated lungs of smokers Year Seminar, I thought an engaging topic to wasn’t sure what to expect when he signed and human brains. They also went to College freshman might be to discuss how drugs affect up for the course, other than an emphasis Theater’s presentation of Inherit the Wind our brains and our behaviors,” Dearworth says. on reading and writing. However, he was at the Williams Center for the Arts.

3 BIOLOGY at Lafayette Faculty and Staff update

Phil Auerbach, technician In fall 2009, John Chuck Holliday, taught III, continues to perform all of Drummond, biology Human Physiology and Marine the complex and technical jobs laboratory coordinator, taught Biology in the spring semester. in the department including: eight laboratory sections, He published two papers on van driver, pontoon pilot, and in spring 2010, he taught the biology of cicada killer cockroach catcher, delivery six laboratory sections while wasps in 2009-10. Holliday was man, mister fix-it, purveyor also supervising 16 teaching on sabbatical leave last summer and purchaser of fine turtle and mouse chow. assistants who helped facilitate the labs. He and fall, doing field work on cicada killers in He also is incredibly adept at salvaging pieces conducted a monarch butterfly tagging program the mining ghost town of Ruby, Ariz., just a from old lab equipment for constructing new for second-grade students at Blue Mountain few miles north of the Mexican border, where cutting-edge lab equipment. He continues to Elementary East in Schuylkill County, Pa. he used his travel trailer as a field research lab. find ways to assist all of our diverse interests Drummond attended the Association for There he learned that female cicada killers and does so with unflappable good humor. Biology Laboratory Education conference are vigorous little thieves, stealing from in June 2010 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. each other the paralyzed cicadas on which Laurie Caslake, associate they lay their eggs and the underground nest professor and head, taught The first year forA nna cells in which the cicadas are placed. He also Microbiology in the fall and Edlund, assistant professor, discovered that as many as 20 percent of the worked with three different was filled with establishing her paralyzed cicadas brought to the nesting independent research research laboratory to study area by female wasps are taken from them students throughout the pollen cell biology in the mouse- by roadrunners and Western kingbirds. school year. Two manuscripts eared cress flower ofArabidopsis were accepted for publication with student thaliana, and teaching Robert Kurt, associate co-authors. Research presentations at the Developmental Biology. Students in Edlund’s professor taught General American Society for Microbiology and the classes keep journals, and she is collaborating Biology during the fall Academy of Science Meeting with Meena Balgopal, professor at Colorado semester, and Cell Biology included two students as co-authors. Caslake State University, to study the value of such with practicum and Infectious has an active grant with collaborators at contemplative and analytical journaling. Anna Diseases with practicum the University of California-Davis to study mentored three independent research students in the spring semester. microbial strengthening of soil. She spent in the spring and one EXCEL student over the Kurt supervised five independent research one week there in the summer, and Melissa summer. She gave a research talk and served on students in the fall and spring semesters. Two Haber ’12 spent eight weeks there performing an education panel at the Northeast Society of manuscripts were published with Lafayette research. Caslake serves as the chair of the Developmental Biology meeting in Woods Hole, students as co-authors. One research student Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program Mass., and presented a poster at the presented her work at the Pennsylvania for the American Society for Microbiology. International Congress on Sexual Plant Academy of Science meeting. Kurt also Reproduction in Bristol, England. Edlund also served as an academic advisor to 16 students, This year, James collaborated on a video on pollination and plant is working on the second year of a three-year Dearworth, assistant fertilization called “Fertile Eyes,” at www. NIH grant with his research students, and professor, taught Comparative youtube.com/watch?v=6pHGN04CPEM. served on the ad hoc Life Sciences Committee. Vertebrate Anatomy, a new First-Year Seminar titled Bernie Fried, Kreider In fall and spring semesters, “This is Your Brain on Drugs,” Professor Emeritus, Wayne Leibel, offered and General Biology II. Six continues to be an asset to Evolutionary Genetics and students were co-authors on three abstracts the department with his Evolutionary Biology and presented at the Pennsylvania Academy collegiality, productivity, and oversaw the independent of Science, the Lehigh Valley Society for willingness to mentor students research of Christine Neuroscience Undergraduate Research despite his retirement. He Chen ’11. He presented a Conference, and the 13th Annual Vision continues his excellence in publishing research talk at a professional meeting last summer Research Conference. Ten students were articles and mentoring student research. and published 11 articles on cichlid fishes. co-authors on three papers: one published Last year Fried published 15 articles and He continued his work as associate editor/ in Visual Neuroscience, a second published in supervised six summer research students. technical editor for the Journal of the Vision Research, and a third currently in press in American Cichlid Association, as chair of the the Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy Science. Guy D. Jordan Endowment Fund of the American Cichlid Association, and as a member of the Editorial Board of Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine. He became the editor of Cichlid News this summer. He continued to serve as a member of the Environmental Studies Committee, stepped down as

BIOLOGY at Lafayette 4 Faculty and Staff update

head of biology in August 2009 after nine one of the oral presentation sessions. He on surface water quality and phytoplankton years, appointed by the Provost to be the served on the Student Life Faculty Committee assemblages. She served on the Sustainability director of research services serving in that and advised 16 students. Funding from the Committee and hosted JoAnn Burkholder from capacity for the 2009-10 academic year. Oomycete Molecular Genetics Network North Carolina State University. Burkholder supported travel for his research students to gave two seminars titled “Industrialized Swine Shyamal Majumdar, attend the Oomycete Bioinformatics Resources Agriculture,” and “Pfiesteria, an Environmental Kreider Professor Emeritus, Training Workshop at Virginia Tech. In Health Issue—The Role of Science, Scientists’ supervised two research collaboration with researchers from Penn conduct, a Federal Agency, and the Press.” students and published State University and Franklin and Marshall several student co-authored College, Ospina-Giraldo was awarded part Nancy Waters, associate articles. As chairman of a $999,900 grant “Education in genomics- professor, offered Ecology, of the International based microbial forensics” from the USDA’s Botany, and Biodiversity, the Scientific Committee, Majumdar attended Microbial Functional Genomics Program. Values and Science/Technology and presented a paper at the Second course “Pharmaceutical International Conference on Ecotoxicology Elaine Reynolds, associate Science and Ethics,” and and Environmental Sciences held at Indian professor, taught Neurobiology; Environmental Biology. She Institute of Chemical Engineers (Jadavpur Art, Neuroscience, and mentored four independent research students University) in Calcutta, India. He is a member Consciousness with art in the fall and two in spring, served on two of the International Advisory Board of professor Ed Kerns, and honors thesis committees in biology and the 6th Asia-Pacific Organization for Cell Advanced Neuroscience. economics, and was academic adviser for 34 Biology Conference to be held in Manila, During the academic year, students. Results of her work with students Philippines, in February 2011, and continues Reynolds supervised two honors thesis were presented at the National Conference as editor of Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy students in neuroscience and 10 other student on Undergraduate Research in Montana. She of Science. He co-edited a book titled Avian research projects. She was an academic supervised Nalven and Mellon Fellowship Ecology and Conservation: A Pennsylvania Focus adviser for over 40 students, and continues recipients and submitted two proposals With National Implications, and is co-editing working on projects using drosophila and for extramural funding, one as PI on an a book titled Pandemic Influenza Viruses: neurocomputation. Reynolds co-authored a interdepartmental NSF MRI proposal, and Science, Surveillance, and Public Health. presentation with her students and computer another to the McCutchen Foundation that science professor Chun Wai Liew at the was successfully funded. Her book chapter Paulette McKenna Society of Neuroscience meeting in Chicago, on avian contaminants appeared in 2010, continues to run the and another neurocomputation project with and she evaluated manuscripts for a pair of department in her inimitable computer science professor Jeff Pfaffman at peer-reviewed journals. Waters was elected way. In addition to her the Third IEEE International Conference of to chair the Faculty Committee on Athletics, efforts in our department, Self-Adaptive and Self-Organizing Systems in continued to serve as chair on the Provost’s McKenna has never been Los Alamitos, Calif. Reynolds collaborated with advisory committee on graduate studies and forgotten by those she has six students on four presentations at the Lehigh fellowships advising, and was elected to the served prior to arriving in biology and never Valley Society for Neuroscience Conference. Faculty Enrollment Planning Committee. n hesitates to assist others across campus She served on the Neuroscience Advisory and whenever asked. She began her career Curriculum and Educational Policy committees, here at the College with a 19-year stint at reviewed grants for the SOMAS program, is Bailey Health Center. All of her talents and on the board for the organization Faculty for contributions were recognized this year Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN), and is when she was presented with the Lafayette the vice president and founding member of College Distinguished Service Award. the Lehigh Valley Society for Neuroscience.

Manuel Ospina-Giraldo, Megan Rothenberger, assistant professor, taught assistant professor, taught Mycology with two laboratory Conservation Biology and sections, and Molecular two sections of the Values and Basis of Disease. In spring, Science/Technology course Ospina-Giraldo was on Junior “Agriculture, Ethics, and the Faculty Research Leave. He Environment.” She served supervised five research students in the fall, on an honors thesis committee in civil and two in the spring, and four over the summer. environmental engineering and oversaw the Part of the student research conducted this independent research of three students in year was presented at the Oomycete Molecular biology. In fall 2009, two manuscripts were Genetics Network meeting in Toulouse, published on her graduate research on the long- France, where Ospina-Giraldo also chaired term effects of changing land use practices

5 BIOLOGY at Lafayette Alumni updates we’d love to hear from you!

Thanks to those who keep us updated. We would love to know how you are, what you are up to, and ways you have used your biology knowledge in your careers or everyday life.

Peter F. Vitiello ’02 accepted a Justin Blaum ’08 is attending Lake position as assistant scientist directing a Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. laboratory within the Children’s Health Corrine Casey ’08 is attending Lipitor Co-Creator Research Center at Sanford Health in New England College of Optometry. Newton ’72 Discusses Sioux Falls, S.D. Vitiello’s lab is focused on Andrew Lanzone ’08 is attending understanding the role of redox signaling Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. His Career With Students in lung development and during oxidative Megan Chawner ’08 is working injury such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia. as a conservation intern at USDA- oger Newton ’72, the co-creator of Mara G. Shainheit ’03 successfully ARS, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Rthe cholesterol-reducing drug Lipitor, defended her dissertation “Mechanisms Jessica McWalters ’09 is working as visited campus in September to discuss his of Pathogenic Th17 Cell Induction in a laboratory technician in the department career in the pharmaceutical industry and Schistosoma mansoni Infection” to earn of genetics and development at Columbia the benefits of a Lafayette education. her Ph.D. in immunology from Tufts University and is a student at Mailman School Newton, a biology graduate, was with University. of Public Health, Department of Health Warner Lambert/Parke-Davis (now Jason Brenner ’07 is attending George Policy and Management in New York, N.Y. Pfizer) from 1981-1998. As chairman of the Washington University Medical School. John Griffith ’09 is in his second Atherosclerosis Drug Discovery Team, he Nate Parker ’08 spent two years year of medical school at Drexel University co-discovered atorvastatin (Lipitor), which is in Teach for America in south Texas College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa. now the most prescribed cholesterol-reducing teaching eighth-grade science at De Julie McNeish ’09 is attending drug in the world. With almost 30 years in the Zavala Middle School in La Joya, where University of Connecticut Dental School. industry, he has served as senior vice president he also served as department head for a Megan Carter ’09 is attending Columbia of Pfizer Global Research and Development year. Parker is headed to the University University in the physical therapy program. and is currently founder, president, and CEO of Texas on a full scholarship to pursue a Justin Lucas ’10 is working as a primary of Esperion Therapeutics in Plymouth, Mich. master of public health in epidemiology. scientist for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. n Newton has co-authored nearly 100 peer- reviewed professional articles and chapters, and is an adjunct associate professor in Jennifer Romano ’10 Publishes Research pharmacology at University of Michigan Medical School. He received a Ph.D. in iology graduate Jennifer Romano ’10 100 micro amps for current. “Anything much nutrition from University of California— Bhas co-authored a paper published in the higher either causes less of a response or the Davis, and a master of science in nutritional international academic journal Visual Neuroscience. response remains the same,” states Romano. biochemistry from University of Connecticut. The paper is the result of research Romano Romano’s main roles were helping with He is the recipient of Lafayette’s George conducted as an EXCEL Scholar under the the last few experiments and revising the Washington Kidd, Class of 1836 Award, guidance of James Dearworth, assistant paper. “It was similar to the research I was given for career distinction. Newton also professor of biology. Other co-authors of the doing on my own, so many of my turtles and was named Entrepreneur of the Year by paper are former EXCEL Scholars Justin experiments were used directly in the paper New Enterprise Forum (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Blaum ’08, Jason Brenner ’07, Deborah and averaged with the previous experiments Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Fink’ 06, and Tory Littlefield ’06. done by other Lafayette students,” she says. (Eastern Region), Executive of the Year by Romano and Dearworth studied the She attributes many of the skills she Ann Arbor Business Review, and Michigan ciliary nerve on the eye of red-eared slider has learned to her close interaction with Venture Capital Entrepreneur of the Year. n turtles. “I stimulated the nerve using a Dearworth in the lab. “This work has taught glass-tip electrode in order to find out how me independence and discipline. I have different currents and frequencies change never worked on a long project before, and it Going Green? the pupil’s response to light,” says Romano. takes a great deal of motivation to be able to Their mission was to discover the optimal keep up with the work. I think the lessons Would you like to go green? Let us know current and frequency of the signals in a live I learned from this research in general will and we’ll add you to the list of alumni turtle. Through their research they have found help me, especially with the work I will who will receive electronic copies of the that the optimal frequency is 100 Hz and have in veterinary school,” says Romano. newsletters instead of paper copies. n

BIOLOGY at Lafayette 6 Freeborne-Brinton ’83 Promotes Preventative Students Present Health Care with First Lady Obama Research at Annual

hen First Lady Michelle Obama Meeting of the PAS Wannounced new preventive care ix biology majors and one provisions made possible through the Affordable Sneuroscience major presented Health Care Act at a press conference held research papers with their faculty July 14 at George Washington University, advisers at the 86th annual meeting Nancy Freeborne-Brinton ’83 also spoke. of the Pennsylvania Academy of Mrs. Obama, joined by Jill Biden and Health Science held last semester. and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Christopher Cosgrove ’10 presented Sebelius, stressed that preventive care is key his work with Laurie Caslake, associate

to a healthier America in her presentation William A tkins/GWU professor and head of biology, exploring the to GW’s medical faculty associates. Michelle Obama (center) and Nancy Freeborne-Brinton ’83 responses of desert-based microorganisms In brief remarks, Freeborne-Brinton drew (right of podium) at July 14 health care press conference. when they are removed from their upon her 25 years as a physician assistant natural environment and dehydrated. at George Washington. She stressed the that she needed a clinical person to be at Adetutu Egunsola ’11 (New York, importance of preventive care and the the press conference, she called on me.” N.Y.) has researched the role certain hurdles, especially financial, that patients Freeborne-Brinton had the opportunity genes play in the reduction of tumor face in getting it. “Often their choice is to speak briefly to Mrs. Obama and growth rates with Robert Kurt, preventive care or their groceries or a Secretary Sebelius. She and Biden both teach associate professor of biology. Metro card,” she was quoted in a George undergraduate students. “Dr. Biden teaches Melissa Haber ’12 (Piscataway, Washington University press release. at a community college down the road from N.J.) and Caslake presented their Freeborne-Brinton, who holds a doctorate my university,” says Freeborne-Brinton. “We paper, “The Effect of Increasing Salt in public health, is an assistant professor in spoke about how to mentor undergraduates.” Concentrations on the Growth Rate the Department of Global and Community A biology graduate, Freeborne-Brinton is of Sporosarcina pasteurii [bacteria].” Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, looking forward to the upcoming academic Nafis Hasan ’11 (Dhaka, Bangladesh) Va. She also has had a long affiliation with year. Her son, Sam Brinton ’14, is a Marquis and Ioana Marin ’11 (Galati, Romania), George Washington University in various Scholar and plans to study civil engineering a neuroscience major, worked with capacities and currently works one day and run on the cross-country and track teams. Shyamal K. Majumdar, Kreider Professor a week at the student health clinic. Sebelius and Obama outlined new Emeritus of Biology, on research of leading “I am good friends with Nancy-Ann preventive care provisions made possible anti-breast cancer drug Tamoxifen. DeParle, the head of the White House through the health care act and highlighted Karen LeSage ’10 presented her work Office of Health Reform,” says Freeborne- a $15 billion prevention and public health with Bernard Fried, Kreider Professor Brinton. “When she learned on Monday fund stipulated by the new law. n Emeritus of Biology, on parasitic flatworms. Megan Schlitt ’11 (Haddonfield, N.J.) worked with James Dearworth, Interdisciplinary Course six classes. Students also heard seminars by assistant professor of biology, to research (Continued from page 3) Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy award-winning the effects of muscle relaxers on pupil areas,” says Alex Crespo ’10, a biology graduate. documentary director Alex Gibney, and Stacey constriction in the red-eared slider “It was especially interesting to see how artists Marcella, a creator of computer avatars. turtle. n are able to manipulate the brain into feeling As a final project for the course, the certain emotions with skillful brushstrokes or students worked in groups to create models Biology Student well-placed sketches. I think the most significant of scientific ideas using visual means. The learning occurs when people from different interdisciplinary nature of the material Awards AND Scholars educational backgrounds can meet and discuss resulted in some interesting projects: panels the viewpoints inherent in their own studies.” that reflect musical styles in different ways The Willis Roberts Hunt Prize Each class consisted of lectures, discussion, by using EEG brain waves and expressive Christopher Cosgrove ’10 and an active component, which included painting; a similar project using fMRI and Katelyn Scoular ’10 laboratory or studio work. Students went expressive painting; a survey of student on a field trip to the Michener Museum in attitudes on science and art where the data Dr. Lorraine Mineo Teaching Doylestown. The course also included several was represented visually on a male/female Assistant Award guest lecturers. Artist Elizabeth Chapman, figure; a computational project visualizing Michael DiGirolamo ’10 who collaborated with Kerns on the art sound; and models of the developing brain Katelyn Scoular ’10 exhibit Word, Mind, City, helped develop in clay, painting, and even cake. n this course and was involved in teaching Nalven Summer 2010 Research Fellowships Jeffrey Hollander‘10 Coleen Kelley ’11

7 BIOLOGY at Lafayette Nonprofit Org. Biology Department U.S. Postage PAID 109 Kunkel Hall Permit No. 108 Easton, PA 18042 Easton, PA

Biology at Lafayette: 1834-68

1834 1866 The natural sciences are Thomas C. Porter, a graduate Natural history appears in not sharply differentiated. 1851 in the class of 1840, and a well- Botany and mineralogy, known botanist who was part of originally taught by Natural history appears in the several botanical expeditions, Samuel D. Gross, M.D., are College catalog when Reverend is appointed as natural history taught by his replacement, John Leaman, M.D., is named professor. His extensive Washington McCartney, professor. After 14 years, his herbarium brings the College the College catalog when professor of mathematics, title changes to professor of great prestige. Porter becomes 1851 natural philosophy, and anatomy and physiology. He a professor of botany, zoology, astronomy. McCartney continues teaching until 1886. and geology. In the beginning, teaches courses in anatomy he also gives a lecture each year and physiology to seniors on science and religion as they Reverend John Leaman, M.D., is named planning to study medicine. are still closely related in the academic arena. 1864

The first of two large professor. After 14 years, his title changes donations from Ario Pardee, 1845 a businessman who knew little about Lafayette, spurs The Linné Lyceum group is the College forward. The dedicated to “the promotion Philadelphia Ledger wrote, to professor of anatomy and physiology. of the natural sciences,” “, which is not and is one of the earliest yet a full generation old, is now extracurricular study groups becoming a most important 1868 at Lafayette. Members take and flourishing college.” turns lecturing on topics such The Natural History Society is Science and engineering as cold-blooded and warm- formed under the direction of He continues teaching until 1886. are introduced, as Pardee blooded animals, mineralogy, Professor Porter. Members explore becomes the push behind the geology, and botany. a 25-mile radius around Easton, establishment of the scientific collecting specimens of plants, and engineering department, insects, rocks, and minerals, and housed in a building bearing his accumulate a presentable reference name. The second donation for library in Pardee Hall. Porter’s own the endowment of a scientific collection of Pennsylvania flora course becomes known as the becomes the most complete record Pardee Scientific Department, of plants of the state. As a tribute and leads to the hiring of new to Porter, at least 15 species were faculty members, including named after him. Altogether he The first of two large Thomas C. Porter. adds 22 new species to the North American flora. 1864 donations from Ario Pardee, a professor of botany, zoology, and geology. 1834 businessman who knew little about Lafayette, In the beginning, he also gives a lecture spurs the College forward. The Philadelphia each year on science and religion as they are The natural sciences are Ledger wrote, “Lafayette College, which is not still closely related in the academic arena. 1834 not sharply differentiated. yet a full generation old, is now becoming Botany and mineralogy, originally taught a most important and flourishing college.” The Natural History Society is by Samuel D. Gross, M.D., are taught by Science and engineering are introduced, 1868 formed under the direction of his replacement, Washington McCartney, as Pardee becomes the push behind the Professor Porter. Members explore a 25-mile professor of mathematics, natural establishment of the scientific and engineering radius around Easton, collecting specimens philosophy, and astronomy. McCartney department, housed in a building bearing his of plants, insects, rocks, and minerals, and teaches courses in anatomy and physiology name. The second donation accumulate a presentable reference library to seniors planning to study medicine. for the endowment of a in Pardee Hall. Porter’s own collection scientific course becomes of Pennsylvania flora becomes the most The Linné Lyceum group is known as the Pardee complete record of plants of the state. As 1845 dedicated to “the promotion of Scientific Department, and a tribute to Porter, at least 15 species were the natural sciences,” and is one of the earliest leads to the hiring of new named after him. Altogether he adds 22 extracurricular study groups at Lafayette. faculty members, including new species to the North American flora. Members take turns lecturing on topics Thomas C. Porter. such as cold-blooded and warm-blooded Porter, a animals, mineralogy, 1866 graduate geology, and botany. in the class of 1840, and a well-known botanist who was part of several botanical expeditions, is appointed as natural history professor. His extensive herbarium brings the College great prestige. Porter becomes a

BIOLOGY at Lafayette 8