Special points of interest:
Freshmen Bio class discovers
new phage—Page 1
GES and Bio Majors in
Bahamas for Spring Break
Learning adventure—Page 3
What have current Biology
students been up to? - Page 6
News from alum—Page 10
July 2009
In this issue:
Pre-Vet Student
News
2
Mindy spends summer 8
with cats
Up to her elbows in
work
10
Twinkie® Skirts
Danger
15
Volume 9, Issue 1
Above: “Pumpkin”, the new phage discovered in 2008 by Hope Biology Freshmen and their mentors, Dr. Aaron Best and Dr. Joseph
Stukey.
Biology Department News
Hope College Biology Department Visit our website at: http://www.hope.edu.academic/biology
PHAGE GENOMICS RESEARCH COURSE FINDS NOVEL PHAGE “PUMPKIN”
In this process, students became “experts” on their phage
and even got to name it!
This year, Hope College was selected as one of 12
institutions nationwide to debut a new HHMI-sponsored
laboratory course – Phage Genomics Research – designed
to help students “learn biology by doing biology”.
Twenty first-year students conducted authentic scientific
research with Drs. Best and Stukey to learn more about
the diverse world of bacteriophages, or phages, (viruses
that infect bacteria). The two-semester course began as a
lab during Fall ‘08 when students isolated and purified
phages that infect the bacterium, Mycobacterium
smegmatis, from environmental samples that they
collected. Students investigated the specific growth
properties of their phage, analyzed their phage’s genomic
DNA for the presence of specific sequences, and used
electron microscopy to “see’ their phage and its physical
structure.
One phage, called “pumpkin”, was chosen for full genome
sequencing at the Department of Energy’s Joint Genome
Institute. In the second half of the course (Spring ’09), the
focus shifted to the science of bioinformatics and using in
silico labs (computers) to study the entire pumpkin phage
genomic DNA sequence of nearly 75,000 bases.
Students used national databases and specialized software to
analyze the new phage genome as they learned about phage
genome structure and diversity. Students’ work over the
course of the year will be presented at the national American
Society for Microbiology 109th General Meeting held in
Philadelphia in May and at an HHMI symposium held at the
Janelia Research Farm in June of this year.
BELOW LEFT :INGRID SLETTE ‘12 AND JENNIFER LAROCHE’12 ARE COACHED BY TA CAITLIN RICE ‘09
RIGHT: BEKAH CHEW CULTIVATING PHAGES IN THE “HONORS LAB”
1
Veterinary and Pre-Vet Student News
Pictured from left to right: Jessica Howe (‘09), Amber Parmelee (‘09), Emily McConnelly (‘09),
Dr. Greg Fraley, Jon Dean (’09), and Zack Mobley (’11).
For the last few years, our department has enjoyed an especially active and successful trickle of students planning careers in veterinary medicine. This success has been due not only to an especially
motivated group of students and their activities in the new “Club Animalia”, but to Dr. Greg Fraley
(Ph.D.) and his wife, Dr. Susan Fraley (DVM), who have taken a personal interest in helping to mentor pre-vet students. This year, Emily McConnelly (’09) will be joining recent grads Molly Lien
(‘07), Alexa Jansma (‘08), Katherine Janczak (‘08) , and Marlie Johnson (‘08), our bio major
alums currently in graduate veterinary medicine programs around the country.
This spring, a group trip was organized by Jessica Howe (’09), president of Club Animalia, to the
national American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association meeting at the University of Illinois School of
Veterinary Medicine. This event was for students interested in vet med or in alternate careers associated with animals and medicine. The students heard lectures and had laboratory sections on public
health and food safety, wildlife diseases and treatments, research, opportunities for graduate studies
abroad, veterinary medicine, avian biology and pathology, anatomy, and mission trips abroad.
Meanwhile, on the vet school front lines…
To see a little of what Hope Alum, Marlie Johnson (‘08) has been doing at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine (Pullman, WA) turn to page 10.
2
Interdisciplinary Science Rides Again!
Continuing our division’s strong tradition of interdisciplinary science and research, the 2009 Island Biology
and Geology course mixed GES and Bio majors and profs together for a successful blend of “fun in the
sun” when the course traveled to the Gerace Research Centre (http://www.geraceresearchcentre.com/) on
the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas for spring break. Led by GES Professor Brian Bodenbender and
Biology Professor Greg Murray, 7 students explored coral reefs, sea caves, island flora and fauna, and
unique geological and historical features on the island, complementing their on-campus coursework for the
spring semester.
Ready for adventure – Biology and Geology goes better together! San Salvador, 2009.
Visit our website at
http://www.hope.edu/academic/biology/
3
“Did you see that hammerhead shark!” Morgan Williams (’09), Eddie Helderop (’09) and
classmates off the coast of San Salvador, Bahamas, 2009.
David Fraker (‘09) wrestles an octopus and ends up totally slimed;
San Salvador, 2009
4
Tory Mork (‘10) ponders the finer points of tropical botany, San Salvador, 2009.
Every great adventure must come to a close, San Salvador, 2009.
5
Doing Biology Off Campus
The sky is the limit, and many of Hope’s Biology majors have discovered just that. In addition to a
thriving summer research program right here in our own “backyard” of Schaap Science Center, other
students have discovered that there is a world of opportunity just waiting out there. Some samples of
what our students have been up to this past year, and samples of the exciting things other students will
be engaged in this coming summer (2009) follow. Students who do well in the biology program are
“hot” items, apparently: One employer of a recent alum wrote the following: “Just a quick note to let
you know that “Hope Biology Major X” finished up with us yesterday. She was everything you said
and more. We really enjoyed having her here over the past 7 or 8 months. It was certainly sad to see her
leave. Please let me know if you come across any more "Hope Biology Major X’s” in your travels!
We're always on the lookout for outstanding field assistants like her.”
So, how do these students find out about these great avenues for gaining scientific experience? They
talk to their advisors and other faculty and students, they use Hope’s office of Career Services (http://
www.hope.edu/student/career/), they attend Biology Advising Night, they take the capstone course,
they watch fliers and announcements, they receive emails from the Biology Department when internships and jobs are “hot off the press”, and they visit the Biology Website opportunities page OFTEN
(because Joan updates this page almost every single week!): http://www.hope.edu/academic/biology/
opportunities/
Left:
Alice Ryskamp (‘08) secured an amazing internship with the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane, Australia soon after graduating. There, she
worked with 130 koalas and a diverse array of Australian wildlife. No sooner had she returned in
December ’08 when she was quickly snatched up
by another internship program with the Dolphin
Research Center in the Florida Keys, where Alice
will be assisting with the animal care and training
department. Keep us posted, Alice!
Right:
Here’s Alice at the Dolphin Research Center giving a signal to two of her charges. Alice describes
her experience as fantastic. She didn’t want to
leave when the internship was over.
We’re looking forward to hearing more about
Alice’s internship adventures.
6
Maggie Mohr (‘09) received special recognition from the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
for original research that she has been conducting on the onset of puberty, under the mentorship of Dr.
Greg Fraley. Maggie was chosen to present her research during the society’s 13th annual meeting
through one of only 12 travel awards the society gives for the international conference, which was
held this year at Michigan State University.
Kaitlin Anderson (‘10) secured a summer internship with Health Development International (http://
www.healthdevelopment.org/), learning a great deal about public and community health issues, which
she presented at a fall biology seminar.
Kelsey Reimink (‘11) and Avril Wiers (’11) completed intensive field courses at the University of
Michigan Biological Station “up north” in the UP, while Jeffrey Mastin (’09) headed south to Kellogg Biological Station, where he was awarded a scholarship to assist his participation in MSU/KBS’s
ELME program - http://www.kbs.msu.edu/elme/, Enhancing Linkages between Mathematics and
Ecology. Thanks to these students for presenting their experiences at one of the Biology seminars last
fall and/or at the October ’08 Advising Night!
Melissa VanderHaar (‘09) is earning Biology credits this semester while interning with ERM in
Holland, MI, continuing a long tradition of Biology students securing internships with this local company that is involved in environmental toxicology testing. http://www.erm.com/erm/main.nsf/pages/
homepage?opendocument
Scott Kosiba spent Spring ‘09 with the
CIEE course in Costa Rica
http://www.ciee.org/
Shirley Bradley (‘10), ASBMB Meeting, California,
Spring 2008
Jonathan Hertel (‘10) (Tanzania), Lelah Haggart (‘08) (Scotland), Rachel Maxwell (‘10) (Australia)
and Kyle Mosher (‘09) (University of Barcelona) were among several students who studied abroad
this year. Scott Kosiba (‘10) is spending this spring semester with the CIEE course in Costa Rica
(http://www.ciee.org/)
7
Nicholas Duthler (‘09) has been doing seasonal work for the Idaho Fish and Game out of Nampa, Idaho on their
Steelhead Monitoring and Natural Production Projects.
Joel Evenhouse (‘09) worked with the watershed coordinator and storm water specialist at the MACC this summer and has now secured a biological technician position with WEST, Inc. The job is performing fatality and
avian use surveys at a wind farm development in Bloomington, Illinois.
Landon Lapham (‘06) was accepted into the Anesthesiologist Assistant program at Nova Southeastern University in Florida where he as begun a 27 month Masters of Health Science program.
Mindy Miller with Kitty at Great Cats of Indiana,
Summer 2008
Justin Lubbers (‘09), ASBMB Meeting , California
Eddie Helderop (’09) Will be working at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Institute through the University of Minnesota from May until November this year doing biology fieldwork .
Last summer Eddie secured a research position at Western Michigan University where he conducted
an investigation of how food stress and parasitic infection affect growth in Mottled Sculpin.
Last summer…..
David Fraker (‘09) secured a summer research position at the Institute for Ecosystem Studies in
New York, where he investigated the interactions among habitat variables and species that are potential hosts for Lyme Disease, primarily Deer Mice.
Faith Whitehouse (‘09) was supported by a private donor to conduct a comparative investigation of
the effects of Hemlock Wooly Adelgids and scale insects on defoliation of Eastern Hemlocks at
Mohonk Preserve in the Shawangunk Mountains of New York. Her study used Eastern Hemlock
trees at the Hope College Nature Preserve as comparisons for a currently un-defoliated site.
Melinda Miller (‘09) interned with Great Cats of Indiana last summer, gaining experience with captive tigers, leopards, and more; she also participated in the Biology seminar presentation last fall. See
photo above.
8
Dani Fegan (‘11) has secured a seasonal position with SCA (Student Conservation Association) working in California. Dani will be surveying Spotted Owls, Goshawks, Peregrine Falcons, and Blad Eagles “on top of doing some botany”. For those of you wanting to get the jump
on next sumer, SCA is a great organization that our students have tapped into off and on for
over 15 years. Visit: http://www.thesca.org/
Jacquelyn Randolet (‘09) will be interning with Alaska SeaLife as part of their work with marine birds and shorebirds. (http://www.alaskasealife.org/) before beginning graduate school in
the fall.
Jennifer Bartman (‘10) recently secured a summer 2009 internship with the Michigan State
Police Forensics Laboratory in Grand Rapids, MI
Avril Wiers (‘11) and Paul Neumann (‘09) will carry on the “field station” tradition by undertaking field courses at U of M Biological Station and Coe Wilderness Field Station, respectively, this summer.
Elizabeth Weidenhaft (‘10) will be interning at the Minnesota Zoo
http://www.mnzoo.com/
And….23 students are conducting biological research here this summer from June 1 to
August 7—come by anytime to see what they are up to!
9
News from Hope Biology Alum
Below: This amazing photo was taken during one of Marlie Johnson’s (‘08) early experiences at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Please don’t ask the writers to identify where Marlie is
reaching….and why!
Below: Marlie Johnson and ungulate patient, September 2008.
More Alumni News
Caralyn Burdick (‘06) writes via our Facebook site that she took a new job in the Fall of 2008 teaching
near Raleigh, North Carolina. She is teaching Honor’s Chemistry, Chemistry, and Physical Science to
10th and 11th graders. She writes: “We do a lot of hands-on, inquiry based activities and labs where the
students learn from personal experiences.” Science education students take note! Caralyn is not unusual in teaching physical science with a biology degree – this has been a long-standing pattern among
our alums who are newer in the K-12 science job market – it seems that many biology majors will be
teaching physical science early on, and then perhaps later teach more biology. So, don’t forget to pack
in those physical science and mathematics courses!
Anne Bartusevige (‘97) writes that she has taken a new position with Playa Lakes Joint Venture based
in Lafayette, Colorado. This organization seeks to conserve bird habitat in the southern Great Plains.
Anne has played a lead role in several conservation organizations over the years, with her specialty being focused on the characterization and preservation of bird habitats. http://www.pljv.org/ Keep up the
good work, Anne!
10
More Alumni News
submitted by Kathy Winnett-Murray
Congratulations to Christa Van Dort (‘02) Nehs and Matthew Nehs (‘02) who met while studying
biology and chemistry together here at Hope College (proving just how romantic those structurefunction relationships and chemical bonds can be!) and returned to Holland, MI to be married on
September 6, 2008. Their reception was held at the Haworth Center so they could enjoy being at
Hope together again on their special day! Christa has completed her Ph.D. in the graduate biology/
biochemistry program at the University of Michigan while Matthew completes his M.D. program
there. We hope to see you back here again frequently, Christa and Matt!
Dr. Malcolm “Mac” Lippert (Hope Biology ’88), Associate Professor of Biology at St. Michael’s
College (Vermont) and Dr. Mark Kuhlmann (Hope Biology ’88), Associate Professor of Biology
at Hartwick College (New York) recently appeared together outside of Mark’s office at Hartwick
College in early February, 2009. Mac was invited by Hartwick’s Tri-Beta Chapter to give a lecture
on his research, “Does transcription cause mutation?” In the photo, Mac is holding a flyer announcing his seminar! Congratulations, ’88 graduates on earning your Ph.D.s, upon landing superb jobs
that carry on the tradition of undergraduate education at prestigious liberal arts colleges, for still being involved in BBB after all this time, and for being able to stay in touch after 20-plus years postHope!
Dr. Lippert and Dr. Kuhlmann, Hope College Biology Graduates 2008.
11
Aaron Hoffman ‘96 - founder of Scientific Outreach Media, putting his biological background to use
in the production and editing of science “films”! :
“After graduating from Hope, I took a year off before starting grad school at Colorado State University. I did
my M.S. work there as a student of John Wiens, and my Ph.D. work was co-advised by Dr. Wiens and LeRoy
Poff. While doing research on aquatic insect larvae on private land near Granby, CO, a fellow grad student
(Jeremy Monroe) and I came to a realization: Aside from a few fly-fisherman who understood aquatic insects
mostly in terms of flies to use, very few people had any inkling of what we were talking about when we described our research. This was especially true of the private landowners who were kind enough to let us use
their land as a research station!
Jeremy had been mulling this problem over for a while and had been taking excellent still photos of underwater
insect larvae for a year or so. We started thinking about how we could show them aquatic insects and describe
what the researchers were doing on their property. I ended up using some grant money I had received from the
now-defunct Ocean Journey in Denver (I think it’s now called the Denver Aquarium) to purchase a video camera and an underwater housing. We spent part of our summer videotaping aquatic insect larvae and videotaping
and interviewing the researchers there. We edited all our footage and presented copies of this short video to the
landowners who gave us access to our research site. I thought it was really fun and a neat scientific hobby but
was unable to come up with any real ideas about how I might incorporate videography into a career.
A few years later, Jeremy went on to start Freshwaters Illustrated, a nonprofit group dedicated to promoting
education about freshwater ecosystems. I married Nikki Grant and promptly moved to Fairbanks, Alaska where
Nikki was to begin a Ph.D. program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks with Christa Mulder. I hadn’t completed my Ph.D., but was down to the writing and analysis stage with all field and labwork completed, so this
move was fairly easy. After a semester in Fairbanks, we went to New Zealand for about 4 months. Nikki and
Christa were doing fieldwork there on a collaborative effort between UAF, Landcare New Zealand, and the
New Zealand Department of Conservation studying the effects of native seabirds and non-native predators
(rats) on islands and their vegetation, and I was hired as a field technician for the project. A few months before
leaving for NZ, Nikki’s advisor sent out an email to the group asking for outreach ideas for the project, as they
were also doing a huge portion of their research on privately owned islands. I replied, stating that I had made a
DVD under similar circumstances for private landowners during my own fieldwork, and would be happy to try
to do the same for their research group. It was agreed that I would also try to produce an outreach video for the
landowners while I was there.
Continued on next page.
12
Aaron Hoffman—continued from previous page
Those few months in New Zealand were very busy trying to simultaneously work as a field tech and a
videographer documenting the project, but also very fun. While doing that work, I began thinking about
scientists, and the fact that while they are often excited about doing the public education/outreach component of their research (that is so often required of them), it takes a lot of time. I began to formulate
ideas for a business that effectively did the outreach for the scientists in the form of short documentaries. I figured it would work well because once the video is produced, it’s very cheap and easy to duplicate DVDs and send them to schools, private landowners, conservation groups, etc. As far as I knew,
there were no businesses doing similar work at that kind of small scale, and I hoped there would be a
niche for me. The New Zealand video was well received by the landowners, and I was encouraged even
more. I returned to Alaska to pull together my business ideas and put the finishing touches on my dissertation. I returned to Colorado for a few weeks and defended that fall.
Scientific Outreach Media was born. Today, I would describe the business as “video services for the scientific community”. We do everything from original videography and documentary production, to editing existing footage, to DVD authoring and duplication. I currently am working on another seabird
video for the SEAPRE Research Coordination Network (www.seapre.uaf.edu), and have done or am
doing work for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. While most of my work has been in Fairbanks, my business has also taken
me to Maine, Missouri, Washington State, and several locales in Alaska.
When I started grad school I had visions of teaching at a teaching-focused small liberal arts college
(sound familiar? I guess the Hope College Bio department really rubbed off on me!) . I consider what I
am doing now to be similar to teaching in many ways, as I try to explain sometimes complex research in
fairly simple terms. Another thing that I like about my work is that while I have always enjoyed research fieldwork, the data analysis and writing have never been my favorite things. I miss the academic
setting a little bit, but really like being self-employed as it enables me to have the freedom to work from
home whenever I want, and to spend time with my family (We have two sons, Walter (2) and Anders (2
months).
I am currently preparing for a move back to the Lower 48. Alaska has been a really fun and interesting
place to live and work, but Nikki, having recently completed her Ph.D., has accepted a job working for
the Bureau of Land Management in Grand Junction, Colorado. I’ll be moving Scientific Outreach Media
there as well. I’ll miss the uniqueness and people of Alaska very much but am excited for new opportunities that lay ahead.” Watch for Aaron’s videos and DVDs!
*
*
*
Jillian Greshel ‘09 and Nicholas Duthler ‘09 have been interning for Biology credit at the Outdoor
Discover Center this spring semester (2009); among many other experiences, they were involved in a
winter Snowy Owl short term rehabilitation and subsequent release. Stephanie Pasek ‘09 also interned
with ODC this past summer and fall, gaining both direct experience with raptors and small children (we
are not certain which presented the greater challenge!).
Anna Brownson ‘08 secured a field assistant appointment with Drs. Eric Walters and Walter Koenig
(University of California, Berkeley) to study the social dynamics of Acorn Woodpeckers at the Hastings
Natural History Reservation in the Santa Lucia Mountains near Monterey, California.
13
Tori Derr (’90) writes via our Facebook (Hope Biology Alumni) site that she is working as a community forestry and education consultant in New Mexico. She primarily works with the Collaborative Forest Restoration Program (CFRP) to provide assistance to community groups in ecological
and socioeconomic monitoring of projects in ponderosa pine, pinon pine-juniper, mixed conifer, and
Rio Grande bosque ecosystems. The goals of the CFRP are to create “sustainable communities and
sustainable forests” through collaborative on-the-ground forest restoration. Tori has worked with
one of the Spanish Land Grant Communities in the Manzano mountains of New Mexico since 2001.
In the past year, this area was severely impacted by catastrophic wildfire, with 3 fires severely burning nearly 30,000 acres of public and private lands. Though wildfires are a natural part of ponderosa
pine forests, past management (such as fire suppression and overgrazing) have led to conditions that
support severe stand-replacing fires, rather than cooler surface fires that are a natural part of the system. “The fires were heartbreaking to see”, Tori writes, “as some in the community lost their
homes, and many who relied on the forest for wood products or medicinal plants have lost some or
all of their livelihood.” Tori will work with a group of ecologists, land management agencies, forest
workers, and youth to help restore areas burned by fire. Tori will work with youth to inventory and
collect native seeds and cones from adjacent areas for reseeding, to prevent introduction of invasive
weeds and help stabilize soils in key areas. Others in the project will build soil and water catchment
structures to rebuild soil and protect riparian areas. “I hope we can help not only to rehabilitate the
forest but also to repair people’s spirits”, says Tori. “These kind of fires are likely to increase with
climate change, making programs like CFRP that much more important.” Thank you, Tori, for your
vivid account of what you are doing with your biology degree, and for providing a terrific example
of liberal arts connections in your work! Keep it up!
Caralyn Burdick (‘06) writes via our Facebook site that she took a new job in the Fall of 2008 teaching near Raleigh, North Carolina. She is teaching Honor’s Chemistry, Chemistry, and Physical Science to 10th and 11th graders. She writes: “We do a lot of hands-on, inquiry based activities and labs
where the students learn from personal experiences.” Science education students take note! Caralyn
is not unusual in teaching physical science with a biology degree – this has been a long-standing pattern among our alums who are newer in the K-12 science job market – it seems that many biology majors will be teaching physical science early on, and then perhaps later teach more biology. So, don’t
forget to pack in those physical science and mathematics courses!
Julie VanKalker ‘05 has received her DDS from Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis.
Congratulations, Julie!
Allison Stewart ‘06 was selected as the 2009 Allan Rosenfield Global Health fellow for global health
surveillance. She will be working primarily in Cambodia and based in Atlanta, GA. Good luck, Allison!
Jamin Dreyer (‘06) received an Honorable Mention from the National Science Foundation’s Doctoral
Fellowship program: Jamin is continuing his research on ecological “pulses” of midges in Iceland.
(see: http://uwmyvatn.blogspot.com/)
Lauren Brierley (‘08) has received a grant from the Indiana Academy of Science for her PhD research
at Purdue University Titled: “Impacts of habitat fragmentation on social behavior, vocal communication,
and physiological stress.” Way to go, Lauren!
Jessica Howe ‘09 commented on her new status:
“Well, the position did require a Biology degree. The title is EH&S Hazard Communication Author. I
will be working with a team to create Safety Data Sheets and label content to assure regulatory compliance standards for Dow products.”
14
From the Hope College Critical Issues Symposium website, 2009.
Jalaa’ Abdelwahab is the Technical Officer/Epidemiologist for the Poliomyelitis Eradication Unit of the World Health Organization (WHO)
Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) based in Cairo, Egypt.
He is assigned in this position by the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) since 2004. His work entails extensive travel to priority countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia.
His missions primarily focus on planning and conducting house-tohouse national polio immunization campaigns as well as on training
and evaluating surveillance systems for detecting suspected polio cases
in those countries.
Jalaa’ Abdelwahab ‘97
Jalaa’ was born and raised in Ramallah, Palestine. He graduated from
Hope College with a BS in Biology and a minor in Biochemistry in
1997. At Hope, some of his favorite courses included poetry writing
and painting. Pursuing his interest in building communities that are
founded on principles of equality and comprehensive well-being, he
decided to pursue his Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology focusing on International Health from University of Michigan School of
Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI (2000). In 2000, he was selected for the
Public Health Prevention Service (PHPS) fellowship program at CDC.
Under this program, he became involved in the global polio eradiation
initiative working in the WHO African Regional Office in Harare, Zimbabwe. He also worked for two years with the NYC Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene on epidemiological investigations of tuberculosis in the city. Upon completing his fellowship in 2003, he joined
CDC as a Public Health Advisor in the Polio Eradication Branch providing technical support to Egypt and India.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.— Charles Darwin
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Remember the Departmental Twinkie®? Shown
here at left (from the last newsletter) on the continental divide at “La Ventana”, Monteverde Cloud
Forest Preserve, Costa Rica, compliments of Dr.
Murray and Nathan Poel. See page “17“ for the
Twinkie’s® most recent adventures.
15
Biology Faculty Kudos!
Left
At the spring meeting of the Hope College
Board of Trustees, Professor Maria A. Burnatowska-Hledin was appointed as the
Frederich Garrett and Helen Floor Dekker
Endowed Professor of Biomedicine and
Chemistry for a ten-year term.
Earlier this year, Dr. Burnatowska-Hledin
received the “Dean’s Science Division Faculty
Research Award”. Congratulations to Maria
on this wonderful recognition!
The National Association of Biology
Teachers presented Dr. Donald Cronkite
(right) with their highest honor last fall. At
their October 2008 meeting in Memphis,
Dr. Cronkite received NABT’s “Honorary
Membership Award” for his outstanding
contributions to K-College biology education. Provost James Boelkins also attended
the presentation, in recognition of this outstanding achievement.
Dr. Debbie Swarthout’s video “From Flowers to Seeds” has won second place in its
category for short films in Chlorofilms’ competition for new plant biology videos.
This is exciting news! To see the short film, follow this link:
Dr. Thomas Bultman, Chair of the Biology Department, (above) has been named to the Board of Advisors to the Editors of New Phytologist, an international scientific journal focused on plant science.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Chlorofilms&aq=f
16
Adventurous Departmental Twinkie Skirts Dangers while Globe-Trotting
(Part 2 of the Biology Twinkie Saga)
Submitted by Kathy Winnett-Murray
When we last left the Twinkie (Spring/Summer 2008 Newsletter), it was avoiding a soaking in a tropical shower on the Continental Divide in Costa Rica. Thank goodness for cellophane packaging! Since then, the Twinkie has encountered even more dangerous circumstances
as it accompanies some of the most adventurous biologists in their search for truth, justice, and
answers to the world’s most pressing biological and educational questions.
Left:
Research student Faith Whitehouse (‘10) and the Twinkie®
share a peaceful moment overlooking the view at Mohonk
Preserve, New York, where the
Twinkie accompanied Faith in
studying the impacts of Hemlock Wooly Adelgids on light
environments and seedling
recruitment in eastern deciduous forests (June, 2008).
While Faith diligently
recorded survivorship of tree
seedlings nearby, the
Twinkie® had a brush with
mortal danger in the form of a
Black Rat Snake and sought
safety in a not-yet defoliated
Eastern Hemlock (June 2008).
See the next page for more
photos of the Twinkie’s®
adventures.
17
Departmental Twinkie® Adventures Continued
Having safely escaped from the kinetic jaws of the snake, the Twinkie® finds time to enjoy the
spectacular view of Mohonk Mountain House from “Skytop” June 2008
Later in the fall, Twinkie® embarked on its most adventurous journey to date, and accompanied
Biology Education student Jonathan Hertel (‘10) on his study abroad course in Tanzania.
Although Jon and his course-mates were robbed of many of their belongings during the trip, the
Twinkie® was serendipitously elsewhere at the time, and survived to see some of the most
amazing scenery on the planet.
Left:
“Twinkie® in front of Mount
Meru, a mountain near
Kilimanjaro.”
J. Hertel
Twinkie® embarked on a new
adventure as this newsletter is
being written.
Stay tuned for more exciting
Departmental Twinkie®
Adventures.
18