Fossils Fuel 2006 Darwin Day Discussion · Illustration Credits: Karl J. Scheidegger, Fishes of...

Cambrian fossils were the focus of Duquesne University’s 2006 Darwin Day event on Feb. 10. Dr. DerekBriggs, a paleontologist based at Yale University, presented The Cambrian Explosion: Evidence of theFossil Record. The Cambrian period is so important because it was the first time when most of themajor animal groups appear in the fossil record. It also was the first period to immortalize animals withshells or hard parts as fossils.

“The fossil record is commonly misunderstood,” said Dr. David Lampe, associate professor of biology,who organizes Duquesne’s annual Darwin Day celebration. One of Lampe’s educational goals forDarwin Day events is to present reliable scientific data to counter the claims of creationists.Creationists are those who literally interpret the Bible’s account of the creation, and reject evolution as an incompatible theory.

Like many other biologists, Lampe believes that creationists misrepresent the fossil record. “The fossilrecord contains some of the most important data establishing evolution as afact,” said Lampe. “It shows that life took simpler forms in earlier periods,became more complicated later, but had transitional forms in between.” n

Long before dinosaurs ruled the earth, primitive aquatic creatures of the Cambrian

period set the stage for the contemporary evolution debate, leaving a wealth of

fossils that support the theory of Charles Darwin.

Fossils Fuel

2006 Darwin Day Discussion

B a y e r S c h o o l o f N a t u r a l & E n v i r o n m e n t a l S c i e n c e s

F A L L 2 0 0 6

The

BusinessScienceof

Bayer School of Natural AND Environmental Sciences

600 Forbes AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15282

PHONE: 412.396.4900FAX: 412.396.4881

www.science.duq.edu

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 390Pittsburgh, PA

The Etowah darter is hard to identify, whatscientists refer to as a classic cryptic species.For a federally endangered fish, this is not agood thing. If the species cannot be pinneddown, how can it be protected?

The plight of the Etowah darter came tothe attention of Dr. Brady Porter, assistant pro-fessor of biology, when he was a post-doctor-al fellow working with Dr. Byron Freeman atthe University of Georgia. The fish is nativeand endemic to the Etowah River basin innorthern Georgia. Porter left Georgia in 2003to join the faculty at Duquesne University, buthe did not leave the fish behind. Porter, whoholds a Ph.D. in zoology, continues to collabo-rate with Freeman as part of his phylogeneticstudies of fish. Phylogeny groups speciesaccording to their evolutionary history.

Shane Ritchea has spent her entire graduate career at Duquesne University onthe trail of this elusive fish. She has neverbeen field sampling in Georgia; her search for

the Etowah darter was conducted exclusive-ly in Porter’s laboratory. Awarded the BayerResearch Fellowship in 2004-05, Ritcheacompleted her M.S. in EnvironmentalScience and Management in summer 2006after successfully defending her thesis,Genetic Population Structure of theFederally Endangered Etowah Darter,Etheostoma etowahae.

“The Etheostoma genus is the largest inNorth America,” remarked Ritchea. Morethan 200 species of North American dartersare known, with many new species beingdescribed in the past few decades.“Because many of their identifying charac-teristics overlap, they can be very difficult totell apart,” she continued. “Their most distinguishing feature is color, but it’s onlyapparent in breeding males during the mating season.”

As a result, several fairly well-knownspecies have been split into numerous

“new” species over the past two decades, following further evaluation of morphological,behavioral, ecologic and genetic variations.The greenbreast darter, Etheostoma jordani,was considered a single species until 1993,when Dr. Robert Wood and Dr. RichardMayden identified the presence of four distinctspecies. One of those was the Etowah darter,which was listed as a federally endangeredfish only one year later. According to Ritchea,this is not uncommon for newly discoveredspecies of fish, for the lack of information ontheir habitats and life history precludesinformed recovery efforts.

Increased urbanization in the Atlantametropolitan area has degraded the Etowahdarter’s habitat, with obvious offenders likemunicipal and industrial waste taking their toll.Wood and Mayden described a geographicrange for the fish that was limited to the northern Etowah River System, including LongSwamp Creek and Smithwick Creek, with themore common E. jordani distributed in sitesfurther downstream, including Stamp Creek.

“What we found, which was so interest-ing, were some ambiguous populations of E.etowahae and E. jordani,” Ritchea said, referring to preliminary studies done byFreeman and Porter while he was in Freeman’slab. “We found individuals in Long Swamp andSmithwick Creeks (both historically in the E.etowahae range), and in Stamp Creek (in the E.jordani range) which appeared to be a mix ofthe two species.” Ritchea stated that thiscould be the first report of syntopy, with theseparate species co-existing in the sameregion, or even hybridization between the twospecies, a clear threat to the genetic integrityof the endangered fish.

The most unique characteristics of E. jordani is the red spotted body of breedingmales; other distinguishing traits, includingaverage counts of the lateral line and trans-verse scale rows, have ranges that overlapbetween the two species. Ritchea plotted thefindings for samples taken from the ambiguous

2 Spectrum | Fall 2006 Spectrum | Fall 2006 3

(Continued on page 19)

Hidden FishBy Lisa Mikolajek Barton

DNA Sequencing RevealsE. jordani

E. etowahae

Illustration Credits: Karl J. Scheidegger, Fishes of Alabamaand the Mobile Basin (Metee et. al., 1996)

Spectrumis published for the alumni and friends of the Bayer School of Natural andEnvironmental Sciences

Published by Dr. David W. Seybert, Ph.D.Dean of the Bayer School of Natural andEnvironmental Sciences

Duquesne University600 Forbes AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15282412-396-4900www.science.duq.edu

Edited by Lisa Mikolajek Barton

Produced by Duquesne University Public Affairs and Miller Creative Group

InsideDNA Sequencing Reveals Hidden Fish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Metal Shines in New Science Research Center . . . . . . . . 4

Chemistry Outreach Program Plants New Seeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Science Does Not Need God — or Does It? . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Measurement Methods Forge Research Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . 7

The Business of Science:Duquesne Provides Leadership in Biotechnology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Endowed Chair Integrates Teaching and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Instrumental Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

BSI: Students Become Bog Science Investigators . . . . . . . . . . . 14

“While he was with us…” In Memory of John Doctor . . . . . . . . . . 15

Donnelly Appointed Associate Academic VP . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Faculty Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Fossils Fuel 2006 Darwin Day Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Shane Ritchea used Duquesne's new genetic analyzer to sequence the DNA of the endangered fish.

Dean’s MessageWelcome to the fall 2006 issue ofSpectrum, a publication for alumni andfriends of the Bayer School of Natural andEnvironmental Sciences. The cover of thisissue portrays the synergism of science,technology, and business in the arena ofbiotechnology. On page 8, you can readabout the efforts of Dr. Alan Seadler, theFritzky Chair of Biotechnology Leadership,as he strategically moves the Bayer Schoolinto the mainstream of biotechnology inthe region. This initiative promises to cre-ate new research efforts on campus whileinfusing new energy into the local industry.

Our students and faculty continue todemonstrate leadership in the community.We provide opportunities to talented, eco-nomically disadvantaged students throughinitiatives such as Project SEED (p. 5).Our Forensic Science and Law studentshelped to educate thousands of patronswhile serving as interns for the recent BogPeople exhibit at the Carnegie Museum ofNatural History (p. 14). These are just twoof the numerous ways the Bayer Schoolreaches out to the greater community.

We have established the tradition of host-ing distinguished scientists at DuquesneUniversity who bring science to bear onrelevant issues. This past spring, we wereprivileged to co-sponsor a lecture by Fr.George Coyne (p. 6), who recently retiredfrom a 25-year appointment as Director ofthe Vatican Observatory. Fr. Coyne spenttwo days meeting with students and faculty, and his lecture explored the debatebetween evolution and Intelligent Design,as highlighted in the 2005 court decision inthe Dover Area School District inPennsylvania. The Bayer School providesa public forum to address the questions andcontroversies that emerge where scienceintersects with culture.

The foundation of the school continues tobe our dedication to excellence in researchand teaching. On page 3, you will learnabout the research program of Dr. BradyPorter, who studies molecular phylogeny ofthreatened species of fish. His storydemonstrates how faculty research creates

unique learning experiences for students.We have recently enhanced our interdisci-plinary research efforts through the dedica-tion of a new Center for Metals in BiologicalSystems (p. 4). We also recognize and salutethe vital role that the dedicated staff of ourInstrumentation Maintenance and RepairFacility contributes to the effective and effi-cient operation of the increasingly sophisti-cated instrumentation infrastructure of ourresearch enterprise (p. 12).

I would also like to direct your attention tothe recognition our faculty have achieved,including their remarkable records of grants-manship and publications in prestigiousjournals. Many of our graduate and under-graduate students are co-authors on thesehighly respected, peer-reviewed publica-tions. We are profoundly thankful for theprivilege of having Dr. John Doctor as our friend and colleague for an all-too-brieftime (p. 15).

I encourage you to read these and all of theother stories in this issue, which celebratethe many exciting activities and achieve-ments of the Bayer School. I would also liketo extend a cordial invitation to each of you to visit the Bayer School and witness first-hand the remarkable advances our faculty,staff and students are achieving. We are ded-icated to extending our excellence in scientific research and education. I would bepleased to discuss any of these or the manyother research projects and educational andoutreach activities here in theBayer School and ways inwhich you can participateand support us in our efforts.

To investigate these mysteries, the BayerSchool of Natural and EnvironmentalSciences has established a Center forMetals in Biological Systems. Althoughthere are similar research centers at institutions throughout the world,Duquesne will be the first university inWestern Pennsylvania with a center formetals research.

“The center will focus our expertiseand enhance collaboration betweendepartments,” said Dr. Partha Basu, associate professor of chemistry and director of the new center, which willencompass interdisciplinary researchbetween chemistry and biology faculty.

Scientists first recognized the presence of iron-containing compounds in blood during the 19th century, but the relationship between metals and bio-logical processes has become increasinglyapparent in the last 20 years. Metals playa double-edged role as both a harmfultoxin and an essential ingredient in medicines and food.

For instance, the presence of certainmetals in the body is linked to the onset

A quick review of almost any food label shows that metals play an important role in

the human diet. But only recently have scientists begun to understand how metals are

important to human health and have the power to either kill or cure.

Metal Shinesin New Science Research Center

of illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease.Yet, metals also are essential to otherhealth care breakthroughs, such aschemotherapy agents, anti-microbialtreatments and drugs that enhance theeffectiveness of imaging technologies likemagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Basu is pursuing food safety-relatedresearch with Dr. John Stolz, professor ofbiology, to investigate the impact ofarsenic in organic soil. Approximately 70percent of the broiler chickens raised inthe United States are fed arsenic to prevent disease and speed their growth.Almost all of the arsenic then passesthrough the chickens and ends up in thelitter, which is the material covering theground in chicken houses. This litter issold as fertilizer to individuals and farmerswho raise organic crops. Basu and Stolzhope to learn how the arsenic reacts inthe soil and, ultimately, whether it makesthe vegetables and fruits raised in the soilharmful to humans.

Stolz and Basu organized Duquesne’s first symposium on metals research onNov. 4, 2005 to commemorate the launch

By Amy Winn

of the Center for Metals in BiologicalSystems. The event featured noted metals researchers Dr. Michael Maroneyfrom the University of Massachusetts, Dr.J. Martin Bollinger from the Penn StateUniversity and Dr. Bruce Pitt from theUniversity of Pittsburgh’s GraduateSchool of Public Health.

Through the center, the Bayer School seeks to foster additional research collaborations between faculty membersand Pittsburgh’s scientific community.According to Dean David W. Seybert,“We’re always looking for new ways toenhance our programs and foster interdis-ciplinary research collaboration, bothamong our own faculty members and withscientists at other universities like Pittand CMU.”

The new center also is expected toattract more graduate students, as metalsresearch is particularly appealing to youngscientists who are still determining whereto focus their academic pursuits.

“It’s a new area, so there are a lot of opportunities there because there hasn’t been a lot of research on metalsyet,” explained Kelly Papariella, a chemistry graduate student in Duquesne’sPh.D. program. n

Duquesne students conducted poster presentations toshare their research accomplishments following the metals research symposium. Here, Basu (center) andDean David Seybert review the work of Kelly Papariella,a chemistry Ph.D. candidate.

Sloan is one of several youths whohave participated in Project SEED atDuquesne University over the past threeyears. Project SEED is a program that places high school juniors and seniors in alaboratory for eight weeks over the summer.During this time, he or she works on aresearch project and receives a stipend.Candidates must show financial need coupled with academic achievement inorder to be considered.

The concept was developed by theAmerican Chemical Society, but in order to thrive, the seed must be planted by chemistry faculty who are willing to investtheir time, laboratory space and researchstaff. Dr. Jennifer Aitken, assistant professorof chemistry and biochemistry, launched theprogram at Duquesne in 2004. She enlistsfaculty mentors for each student, who inturn assign graduate student supervisors.

Like many of her classmates in Taylor-Allderdice High School, Dawneé Sloan got a job

the summer before her senior year. Her new job offered more than just money, however.

While others spent the summer serving food or selling clothes, Sloan had become a valued

member of a Duquesne University research team.

Chemistry Outreach Program

By Lisa Mikolajek Barton

plants new seeds

eventually followed suit include LabChem,PPG, R.J. Lee Group, Westinghouse, BayerMaterial Science, Acucis, and R & RElectronic Products. The generosity of sponsors allowed Aitken to host seven students in the summer of 2006, her largestgroup to date.

Some students who have not yet graduated high school are welcomed backfor a second summer; these students receivea slightly larger stipend and other privileges,such as the opportunity to present theirresearch at national meetings withDuquesne University students.

“The first year I got a good idea of whatchemistry is about, but I decided to comeback for a second year to see if this might be what I want to do with the rest of mylife,” said Timothy McFadden, anotheralumnus of the program. McFadden, whograduated with high honors from StoRoxHigh School in spring 2006, said he had ahard time picturing himself in college atfirst, despite outstanding grades. His experience at Duquesne changed that.

Like anyone who plants and cultivatesa seed, Aitken may have to wait a long time to see the fruits of her labors. Yet shemaintains it is worth the effort. Aitkenbelieves that her course in life hinged on a college scholarship earned with a lot ofhard work and a little bit of luck. She hopesthat Project SEED will give some of today’stalented teens the same kind of “luckybreak” that launches a career in science. n


The mission of the program inspiredher. “The purpose of the program is to place economically challenged students into the laboratory for the summer to givethem the college experience and to turnthem on to science,” she explained. “Theeconomically disadvantaged students areoften minority students. We have a very low number of African Americans andHispanics in the chemistry field, so it helpsus promote diversity.”

As with any successful project, inspira-tion was followed by perspiration. Becauseonly limited matching funds are offered bythe ACS, private and corporate sponsorsmust be cultivated. Aitken credits Dr. DavidSeybert, dean of the Bayer School ofNatural and Environmental Sciences, withproviding some start-up money to keep theidea alive. A personal friend pitched in witha gift of $1,000, and local companies who

Dawneé Sloan is one of several youths who have participated in Project SEED.

Duquesne University, in its latest researchagreement with a biotechnology company, isworking to develop and improve productsfor environmental and biomedical analyses.Through this agreement with Pittsburgh-based Applied Isotope Technologies Inc.

Measurement Methods ForgeResearch Partnership

(AIT), an additional post-doctoral researchposition will be funded at Duquesne.

The research results could be used inlaboratory and U.S. Department ofHomeland Security applications to measureminute amounts of materials, particularly

metals, in biomedical or environmental samples, and determine if problems existwith contamination and toxicity. The tech-nology could have other health applications,such as detecting indicators of cancers.

The method to accurately determinemeasurement of minute samples was developed by Dr. H.M. “Skip” Kingston, achemistry professor in Duquesne’s BayerSchool of Natural and EnvironmentalSciences. His innovate methods of measurement prompted the launching ofAIT in 2003.

The company continues to developnew measurement methods, standards andservices important to the biochemical andbiomedical fields. “We are pleased and excited about the collaborative path wehave embarked on with Duquesne,” saidMatt Pamuku, chief executive officer andpresident of AIT.

The research associated with thisagreement is funded through a grant to AITfrom Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse,an economic development initiative formedto accelerate Western Pennsylvania’s life sciences industry. n


By Karen Ferrick Roman

Duquesne University research, like that done in the laboratory of Dr. H.M. "Skip" Kingston, is attracting the attention of industrial research partners.

Father George Coyne, S.J., does not choosebetween science and religion.

Coyne is a distinguished scientist—aPh.D. in Astronomy who has served as director of the Vatican Observatory from 1978through October 2006, as well as the directorof the Catalina Observatory and associatedirector of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratoryat the University of Arizona.

Coyne is also a man of deep religiousfaith—a faith so deep that he has dedicatedhis life to God, as a religious priest, for morethan 40 years. A major player in the seriousacademic dialogue between science and religion, Coyne brought his expertise to bearon the Intelligent Design debate at DuquesneUniversity on April 4, 2006.

Approximately 500 faculty, students and guests filled the Duquesne UniversityBallroom to hear Coyne’s presentation, “TheDance of the Fertile Universe: Science DoesNot Need God—or Does It?” The event wasco-sponsored by the Bayer School of Naturaland Environmental Sciences and theMcAnulty College of Liberal Arts.

“This issue has captured national atten-tion and sparked spirited debate,” remarkedDr. David Seybert, dean of the Bayer School,as he introduced the presentation. Hereferred to a court ruling in Dover AreaSchool District in December 2005, when theschool board’s attempt to introduce IntelligentDesign in the classroom made headlines.While the ruling clearly states that IntelligentDesign is not permitted in the science curricu-lum, Seybert observed, questions still linger asto whether acceptance of Darwinian evolutionand faith in God are mutually exclusive, aswell as broader questions as to whether science and religion are incompatible.

For Coyne, the answer to both sets ofquestions is an emphatic no. “The classicalquestion is, did the universe come about bychance, or did it come about by destiny—bynecessity? According to our best scientificknowledge of the universe, the question is

wrong, and so any answer to the question willbe wrong,” he stated.

In the intrinsically divisive “either/or”scenario, one’s answer to the question willhave serious implications for religious faith,with those on the side of chance finding no need of God, and those on the side ofnecessity finding a clear need for a God whoplanned the destiny of the universe. Bothconclusions are wrong, Coyne said, becausethe question is not so simple. “There are threeelements that have been at work for 14 billionyears to bring about what we know as theuniverse and its contents today,” heexplained. The third element, in addition tochance and necessity, is fertility.

To explain what he means by fertility,Coyne noted that there are an estimated 1076

atoms in the visible universe. Out of theseatoms arise all that exists, including thehuman person of exponential variations.

Within the human genome, there areabout 30,000 genes, and about 2,000 of theseconstitute the differences in each individual.“If those numbers are correct, when twohumans produce a third individual, the varia-tions that are possible in that person’s geneswill be 22010, which is equal to 10605,” Coynestated. “When I look at those numbers, I ammystified that a universe that has 1076 buildingblocks has produced beings with 10605 cap-ability of genetically reproducing. How did auniverse with that number of building blocksproduce a person with that number of building blocks?” he marveled. This demon-strates Coyne’s concept of a fertile universe.He continued to lay the foundation of his argument with his description of the origins ofall living things in the birth and death of stars.

In the apparently dark spaces of the universe, an event of cosmic proportions maybe taking place. “A piece of a dark cloudbegins to fragment, the fragments begin tocollapse, and the gas heats up according tothe laws of physics,” he said. “Since the

mass collapsing in this case is the mass of thesun or several times the size of the sun, the temperature rises to millions of degrees andstarts a thermonuclear furnace—that is a star.”

This “thermonuclear furnace” convertselements from the simple to the increasinglycomplex—hydrogen to helium, helium to carbon, and carbon to nitrogen, moving upthrough the heavy elements like iron. The radiant energy of this process is what causesstars to glow and delays the inevitable collapse.A star that has spent its energy source will collapse in a spectacular supernova explosion,leaving a supernova remnant.

“Out of this cloud of gas and dust, anothergeneration of stars is born,” Coyne said. “Butthis time, they are not born of pure hydrogen;they are born out of stuff regurgitated from aprevious generation of stars, so it is enriched inthe heavier elements.”

Why focus so much time on the life cycleof stars? “Because if this were not happening,you and I would not be here,” Coyne asserted.“That is a scientific fact, and I will not arguewith anyone about that fact. The only way we know to get the chemical abundance of elements to form living beings is through thebirth and death of stars.”

As Coyne noted, our own sun is actually a third-generation star. If it were not, the elements necessary for life and living things on earth would not be possible. With all thenecessary elements, how did the human person, with the ability to hold the concept ofthe universe in his or brain, come to be? Howdid the planet Earth, or any living thing, for thatmatter emerge, from these elements?

For Coyne, the physical process of howthat happened inspires much awe, but holds nogreat mystery. “The human brain came aboutby a process in which H, C, N, and O repeatthemselves in ever more complex moleculesuntil you get to sugars, the amino acids, theDNA—the building blocks of life,” he said.“This is what we call chemical complexification.

That is, given the basic chemicals, from stars,chemistry builds up ever more complex mole-cules, until a few billion years later, you get to thehuman brain.”

Coyne returned to the original question: did this happen by chance or destiny? This iswhere the “dance” begins. Consider two hydrogen atoms that meet in the early universe.By necessity they will combine to create molecule—unless, by chance, the conditions arenot right. “Trillions of hydrogen atoms are doingthis,” Coyne said. “Should we be surprised if afew billion times, we get a hydrogen molecule by chance? It’s a necessary process, but it happens by chance.” The dance continues with a hydrogen molecule and an oxygen molecule; if by chance they combine, by necessity they will form water.

The dance goes on and on, from the formation of a methane molecule, to a protein, to a DNA chain, to the human brain. “We’ve had fourteen billion years that the universe hasbeen at this so-called lottery,” Coyned declared.“We’ve had 1022 stars spewing out the fundamen-tal chemistry that supplies the ingredients tomake more complex molecules. This is the fertile universe where chance and destiny have danced. This is science,” he said.

“Do we need God to explain this?” Coyneasked. “Do we need a Designer to explain this?My answer is absolutely no.”

Coyne’s scientific certainty about the origins of life in the universe does not contra-dict his belief in God. In fact, it confirms whathis faith tells him about the nature of God as acreator of free beings in a universe that is notpre-determined. “The God of religious faith isnot the God who explains things,” he asserted,criticizing the use of God to “fill in the gaps” ofscientific knowledge.

Coyne used the analogy of God as a parent who allows his child, the universe, togrow up according to its own nature. The discipline and guidance of the parent does notultimately control the outcome of who the childwill become. “That’s what I mean when I sayIntelligent Design is wrong, not only from thescientific view, but more so than ever from thereligious view,” Coyne stated. “It proposes aGod who is a Mind.”

He continued, “God is not, in the firstmoment of religious belief, a Designer or anIntelligence. God is Love, and from that flows allwe know and all we aspire to know about God.”

Coyne concluded, “My knowledge of theuniverse enriches my faith in God, and if Ibrought in God as a Designer it would belittle

me, it would belittle God, and it would belittleour knowledge of the universe.”

After enthusiastic applause, the floor wasopened for questions. The challenges from supporters of Intelligent Design, and counterchallenges from science faculty and like-mindedindividuals, engaged the audience in a livelydebate, moderated by Coyne, which extendedthe event well beyond its scheduled time.

Some questions may never be answered,but for Coyne, a serious scientist and a devoutbeliever, the answer to at least one question isclear. Does Coyne ever experience a conflictbetween his scientific knowledge and his religious faith? While he does not need God to support his science, he has always found that his science supports his belief in God. n

Vatican Astronomer Weighs In on Debate By Lisa Mikolajek Barton

— or Does It?

Dr. George Coyne, S.J. has been directorof the Vatican Observatory for more than25 years.

Science Does Not Need God The Vatican Observatory is one of the oldest astronomical insti-tutes in the world. Pictured here is the Vatican AdvancedTechnology Telescope (VATT) on Mt. Graham, Arizona.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Evanseck,Professor of Chemistry and Biochemisty andDirector of the Center for ComputationalSciences, technology advances are not onlyimpacting the way we live, but occurring atvastly different rates. For example, computerspeed doubles roughly every 18 months,where as the gas mileage on a 2005 FordExplorer is virtually identical to the 1908Ford Model T. While the breakneck speedof some technological advances can be over-whelming, the responsibility remains to usetechnology for a better world and quality of life.

Evanseck’s new role carries responsibili-ties for integrating technology and teachingin Duquesne University classrooms. He wasappointed as the first Fr. Joseph LauritisEndowed Chair in Teaching andTechnology in fall 2005. The chair wasnamed for the Spiritan priest and professor

who used radio broadcast to teach journal-ism in 1949 by establishing WDUQ-FM,now a regional name for news.

“Technology will not create a greatteacher from a poor one,” Evanseckremarked. “I am convinced, however, that technology will supplement solid teaching to provide a more effective learning environment for students.”

When Evanseck joined the faculty in 2000, the most commonly used tools inthe classroom included chalkboards,wipeboards and overhead transparencies.Today, common tools include Blackboard,the academic portal used to deliver onlinecourses and web-enhanced courses, andClassroom Personal Response Systems,which allow students to answer an instruc-tor’s questions with handheld keypads.These are just two of the many educationaltechnology tools catching on at Duquesne.

As co-chair of the University EducationalTechnology Committee since 2004, Evanseckworks closely with Computing and TechnologyServices and other faculty representatives toevaluate the needs of students and faculty,identify promising new technologies to meetthose needs, and plan the implementation ofnew technologies across campus. One of thegroup’s most recent achievements was theintroduction of the Sympodium, a technology-enhanced podium that features a flat touchscreen panel and Smart Notebook software.

Although he has been a long-time advo-cate for teaching with technology, Evanseckwas surprised by his appointment and humbledto be selected from among his peers. “I seethis chair position as an honor, but even moreso as a responsibility—a responsibility to bringleadership, guidance and assistance to eachperson on campus to bring education andtechnology closer together,” he said. n

Endowed for ExcellenceSeveral endowed chairs were established in recent years in response tothe five-year strategic plan developed under the leadership of DuquesneUniversity President Dr. Charles J. Dougherty. The strategic plan includesan intricate web of goals, all woven from a single vision: DuquesneUniversity will enter the first ranks of American Catholic higher educationby emphasizing our Spiritan identity and mission, enhancing the quality ofstudent experience, and developing our national reputation for academicexcellence. The new endowed chairs include the Edward V. Fritzky Chairin Biotechnology Leadership and the Fr. Joseph Lauritis Chair in Teachingand Technology. n

Dr. Jeffrey Evanseck (right) is congratulated by Dr. Charles Dougherty, University President, after heis announced as the new Lauritis Endowed Chair.

Endowed Chair Integrates

TeachingandTechnologyBy Lisa Mikolajek Barton

Is technology changing the world too quickly—or not quickly enough?

How does a great idea in research becomea product people can use? On the journeyfrom the laboratory to the marketplace, anew technology must pass through theunknown territory of product develop-ment. It’s a road that Dr. Alan Seadlerhas traveled many times before.

Seadler, previously the founder andCEO of Crystalplex Corporation, wasnamed as the first Edward V. FritzkyEndowed Chair in BiotechnologyLeadership at Duquesne University in 2005. The endowed chair, established in2004, is an interdisciplinary professorshipdesigned to unite biotechnology initia-tives on campus and beyond, as well asforge alliances with the biotechnologyresearch community of greater Pittsburgh.

“Technology has been a part ofPittsburgh since its beginnings,” Seadlerremarked, referring to the emergence ofPittsburgh as the city of steel in the 19thcentury. The steel industry paved the wayfor local powerhouse companies such asWestinghouse, Alcoa and Gulf Oil, whichkept Pittsburgh competitive throughmuch of the 20th century. Pittsburgh alsobecame famous for medical break-throughs, beginning with the first poliovaccine.

The Business of Science:Duquesne Provides Leadership in Biotechnology

“We stand on a new horizon in economic development in this region,”Seadler proposed, “and it is closely linked tobiotechnology.” Seadler noted that vastresources are available for the growth ofbiotechnology in Pittsburgh, includingrenowned hospitals and other colleges anduniversities. However, Duquesne has adiversity of disciplines and unique academiccharacter that can make it a leader inlaunching the industry.

“We at Duquesne have an opportunityto combine our strengths in science, law,business, health care and ethics to educatethe next generation of leaders in thebiotechnology industry,” Seadler said, “notjust in the Pittsburgh region, but in thenation, and hopefully, the world.”

Growing up with biotechSeadler’s background in science and his business experience have prepared him particularly well for his new role. After

receiving his Ph.D. in biology from CaseWestern Reserve University, Seadler waslooking forward to a life in the laboratory, so he was surprised to find himself tapped for product development and marketingat Ciba-Corning Diagnostics, now part ofBayer Diagnostics.

“I grew up with the biotechnologyindustry,” he said, “and I was fortunate tobe in the right place at the right time atseveral points in my career.” The year was1978, and biotechnology as an industrydid not exist. In those days, whenHepatitis C had not yet been identifiedand HIV was unknown, biotechnology—the applied use of biological processes ororganisms to create a product—was anembryonic line of research that had notyet emerged from the laboratory.

When Seadler arrived at Ciba-Corning, the clinical diagnostic companywas just breaking into the realm ofimmunodiagnostics, or diagnostic tests




to satisfy his desire to teach. He is using his unique experience in the business of science to help Duquesne researchers puttheir ideas to work.

Seadler spent his first months atDuquesne meeting with various faculty and administrators across the university,including the natural and environmentalsciences. “The faculty is enthusiastic andtalented, the facilities are excellent, andthe administration is committed to this,”Seadler noted. “When it comes to biotech-nology, the groundwork has been laid. Thechallenge is not to come up with somethingnew. The challenge is to make the connec-tion with the biotech community.”

He continued, “I think the mostimportant thing I can do for Duquesne is tohelp link the outside world of industry withthe inside world of research, which is whatthe scientist needs. We need to make surethat when someone has a good idea in the sciences and it has the potential for aproduct or therapy that people can use, thatthere are mechanisms that can take it fromthe bench top to the bedside.”

More than a boon to research faculty,

the growth of biotechnology in Pittsburghis ultimately a legacy to the DuquesneUniversity students who will one day beleaders in the field. “We have to makesure that we are helping the local industrymature and grow, because I think it’s ourfuture,” Seadler said. “The region needs ahigh-growth area that will provide high-quality jobs so that all the graduates of our colleges and universities don’t have to leave.”

Those who choose to remain inPittsburgh’s biotechnology job market willbe a gift back to the community. Seadlersaid, “By keeping people in the region,the investment in biotechnology canstrengthen the local economy, resulting individends to Duquesne University.”Whether graduates remain in the regionor launch careers elsewhere, he noted,“It’s part of our educational responsibilityto our students to make them aware ofthese opportunities and prepare them sothey are competitive.”

Throughout the 2005-2006 academicyear, the Center for Biotechnology hosted a “Business of Science Series” that

included a number of seminars for the benefit of both faculty and students, as well as visitors from the community. Theseries, which brought in speakers who havebuilt successful science careers in business,has continued in 2006-2007.

In Seadler’s vision, Duquesne does notneed to generate the most technology inorder to be a leader in the industry. “Someof what we do will be to help companies,hospitals and other universities with developing technology. As long as we aremoving the field of biotechnology forward,we are providing jobs in the industry for ourstudents,” Seadler explained.

While he has no doubts about theimpact that will be made by individual faculty researchers in the years ahead, hesees that as part of a larger cycle of growth.“I believe if the relationships with industrybecome more prominent, they will not onlyallow more opportunities for collaboration,but also more incentives, financial and otherwise, that will support the research of our faculty and in turn create moreopportunities for our students.” n

The Fritzky Chair is endowed by a $1.5 milliongift from alumnus Edward V. Fritzky, formerpresident, chairman and CEO of Immunex.Under his leadership, the Seattle-based corporation became one of the world’slargest biotechnology companies, due in partto the development of breakthrough treat-ments for rheumatoid arthritis.

Although he makes his home on the westcoast, Fritzky has roots in Pittsburgh—andDuquesne. He graduated from the Universityin 1973 with a bachelor’s degree, yet some-what like Dr. Alan Seadler, the first holder of the endowed chair, Fritzky launched anexecutive career in the brave new world ofbiotechnology through work in marketing.

While Fritzky has fond memories of his home-town and alma mater, he makes it clear thatwas not his primary motive to fund theendowment. The decision to invest in

Duquesne was considered just as carefullyas any other major transaction in his busi-ness career or personal portfolio. “I likewhat Duquesne has accomplished,” hestated. “Over the past 10 years, it hasbecome a stronger institution. For me, givingto Duquesne at this level is building from a position of strength.”

Fritzky found Duquesne’s future outlook justas impressive as its past performance. “The idea for a biotechnology chair waspresented to me by President Doughertyand the faculty as a part of the overall visionfor the university’s success,” he said. “Thebiotechnology chair would be a person whocould reach across disciplines in the univer-sity and reach out to the community, to helpDuquesne focus its work in this field, bothinternally and externally, and build valuethat will ultimately help students understandthis growing industry,” he said.

Fritzky sees that Pittsburgh is rich inresources that are necessary for biotech-nology. “We have all this great science and technology, and with new money fromventure capitalists, I think what Pittsburghneeds now are entrepreneurs who cangrow this technology to its fullest extent, bydeveloping products that can help people,and companies to market those products.”The efforts of the biotechnology chair willfocus on building this crucial connectionbetween science and business.

“Successful businesses can complete thecycle,” Fritzky continued. “They re-investmoney in the region that can fund more science and technology, bring in more faculty, create more endowments, and generate more employment in the region.”Like the new professor who holds the chairwith his name, Fritzky sees DuquesneUniversity as one key player in a game plan for the region’s success. n

Fritzky endowment ‘building from strength’

based on antibodies. Seadler actually diduse his training as a research biologist to develop several assays used by the company, but the most challenging workwas outside the laboratory. Because of hisbackground in both biology and math, he was placed at the head of systems engineering. Systems engineering takesdiagnostic tests developed in the lab, linksthem with hardware and software, andcreates a product that people can use.

A new product cannot sell itself, nomatter how useful it may be. “This was anentirely new field,” Seadler noted. “Howdoes a new product get to the market-place? Most of our customers didn’t knowwhat to do with it.” Seadler worked withthe marketing department to promote theproducts. These experiences set the stagefor an exciting career, one that wouldpivot on key roles in launching new companies and innovative technologies.

After 10 years with Ciba-Corning,Seadler was “enticed away” by a colleagueat Fisher Scientific. The Pittsburgh supplier was experimenting in the field of biotechnology, which was still youngbut growing at a healthy pace in 1988.

In 1990, two colleagues at CarnegieMellon University, where Seadler is anadjunct professor, wanted to start a newcompany. “They needed someone withregulatory and operations experience, so they hired me,” Seadler said. After producing some trademark fluorescentdyes, Biological Detection Systems wassold in 1994.

Seadler went on to international companies Amersham, now part of GEHealthcare, and Visible Genetics, nowpart of Bayer Diagnostics. The latteropened a division in Pittsburgh with hisassistance, becoming the first companyapproved by the FDA to use geneticsequencing of the HIV virus to predictantiviral drug resistance in the patient.

Seadler’s work history shows that hisleadership is often enlisted during the crit-ical phase of a business venture. That wasthe case with Cellomics; when Seadlercame on board in 1999, the company hadcapable biologists and engineers, but they

had sold only three prototype instruments,driven by van to customers acrossPennsylvania because they could not beshipped. “By the time I left, we had a fullmanufacturing group for instruments andreagents,” Seadler recalled, “and we wereshipping all over the world.” Cellomicsbecame a division of Fisher Biosciences.

“In a lot of cases, I’ve worked with scientists who wanted to start companies,or who were very early entrepreneurs,”Seadler said. “These are talentedresearchers who had an idea, but theyneeded help getting all the pieces together to move it forward. A lot of what I’ve done is to take an organizationfrom its infancy to the next level.”

This is the basic mission of thePittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse,which Seadler helped launch in 2002.Part of a small staff of four, Seadler helpedset up the Greenhouse’s core programs,including the Incubator, which provideslaboratory space and general infrastructureto start-up companies until they can standalone. As Vice President of the ExecutiveCorps, Seadler worked to keep seniorexecutives of these companies in thePittsburgh region, with the intent that

they would eventually leave theGreenhouse and become management forother small companies just getting started.

“Following my own example, I left tobecome CEO of Crystalplex,” Seadler saidwith a self-depreciating chuckle. After two years, the company had raised over a million dollars in investments. “The company was just getting started when Ileft,” Seadler said. “We moved the opera-tion from Atlanta to Pittsburgh, which wasgood for the company and the region.”

A former Greenhouse colleague servingon the search committee for the FritzkyChair in Biotechnology Leadership toldSeadler about the position. “I said to him,‘Why don’t you apply?’” Seadler recounted.“He said, ‘They need someone with a mix of academic and industrial experience. Why don’t you apply?’” A challenge was on,setting the stage for the next exciting phasein Seadler’s career—and an exciting newera for sciences at Duquesne.

The groundwork has been laidAfter more than 25 years in the corporateworld, Seadler is pleased to return to hisacademic roots. Over the course of hiscareer, he has served as an adjunct professor

The Business of Science: Duquesne Provides Leadership in Biotechnology(Continued from page 8)

Seadler (second from left) is joined by (left to right) President Charles J. Dougherty, his wife, Dr. Karen Seadler,and benefactor Edward Fritzky at a reception announcing the endowed chair.


A brilliant scientist might conduct herresearch with an instrument that representsthe most advanced technology in the world.If her cutting-edge equipment is not cali-brated correctly, her data is useless. If theinstrument breaks down—there is no data!

More than 2,500 pieces of electricaland mechanical equipment in Mellon Hall and the Bayer Learning Center aremaintained by a small but effective team ofthree professionals and a part-time student.“We maintain all the equipment for biology,chemistry, physics and pharmacy,” saidDaniel Bodnar, manager of instrumentmaintenance. “A lot of these machines need daily or weekly maintenance.”

Bodnar and his technicians, DavidHardesty and Lance Crosby, are the faculty’sgo-to guys for anything that breaks in theschool, ranging from a simple hot plate stir-rer to a state-of-the-art mass spectrometer.In fact, Bodnar carries a university cellphone so that he can be contacted 24/7 inthe event of an emergency. Fortunately, thatusually doesn’t happen. The team keeps upwith the equipment and keeps crises at bay.

Dr. David Seybert, dean of the BayerSchool of Natural and EnvironmentalSciences, remarked, “The instrumentationteam is an incredible part of our infrastruc-ture. They have a major impact on ourresearch. They receive universal praise fromthe faculty and deserve recognition for thework they do.”

As a former metrologist for the U.S.Air Force, Bodnar learned the exacting science of calibration, or evaluating measurements and adjusting equipment to ensure that an amp is an amp or an ohm is an ohm, for example. Accuracy in measurements like altitude are critical fornavigating aircraft. When Bodnar came to Duquense University, he found that hisexperience and skills transferred well.

“Scientists use higher frequencies intheir equipment than what is used in theAir Force, higher than an FM radio,”

Technical TeamKeeps ResearchRunning

Bodnar explained, climbing the electro-magnetic spectrum from microwaves;through infrared light, visible light, andultraviolet light; up to x-rays and gammarays. Scientists at Duquesne use four primary methods of measurement: visiblespectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, nuclearmagnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR),and mass spectroscopy.

“These are ways scientists have tomeasure what is in their samples. What wehave to do is make sure the equipment theyare using is accurate,” Bodnar said. By run-ning standard samples on the machines andanalyzing the results, he and his techniciansare able to make sure the measurements

are where they should be. Some of the instruments are so sensitive that a minisculedeviation in measurement can result in amajor distortion of data.

This is the case with the new NMR, one of the latest acquisitions, which Bodnaridentified as the most challenging piece ofequipment the school owns. “There is astrong magnetic field produced by the NMR,and we put a sample in the field of the mag-net,” he explained. “You have to properlyalign the north and south poles in your sam-ple, or you will get distortion.” This process,called shimming, must be done on a dailybasis to ensure accuracy. A regular supply ofliquid nitrogen and liquid helium is also

Instrumental Support


Instrument Technician David Hardesty teaches a graduate student how to run a sample through the new NMR.


essential, or the powerful piece will becomede-magnetized—a costly mistake.

Bodnar arrived 15 years ago asDuquesne’s first instrument technician on staff. His position was necessitated bythe acquisition of the school’s first NMR.Before that, Bodnar said, “They had to callin an outside person every time somethingbroke,” unless a professor could fix it first.

“Most of the equipment we had backthen is gone now,” Bodnar added. However,the original NMR that arrived with Bodnarstill works. Although new instrumentsrequire a great deal of time and attention,the team does not neglect older pieces.While some instruments would be classifiedas “outdated” by their manufacturing date, their useful life in the laboratory isextended through careful maintenance andperiodic upgrades.

When it comes to repairs, Bodnar continued, “We make our own parts if weneed to.” Adjacent to his ground floor officein Mellon Hall is a complete machine shop.Hardesty was a machinist for ContinentalAirlines when Bodnar invited him to workfor Duquesne. His inventiveness is appreci-ated by faculty who need customized piecesto solve their dilemmas.

In fact, Hardesty was instrumental indesigning a new drain insert for Dr. FraserFleming, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, in order to keep sinksfrom overflowing. Fleming’s use of aspiratorsoften requires a continual flow of water froma laboratory faucet to create a vacuum.When a paper towel or other small itemclogged the drain, however, the sink over-flowed and flooded the rooms below.

Hardesty created a simple tube withslots cut strategically into the side at differ-ent heights. The tube fits snugly into thedrain outlet, preventing water buildup andproviding additional drainage sites to avoidconstriction by small lab items and papertowels. The invention was published in theJournal of Chemical Education in 2004. Otherinstitutions have requested Hardesty tomake the inserts for them.

Over the years, Bodnar and his teamhave been faced with “catastrophic failures”of major instruments, total breakdowns that he likens to “the transmission going in your car.” However, the greatest challenge Bodnar has faced in his work was one for which he was unprepared. InSeptember 2005, Instrument TechnicianAndrew Venanzio was killed in a motorvehicle accident.

The loss was difficult on multiple levels. In addition to the inevitable shock

and grief throughout the school, a replace-ment had to be found—the team had literally lost a third of its professional staff.There are no programs or degrees thatspecifically prepare someone to work withscientific instrumentation, so it was difficultto find qualified candidates. With five yearson the job, Venanzio was competent andhad just begun to attain a level of expertise.“It really does take about five years to learnall the equipment well,” Bodnar explained.

Once again, the aircraft industry provided the team with a new technician.Lance Crosby, hired in February 2006, hadworked with Bodnar at the 171st AirRefueling Wing in Pittsburgh. He also hadtraining in the maintenance of kidney

dialysis machines. Crosby is currently beingtrained in the intricate workings of theNMR, so that the team has one individualwho is focused more fully on these demand-ing instruments. Over the years, Bodnar hasbecome increasingly involved in laboratoryrenovations to accommodate new faculty andthe new equipment that continue to arrive.

The old NMR that brought Bodnar to Duquesne 15 years ago is scheduled forreplacement in fall 2006. Will the newinstrument last as long as its predecessor? If itdoes, it will be due to the outstanding effortsof Bodnar and the instrumentation team. n

Daniel Bodnar has managed the scientific instrumentation at Duquesne University for more than 15 years.

In 2005, Pittsburgh became the first city in the United States to be visited by seven silentwitnesses – the Mysterious Bog People. This international touring exhibition, hosted by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History,features a wealth of precious objects –including seven human bodies – deposited in the bogs of northern Europe over a periodof 10,000 years.

Seven students in the Forensic Scienceand Law program had the privilege of workingalongside the bog people while assistingmuseum guests in a mock forensic laboratorycalled BSI: Bog Science Investigation.

Museum director Dr. Billie DeWalt commended the Duquesne University interns for their oversight of the interactivedisplay. “Because of the 641 hours that your knowledgeable students spent in BSI,our museum visitors had a greatly enhancedexperience in the lab,” he remarked.According to DeWalt, more than 28,000 museum patrons participated.

BSI allowed them to investigate replicas of bones, skulls, and teeth in order to determine age, gender, manner of deathand the historical era in which the personlived. By examining stomach contents, foren-sic anthropologists can even hypothesize asto whether the person lived in a society ofhunter-gatherers or early farmers.

BSI: Students Become


Bog Science Investigators

As Keena Zitkovich noted, it’s not onlydead men and women who tell the tales. “Alot of the information about the bog peopleactually comes from things they found aroundthe bodies,” she explained. “For example, theywore certain fabrics, like wool or leather, thatwere used during certain time periods.”

She continued, “Artifacts also told youabout what kind of life the person lived,whether they were rich or poor, and what theydid for a living. One person was found with adigging stick; he was a laborer. Another wasfound wearing a bronze necklace; she was awealthier person.”

The Mysterious Bog People exhibit alsomakes a compelling case for the religiousbeliefs of these ancient people. Because bogswere largely uninhabitable, it is not easy toexplain why so many valuable items, such astools, jewelry and caches of coins, would turnup in the peat that the bogs left behind. Thisleads to the theory of ritualistic offerings and,in the case of the bodies, human sacrifice.

As Robert Boyle pointed out, almost allthe bodies show evidence of violent death.Take for instance the Yde Girl. This sixteen-year-old girl, named for the town in theNetherlands where she was unearthed 1897,still has around her neck the remnants of thewoolen cord with which she was strangled2,000 years ago. Yet the strangely peaceful

look on her leathery face, and the fact that her one recovered hand shows no sign ofself-defense, leads some to conclude she was drugged before being killed. Was thispart of an ancient sacrificial rite? Or an act of kindness for someone who made the ultimate sacrifice?

Describing the striking appearance ofthe bog mummies, Amanda Steffy said, “Whatwas really cool about them is that they wereso well preserved. They still had skin and hairand organs. But their skin was so dark brown,and they had red hair.” The hair, originallyblond, and skin of the people were dyed bythe bog water that otherwise preserved themso well. Scientists believe that tannic acid,sphagnum moss, acidic water and theabsence of oxygen kept the skin and hair from decomposing. Erin Vey was mostintrigued by what was not left behind. Thetannic acid led to a decalcification processthat in some cases dissolved the bones.

Now that their internships with theMysterious Bog People are finished, Erin Veyand Robert Boyle are working with Dr. LisaLudvico in the development of a technique toextract DNA from fingerprints. Both studentsenjoy laboratory work and hope to be doingmore of it when they graduate from the five-year master’s program.

Kiley Murray, who was interested inforensic anthropology before the internship,now considers it a possible career path forher. However, she is not sure if there are sufficient job opportunities in such a highlyspecialized field. After all, it’s not every day anancient crime scene is uncovered. n

For more information on the Mysterious Bog Peoplevisit the official web site: www.bogpeople.org.


Forensic scientists can learn a lot about how a person died by examining

the body. The body can also tell them about how a person lived – even

after thousands of years.

A facial reconstruction of Yde Girl was made usingCT-scans. Courtesy of Drents Museum.

Students in the Forensic Science and Law program assisted with the Mysterious Bog People exhibit,including (left to right) Erin Vey, Keena Zitkovich, Amanda Steffy, Kiley Murray, and Robert Boyle.

A posthumous Teacher of the Year Award for Dr. John S.Doctor was accepted by his wife, Dr. Mary Alleman, pictured with Dr. David W. Seybert, dean, in spring 2006.

“While he was with us…”

“During my own years in collegeand during my years at Duquesne, I havecome to know many good teachers. But I have known far fewer great teachers.John Doctor was a Great Teacher.

“While he was with us, we knew a man of integrity and courage, a manwho gave us all inspiration. He held the highest standards for all of us … for hisstudents, for his colleagues, for hisfriends. But he held himself to thosesame high standards. He never tackledanything unless he gave of himself 110 percent.”

— Dr. David SeybertDean, Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences

“John Doctor was my good friend. The two things about him that I admired mostwere his devotion to his family and his concern forhis colleagues and students.

“Nearly every time I saw John, he was coming from or going to an event that involved a memberof his family, and he talked about them all to me frequently.

“John had an enormous concern for theDepartment of Biological Sciences and the people who work and study there. He represented us onmany school and university committees. Heworked tirelessly behind the scenes to advance the cause of the department. He worked withinthe department to ensure that the students got thebest possible education.”

— Dr. David LampeAssociate Professor, Biological Sciences

“I will remember John Doctor forthe way he always greeted me, ‘HelloJoe,’ with that warm, welcoming, genuine smile.”

“Goodbye, John.”

— Dr. Joseph R. McCormick Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

In Memory of John Doctor

“One thing I have noticed is that people tend to use a lot of superlativeswhen talking about John Doctor. Theyuse words such as best, most, and finest.To someone who did not know Johnwell, it would appear that people areengaging in hyperbole. However, I cantell you, when it comes to John Doctor,the superlatives are warranted.

“John was the best biology teacherI have encountered anywhere, he wasthe most caring and understandingmentor to his students in the classroomand in the laboratory, and he wasamong the finest individuals I haveever known.

“John was the best friend a personcould ever have.”

— Dr. Kyle W. SelcerAssociate Professor, Biological SciencesDirector, Pre-Health Professions,Post-Baccalaureate and Pre-Medical Program

A simple headline on the cover of the Duquesne Dukeannounced the sad news: “Duquesne Loses a Great Man.”

The student newspaper echoed sentiments across campusand beyond, as the Bayer School of Natural and EnvironmentalSciences mourned the loss of Dr. John Doctor, interim chairand associate professor of biological sciences. Doctor, 49, diedunexpectedly on October 25, 2005. He is survived by his wife,Dr. Mary Alleman, also an associate professor of biological sciences, and their children, Sam, Adrienne and Nathan.

In the 16 years that he served on the faculty of the biol-ogy department at Duquesne, Doctor built a reputation as an unparalleled teacher and mentor. His numerous honors andawards included the Bayer School Faculty Award forExcellence in Teaching in 1995 and the President’s Awardfor Excellence in Teaching in 1999.

Doctor was also respected as a superb researcher on the frontiers of bone tissue engineeringand adult stem cell research. While touching thousands of lives in the classroom, he closely men-tored more than 40 undergraduate and graduate students who worked in his research laboratory.

In the days following his death, faculty, students and staff gathered at an evening memorialMass, and again at a solemn prayer service, both in the Duquesne Chapel. Offering words of solace, his colleagues remembered him as a friend whose passion for teaching and research was surpassed only by his love for his family. n

Dr. Daniel K. Donnelly, director of theCenter for Environmental Research andEducation for more than nine years, wasappointed associate academic vice president atDuquesne University and assumed his new rolein January 2006. Donnelly will continue toserve as an adjunct professor and a member ofthe CERE advisory board.

Donnelly reports directly to the universityprovost and academic vice president, Dr. RalphL. Pearson. His new responsibilities focus onmanagement of budget operations, including akey role in the migration to a new university-wide data base.

Donnelly remarked that the most positive aspect of his work with Duquesne’sgraduate environmental programs was “seeingthe growth of more than 300 alumni who havenow become successful professionals.”

He noted, “Many of them are now inresponsible positions and it is particularly gratifying when they look to CERE as a sourcefor entry level staff in their firms.”

During Donnelly’s tenure, CERE initiated an undergraduate degree in environ-mental science and an online Master’s of

The following grants, publications and other achievements

cover the period of March 2005 to July 2006. Faculty

highlights are voluntarily submitted by faculty and do not

necessarily represent the full scope of scholarly activities in

the Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences.

GrantsJennifer A. Aitken, chemistry and biochemistry,along with Co-PIs Peter Wildfong and StephanieWetzel, received a grant from the National ScienceFoundation for “Development of Hands-On PowderX-Ray Diffraction Laboratory Modules for use inChemistry, Forensic Science and PharmacyCurricula” valued at $169,990.

Aitken received a grant from the National ScienceFoundation entitled “Solid-State Chemistry andMaterials Science at the 2006 Mid-Atlantic RegionalMeeting of the American Chemical Society;Hershey, PA; June 4-7, 2006” valued at $2,467.

Aitken received a grant from the FacultyDevelopment Fund entitled “Controlling the Solid-State Microwave Irradiation Method to PrepareInorganic Materials Through a Better Understandingof the Synthetic Variables and ReactionMechanisms” valued at $10,000.

Partha Basu, chemistry and biochemistry, received agrant from the National Institutes of EnvironmentalHealth Sciences for “Proteomic Investigation of Arsenicals.”

Peter Castric, biological sciences, received fundingfrom the National Institutes of Health, NationalInstitute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to con-tinue research on a project entitled “Pseudomonasaeruginosa 1244 Pilin Glycosylation.”

Rick Elinson, biological sciences, received the REUsupplemental award from the National ScienceFoundation to support the undergraduate summerresearch of biology student Stephen Sandelich.

Mitch Johnson, chemistry and biochemistry, receiveda grant from the National Institutes of Health for“High Efficiency Screening for Bioactive Lipids” valued at $206,675. This is the second competitiverenewal of this grant.

Jeffry Madura and Jeffrey Evanseck, chemistry andbiochemistry, received a grant from the NationalScience Foundation for “Electronic StructureCalculations of Peptide Stabilized CdS Nanoclusters”valued at $56,785.

Madura, with Wierzbicki, received a grant from theNational Science Foundation for “Investigations ofthe Contribution of Nonpolar Interactions toMolecular Recognition and Binding at Liquid-CrystalInterfaces” valued at $375,000.

Rita Mihailescu, chemistry and biochemistry,received a grant from the National Institutes ofHealth entitled “G-quartet RNA-FMRP interactionsin Fragile X Syndrome.”

Tomislav Pintauer, chemistry and biochemistry, hasreceived a grant from the American ChemicalSociety Petroleum Research Fund entitled“Development of Transition Metal Catalysts forRadical Copolymerization of Nonpolar Olefins andPolar Monomers” valued at $35,000.

Environmental Management (MEM), inaddition to the existing Master of Science inEnvironmental Science and Management(ESM).

Donnelly continues to work with Dr.David Seybert, dean of the Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, and Robert D. Volkmar, appointed interimdirector of CERE. Volkmar has served asdirector of the online MEM program since2003 and adjunct professor in the ESM program since 1997.

As interim director, Volkmar is leading astrategic planning process for CERE, whichincludes comprehensive internal and externalreviews. The resulting strategy for the futuregrowth and expansion of CERE will guide theUniversity in hiring a new director.

Before Donnelly came to Duquesne in 1996, he served as an environmental engineer and branch chief for the U.S.Department of Environmental Protection.He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemicalengineering from Catholic University ofAmerica, MBA from the University ofMaryland, and a Ph.D. in public policy fromGeorge Mason University. n

Facul tyHigh l ights


Donnelly Appointed Associate Academic VP

Dr. Daniel K. Donnelly is congratulated by Paul King, Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Duquesne University.

John Pollock, biological sciences, received a ScienceEducation Partnership Award (SEPA) from theNational Center for Research Resources, NationalInstitutes of Health for a collaborative project withthe Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative, CarnegieScience Center, Carnegie Mellon University, andMcGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine,“Regenerative Medicine Partnership in Education.”The five-year award is valued at $1,320,000.

Michael Seaman, biological sciences, received fund-ing from the Wenner-Gren Foundation for a projectentitled “Molecular evolution of the primate relaxingene family.”

Kyle W. Selcer, biological sciences, with Co-PI VickiDavis, received funding from the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Health, Health Research FormulaFund for a project entitled “Regulation of steroid sul-fatase by glucocortiocoids in human and mouse bonecells.” Valued at $41,495.

John Stolz, biological sciences, received a grant fromNASA for “Exobiology: Investigating alternative bio-geochemical redox cycles in volcanic, hypersaline,environments” with Co-PI R.S. Oremland, valued at$84,000.

PublicationsN. J. Takas, and J. A. Aitken, “Phase Transitions andSecond-Harmonic Generation in SodiumMonothiophosphate.” Inorganic Chemistry, 45: 2779-2781 (2006).

R. L. McNaughton, S. Mondal, V. N. Nemykin, P.Basu, and M. L. Kirk, “OxomolybdenumTetrathiolates with Sterically Encumbering Ligands:Modeling the Effect of a Protein Matrix onElectronic Structure and Reduction Potentials.”Inorg. Chem., 44: 8216-8222, (2005).

V. N. Nemykin and P. Basu, “Oxygen Atom TransferReactivity from a dioxo-Mo(VI) Complex to TertiaryPhosphine: Synthesis, Characterization and Structureof Phosphoryl Intermediate Complexes.” Inorg.Chem., 44: 7494-7502 (2005).

V. N. Nemykin and P. Basu, “Energy DependentElectrospray Ionisation mass spectrometric studies ofmononuclear metal carbonyls.” Inorganica ChimicaActa, 358: 2876–2882 (2005).

A. J. Millar, C. J. Doonan, P. D. Smith, V. N.Nemykin, P. Basu and C. G. Young, “Oxygen AtomTransfer in Models for Molybdenum Enzymes:Isolation and Spectroscopic and StructuralCharacterization of Intermediates in the Transfer ofOxygen from Mo(VI) to P(III).” Chem. Eur. J., 11:3255-3267, (2005).

J.G. Smedley, E. Jewell, J. Roguskie, J. Horzempa, A. Seyboldt, D.B. Stolz, and P. Castric, “Influence of pilin glycosylation on Pseudomonas aeruginosa1244 pilus function.” Infect. Immun., 73: 7922-7931 (2005).

J. Horzempa, J.E. Comer, S.A. Davis, and P. Castric,“Glycosylation substrate specificity of Pseudomonasaeruginosa 1244 pilin.” J. Biol. Chem., 281:1128-36(2006).

J. Horzempa, C.R. Dean, J.B.Goldberg and P.Castric, “Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1244 PilinGlycosylation: Glycan Substrate Recognition.” J.Bacteriol., 188: 4244-52 (2006).

E.J. Duckett, “Right-Sizing EnvironmentalControls.” Proceedings of the 2005 Annual Conferenceof the Air & Waste Management Association(Minneapolis, MN), Session ES-1a(2), June 2005.

E.A. Ruben, M.S. Chapman, and J.D. Evanseck,“Generalized Anomeric Interpretation of the ‘High-Energy’ N-P Bond in N-Methyl-N'-phosphorylguani-dine: Importance of Reinforcing StereoelectronicEffects in ‘High-Energy’ Phosphoester Bonds.” Journal of the American Chemical Society, 127(50):17789-17798 (2005).

B.S. Henriksen, T.J. Zahn, J.D. Evanseck, S.M.Firestine, and R.A. Gibbs, “Computational andConformational Evaluation of FTase AlternativeSubstrates: Insight into a Novel Enzyme BindingPocket.” Journal of Chemical Information andModeling, 45(4): 1047-1052 (2005).

Z. Zhou, M. Madrid, J.D. Evanseck, and J.D.Madura, “Effect of a bound non-nucleoside RTinhibitor on the dynamics of wild-type and mutantHIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase.” J. Amer. Chem. Soc.,127:17253-17260 (2005).

M.E. Johnson and T.S. Carpenter, “The Use of SolidPhase Supports for Derivatization in Chromatographyand Spectroscopy.” Applied Spectroscopy Reviews, 40:1-22 (2005).

S.J. Kabala, et. al., Best Management Practices forMunicipal Operations and Ordinances to ReduceStormwater Impacts. A Collaborative Project of theMunicipality of Murrysville, Pa., Center forEnvironmental Research and Education of Duquesne University, and Michael BakerCorporation, 2006. Funded by PA DEP GrowingGreener Grants Program.

S.J. Kabala, et. al., Review of Municipal BestManagement Practices. A Collaborative Project of the Municipality of Murrysville, Pa., Center for Environmental Research and Education ofDuquesne University, and Michael BakerCorporation, 2006. Funded by PA DEP GrowingGreener Grants Program.

SJ Myung and S.J. Kabala, “Building a Multi-Municipal Collaborative Program: A WatershedManagement System for the Turtle Creek Watershed,Pennsylvania.” 2005 National EnvironmentalPartnership Summit.

Rahman, Mizanur, H. M. Kingston, T.G. Towns, R.J.Vitale, Clay, and K.R. Kyle, “Determination ofHexavalent Chromium using Speciated IsotopeDilution Mass Spectrometry on Microwave SpeciatedExtraction of Environmental and Other SolidMaterials.” Anal. Bioanal. Chem. (2005).

M.G. Butler, S.A. Chakraborty and D.J. Lampe,“The N-terminus of Himar1 mariner transposasemediates multiple activities during transposition.”Genetica, 127(1-3): 351-66 (2006).

J.A. Berberich, L.W. Yang, J.D. Madura, I. Bahar,and A.J. Russell, “A stable three-enzyme creatininebiosensor. 1. Impact of structure, function and envi-ronment on PEGylated and immobilized sarcosineoxidase.” ActaBiomaterialia, 1:173-181 (2005).

P. Dalal, K. Zanotti, A. Wierzbicki, J.D. Madura, and H.S. Cheung, “Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies of the Effect of Phosphocitrate on Crystal-Induced Membranolysis.” Biophysics J.,89:2251-2257 (2005).

P.E. Krouskop, P.C. Garrison, P.C. Gedeon, and J.D.Madura, “A novel hybrid simulation for study of multiscale phenomena.” Mol. Sim., 00, 1-6, (2006).

P.E. Krouskop, J.D. Madura, D. Paschek, and A. Krukau, “Solubility of simple, nonpolar com-pounds in TIP4P-Ew.” Journal of Chemical Physics,124(1) (2006).

Madura, Jeffry. Mathcad documents on CD-ROM accompanying Physical Chemistry, vol. 1 – 4, by Metiu, (2006).

R. Munshi, R.D. Coalson, G.B. Ermentrout, J.D.Madura, H. Meirovitch, J.R. Stiles, and I. Bahar, “AnIntroduction to Simulation and Visualization ofBiological Systems at Multiple Scales: A SummerTraining Program for Interdisciplinary Research.”Biotechnology Progress, 22(1): 179-185 (2006).

Petrucci, Harwood, Herring, and Madura. GeneralChemistry, ninth edition. (Prentice Hall, 2006).

Z. Zhou, M. Bates, and J.D. Madura, “Structuremodeling, ligand binding, and binding affinity calcu-lation (LR-MM-PBSA) of human heparanase forinhibition and drug design.” Proteins, 00: 0000-0000(2006).

E. Fisher, C. Almaguer, P. Griac, and J. Patton-Vogt,“Glycerophosphocholine-dependent growth requiresGde1p (YPL110c) and Git1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.” J. Biol. Chem., 280: 36110-36117 (2005).

T. Pintauer, “Synthesis, Characterization, and theRole of Counterion in Stabilizing Trigonal PyramidalCopper(I)/2,21-Bipyridine Complexes ContainingElectron-Poor Methyl Acrylate.” J. Organomet. Chem., 691: 3948 (2006).

T. Pintauer, “Bis(2,21-Bipyridine k2N,N1)Copper(I)trifluoromethanesulfonate.” ActaCryst.,Sect. E., E62, m620 (2006).

K. Behan, J. Fair, S. Singh, M. Bogwitz, T. Perry, V.Grubor, F. Cunningham, C. Nichols, T. Cheung, P.Batterham, and J.A. Pollock, “Alternative splicing

Seybert Re-appointed DeanDr. Charles J. Dougherty, University President, has re-appointed Dr. David W. Seybertas Dean of the Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences with his new term beginning in Fall 2007. The re-appointment was announced by Dr. Ralph L.Pearson, University Provost, in July 2006. The re-appointment was based on the recommendations provided by an evaluation committee after conducting a comprehensive review process.

Seybert was first appointed dean in 2002; previously, he was appointed interim dean in2000 and again in 2001. A professor of chemistry and biochemistry, Seybert has servedon the faculty of Duquesne University since 1979.


populations. “You can see why it would bedifficult to distinguish between these two inthe field, just relying on the morphologicalcharacters,” Ritchea said. “You would needto count these in a lab under a microscopeto make a definitive identification.” Becausethe protection of endangered species isfocused on keeping specimens alive in thefield, Porter and colleagues only collected fin clips from those fish that appeared to beE. etowahae.

Hypothesizing that the existing diagnostic characters may be problematic,Ritchea embarked on an investigation toreveal genetic differences between E.etowahae and E. jordani and re-examinetheir geographic range. Explaining therationale for the study, Ritchea said, “Habitatis critical for the protection of endangeredspecies. We need to be able to identify an endangered species and delineate itsgeographic range before we can make any informed recovery effort.”

The study focused on two genes, themitochondrial control region that includedtRNA phe and part of 12S rRNA, and the ND2gene. After extracting mitochondrial DNAfrom the fin clips of E. etowahae and muscleplugs from E. jordani specimens, Ritcheasuccessfully sequenced 973 base pairs inthe control region and the total 1,047 basepairs in the ND2 gene, using DuquesneUniversity’s new ABI Genetic Analyzer. Thenshe aligned the sequences and subjected

them to phylogenetic analysis, constructingBayesian Trees that reveal a wealth of newgenetic information for both the greenbreastdarter and the Etowah darter. “I ran the pro-gram MrBayes for 1.5 million generations,”said Ritchea, describing the process. “Ittook a couple of days to complete.” Sheused the genetic results to re-examine thegeographic range of each species.

Ritchea’s genetic analysis confirmedthat the ambiguous populations to the northwere in fact E. etowahae. However, some ofthe specimens were misidentified in the fieldas E. jordani when using the existing diag-nostics. The results also showed that theEtowah darter was found outside its pub-lished geographic range, in Stamp Creek,

and is syntopic and/or hybridizing with E. jordani in Raccoon Creek and the lowerEtowah River—approximately 110 river kilometers further downstream than originally described.

“It’s significant that we’ve found thespecies together, possibly for the first time,”Ritchea said. “We need to examine nuclearDNA to see if there is hybridization. If we donot find hybridization, there is probably areproductive behavior that is keeping themseparate, and we would like to study that.”

In May 2006, Ritchea started a newposition as a Research Specialist in theDepartment of Medicine at the University ofPittsburgh. Just days before her thesisdefense in July, she traveled to New Orleanswith Porter and other members of his labora-tory group to present their research at thenational meeting of the American Society ofIchthyologists and Herpetologists.

Speaking to a grand ballroom packedwith experts in her field of research wasexhilarating and humbling at once. “I metpeople who are in my ‘Works Cited’ for mythesis research report,” she pointed out.

After her presentation, Ritchea wasprivileged to meet Dr. Wood of St. LouisUniversity, to whose work she referredextensively—and challenged with her ownfindings. Fortunately, science generally welcomes the improvements in knowledgethat come with further study and advancedtechnology. “Dr. Wood congratulated me onmy thesis, and he told me the defense wouldgo fine,” Ritchea said with a smile. n

DNA SequencingReveals Hidden Fish(Continued from page 3)

Ritchea carried out her research under the supervision of Dr. Brady Porter (right).

18 Spectrum | Fall 2006

Caroline Gallagher (left), B.S. Environmental Science ‘06, performed undergraduate research in Porter’s lab.

Spectrum | Fall 2006 19

removes an Ets interaction domain from Lozenge during Drosophila eye development.” DevelopmentGenes and Evolution, 215/8: 423-435 (2005).

K.W. Selcer, L.M. Nespoli, T.R. Rainwater, A.G.Finger, D.A. Ray, S.G. Platt, P.M. Smith, L.D.Densmore, and S.T. McMurry, “Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for vitellogenin of Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylusmoreletii).” Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology,Part C, Toxicology and Pharmacology, 143: 50-58 (2006).

K.W. Selcer, S. Smith, J.W. Clemens, and B.D.Palmer, “Androgen receptor in the oviduct of the tur-tle, Trachemys scripta.” Comparative Biochemistry andPhysiology, Part B, 141/1: 61-70 (2005).

K.W. Selcer, “Reptile Ecotoxicology: Studying theeffects of contaminants on populations.” ReptilianToxicology, S. Gardner, and E. Oberdoerster, Eds.CRC Press (2005).

M. Sorescu, L. Diamandescu, and D. Tarabasanu-Mihaila, “Recoilless fraction of Tin-Doped HematiteNanoparticles Obtained by Hydrothermal Synthesis.”Materials Letters, 59: 22-25 (2005).

M. Sorescu, L. Diamandescu, R. Swaminathan, M.E.McHenry and M. Feder, “Structural and MagneticProperties of NiZn and Zn Ferrite Thin FilmsObtained by Laser Ablation Deposition.” Journal ofApplied Physics, 97: 10G105-107 (2005).

M. Sorescu, C.Y. Um, M.E. McHenry and L.Diamandescu, “Thermal Behavior of SubstitutedFeCo-Based Metallic Glasses.” Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 351: 663-667 (2005).

M. Sorescu, “Pulsed Laser and Particle BeamIrradiation Effects in Amorphous Metals” in“Materials for Space Applications,” edited by M.Chipara, D.L. Edwards, R. Benson and S. Phillips,Materials Research Society, 851: 463-474 (2005).

J.F. Stolz, P. Basu, J.M. Santini and R.S. Oremland,“Arsenic and Selenium in Microbial Metabolism.”Ann. Rev. Microbiol., 60:107-130 (2006).

J.F. Stolz, R.S. Oremland, B.J. Paster, F.E. Dewhirst,and P. VanDamme, “Genus Sulfurospirillum.”Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, SecondEdition, Part Two: The Proteobacteria, Part C: The

Alpha-, Beta, Delta-, and Epsilon Proteobacteria(D.J. Brenner, N.R. Krieg, J.T. Staley, eds.). Springer,NY: 1165 – 1168 (2005).

R.S. Oremland, D.G. Capone, J.F. Stolz, and J.Fuhrman, “Whither or Wither Geomicrobiology inthe era of ‘Community Metagenomics’.” NatureMicrobiol. Revs., 3: 572-578 (2005).

R.S. Oremland, T.R. Kulp, J. Switzer Blum, S.E.Hoeft, S. Baesman, L.G. Miller, and J.F. Stolz, “Amicrobial arsenic cycle in a salt-saturated, extremeenvironment: Searles Lake, California.” Science, 308:1305-1308 (2005).

P.T. Visscher and J.F. Stolz, “Microbial mats as bioreactors: populations, processes, and products”.Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 218:87-100 (2005).

H. Gomart, J. Talbot and P. Viot, “BoltzmannEquation for a Granular Capped Rectangle in aThermalized Bath of Hard Disks.” Phys. Rev., E 71:051306 (2005).

R. D. Wildman, T. W. Martin, P. E. Krouskop, J. Talbot, J. M. Huntley, and D. J. Parker,“Convection in Vibrated Annular Granular Beds.”Phys. Rev., E 71: 061301 (2005).

R. D. Wildman, J. T. Jenkins, P. E. Krouskop and J. Talbot, “A Comparison of Kinetic TheoryPredictions with Experimental and Numerical Resultsfor a Vibrated Granular Bed Containing Two SizeSpecies.” Physics of Fluids, 18: 073301 (2006).

C.M. Guttman, S.J. Wetzel, K.M. Flynn, B.M.Fanconi, D.L. VanderHart, W.E. Wallace, “Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-FlightMass Spectrometry Interlaboratory Comparison of Mixtures of Polystyrene with Different EndGroups: Statistical Analysis of Mass Fractions andMass Moments.” Analytical Chemistry,77: 4539-4548 (2005).

M.N. Batterton, D. Robarts, S.K. Woodley, and M.J.Baum, “Comparison of odor and mating-inducedglomerular activation in the main olfactory bulb ofestrous female ferrets.” Neuroscience Letters 400: 224-229 (2006).

P. Waters, S.K. Woodley, and M.J. Baum, “Sex differ-ences in the distribution and size of glomeruli in theferret’s main olfactory bulb.” Neuroscience Letters, 381:237-241 (2005).

J.X. Zhang, H.A. Soini, K.E. Bruce, D. Wiesler, S.K.Woodley, M.J. Baum, and M.V. Novotny, “Putativechemosignals of the ferret (Mustela furo) associatedwith individual and gender recognition.” ChemicalSenses, 30: 727-737 (2005).

Recognition and AchievementE. Joseph Duckett, environmental science and man-agement, received the 2005 Robert O’Hara MemorialAward , presented by the Allegheny MountainSection of the Air & Waste ManagementAssociation in May 2005. Duckett was also re-appointed as member of Pennsylvania’s Air QualityTechnical Advisory Committee in July 2005.

Kevin Garber, environmental science and manage-ment, was re-listed in the Environmental Section ofThe Best Lawyers in America for 2005 and 2006.Garber was also ranked again among Pennsylvania’stop environmental lawyers Americas Leading BusinessLawyers. Both titles are based on surveys of peers andclients conducted by the publishers.

Stanley J. Kabala, environmental science and man-agement, was elected to his third consecutive year asPresident of the Board of Directors of Conservation

Consultants, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based non-profitorganization promoting energy conservation and effi-ciency in homes and businesses in southwesternPennsylvania. Kabala was also elected to his thirdconsecutive year as President of the Board ofDirectors of Healthy Home Resources, an environ-mental health organization in Allegheny Countyserving families in the areas of lead risk reduction,asthma, and indoor air quality. As Board President ofConservation Consultants, Inc. (CCI), Kabalareceived LEED Existing Building “Gold” Recognitionfor the U.S. Green Building Council for CCI’s award-winning headquarters building in Pittsburgh.

David Lampe, biological sciences, was awarded aRuth L. Kirschstein Senior Fellowship from NIH-NIAID to support a sabbatical in the laboratory ofDr. Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena at Johns Hopkins to studysecretion systems for anti-malarial bacterial strains.

Jeffry Madura, chemistry and biochemistry, gave aninvited talk, “The merging of physical chemistry andcomputer algebra systems,” at the 230th ACSNational Meeting, Washington, DC, Aug. 28-Sept.1, 2005. Madura gave an invited talk, “The role ofhydrogen bonding at interfaces,” at the 229th ACSNational Meeting, San Diego, CA, March 13-17,2005. Madura was also invited to give a series of lectures at the University of Houston, Houston, TX,2005-06.

Michelle Schaper, environmental science and management, was recognized at the 2005 annualmeeting of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) for heroutstanding contributions in mentoring women inthe field of toxicology. This was the first time thatthe Women in Toxicology Specialty Section of theSOT gave the award.

Kyle Selcer, biological sciences, was the recipient of the 2005 Bayer School of Natural andEnvironmental Sciences Award for Excellence in Service. Selcer was recognized for Service toVincentian Academy at their Honors Day Ceremonyin 2005. Selcer also served as Program Officer for theDivision of Comparative Endocrinology, Society forIntegrative and Comparative Biology.

Julian Talbot, chemistry and biochemistry, gave akeynote lecture, “Capturing the Essence ofDeposition Phenomena,” at the 79th ACS Colloid &Surface Science Symposium at Clarkson Universityin 2005. Talbot was a co-organizer of the CentreEuropéen de Calcul Atomique et Moléculaire(CECAM) workshop, “From Gases to Glasses inGranular Matter: Thermodynamic andHydrodynamic Aspects,” in Lyon, France in 2005.Talbot was also an Invited Professor at the Universityof Rennes, France, in January 2006.

Jack Ubinger, environmental science and manage-ment, was elected president and chairman of theBoard of Directors of the Allegheny Land Trust,effective July 1, 2006. Ubinger was again named inthe 2006 edition of Chambers USA’s Publication,America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, and in theLAW & Politics/Philadelphia Magazine’s 2006 edi-tion of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. He was alsoincluded in the 2006 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Sarah Woodley, biological sciences, with undergradu-ate biology student Stacy Benner, co-authored “BestUndergraduate Poster” entitled “Androgens increasedmale mating behavior in a plethodontid salamander,Desmognathus ochrophaeus,” at the national meetingof the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology,June 17-20, 2006 in Pittsburgh PA. Woodley, withgraduate student Niki Schubert, also co-authored“Best Poster” entitled “Androgens increase behav-ioral but not vomeronasal response to chemosensorycues in the terrestrial salamander, Plethodon shermani,”at the national meeting for the Society forIntegrative and Comparative Biology, January 4-8,2006 in Orlando, FL.

Facul ty High l ights (Continued from page 17)

Fossils Fuel 2006 Darwin Day Discussion · Illustration Credits: Karl J. Scheidegger, Fishes of...

Documents

Transcript of Fossils Fuel 2006 Darwin Day Discussion · Illustration Credits: Karl J. Scheidegger, Fishes of...