Biology Department
Biology Department News 1998 - 1999
May 99
- Southwestern Biology Seniors Graduate with Honors. The biology, marine biology, and biochemistry programs presented bachelor's degrees to 25 students on May 3rd. Our group of graduates were quite impressive. They included five out of six of this year's Masterbuilders (the other was from physics), one out of this year's three valedictorians, five members of Who's Who Among Students, seven members of the Order of the Mound, and six members of Beta Beta Beta.
- Science Division Hosts Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium. In an effort to celebrate and publicize the research efforts of our undergraduates, the science division hosted a research poster symposium in April. Posters were presented by students completing research projects as part of a variety of classes including Animal Behavior, Marine Biology, Human Ecology and Physiology. Posters were also on display highlighting the independent research projects of seniors Shawn Papon, Chris Knapp, Jessie Brass, Kelly Presley, Jason Speegle (Physics), and Brandon Rhodes (Psychology). There were also posters devoted to junior research proposals, some of which may be carried out this coming year.
- Biology Students Participate in Zookeeping Internship Program. Three of our students (Ephanie DeBey, Marisa Hodges, and Molly Schulte) completed a semester long internship in Zookeeping at the Sedgewick County Zoo this spring. They spent every Tuesday morning working in various parts of the huge, behind-the-scenes operations that make the zoo exhibits possible. For more details, click here.
- Beta Beta Beta Chapter Makes Impressive Showing at District Meeting. Southwestern's Chapter of Beta Beta Beta, the undergraduate biology society, made
an impressive showing at this year's District Meeting. Our district includes schools from
Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska including University of Missouri-Columbia, University of
Missouri-St. Louis, University of Nebraska, and Washington University. The meeting was
held at Lay Biological Field Station near Hannibal, Missouri with over 50 delegates in
attendance. Our chapter, representing one of the smallest schools in the district and the
only Kansas school in attendance, won awards for the largest delegation (10) and the
farthest distance traveled, allowing us to once again take home the highly coveted Travel
Gavel. Representing the Delta Chapter of Southwestern were Karen Freeman, Ashley Helfrich,
Molly Schulte, Shawn Papon, Dustin Wilgers, Matt Harris, Kayoko Waki, Jamie Carpenter,
Beth Kramer, and Patrick Ross. In addition, our chapter won the Chapter History Award for
scrapbook, largely due to the work of our Historian, Ashley Helfrich.
The meeting consisted of poster and oral presentations of scientific research by undergraduates. Several Southwesterners presented scientific research including a paper by Shawn Papon entitled "Habitat Preferences of Sandpipers at Slate Creek Salt Marsh" and a poster by Molly Schulte entitled "Metabolic Rate in Hypoxic and Normoxic Conditions in Notropis rubellus and Fundulus zebrinus". Molly's poster received second place for the John C. Johnson Award for best poster. Other activities included field trips to surrounding natural areas, an evening presentation on freshwater mussels, and a tournament of Biology Pictionary. Many of the other chapters and their advisors made positive remarks about the accomplishments of our biology students and efforts are underway to bring the District Conference to Southwestern next year.
- Beta Beta Beta Initiates New Members. The biology honor society held its annual initiation ceremony in January. The new full members initiated into the chapter were Beth Erickson, Heath Hamilton, Rachelle Jesseph, Beth Kramer, Paul Mages, Molly Schulte, and Josh Wheatley. New associate members were Heather Black, Jamie Carpenter, Kristin Kraemer, Craig Lang, Brandy Richardson, Mindy Sullivan, Kayoko Waki, and Randall Walz. For more information on the activities of BBB, please check our web site.
- SC Biology Student Delivers Research Poster at National Research Conference. This January, Chris Knapp participated in the Annual Meeting for the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology held in Denver, CO. Chris presented a poster entitled "Hemocyanins and Molting in Anomuran and Isopod Crustaceans." The poster discussed research that Chris conducted last summer as part of his Research Experience for Undergraduates Fellowship at the University of Oregon.
- SC Biology Student Awarded TriBeta Research Grant. Shawn Papon was awarded $450 from the Beta Beta Beta Research Foundation for his research on the foraging patterns of sandpipers at Slate Creek Wetlands. To see the full story, click here.
- Southwestern College Sponsors Wetland Conservation Site. In collaboration with the Nature Conservancy and the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Deparment, Southwestern College sold a 160-acre parcel of wetlands to be used in the restoration of the McPherson Valley Wetlands area. The parcel of land will become part of nearly 5,000 acres of wetlands in the McPherson area to be used as an educational, recreational, and conservation resource. In particular, the area is thought to have great potential for the arrival of upwards of half a million birds during the migrating seasons. For more information, click here.
- Beta Beta Beta Sponsors Science Kids Day at SC. This past October, Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society sponsored a Science Kids Day that for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders of South Vernon Grade School. The visiting students were able to see presentations on the many live animals that are a part of Southwestern's Biology Department, including fish, snakes, lizards, Blossum the Possum, and Alvin the Alligator. All of the presentations were conducted by SC undergraduates who had a lot of fun sharing their knowledge with the next generation of biologists.
Sep 98
- Southwestern Biology Students Participate in Summer Research Activities. A number
of our students were awarded fellowships and grants to allow them to participate in
biological research projects during this past summer.
- Chris Knapp was awarded a Fellowship at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology that was sponsored by the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program of the National Science Foundation. Chris' research project studied variation in the presence of the blood pigment cryptocyanin in marine crustaceans.
- Adam Messinger completed a research internship with U.S. Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin. Adam participated in several research projects on the use of chemical preservatives and antifungal agents in wood.
- Glenn Hammons participated in a research internship at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida. Glenn's work involved both field and laboratory studies of the behavior of coastal shark species.
- Beth Erickson participated in two independent research projects at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The first project involved light microscopy and the histopathology of gonads in the spotted sea trout. Her second project utilized transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to examine viral infections of penaeid shrimp.
- Shawn Papon won a research fellowship at the University of Kansas that was sponsored by the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program of the National Science Foundation. Shawn completed a research project that examined the effect of prairie fires on soil chemistry and the nutrient content of associated insects.
- Kelly Presley participated in a joint project between Southwestern College and US Fish & Wildlife Service to prevent the westward spread of zebra mussels. Kelly conducted interviews and examined boats for zebra mussels in Belle Plaine, Kansas.
- Angela Tran participated in the University of Kansas Summer Mentor Program for students pursuing a career in medicine. As a part of this program, Angela worked alongside several physicians in the Augusta area over a six week period.
- Software Grants Received by Southwestern. Gene Young's efforts resulted in a donation of Global Information System (GIS) software from Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI). This software can be used in conjunction with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to provide ecological and geographical data for use in teaching and research. The value of the grant is estimated at $40,000. Gene plans to make this data gathering and analysis system an important part of the Planet Earth course.
- Max Thompson Circumnavigates the Globe. World traveler Max Thompson has hit the road again as he enjoys a fall semester sabbatical. His shoes will have set foot on the Aleutian Islands, China, Madagascar, and South Africa by the end of the fall. We are looking forward to some amazing photographs and equally amazing stories upon his return.
- Mossman Reptile Collection Gets a New Home. Alvin the Alligator was not the only reptile to receive spacious new quarters during the construction of the Beech Science Center. Our other reptiles have been moved into an adjoining room. Their enclosures are being spruced up and several have been enlarged. We also have some new additions to the collection, including two green iguanas: Aria and Einstein. We hope to be able to put some of these specimens on public display in the near future. We also have plans to use these amazing animals to enthuse and educate visiting school groups about biology.
- Couch Fossil Collection on Display. Over the past year, we received a generous donation of fossils and minerals from alumnus Dwight Couch and his wife Mardelle. Included in the collection are large specimens of petrified wood and dinosaur bones. A portion of the collection will be on display in the 1st floor corridor connecting Beech and Mossman. We hope to put more of the collection on display in the near future.
- New Courses Available this Spring. Several advanced level biology courses will be offered this spring for the first time. Patrick Ross will be teaching Animal Behavior (Biol 341B) that should be of interest to all students, especially those pursuing careers in ecology and veterinary science. Gene Young will be teaching a course entitled Global Positioning Systems, Mapping, and Aerial Photography (Biol 345). This course will highlight some of the new technologies and methodologies being used in the environmental sciences. Students pursuing environmental careers will certainly want to take advantage of the unusual opportunity to take such a course at the undergraduate level. In addition to these new courses, Max Thompson will be teaching Ornithology (Biol 341A). This may be your last opportunity to take this terrific class from the man who is well regarded as "The Bird Man of Kansas." Don't pass it up!!!
