Native American
Musician Bill Miller February 2012
The North Carolina Scientist
NCAS Annual Meeting at Campbell University, March 23-25, 2012 The Annual Meeting of the NCAS will be hosted by the College of Arts & Sciences at Campbell University on
March 23-25, 2012. Campbell is a private, liberal arts university nestled in the heart of Harnett County, NC
that focuses on the importance of faith, learning, and service. Campbell is home to approximately 3,000
students.
As always, this year’s Annual Meeting will showcase a wide variety of research topics presented by faculty,
graduate students undergraduate students and a variety of science professionals. The theme of the meeting is
Environmental Stewardship. Highlights of the meeting include a keynote presentation on biological diversity,
a public forum on the possibility of drilling and fracking in North Carolina, and a series of workshops and
special presentations from which to choose.
The keynote address will be presented by Dr. Stuart Pimm from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the
Environment. Dr. Pimm is a renowned authority in the field of conservation biology and biodiversity. He has
authored over 150 scientific papers, written several books, and spoken to Congress on the re-authorization of
the Endangered Species Act. The topic of his presentation is “Biodiversity - the Most Beautiful Carbon”.
The public forum on Friday evening of the meeting is entitled “Exploration for Natural Gas and the Future of
NC” and promises to be another highlight of the meeting, especially with the controversy and publicity
surrounding the topic. In fact, WRAL-TV ran a series on the topic which has come to the forefront due to the
NC law passed allowing offshore drilling and the study of the possibility of horizontal drilling and fracking.
Panelists, knowledgeable in the field, will present their views and answer questions. This is one event you will
not want to miss!
Other special events include a workshops, special sessions and a number of events tailored specifically for
high school teachers. Because of the diverse topics, we anticipate the workshops will appeal to the various
sectors of our membership. The workshop topics to choose from are “Computational Thinking Across the
Curriculum: Dynamic Explorations for a Changing World” by Dr. Bob Panoff of the Shodor Education
Foundation, a Graduate/Professional School workshop which will include a panel discussion followed by
breakout sessions, and a Science Photography workshop to learn more about how you can combine your
scientific and creative skills. For special sessions, we have Dr. Carr Thompson from the Burroughs Wellcome
Fund presenting “Scientists Engaging Students in the Environment” and Dr. Bruce Archambeault, an IBM
Distinguished Engineer speaking on “The Science Behind the Effects of Wireless Communications”. For high
school teachers, we have designed a variety of sessions that can be used for continuing education and we will
be offering CEU credit for attendance.
For more information on the meeting, such as where to stay and to access online registration, you can go to
www.campbell.edu/ncas. Registration and abstract submission is open. Register early since some space (e.g.
banquet tickets) may be limited. Looking forward to seeing all of you in March! Election of Officers; Biosketches of the Nominees
For President-Elect
Dr. Michael Kingston, Elon University
Dr. Kingston is a Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at Elon
University. He received his B.S. degree from Southampton College, his
M.S. degree from the University of California at Irvine, and his Ph.D.
degree from Duke University. His research interests focus on the vertical
migration of benthic euglenoid assemblages inhabiting stream banks and
estuarine sand flats in North Carolina and high wave-energy beaches on the
west coast. He has been a member of the North Carolina Academy of
Science for 16 years. Currently, he is a member of the editorial board of
the North Carolina Academy of Sciences Journal. In the past, he has held
positions as Vice- President, elected Board Member, and local
arrangements chair for the CANCAS Science Research Workshop, and local arrangement chair for
the 1999 and 2011 annual meetings of the Academy at Elon University. Additional service includes
a three year term on the Yarbrough Award Selection Committee, chair of the ecology paper sessions
and judge for the Dereiux Awards at 4 annual meetings.
Dr. Maria Santisteban, UNC-Pembroke University
Dr. Santisteban is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at the
University of North Carolina at Pembroke, a position she has held since
2007. Dr. Santisteban teaches Microbiology, Cell Biology, and Molecular
Biology. Dr. Santisteban, a native of Spain, earned her B.S. in
Biochemistry from the University of the Basque Country in Spain. She
then went to the Université Joseph Fourier in France where she completed
her DEA (Diplome d’Études Approfondies, the equivalent of a Masters)
and her PhD in Cellular Biology. Under the supervision of Gérald Brugal
she worked on the chromatin structure/function relationship using image
cytometry methods. For her postdoctoral studies, Dr. Santisteban went to
Dr. Mitchell Smith’s laboratory in the Microbiology Department at the University of Virginia,
working in the field of Yeast Molecular Genetics. She became an Assistant Professor of Research at
the same institution and remained there till her appointment at UNC Pembroke. Dr. Santisteban
continues to work with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism. Her research
focuses on the role the histone H2A.Z variant in regulating gene expression and she involves
undergraduate students in her research. Dr. Santisteban is this year’s vice-president of the board of
the North Carolina Academy of Science, and she has served on the board as an elected member for
two years. Dr. Santisteban served in the 2011 Annual Meeting Committee and she is the chair of the
local arrangements committee for the 2013 Annual Meeting to be held at UNC Pembroke, April 5-6.
She is a member of the editorial board of the KBM Journal of Biology and the advisory board of the
KBM Scientific Publishing, LP. She is a member of the GCAT (Genome Consorptium for Active
Teaching) and is serving as a member of the GCAT advisory board, whose mission is to recruit
faculty from minority serving institutions for the synthetic biology NSF funded workshops that will
be held on the 2012, 2013, and 2014 summers.
For Vice President
Dr. Constance (Connie) Lowery, Catawba College
Dr. Lowery is an Assistant Professor at Catawba College. Her research
interests are in the area of physiology and development of invertebrates;
calcification and development of coral; interactions between parasitic larvae
of freshwater mussels and their fish hosts. She has taught courses in
Anatomy and Physiology, Animal Physiology, Electron Microscopy, and
Invertebrate Biology. She has been the mentor for students that have
presented at previous NCAS meetings.
Dr. Muhammud Lodhi, Fayetteville State University
Dr. Lodhi currently serves as an Associate Professor of Biotechnology at
Fayetteville State University (FSU). He is the PI of the Molecular and
Cellular Biotechnology Lab where he studies cell and stem cell
proliferation and differentiation influenced by surface interactions. The
aim of the lab is to regulate cell processes through chemistry and
nanotopology. He teaches cell biology, molecular genetics, immunology,
genomics and tissue culture classes. He served as graduate coordinator
for MS Biology program as well as coordinator for the cell biology class.
Before joining FSU, Muhammad worked in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries as director
of research and development. Several products and intellectual property were developed under his
leadership that are still being used by the genomic scientists. Earlier during his postdoctorate at Cold
Spring Harbor Lab, he participated in the sequencing and annotation of human, fission yeast and
Arabidopsis genomes. Secretary
Dr. Francie Cuffney, Meredith College
Dr. Cuffney is Department Chair of Biological Sciences and Chemistry,
Physics, and Geoscience at Meredith College. Prior to her position of
Department Head she was Director of Undergraduate Research and is on
the advisory board for the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research
and Creativity Symposium. She has a Ph.D. in Entomology from the
University of Georgia and maintains a research program focused on the
effects of pharmaceutical and personal care products on the Asiatic clam
Corbicula. Dr. Cuffney has been active in the Academy since 1998 and has
served on the board since 2008. She has served as Secretary for the last three years.
Elected Member
Dr. Nathan (Nate) Deichert, Mount Olive College
Dr. Deichert received his B.S. in Psychology from Mansfield University (PA) in
2000, M.S. in Psychology from Bucknell University in 2003, and Ph.D. in
Experimental Social-Health Psychology from Kent State University in 2007.
After receiving his Ph.D., he spent one year at Ohio State doing a post-doctoral
fellowship investigating the relationship between psychological stress and immune
system function. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Mount
Olive College (NC) and his teaching responsibilities include courses in research methods and statistics, social
psychology and health psychology. His research focuses on how social support and depression relate to
physical health and health behaviors. He is a relatively new member of NCAS and is looking to become more
involved in the Academy. During the CANCAS workshop held at Mount Olive College, he led a session on
interview skills to help students prepare for graduate school interviews.
Dr. David Judge, Gardner Webb University
Dr. Judge is an Associate Professor of Biology at Gardner-Webb University located
in Boiling Springs, NC. He received a BS from Radford University in chemistry
and biology, and his MS and PhD from Virginia Tech in Entomology. Prior to
coming to Gardner-Webb in 2001, he was a senior research chemist for eight years
in the environmental fate department of the pesticide registration division in
Goldsboro and RTP for what is now Bayer CropScience. During that time, he
received a BS in Accounting from Mount Olive College at Seymour Johnson Air
Force Base, Goldsboro, NC. Before leaving industry to teach at Gardner-Webb, he
taught non-majors biology on weekends for Mount Olive College at their RTP campus. At Gardner-Webb, he
teaches biochemistry, invertebrate zoology, general biology, a non-major’s course in the environment, and
courses in the environmental science major. As part of the emphasis placed on undergraduate research
experiences by Gardner-Webb, he works with students on a variety of topics. Students have presented their
work, ranging from analysis of lycopene in tomato products to the biology of microinvertebrates in the campus
pond at NCAS meetings.
Submit a Paper or Poster We are accepting papers & posters in all areas of science & math for the NCAS Annual 2012 Meeting.
Common areas are listed in the table below but some special areas of interest are Science & Photography and
Science Education. Science and Photography may include photography for scientific purposes (e.g.
taxonomic identification) or for artistic purposes. Science Education may be anything from development of
laboratory exercises to analysis of pedagogical methods. We look forward to your submissions!
Anthropology
Computer Science
Mathematics
Behavioral Sciences
Ecology
Microbiology
Biotechnology
Engineering
Botany
Molecular Biology
Environ. Science
Physics
Cell & Development
Geosciences
Physiology
Chemistry
Health Sciences
Zoology
Science Education
Abstract submission and meeting registration: Now open!
Abstract submission deadline is Monday February 20, 2012
Visit our meeting website for more information at www.campbell.edu/ncas
CANCAS News Notes – January 2012 CURRENT EVENTS Don’t miss out! Stay Informed. If you are a faculty advisor, please remember to forward the News Notes to your students. If they want the News Notes to reach them directly, please have them send me (Erin Lindquist, erinlind@meredith.edu) a request by email, indicating their name and which group (e.g. club or department) they are associated with, and I will be glad to add them to the email list. NCAS/CANCAS Annual Meeting, Campbell University, March 23‐25, 2012 Theme: Environmental Stewardship The Annual Meeting is an excellent venue for undergraduates and graduate students to present posters and oral presentations. Poster and oral presentation abstracts are due on February 20, 2012 and can be submitted online. Early online registration is also due on February 20. Meeting and registration information is now available at: http://www.campbell.edu/artsandsciences/NCAS‐109th‐Annual‐Meeting/ Note that there will be a graduate and professional school workshop on Saturday, March 24 from 1:45‐3:00pm at Campbell during the meetings. Graduate/professional school panelists will talk with undergraduate students about selection and applications, and graduate school experiences. New CANCAS Officers and Campus Liaisons will be elected during the CANCAS Business Meeting on March 24 at the meetings. We hope to see as many CANCAS student members at the meeting as possible. If you are interested in running as a CANCAS officer or liaison, or recommend a student for a position, please contact Dr. Erin Lindquist (erinlind@meredith.edu), and please encourage the nominee(s) to attend the CANCAS Business Meeting at Campbell. Derieux Research Awards at Annual Meeting Faculty Judges and Faculty/Student Moderators Needed We are in need of judges for undergraduate research presentations that are being considered for Derieux Awards for Research Excellence at the annual meeting. Poster judges will need to be at Campbell to judge Friday, March 23, 2012 from 5:30‐7:45pm. Oral presentation judges will need to be at Campbell to judge on Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 7:30am – 1:45pm. We also need moderators to lead each oral paper session on Saturday morning. Moderators can be faculty or students. If you are willing to judge or moderate, please contact Dr. Erin Lindquist (erinlind@meredith.edu) by February 20, 2012. Derieux Research Award Eligibility To be eligible for the Derieux Award the undergraduate student presenter MUST be a member of CANCAS (either through a CANCAS group membership to the student’s institution or as an individual member) and be the sole‐ presenter (multiple authors on the paper are allowed however). Memberships must be up to date by the end of February 2012. Awards will be given to both poster and oral presentations at the awards ceremony during the meeting’s dinner banquet at Campbell on March 24. CANCAS Membership – Dues for 2011‐2012 Academic Year Membership for individual ($10) and groups ($40) are available on‐line for the 2011‐2012 academic year. Be sure to register your school as soon as possible. The deadline for membership forms and dues WAS November 15, 2011. Membership forms are available online (http://www.ncacadsci.org/cancas/membership.html) and dues can be paid online.