View from the Chair
Biochemistry at Beloit
Faculty Update
Course Enrollments
Honors
Student Research Presentations
Off-Campus Experiences
Declared Majors in Chemistry and Biochemistry
Majors - Class of 1994
Alumni News Notes
The Final Word - Guest Alumni Column -
Dean Aguiar '90
Bill Brown, Chair, Department of Chemistry
As I wrote the title of this word to you, it occurred to me that
it suggests a department sitting, relaxing, coasting. Nothing
could be farther from the truth. This has been another vigorous
and dynamic year for the department.
As you may already know from the Beloit magazine, Brock was named
Konstamm Professor of Chemistry, the Chair given by trustee Paul
Konstamm. Brock has a record of distinguished service to Chemistry,
to the College, and to his profession and this honor is a fitting
recognition of that service.
In his notes to you, Brock will tell you that the $50,000 NSF
Chemistry Curriculum Planning Grant proposal "Learning Chemistry
by Doing What Chemists Do" has been funded, that Beloit serves
as a test site using our new Chemistry 117 "General Chemistry
That is an Experiment" program, and that he now serves as
principle author and coordinator of a larger 15-institution consortium
seeking long term funding for this project. In fact, he has funding
from the NSF grant for half-time release to coordinate work on
this proposal.
Going back to my opening comment, one cannot in truth say that
Brock is "sitting down, relaxing, and coasting".
We are fortunate to have Tom Brauch with us this year, in part
to teach a section of Chemistry 117 for Brock and in part to teach
Chem 220 while George is on sabbatical. Tom completed his thesis
this year in Clark Landis' group at UW-Madison and is thinking
ahead to a career in academia.
George is on sabbatical this year, working with Professor Art
Ellis at UW-Madison in the areas of both inorganic chemistry and
chemical education. If you read Journal of Chemical Education,
check the April 1994 issue. On the cover are three photos showing
"squashed spectacles and their apparent miraculous recovery".
Photos are by George! He is coauthor along with others in the
Ellis group of the feature article entitled "Nickel-Titanium
Memory Metal". Personally, I like the cover lead better:
"Using Smart Materials to Illustrate Solid State Properties."
What is your choice? But this is the second J Chem Ed for George
this year. And he has published a book and produced a solid-state
model building kit, in addition to other publications listed in
his Faculty Update.
"Sitting, coasting, relaxing?"
Rama continues in his appointment as half-time Chemistry and half-time
Computer Education. A major project for Rama over the past couple
of years has been to develop a Hypercard based program, funded
by Apple Computer, Inc., for online access to the Beloit catalog
and also for more general use to online public access catalogs
on Internet. His work has recently been published by "Apple
Library of Tomorrow" projects.
Rama is spearheading our efforts to develop a data base of all
sorts of information useful to current students and alumni. Among
other things, we are very interested developing ways in which
you can interact with current students and help as they think
about career goals, the preparation to achieve those goals, summer
work opportunities, etc. You will be hearing more from us about
this project very soon.
Laura continues to be a major contributor in the development of
our new Chemistry 117 program. Having said that, I wonder is it
really still "new?" After all, it was initiated three
years ago. It was new then and, yes, it is still new today. New
in that it is undergoing continued review, modification, and refining.
Originally developed by George, Laura, and Brock, and now taught
by Tom, Rama, and Roc, too, this course has received recognition
as a "Program That Works" by Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL),
a national coalition of over 400 liberal arts colleges working
on reform in science education. These programs serve as models
for other institutions who strive to strengthen and reform their
own curricula. Beloit College was one of 29 institutions so honored
nationwide. Laura is also managing our Friday afternoon seminar
program, and our senior thesis program. Those of you from days
of the Beloit Plan and the Field Term will remember that the senior
thesis was instituted in those days as part of what was then called
a Comprehensive Evaluation.
Speaking of Field Term, our students have been unusually successful
this year in landing challenging summer research opportunities.
Just who is doing what is listed elsewhere in the Newsletter.
Having said "unusually" successful, I wonder if that
qualification adjective is really true. Looking over the record
of summer opportunities garnered by our students, I have to say
that "unusually" does not apply. The number this summer
is not unusual. It is our norm to be "unusually' successful.
To those alums who have helped us in this regard, we thank you
and ask that you keep up this splendid effort.
As Chair of the Biochemistry program, Roc continues to serve as
our bridge between Chemistry and Biology. Biochemistry sits right
in the middle and is cross listed as a biology/chemistry course.
He offers Microbiology and Molecular Biology/Biotechnology within
Biology and a section of Chemistry 117 within Chemistry. And you
will know Roc as editor of both last year and this year's Newsletter.
His activities, ranging from developing our alumni email network
to a Gopher database to research on vitamin C and in vivo protein
expression are described in "Biochemistry at Beloit."
Kathy Greene continued the highly-successful Girls and Women in
Science program this spring. Coverage of this program in the Chicago
Tribune has led to even greater demand for the program. On top
of this and other activities like a cooperative program with Milwaukee
Technical High School, Dr. Greene also completed her Ph. D. this
year.
A final note on the strength and vitality of our staff and program.
We have recently received word from the ACS Committee on Professional
Training that our five-year review has been completed and that
we are now certified for another five years to offer an ACS-approved
degree program in Chemistry.
Which brings me to a close. What could be a better administrative
assignment than to be Chair of an energetic, involved, creative,
dynamic department? Not much.
"Sitting, relaxing, coasting?" Hardly.
Contents
Roc Ordman, Chair, Biochemistry Program
Last year's column on how successful the alumni of chemistry and
biochemistry - YOU - are has since resulted in important changes
in the Biochemistry Program. There are two new requirements -
subscribing to Science magazine and using email regularly - which
I want to share with you.
Because almost every biochemistry major from Beloit goes on to
a career related science, medicine, and/or education, it is important
for students to be able to make informed choices about their future.
Over the years, too many students came into my office saying -"
I want to go to graduate school, but where to do what?" The
Science subscription, along with email notes on what to read,
is helping students in many ways. First, it involves them in the
rapid pace and excitement of science, especially because many
articles relate to their courses. Second, it helps them begin
learning to educate themselves. Third, it gives them connection
to current areas of research, which helps them select internship
and graduate school topics and destinations. Fourth, it helps
the medically-oriented students realize the many scientific and
social implications of modern medicine. Fifth, it gives all of
us here a common ground to discuss current events in Science.
Sixth, it shows them the social, political, and economic dimensions
of science.
The second requirement, getting and using an email account, connects
our students to the information superhighway - and places them
in the driver's seat of the corvette of the Biochemistry Gopher
database. The Biochemistry Program sends out numerous messages
weekly on many topics, to a mailing list including all biochemistry
majors, and interested biology, chemistry, and other people. Included
are recommended Science readings, advice on getting into graduate
and medical school, internship opportunities, advice and information
that is relevant for students majoring in biochemistry. Two important
programs are on-going. First, there is an upperclass-new major
mentorship matching. Second, thanks to many of you alumni, there
is the alumni-major matching program. These programs allow students
to correspond via email with more experienced people and practicing
professionals. The 22 students and alumni matched this year provided
tremendous excitement, not to mention some excellent internship
placements this summer. (By the way, there is a chemistry, biochemistry,
biology alumni email network as well. If you want to be included,
send a message to Ordman@beloit.edu).
The Gopher database is also accessible from email here, and last
summer I developed an enormous database with information relevant
to student concerns that can be accessed from any networked computer.
Examples of some of the files are the following:
Advising information
advising checklist - what your advisor should do for you
biochem major info sheet - program requirements, advice
current biochemistry majors
foreign student advice
Alumni/contacts
Course information
Skills you will learn - what you should get from classes to put
on resume!
Grad School programs/advice
Alumni PhD programs - where our alumni went by discipline -
PhD discipline descriptions - tells what the various fields are
about -
Selecting a grad program - how to choose the right program for
you
Grants & Scholarships
Internships
finding jobs - general advice
Recommendations - how to get good ones
Locating Equipt/chemicals
Medical School Info
Alumni Medical Programs - where alumni have gone or teach at medical
school
The results of the Science and email requirements have been stupendous.
The number of biochemistry majors has increased from 21 to 29
and the number of students getting summer research positions has
jumped from 13 to 24!
I want to mention another achievement worthy of note. The Molecular
Biology and Biotechnology class this year succeeded in expressing
a protein, the beta-subunit of RNA polymerase, coded for by a
plasmid, developing a monoclonal antibody to the protein, and
confirming their success by the use of ELISA assay and Western
blots. This is the first time students have produced monoclonals
here! Thanks to Dan Gentry '84, currently at NIH, who provided
the protein and plasmid that were used. He has also provided an
internship opportunity to Angela Telerski '95 who is working with
him this summer.
All of the excitement and new projects within Chemistry and Biochemistry
leads to another thought. Rama, George, and I are all presenting
papers on our educational activities at the American Chemical
Society meeting in Washington, D. C. this August 21-26. Rama will
be speaking on Computers in Chemical Education, George will present
a talk on the Materials Science Project in Chemical Education,
and I will be talking about the Biochemistry Program and about
the use of electronic databases and email in support of Chemistry
advising. Perhaps if enough alumni are coming, we could all assemble
for a Beloit get-together. Please do let me know if you are going
to be there and I will try to organize something. You can leave
a message at 608-363-2286 or email me.
In this last bit of space, I also want to note how delightful
it is to assemble this newsletter. I am quite overwhelmed by the
stupendous accomplishments of our alumni, and dazzled by the opportunities
that networking among this group has accomplished. Just in assembling
a few additional news notes this morning, I noted the many connections
of Beloit College and bones, of all things. Tom Kelly '85 is involved
in manufacturing equipment for osteoporosis with Hologic, Inc.,
Douglas Axelrod '74 is Medical Director of Bone and Mineral Research
at Procter and Gamble, Dean Aguiar '90, Kay Dennis '93, Pete Clausen
'88, Eric Brown '88, and now Brian Pfister '94 have been associated
with the Ph. D. program in osteoarthritis at Rush University,
and now two students, Kevin Welch '96 and Tanya Danner '97, are
doing internships at Rush this summer. What an amazing group of
alumni we have in this area!
Finally, I wish to acknowledge the help of the other Chemistry
faculty in writing this newsletter, the assistance of the Alumni
Office and Academic Adivising in preparing information for it,
and the editing assistance of Laura Parmentier in proofreading
it. The fifteen previous editions of the Newsletter have provided
an excellent record of the achievements and growth of Chemistry
and Biochemistry over the past fifteen years.
Contents
William H. Brown B.A. St.Lawrence University
Professor and Chair M.A. Harvard University
Ph.D. Columbia University
At Beloit since 1964
The manuscript for ORGANIC CHEMISTRY: Theory and Practice, which
I have been working on for these past (how many?) years, is about
to be born. Saunders College Publishing has scheduled its birth
(publication) date for August 1994! The manuscript is 1800 pages,
which will shrink to about 1050 text pages. Over 40 reviewers
in this country and Canada have had their say about form and format.
Some mild in manner, others acerbic, and all very helpful.
We have an ambitious program of over 250 pieces of four-color
art, done by J/B Woolsey Associates of Conshohocken, PA. Included
in this number are 50 stereopairs to be viewed by special glasses
packaged with the book. The full-color stereopairs of ribonuclease,
for example, are nothing short of spectacular. Even seasoned professionals
like Laura and Roc gave a "wow", when they viewed these
samples. No other organic text has this ambitious a program of
four-color stereoart. Bill Suggs, Biochemistry, Brown University
is writing several "Chemistry in Action" pieces, that
range from the chemistry of photo resists to polymers that conduct
electricity to chiral drugs.
Brent and Shiela Iverson, Chemistry, University of Texas-Austin
are writing a Student Study Guide. In it they are pairing questions
and solutions. In this way, the Study Guide will be a self-contained
resource, and students will not have to alternate between text
and study Guide in doing problems and checking solutions.
John Stille, Chemistry, University of Michigan has enlisted six
of his graduate students to do a complete reading of the entire
manuscript and to answer all in-chapter and end-of-chapter problems.
And Paul Popodopolous, Chemistry, New Mexico State University
has been enlisted by Saunders to read both galleys and page proofs
along with me. I can't tell you how valuable it is to have another
pair of eyes read this material. I have lived with it and read
it so often that I am prone to miss the obvious.
Sheldon Banks, Chemistry, SUNY-Albany is preparing a test bank
of multiple choice questions. Like it or not, it is a multiple
choice world out there, and I hope that this companion to the
text will give students necessary practice.
Included also will be "Conversations with..." four chemists;
Jacqueline K. Barton of California Institute of Technology, Roald
Hoffmann (Nobel Laureate in chemistry, 1981) of Cornell University,
Carl Djerassi of Stanford University, and Siegfried Reich of Agouron
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. These eminent scientists speak of their
lives in science/chemistry and their fascination with it. Here
I quote from the conversation with Raold Hoffmann:
"If I were to point to the single thing that chemists do,
it would be that they make molecules. Chemistry is the science
of molecules and their transformations. The transformations are
the essential part. I think there are exciting possibilities for
chemical intervention into biological systems with an ever finer
degree of control. We need not be afraid of nature. We can mimic
it, and even surpass its synthetic capabilities. And find a way
to cooperate with it."
What else am I doing? This has been a record year for students
taking organic chemistry. A all-time record of 66 students in
Chem 230 in Fall-94 and then 42 in Spring-94. This same pattern
of record enrollments held also for the other sciences. Both a
credit and a testimony to our program in the sciences at Beloit.
This fall I shall be off to Scotland and Glasgow University again
with a group of 18 students. I so enjoyed my time as seminar director
in fall-90 that I volunteered to go again. (It was more that just
volunteering, I lobbied to go!). Students arrive on 3 September
and embark on a 4-week introduction to Scottish history, literature,
and archaeology, offered especially for us. With the beginning
of the Glasgow Martinmas term in early October, they take two
courses from the University curriculum and a third called "Science
and the Environment". At our suggestion, the Glasgow faculty
of chemistry and agricultural chemistry put this course together
for us in 1990, George refined it when he led the seminar there
in fall-92. And I look forward to participating in it again. If
any of you are considering a trip to Scotland next fall, think
of coming to Glasgow to visit us. I can be contacted by E-mail:
Brownwh@Beloit.edu.
Kathleen Greene B. Sc. University of Lethbridge(Alberta)
Director of Science Education M.S. University of Wisconsin-Madison
At Beloit since 1987
For the third summer in a row, Kathy is coordinating the Howard
Hughes Young Scholar Summer Research Program, in which six pre-first
year Beloit students work closely with Beloit faculty on their
research projects. Kathy is also co-directing, with Patrick Polley,
another Howard Hughes-sponsored program this summer, the two two-week
graduate-level (credit-bearing) Curriculum Development Workshops
for teachers. The first session is geared toward teachers from
middle and junior high schools, and the second session toward
teachers at the junior high and high school levels. This year's
workshops share the topic, "Integrating Life Science and
Physical Science.
In April, Kathy and Liza Finkel, Assistant Professor of Science
Education at the University of Michigan, presented a paper on
the 1993 Howard Hughes Teacher Workshop at the annual meeting
of the American Educational Research Association in New Orleans.
In May, Kathy completed the course work for a Ph.D. in Curriculum
and Instruction--Science Education, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Her dissertation research is a study of (and with) the Women of
Chamberlin, the group of Beloit College science students who plan
and run the Girls and Women in Science Project, which is about
to enter its fifth year. Girls and Women in Science, which has
been supported by four Dwight D. Eisenhower Science and Mathematics
Education Program grants, was recently featured in an article
in the Chicago Tribune (Sunday, May 15).
George Lisensky B.A. Earlham College
Professor Ph.D. California Institute of Technology
At Beloit since 1980
The Lisensky family increased in size and moved to a bigger house
with the August birth of Rachel, who joins her sisters Laura (14)
and Diana (11).
George was on sabbatical leave this year, working as one of the
co-principal investigators of a several institution National Science
Foundation grant for "Development of a Materials-Oriented
General Chemistry Course." Many introductory chemistry courses
focus on small molecules, gases, and liquids, but solids are an
important part of our materials-intensive world. The idea of this
project is that virtually every topic discussed in a general chemistry
course can be illustrated with examples and concepts from materials
chemistry.
Results from this year include publication of a 500-page book
(explanatory material, demonstrations, and laboratory experiments),
two cover articles in the Journal of Chemical Education, and a
second edition of both the Optical Diffraction Kit and the Solid-State
Model Kit. The diffraction kit allows demonstration of diffraction
in a classroom using a laser and patterns on 35-mm slides. The
model kit, whose goal is to make visualization of three-dimensional
crystal structures easier, makes use of a base with holes, a template
to cover a subset of those holes, and various size spheres that
slide down rods inserted in holes in the base.
Presentation of this material has included an afternoon workshop
at the NSF Solid State Chemistry Program for Undergraduates and
College Faculty, SUNY-Binghamton in June, 1993; a poster session
at the Gordon Research Conference on Inorganic Chemistry, Plymouth,
NH, in July; seminars at UW-Stevens Point and at Grinnell College
and a poster at a NSF Conference on Collaborative Activities,
Washington, DC, in October; an invited talk at the Gordon Conference
on "Innovations in the Teaching of College Chemistry",
Oxnard, CA, in January, 1994; a three-day Chatauqua workshop,
"Superconductors, Semiconductors and Metals: Bringing Solids
into Introductory Chemistry Courses", Memphis, TN, in March;
a one-day workshop at North Central College for the Associated
Colleges of the Chicago Area in April, and a presentation for
our local ACS section, Rockford, IL, in May. Peter Allen ('96)
worked with George last summer, as will David Gan ('97) this summer.
George also found time last summer to again teach science at College
for Kids for two weeks (two sections of a sixth grade class).
Publications
A. B. Ellis, M. J. Geselbracht, B. J. Johnson, G. C. Lisensky,
W. R. Robinson, "Teaching General Chemistry: A Materials
Science Companion", ACS Books, Washington, 1993.
A. B. Ellis, G. C. Lisensky, and D. R. Neu, "Optical Transform
Kit: Simulating Diffraction Experiments in Introductory Courses",
Second Edition, Publication 94-002R, Institute for Chemical Education,
Madison, WI, 1994.
K. R. C. Gisser, M. J. Geselbracht, A. Cappellari, L. Hunsberger,
A. B. Ellis, J. Perepezko, G. C. Lisensky, "Nickel-Titanium
Memory Metal. A Smart Material Exhibiting A Solid-State Phase
Change and Superelasticity", J Chem. Ed., 71, 334-340 (1994).
R. Penn, G. C. Lisensky, D. S. Stone, M. J. Geselbracht, A. B.
Ellis, "Mechanical Properties of Metals: Experiments with
Iron, Copper, Tin, and Bubbles", .J Chem. Ed., 71, 254 (1994).
G. C. Lisensky, J. C. Covert, L. A. Mayer, "Instruction Manual
to Accompany the Solid-State Model Kit", Second Edition,
Publication 94-007, Institute for Chemical Education, Madison,
WI, 1994.
L. A. Mayer, G. C. Lisensky, "Solid-State Model Kit",
Item 94-006, Institute for Chemical Education, Madison, WI, 1994.
Ralph Moore At Beloit since 1991
Stockroom Manager
Ralph Moore joined the Department in 1991 as our stockroom manager.
He retired from Chyrsler Corporation in Belvidere, IL where he
worked for 26 years. Under Ralph's supervision, the Chemistry
Department Stockroom is in splendid condition. The Hypercard inventory
of approximately 2800 chemicals includes the location, quantity,
and course for which each is used. As a result, the Chemistry
faculty and students can finally locate the materials that they
need, and they save a lot by not ordering materials already in
stock. Ralph also maintains the materials, reorders needed supplies,
and keeps the accounts for the Department. He spent his winter
vacation in Mesa, AZ.
Alfred Bram Ordman B.A.Carleton College
Associate Professor Ph. D. Univ. of Wis.-Madison
Chair, Biochemistry Program At Beloit since 1977
Roc worked with two students last summer, Tanya Danner '97 and
Kristie Mather '97, doing research on in vivo peptide expression
sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He developed
a Gopher database for the Biochemistry Program including information
on courses, fellowships, internships, graduate and medical school
programs, and data extracted from previous Chemistry Department
Newsletters. An email network required for biochemistry majors
and open to biology and chemistry majors was started, along with
an alumni email network and an alumni mentoring program for current
students.
In the fall, while teaching Biochemistry and Microbiology, he
was assisted in his vitamin C research by Gavin King '96 and Michael
Beins '96. The three of them presented their results on "Human
Excretion of Vitamin C" at the American Aging Association
in Montreal in October. The results were published in AGE:16,
185 (1993). He also chaired the Experiential Learning Committee
for the College, developing a report with 20 recommendations to
enhance experiential learning as one of the unique aspects of
a Beloit education.
This spring, a new collaboration was established between the Rush
Medical College Department of Biochemistry graduate program, where
Pete Clausen, Eric Brown, Dean Aguiar, Kay Dennis '93, and Brian
Pfister '94 have all attended graduate school. Through the kind
efforts of Chair Klaus Kuettner, Roc has been appointed Visiting
Associate Professor of Biochemistry in the medical school in addition
to his appointment at Beloit. Roc team-taught Chemistry 117 with
Brock Spencer and Laura Parmentier, learning the new format of
"learning by doing." In Roc's Molecular Biology and
Biotechnology course, he relied on materials donated by Dr. Dan
Gentry '84 (presently at NIH). The class successfully expressed
Dan's construct of the beta subunit of RNA polymerase, developed
monoclonal antibodies to the protein in mice, and characterized
it with Western blots and ELISAs. This marks the first time monoclonals
have been successfully made at Beloit.
This summer he will remain in Beloit, working on a number of papers
and preparing two talks for the American Chemical Society meeting
August 21-26 in Washington DC.
Laura E. Parmentier B.S. Northland College
Assistant Professor and Ph.D. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Martha Peterson Junior Professor in the Sciences At Beloit since
1991
Laura began her first year as Martha Peterson Junior Professor
in the Sciences by taking the semester off. She was on leave during
the fall semester to care for and celebrate the arrival of her
new daughter, Madeleine Margaret Blain, born 10 August, 1993.
Maddy was a frequent visitor to campus throughout the fall and
she helped her mom advise student research projects.
In the spring, Laura taught General Chemistry (Chem 117), Scientific
Literature Senior Seminar and Thesis. Our "new" but
getting older general chemistry course continues to attract attention,
and this year was chosen as a "Program That Works" by
the National Science Foundation's Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL).
We continue to modify and experiment with Chem 117, so in this
way it continues to be "new," and it is certainly still
exciting to teach.
Working with Pa Houa Ly ('93, Honor's Term fall '94) and Dawn
Buschek ('94), Laura has begun a study on the enzyme ornithine
cyclase. Pa Houa and Dawn have been developing a procedure to
isolate and purify the enzyme from Clostridia sporogenes. Once
this enzyme is in hand, it will be used in Laura's continuing
13C and 15N isotope effect studies of the mechanism of ornithine
transcarbamylase.
Brock Spencer B.A. Carleton College
Kohnstamm Professor of Chemistry Ph. D. Univ. California-Berkeley
At Beloit since 1965
Brock returned from his sabbatical leave in England and Sweden
last July and quickly became involved in a chemistry curriculum
planning project that arose through our participation in the Pew
Midstates Science and Mathematics Consortium. A meeting at Grinnell
College over Labor Day weekend led to a coalition of schools that
put together a proposal to the National Science Foundation for
a 6-month planning grant with Brock as the Principal Investigator.
The proposal was one of 14 funded out of over 100 submitted. That
group of schools (Beloit, Carleton, Colorado, Grinnell, Hope,
Kalamazoo, Knox, Lawrence, Macalester, Rhodes, Spelman, St. Olaf,
Wooster, University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis,
with Project Kaleidoscope) has now submitted a large 5-year proposal
to NSF to provide models for systemic change in undergraduate
chemistry education. If the proposal is funded, the ChemLinks
Coalition will develop modular theme-based materials (environment,
technology, molecular basis of life) for the first two years of
chemistry that will stress active and cooperative approaches to
learning.
In January, Brock attended the Gordon Research Conference on Innovations
in the Teaching of College Chemistry where he presented Beloit's
new lab-based general chemistry course, which drew considerable
interest. He was elected vice-chair of the next conference, which
he is now helping to plan for January of 1995.
Paul L. Kohnstamm, a member of the Beloit College Board of Trustees
and president of General Color Company, has established an endowed
chair in chemistry for Beloit College, an important recognition
of the continuing strength of our program that will provide significant
support for it. At the January meeting of the Board, Brock was
approved as the first holder of this chair. Later in the spring,
as part of the College's Strategic Planning Committee, Brock presided
over an alumni meeting in New York City at the Chemists Club [!]
hosted by Paul Kohnstamm, who is a long-time member of its Board
of Directors.
Having started at Beloit in 1965, Brock has finally graduated.
At the Alumni Council meeting this spring, he was officially made
an Honorary Alumnus of Beloit College, joining the Class of 1994.
Unlike most graduates, however, he plans to stay around campus
for some time.
Rama Viswanathan B.S. Bombay University
Associate Professor M.S. Indian Inst.of Technology
Ph.D. University of Oregon
At Beloit since 1983
This was a great year for me. I reverted to teaching full time
after a three year stint as Director of Academic Computing. I
taught a section of General Chemistry for the first time (using
the innovative new pedagogy and curriculum developed by Brock,
George, and Laura) and found it to be a most interesting and challenging
experience. I also taught Quantum Chemistry in a significantly
revised fashion, with an emphasis on computational aspects using
powerful computer tools (Hyperchem, etc.) that are now available
to perform sophisticated quantum mechanical calculations on microcomputers.
On the computer front, I published an article in "Macintoshed
Libraries" (Apple, Inc.) detailing the results of a project
to develop a Hypercard front-end for transparent access to library
on-line catalogs (OPACs) on the Internet. I have been invited
to present a paper on the same topic at the ACS national conference,
scheduled to be held in Washington, D.C., in August. I developed
and am currently teaching a new Advanced topics course in Computer
Science dealing with distributed and parallel processing, which
turned out to be a significant contribution to both my teaching
and professional experience -- I have written computer programs
in vanilla C for Unix systems that farm out computational tasks
to (in principle) any number of computers on our network, thus
utilizing the idle CPU time that is often available for many of
those under-utilized machines. Neat stuff, and I plan to use some
of the programs in sophisticated quantum mechanical calculations.
Finally, both Kanchana and I are now enjoying the benefits of
living in a house in Beloit, just minutes from work -- a marvellous
change after three years of commuting to work with a 150 mile
round trip drive every day!
Contents
1993-1994
FALL
117 General Chemistry.................................................................70
230 Organic Chemistry I...............................................................59
245 Quantum Chemistry.................................................................8
250 Inorganic Chemistry...............................................................13
300 Biochemistry..........................................................................13
375 Advanced Topics: Pharmacology............................................3
380 Senior Seminar........................................................................6
385 Senior Thesis...........................................................................3
394 Research.................................................................................4
_______
Total 179
SPRING
117 General Chemistry.................................................................59
220 Chemical Equilibrium.............................................................34
235 Organic Chemistry II..............................................................40
240 Thermodynamics and Kinetics...............................................11
275 Biotechnology and Molecular Biology....................................21
280 Scientific Literature.................................................................33
380 Senior Seminar........................................................................6
385 Senior Thesis...........................................................................6
394 Research.................................................................................3
_______
Total 213
Contents
Departmental Awards
JOHN H. NAIR AWARD honors an alumnus (Class of 1915) and provides
membership in the American Chemical Society for one or more seniors
who plan careers in chemistry
Jennifer Larkin '94
WILLIAM J. TRAUTMAN AWARD IN PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (Professor at
Beloit 1921-1947) given to a senior doing outstanding work in
physical chemistry.
Tony Tosi '94
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTS AWARD provides membership in the
Institute for an outstanding senior.
Manish Patel '94
EDWARD C. FULLER AWARD IN CHEMICAL EDUCATION was established by
the majors in the Class of 1982 in honor of Professor Fuller and
is given to a junior or senior major who has done outstanding
work as a teaching assistant.
Manish Patel '94 Ashley Eversole '94
MERCK INDEX AWARD is given to an outstanding senior and consists
of a copy of the Merck Index from the publisher.
Peggy LaBarge '94
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY JUNIOR ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AWARD recognizes
a junior who demonstrates promise in the area of analytical chemistry
by providing a year's membership in the ACS Division of Analytical
Chemistry and a subscription to the journal Analytical Chemistry.
Ann Miller '95
WALTER S. HAVEN FELLOWSHIP to support student research projects.
Gavin King '96 Michael Beins '96
CRC PRESS FRESHMAN CHEMISTRY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD recognizes outstanding
work by a first-year student and consists of a copy of the Handbook
of Chemistry and Physics from its publisher, the CRC Press.
David Gan '97
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
sponsored by the Division of Polymer Chemistry recognizes outstanding
work in the introductory organic chemistry course by providing
a subscription to Organic Chemistry.
Nathan Allen '97
J. CARL WELTY AWARD, from the Department of Biology, for outstanding
performance and contributions to the Department.
Ranil Harinda Abeysinghe '94
VICTOR E. FERRALL, JR. PRE-MED AWARD - Andrew K. McVie '94
Honors at Graduation
MAGNA CUM LAUDE Harindra Ranil Abeysinghe
Andrew Kyle McVie
DEPARTMENTAL HONORS Margaret A. LaBarge - Biochemistry
Jennifer Anne Larkin - Biochemistry
Manish Patel - Chemistry
Sudha Rani Pavuluri - Biochemistry
Honor Societies
Phi Beta Kappa Harindra R. Abeysinghe '94 (elected as junior)
Ashley C. B. Eversole '95 (elected as junior)
Andrew K. McVie '94
Mortar Board Harindra Ranil Abeysinghe
Psi Chi Dawn M. Buschek
Contents
This year our students again had great opportunities to gain professional
experience by presenting their research at various programs and
publishing their papers in school magazine "The Beloit Biologist".
Their topics give an indication of the outstanding research performed
by our undergraduates. Following are the papers printed and presentations
given:
The Beloit Biologist, Volume 13, 1994
Harindra Ranil Abeysinghe - Biochemistry '94
A Quantitative Estimation of Glomerular Mesangial Star Volume
in 10 Patients With Chronic Diabetic Nephropathy (work done at
Departments of Pediatrics and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology,
University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN with John
Basgen and Michael W. Steffes) (also presented at the Beloit College
Symposium and the Pew Undergraduate Research Symposium)
Sudha R. Pavuluri - Biochemistry '94
Protein Isoforms and Muscle Mechanics in Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle
(work done at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI with Thomas
J. Eddinger) (also presented at the Beloit College Symposium)
Peggy LaBarge - Biochemistry '94
The Effects of ATP on Ischemic Hearts (work done at Beloit College,
Department of Biology) (also presented at the Beloit College Symposium)
Andrew Loria - Biochemistry '94
Creation of an In Vivo Test System For Bacteriophage N4 Middle
Promoters (work done at The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
in the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Molecular
Genetics and Cell Biology with Richard Carter and Lucia B. Rothman-Denes)
(also presented at the Beloit College Symposium)
Jennifer A. Larkin - Biochemistry '94
An Observational Study of the Excretion Rate of Vitamin C (work
done at Beloit College, Program in Biochemistry)
Tara Leigh Sander - Biochemistry '94
The Discovery of Catalytic Antibodies: Do They Rival the Catalytic
Power of an Enzyme When Induced with a Transition State Analog?
(work done at Beloit College, Program in Biochemistry)
Beloit College 18th Annual Student Symposium, April 13
Kristie A. Mather - Biochemistry '97
Method Development for In Vivo Protein Expression in E. coli (work
done with Prof. Alfred Ordman, Dept. of Biology and Chemistry)
Bretton Summers - Biochemistry '95
500 mg Every 12 Hours Continuously Elevates Levels of Vitamin
C in Human Urine (work done with Prof. Alfred Ordman, Dept. of
Biology and Chemistry)
Manish Patel - Chemistry '94
A seminar on "Development of a Chemical Sensor Using Semiconductor
Phosphors" about research done at the University of Chicago
the past summer at the Pew Undergraduate Research Symposium at
the University of Chicago Nov. 5-7. 1993
The Pew Undergraduate Research Symposium at Washington University
at St. Louis, Oct. 29-31:
Carrie Clothier - Biochemistry '97
"Estrus Termination in Female Guinea Pigs"
David Gan - Biochemistry '97
"The Evolution of t-RNA"
Kristie Mather - Biochemistry '97
"Some Preliminary Studies of Protein Expression in E. coli"
Peter Allen '96, Briggsville, WI, will be following in Megan Reich's
footsteps of last summer by working this summer at Notre Dame.
He will be working on the mechanism of immunoglobulin gene rearrangement.
He was also offered a position working with Promega Biotech in
Madison.
Mike Beins '96, Northridge, CA, will be working on campus this
summer assisting Dave Waller, the Science Division Technician,
in repairing much of the equipment in the Division.
Kelley Bradley '96, Lakewood, CA, is planning to do a field experience
internship at Cal Tech in nanotechnology.
Mark Brockman '95, Waukee, IA, will be working for Dr. Kenneth
Culver at the Human Gene Therapy Research Institute in Des Moines,
IA for the summer. It is a new center which opened last August
and is associated with Iowa Methodist Medical Center (which also
has a clinical cancer center and other specialized departments).
The HGTRI should be beginning human brain cancer trials by May,
so it should be exciting. Most likely, he will be doing Molecular
Biology lab work, creating plasmids, etc. for this and future
human trials.
Nina Chen '96, Arlington, VA, received a three thousand dollar
award from the Massachusetts Arthritis Foundation for the Three
Month Student Fellowship Program. She will work for Dr. John Leong
at Tufts University School of Medicine. What she will do is to
identify the receptors on the surface of endothelial and synovial
cells, to which Borrelia burgdorferi will bind. (Borrelia burgdorferi
was conclusively identified as the agent of Lyme disease). She
also turned down a position at the Univ. of Pittsburgh.
Tanya Danner '97, will be doing research at the Rush University
Department of Biochemistry in Chicago.
Ashley Eversole '95, Boulder, CO, will be working with alumni
mentor Jeff Cleaveland at Bristol-Meyer-Squibb in a biotechnology
lab in Seattle, WA.
Wenyi Feng '96, Shanghai, China, has been offered a position working
with alumnus and former Beloit College Chemistry Professor Tom
Tisue at New Mexico State University assisting him with an environmental
cleanup project.
David Gan '97, Penang, Malaysia, will be working with George Lisensky
at UW-Madison, helping to prepare a CD ROM version of the book,
"A Material Science Companion to General Chemistry."
Peggy LaBarge, St. Louis, MO, is headed off for a six-month practikanten
position at Ciba-Geigy in Basel, Switzerland, working in the lab
where Roc Ordman spent his sabbatical. She will be involved in
developing new drugs for the treatment of beta-thalasemia.
Andy Loria '94, Rockford, IL, will be at the University of Chicago
in the lab of Alida Miller studying single-stranded binding proteins,
where last summer he helped developing an in vivo promoter analysis
system.
Kristie Mather '97, Richland, MI, will be working with Dr. Mark
Seeger at Oklahoma Medical Research Center in the neurobiology/genetics
section.
Andrew Matzen '96, Slamath Falls, OR, will be married and starting
to adjust to his new role as a family man. He will not be back
next semester, but will be back in the Spring.
Ann Miller '95, Kalona, IA, will be returning to Grinnell College
for a second summer of research.
Megan Reich '95, Waterford, WI, will be doing research in chemical
Oceanography at the University of Washington in Seattle. She also
received offers from the Center for Great Lakes Studies in Milwaukee
and IBM in the research and development section.
Beth Riley '95, Monticello, IL, is trying to decide between two
research position offers - one at Johns Hopkins Medical School
studying Parkinson's disease, another from the National Institutes
of Mental Health in Washington DC.
Srebrenka "Koko" Robic '97, Zagreb, Croatia, will probably
be involved in some biology research projects at home (Zagreb
University).
Erica Severson '96, Pecatonica, IL, will be getting some fresh
air and exercise spending the summer as a camp counselor.
Brett Summers '95, Washington, DC, is going to Oak Ridge this
summer and fall to work in the lab of Anthony Palumba in the Environmental
Science Division on contaminant degradation using bioreporters.
Kamesh Surendran '96, Kitwe, Zambia, will be sponsored under the
PEW Research Consortium to work at the University of Washington-St.
Louis with Dr. Robert Lendick on RNA polymerase.
Angela Telerski '96, will be doing research at NIH this summer
with alumnus mentor Dan Gentry.
Carrie Tuit '96, also has a summer Pew position at the University
of Chicago working with Prof. Robert Clayton on cosmochemistry.
Lina Tze '96, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, has been selected by the
Biology Department as the Howard Hughes Fellow to work this summer
at the University of Chicago, following in the footsteps of Andy
Loria last summer.
Kevin Welch '96, Adel, IA, will be doing research at the Rush
University Department of Biochemistry in Chicago.
Kim White '96, West Allis, WI, will also be doing research at
Notre Dame this summer.
Contents
Spring 1994
Nathan Allen '97 Chemistry Milwaukee, WI
Peter Allen '96 Biochemistry Briggsville, WI
Michael Beins '96 Biochemistry Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kelley Bradley '96 Biochemistry Lakewood, CA
Mark Brockman '95 Biochemistry Waukee, IA
Mark Burleigh '95 Chemistry Oneida, NY
Margaret Calcaterra '96 Chemistry Scottsdale, AZ
Yun "Nina" Chen '96 Biochemistry Arlington, VA
Jason Collier '96 Biochemistry Boulder, CO
Gaoussou Diarra '95 Biochemistry Bamako, Mali
Ashley Eversole '95 Biochemistry Longmont, CO
Wenyi Feng '96 Biochemistry Shanghai, China
Krisdena Foronato '96 Biochemistry Harrison Township, MI
Amberlynne Gaylord '96 Chemistry Colorado Springs, CO
Bartram Gottschalk '97 Biochemistry Minneapolis, MN
Gavin King '96 Biochemistry Brodhead, WI
Timothy Korter '95 Chemistry Oglesby, IL
Amy Jo Litscher '96 Chemistry Lake Mills, WI
Christopher Maeda '97 Biochemistry Hilo, HI
Kristie Mather '97 Biochemistry Richland, MI
Andrew Matzen '96 Biochemistry Dallas, OR
Derek McCoy '96 Biochemistry Park Forest, IL
Bryony Melville '95 Biochemistry Madison, WI
Ann Miller '95 Chemistry Kalona, IA
Anthropology
Dawn Miller '96 Chemistry Suisun City, CA
Margaret Moore '96 Biochemistry Garden City, NY
Megan Reich '95 Chemistry Waterford, WI
Environmental Biology
Beth Riley '95 Biochemistry Champaign, IL
Srebrenka Robic '97 Biochemistry Zagreb, Croatia
Anthony Runkle '95 Biochemistry Lena, IL
Erica Severson '96 Biochemistry Pecatonica, IL
Bret Summers '95 Biochemistry Washington, DC
Kamesh Surendran '96 Biochemistry Kitwe, Zambia
Brian Stevens '95 Chemistry Walbridge, OH
Lina Tze '96 Biochemistry Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Kevin Welch '96 Biochemistry Adel, IA
Kimberly White '96 Biochemistry West Allis, WI
Mattew Whitting '96 Chemistry Rockville, MD
Thaddeus Whitting '95 Chemistry Hoyt Lake, MN
Kristine Zimmermann '96 Biochemistry Wheaton, IL
Contents
Harindra Ranil Abeysinghe - Colombo, Sri Lanka - Biochemistry
and Music. Ranil has been actively involved in research and hence
is on the way to pursuing a graduate education in Pathology at
the University of Rochester in New York beginning in the fall
of 1994. There he will be working for his masters degree and subsequently
a Ph.D. as a graduate fellow in the department of clinical Pathology.
He spent the summer of '92 doing research at the transplant immunology
department at the University of Chicago. The following summer
he worked on a research project at the University of Minnesota,
Department of Clinical Pathology, where he designed a new technique
for measuring glomerular mesangial volumes. This experience enabled
him to qualify for honors in Biochemistry. He has presented his
work at the PEW Biology symposium at Washington University in
St. Louis, and at the Beloit College Student Symposium. His academic
achievements over the past four years have elected him into honor
societies such as Phi Beta Kappa as a junior, Mortar Board, and
inclusion in the Dean's list for several consecutive semesters.
For his academic achievements he has received prestigious scholarships
such as the Howard Hughes Medical Research Scholarship and the
Engstrom Scholarship in Medicine. He has been actively involved
in music, playing in the jazz and brass ensembles, and then giving
a senior recital where he played Trumpet and Recorder and some
of his own compositions. He was also a member of the Phi Kappa
Psi fraternity for which he played intramural sports such as soccer
and hockey. His ultimate goal is, after graduate and post graduate
study and some work experience in the U.S., to return home to
Sri Lanka and conduct pertinent research at the Medical Research
Institute in Colombo.
Robert Bergman - Janesville, WI - CHEMISTRY - After what will
likely prove to be another grueling summer in the ugly, humid
climate offered by Beloit, I am going to move permanently to Westminster,
Colorado. I will then take classes at the University of Colorado,
Boulder part time as a non-degree student in the field of chemical
physics, molecular spectroscopy, and mathematics. After a year,
I hope to have established residency in Colorado, and be accepted
to a graduate program at Boulder. From there, who knows? This
summer I will be working on campus as the WBCR radio station manager.
Dawn Marie Buschek - Elgin, IL - Chemistry and Psychology. Dawn
was involved in research with Laura Parmentier and did a Special
Projects developing an assay for Ornithine cyclase. Her senior
thesis on "The Benzodiazepines: A Social and Pharmoacological
Perspective" combined her interests in Chemistry and Psychology.
Dawn was elected to the Honor Society Psi Chi.
Dejan Ilijevski - Merrillville, IN - Chemistry. Dejan began and
ended his career at Beloit in Europe. Originally from Belgrade,
Yugoslavia, Dejan graduated from Beloit while on the Hungarian
seminar on the Hungarian Exchange Program this spring.
Calvin John Kolluri - Warangal, India - Chemistry. Calvin's interest
in chemistry and biochemistry did not keep him in Chamberlin.
He did a special projects in interdisciplinary studies on Ghandi
and Modern India, which was an appropriate followup to his field
experience program, where he worked in India on rural development
projects for children among the Banjara tribe and Harijan caste.
He also participated in a literacy project in the area of Tharigoppula.
Peggy LaBarge - St. Louis, MO - Biochemistry with departmental
honors - Peggy began research in the summer of 1992, working with
Dr. Robert Mercer on studies of Na, K-ATPase structures &
function at Washington University, Department of Physiology. She
continued this research during Christmas break of 1992. The summer
of 1993 was spent at University of Missouri, School of Medicine,
Department of Physiology, working with Dr. Michael Rovetto on
studies of Adenosine Transport. Peggy will spend 4 months in Basel
Switzerland working in a research laboratory at Ciba-Geigy. She
will then return to the United States, where she plans to attend
medical school.
Jennifer Anne Larkin - Mount Holly, NJ - Biochemistry with departmental
honors. Jenna assisted with Roc's research in vitamin C metabolism,
determining the minimum necessary dose to detect continuous excretion
of vitamin C in the urine. For her research and academic achievement,
she graduated with Honors in Biochemistry. She plans to attend
medical school.
Jonathan Lehmann - Delavan, WI - Chemistry - Jon worked with Rama
on Rama's library Research Stack to incorporate the Colorado Alliance
of Research Libraries (CARL) into the current format. He was also
helping to keep the chemistry computer lab functioning smoothly.
He currently plans to get a job in the Madison area.
Andrew P. Loria - Rockford, Il. - Biochemistry - This summer Andy
will be doing research with Alita Miller and Dr. Lucia B. Rothman-Denes
in the Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cellular
Genetics and Cell Biology at the University of Chicago. He will
be graduating in the Fall of 1994 and plans to return to the University
of Chicago Ph.D. program.
Andrew Kyle McVie - Shreveport, LA - Special Chemistry/Biology
and Creative Writing. Andrew spent a semester studying at Glasgow
University in Glasgow, Scotland. He was Academic-All Conference
in Men's Tennis his sophomore, junior, and senior year. He was
a four-year letterman for the team. Andrew served as a Head Resident
Assistant for his senior year. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa
and received the Victor Ferrall, Jr. Pre-Med Award. Andrew will
pursue an M.D. at Louisiana State University in New Orleans in
the fall.
Amina Mirza - Safat, Kuwait - Chemistry. Amina had a strong interest
in Women's Studies and Art in addition to her chemistry studies.
She did Special Projects in Arab and U. S. Muslim Women and studied
Advanced Weaving. Her senior thesis was on "The Chemical
Causes and Analysis of Damaged Paintings".
Manish N. Patel - Elk Grove Village, IL - Chemistry with honors
- While at Beloit College, Manish had been involved with many
organizations. He joined TKE, helped with HPAC, served on Comsen
and Academic Senate, and had been a member of various clubs. He
had done four summers of research, two summers each at Grinnell
College and Beloit College. He also participated in a mentorship
at Beloit Memorial Hospital with Dr. Behrens for three years.
His future plans are to attend medical school.
Sudha Rani Pavuluri - Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas- Biochemistry.
Sudha spent the summer of 1993 doing biochemical and physiological
research at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. The previous
summer she worked as a Teaching Assistant with the Howard Hughes
Young Scholars/BioQUEST Teacher's Workshop programs here at Beloit
College. During her four years at Beloit, Sudha participated in
varsity and intramural athletics, was the International Student
Representative for the Dean of Student's Advising Committee, a
Hospital Volunteer, a sports writer for the Round Table, radio
sports broadcaster for WBCR, a member of the editorial staff of
the Beloit Biologist Journal, member of the ACM Committee on Women's
Concerns, Student Representative to the Biochemistry Department,
and the ComSen Representative to the Athletic Department. She
also mentored with two physicians at the Beloit Memorial Hospital
and Beloit Clinic. She has made the Dean's List the past 4 semesters
and is the recipient of the Harry C. Moore Family Scholarship,
the Lowell Ericsson Scholarship, and the Ferwerda Science Scholarship.
In 1992, Sudha was named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Minority
Scholar. Sudha's future plans include attending medical school
and returning home to the Bahamas to put her skills as a physician
to use. She also hopes to share her love of sports with young
children.
Brian Edward Pfister - Pine, CO. - Chemistry. Brian will be attending
Rush University in Chicago where he will be studying biochemistry
in their Ph.D. program. At Beloit he ran track and cross-country
for four years, and during the 1994 track season he was the team
captain, setting Beloit's indoor triple jump record. He rushed
Tau Kappa Epsilon and served as the President from spring '93
- fall '93. Brian eventually plans to work with injuries to connective
tissue.
Tara Leigh Sander - Dousman, WI. - Biochemistry. Tara has had
4 years of progressive experience in the field of science. Her
involvement in research at the Medical College of Wisconsin allowed
her to participate in the development of a new immunological endpoint
of technology based on electrical resistance. Tara has been actively
involved in the Girls and Women in Science Project for 4 years.
Her other activities include piano, 2 years of varsity soccer,
and the Beloit College Health Professions Advisory Committee.
Tara also assisted Roc Ordman in developing a database on alumni
who have attended medical school. Tara's work experience has undoubtedly
instilled a sense of responsibility, discipline, and integrity
as a scientist. She has held two positions as a Pharmaceutical
Technician. She has also been an R.A. for 2 years, while serving
as the R.A. Representative for the Dean of Students Advisory Committee.
Tara has been a tutor counselor for Upward Bound and has offered
her teaching assistance for the Biochemistry and Microbiology
courses. Tara has accepted a position as a technician in the Biochemistry
Department with the Chair, Dr. Owen Griffith, studying the synthesis
of nitric oxide enzyme inhibitors at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
She eventually plans to become a physician.
In this year's news notes, we have information from many sources,
from word of mouth, to email, to responses from last year's newsletter
response page. Please do keep us informed of what you are doing.
It's great to discover the many adventures that we all are having.
This year's Beloit College Homecoming Reunion was a wonderful
time! A large number of chemistry and biochemistry alumni were
there. Just a few notes we picked up chatting with some of our
alumni who were there:
Trudy Hartman '89 is an Ob/Gyn resident in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Meaghan Smith '89 is in VWR Sales near Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Mia Tenhagen '89 is in Evanston, IL. Joe Verdi '83 is UCLA post-doc,
Ph.D. from Cal Tech in neurobiology with publications in Science,
Cell, and JBC. Dan McKee '83 is a gastroenterologist in Duluth,
MN - while passing through, he kindly dispensed free medical advice
to Roc. That's an in-kind contribution to the College that Roc
won't soon forget! Krista Van Vleet '87 is in grad school in anthropology
at U. Michigan. Vivette Brown '89 is now in grad school in Canada.
Bill Hipple '89, Doug Hoyt, Jim Selkirk '87, Kirk Jacobsen '80,
Elizabeth Thomas Snow '68, Anne Whalen '88 and others all came
to Chemistry Seminar. Anne gave a talk about her Ph.D. research.
She is headed on for a post-doc now with Ebbe Nordlander in Sweden.
Kirk is in medical practice now. Peggy Barth '83 has completed
her Master's degree. Connie Savor '91 dropped by from medical
school. Lisa Geffros '89 is a Doctor of internal medicine at MCW,
Milwaukee. Jon Lensmeyer '89 is an Ob-GYN resident in Milwaukee.
32 Stuart Gloyer - Ph.D. UW-Wisconsin. 93 entry - visited Beloit,
retired now, was executive with PPG Industries, DONATED $20K.
48 We are sorry to report that Donald J. Taylor died on May 11,
1993, in Temple, Texas. He was an orthopedic surgeon at Olin Teague
Veterans' Center.
50 Weldon Crawford retired as President of Chrome Rite Company,
an electroplating company in Chicago, in 1986. He writes "The
bottom line is that I really feel fortunate that I chose Beloit...
things were a bit less complicated in those days. All we had to
worry about were electrons, protons, and neutrons--none of those
funny little things I read about today."
55 Oliver Webb of Rockford, who's had a career in the metals processing
industry, has returned from Livingstone, Zambia, where he was
a volunteer with the International Executive Service Corps, assisting
Hardware Manufacturers of Zambia, a spare-parts repair shop for
agricultural and food processing equipment.
60 David Thomson serves as inorganic section supervisor in Washington
department of ecology, Port Orchard.
61 While on leave through August from Clemson University, chemistry
Professor Thomas Tisue is working at a New Mexico State University
research laboratory studying environmental aspects of a nuclear
waste facility; he earlier spent time in El Salvador and the Philippines
as an IAEA visiting expert on total reflection X-ray fluorescence
spectrometry for the International Atomic Energy Commission. His
current work is mostly geochemical in nature, with an emphasis
on X-ray and radioisotopic techniques. He directs an active field
sampling program.
64 Tom Moran has retired after 19 years at Syntex Corporation
in Palo Alto, CA.. He would like to know if any other chemistry
alumni played varsity basketball here for three years? Please
let us know!
67 Roger Geison recalls his 1966 internship at Beloit with Bill
Rice assaying selected dipeptides in total protein of Thalophytes.
"I didn't see a Thalophyte all summer. In fact, I have never
seen a Thalophyte."
71 Brian McMillen is an Assoicate Professor of Pharmacology at
East Carolina University School of Medicine in Greenville, NC
whorking on biochemical and behavioral studies of addiction. He
is Editor of the J. Neural Transmission and CADA Report and a
Science Fellow of the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Institute.
73 Lee Anne Chaney is an Associate Professor and Chair of Biology
at Whitworth College in Spokane, WA.
73 Dr. John Hinshaw is a Principal Scientist specializing in high
resolution GC at Perkin-Elmer in Norwalk, CT. He published two
books earlier this year on "Basic Relationships of Gas Chromatography"
and "Introduction to Open-Tubular GC Columns".
74 The Medical Director, Bone and Mineral Research, at Procter
and Gamble in Norwich, NY, Douglas Axelrod has responsibilities
for developing and running clinical studies in osteoporosis and
metabolic bone diseases worldwide.
76 Leslie DeLong wrote in December to announce her return to teaching
from maternity leave after the birth of her child, Alexander DeLong
Solomon.
77 Dave Virshup is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the
Univ. of Utah, also in the Program in Human Moledular Biology
and Genetics, and has NIH funding for his work on "Control
of initiation of SV40 DNA replication". He is scheduled to
visit Beloit this Nov. 10-12 to address current majors.
80 Cam Murray is working at 3M in St. Paul.
81 Elyse Bick Devereux, who has a doctorate in veterinary science,
has relocated in Newport News, Va., with her family after a four-year
stay in Germany.
82 Brian Davis continues to work at the USDA Forest Products Lab.
He just received a Certificate of Merit for the hard work he has
done. The recent ruling by the Clinton Administration to include
"renewable" sources in the new reformulated gasoline
(mandated by the 1990 Clean Air Act) means that Brian's research
on ethanol production has gotten a big boost.
82 Brent Wurfel married Alena Ptackova on December 31, 1993. Brent
is a post doctoral fellow in physical chemistry at the Technical
University in Munich, Germany.
83 In addition to operating Pro-Chem, Inc., a custom research
chemical business he founded in 1986 in Rockford, Ill., Reno Novak
of Pecatonica does some chemical consulting.
83 Joe Verdi, who was working as a post-doc at Cal Tech in neuroscience,
survived the Los Angeles earthquake, although much of his property
and work was destroyed by the quake. --Joe hits the pages of Science
- He wrote: It's a good intro into cell culture, molecular biology,
receptor tyrosine kinases (the next medical breakthroughs will
involve neurotrophins, cytokines and their receptors i.e. Lou
Gerig's disease, Alzheimer's, diseases of hematopoesis (there
is a lot in the pipe line already as possible treatments for these
diseases most of which is more than positive)) be in touch. The
Science article is Birren, Verdi and Anderson volume 257, pp395-397
July 17, 1992. Our new stuff will be out probably in March in
PNAS and hopefully Cell. Say hello to all back where its really
cold.
83 Kevin Katzen opened a medical practice in Texas some time ago,
which has now expanded to include 5 physicians, including brother
Ken Katzen. They just completed building a new medical facility.
83 Jeff Cleaveland, is Lab Director at a therapeutic disease research
subsidiary of Bristol-Meyer Pharmaceuticals located in Seattle,
Washington. Jeff is doing research in a variety of hot areas,
including work on the cell cycle and nuclear signal sequences.
He has published a number of papers, including a recent first
author paper in BBRC.
84 DeMing "Eddie" Tang of West Roxbury, Mass., who works
for Boston Advanced Technologies, has received his first patent;
his research, dealing with the analysis of chemical properties
of gasoline and other hydrocarbon-based fuels, has resulted in
the production of the only portable octane analyzer.
84 Dr. Scott Hubinger wrote in March with the following: "While
in graduate school at the University of Miami, I met a young lady
from Taiwan who eventually became my wife. After I graduated in
late 1991, we decided to return to Taiwan together so that we
could have a Chinese style wedding and so that I could get to
know her family better. Subsequently, I was offered a post-doctoral
position with a physicist (Dr. Jan Bei Nee) at the National Central
University here in Chung-Li, Taiwan to study the photochemistry
of small molecules which are important in atmospheric photochemistry
and the ozone cycle.. We have mostly been measuring gas phase
photoabsorption cross sections. We just published a paper in Chemical
Physics on ClO2 cross sections between 125 and 470 nm and will
publish another paper (as soon as I can finish writing it) on
photoabsorption cross sections for Cl2, Br2, and BrCl between
180 and 600 nm. We are also trying to measure vacuum uv fluorescence
from ClO2 using the 248 nm line from a KrF excimer laser (Lumonics).
85 LT Mat Isham has moved to San Diego. "I'm teaching at
Fleet Anti-submarine Warfare Training Command. We bought a house
the day we arrived. Attached is a shed complete with a refrig
that has a tap in the side for a keg!" (ed. note - Way to
go, Mat!)
85 Tom Kelly has been working for 5 years as a Senior Scientist
at Hologic, Inc. developing and manufacturing medical x-ray systems
for the detection and management of osteoporosis. He lives in
Waltham, MA with his wife, Linda, and three year old daughter,
Jessica.
85 -From Mike Wirt, Ph.D. " Your E-mail test works great
and will be an outstanding addition to the news letter for keeping
in contact with everybody. I have decided to change my focus from
basic science research to applied clinical work in the area of
radiology and imagining techniques (to include CT-scanning, ultrasound,
new optical and laser methods, and lastly MRI). These areas are
both on the cutting edge of further technological development
(in concert with some of my recent training) and provide a link
between biophysics and medicine. I have always had a strong desire
to work directly with people and to feel that my contributions
to science make a difference. I feel that work in medicine will
give me that satisfaction as well as utilize my abilities in biophysics."
Mike is currently deciding between offers at a number of medical
schools.
86 James C. Lacock has been awarded a National Health Service
Corps scholarship. He and Christina are engaged and they plan
to be married in June of 1994.
87 Patricia Forsythe is a Research Associate at the University
of Texa Medical Branch in Immunology in Galveston. She has compiled
a list of 12 publications and 13 abstracts related to histamine
releasing factors.
87 Having completed her doctorate in inorganic chemistry at Northwestern
University, Julia Thompson is doing postdoctoral research at Los
Alamos (N.M.) National Laboratory on a two-year Director's Fellowship.
87 Mark T. Roszkowski attended dental school (1987-1991) and received
his D.D.S. in 1991 from the University of Minnesota. Currently,
he is pursuing a combined Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology as well as
his residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University
of Minnesota. His fields of interest include the elucidation of
mechanism of post-operative pain and pH in post-operative pain
and inflammation.
87 Paul Hintz will be starting a tenure-track position in analytical
chemistry next fall at La Salle University in Philadelphia.
88 Dr. Anne Whalen '88 has graciously agreed to talk about graduate
school and research. Note that Anne has just finished her Ph.D.
at Colorado and has joined Ebbe Nordlander '86 as a post-doctoral
fellow in his group at the University of Lund in Sweden. She spoke
at Chem seminar Oct. 8th.
88 Anne Whalen ran into Liz Gron at the ACS show. "We were
both on our way from the exhibition to the Hyatt and she tried
to get on the wrong bus." Liz has two children and is at
the University of Delaware.
88 Sonia O'Dell and Peter Tsang were married in the Enchanted
Garden Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in February. She is studying
the redox and spectrophotometric effects of mutations of the cysteines
in rubredoxin for her Ph.D. in Bioinorganic Chemistry at the Center
for Metalloenzyme Studies.
89 Erica Black of Fort Collins, has completed veterinary school
at Colorado State University and plans to work eventually in the
field of wildlife medicine. She married Daryl Periman in Estes
Park, Colo. on May 30, 1993.
89 Paul Blechschmidt has been working as a research assistant
at the Portland, OR VA Hospital, has published articles on his
research there, and has decided it is time to go on to medical
school. He is currently filling out applications.
89 David Mitchell is a graduate student ain Biochemistry in Austin,
TX, studying the X-ray structures of Two hemoglobins from Caudina
arenicola, a sea cucumber.
90 Jill Covert thinks the E-mail alumni network we have started
is wonderful!! She's trying to get her research together to finish
a Master's in the Veterinary Science Program (I switched from
graduate chemistry) and I have just completed an application for
admission to the UW Vet School.
90 Jenny LaBarge has completed her M. D. at the University of
Missouri and will be starting her residency at Baylor Medical
School, Texas, in pediatrics. She visited Beloit at Commencement
for her sister Peggy's graduation.
90 Kelly Reynolds is working for M G Finn at the University of
Virginia in Chemistry. M G worked in George Lisensky's lab at
Cal Tech as an undergraduate researcher. She's been doing lots
of travelling through Utah - the Moab/Arches/Canyonland area -
with a side trip to see Stephen Everse.
91 Having completed a master's degree in chemistry at UC-Berkeley,
Elizabeth Brady of Flagstaff is working for the Arizona department
of public safety as a criminologist doing drug analysis.
91 Yoon Hang Kim is a third-year medical student at Medical College
of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He received a Research Training Fellowship
for Medical Students program of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
In MCW, Yoon is the only MCW student ever to receive one, and
one of only 60 chosen nationally this year.
91 Charles Sontag, has been accepted for graduate study at the
UW-Milwaukee, in the Department of Biological Sciences, and will
begin studying aquatic ecology there this fall.
92 Nim Weerakoon was enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the Australian
National University, Canberra in the Research School of Biological
Science. In February she passed her qualifying exams for her Ph.
D. The title of her thesis is "The Molecular Characterization
of the Beta-Tubulin gene family in Phytophthora cinnamomi. "I
did get asked a couple of nasty questions. Like why am I choosing
beta, rather than alpha or gamma. Also what will I do if there
is only one beta-tubulin gene?"
93 Gregory Hess is attending Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
93 Pahoua Ly was doing honors term at Beloit in the fall of 1993,
and plans to attend graduate school in chemistry.
93 William Trost, is working as a research assistant with Dr.
Mary Schroth at the UW-Madison Hospitals, studying the role of
various immune system factors in the injury of epithelial cells
in airway disorders, primarily asthma.
93 Gulsah Cobanoglu started teaching at Marmara University in
Istanbul.
Contents
Life after Beloit College is filled with dreams and aspirations.
Fortunately, an education at Beloit provided me with the tools
and motivation to overcome life's obstacles. Presently, I am a
Ph.D. candidate in the Deparetment of Biochemistry at Rush Presbyterian-St.
Luke's Medical Center. The training which I received at Beloit
in biochemistry has allowed me to succeed in my progress toward
the Ph. D. I would like to share a few thoughts on the opportunities
that I received as a result of my Beloit education, and some of
the ways that I have found to return those opportunities.
The basic science departments at Beloit have a multitude of superb
professors. However, the Beloit "Chamberlin Rat" experience
does not stop with professors. It continues with the vast accumulation
of biological and chemical equipment and techniques available
to all science majors. I found myself well prepared in basic and
advanced techniques when entering graduate school. Many of the
techniques offered at Beloit are not avilable to undergraduates
at large universities nor at other liberal arts colleges. Because
of the wealth of techniques and equipment, Beloit professors can
demand 110% from their students. This scholastic drive undoubtedly
enables a Beloit science major to succeed beyond Beloit.
Besides the hardware, there exist the unforgettable relationships
between professors and students. These relationships allowed for
both educational and social discussions. A science major is able
to pique his/her scholarly pursuit with insightful discussions
with fellow classmates and professors. These discussions shape
a young "potential" scientist's mind. The alumni and
present students must not forget the impact of these relationships
and should help to further the success of the Beloit science programs
and the students.
Although student enrollment is increasing for the Science Division
at Beloit, nationally graduate programs are still experiencing
a drought of American applicants, especially women and minorities.
The decline of Americans obtaining their Ph.D.s will eventually
lead to fewer qualified faculty for universities and colleges.
Many students are not aware of the endless possibilities to a
Ph. D. in basic science. The alumni of Beloit's Science Division
need to make a concerted effort to help guide the future graduates
of Beloit.
The Biochemistry Program at Beloit has developed a unique collaboration
with the Department of Biochemistry at Rush University in Chicago
in which I have been involved. To date, five Beloit alumni have
pursued their doctoral degrees in biochemistry here. Considering
that only 4 students are admitted to Rush's Biochemistry Department
each year, it is a tribute to the strength of Beloit's alumni
that so many have been accepted. From this strong background,
I have worked in collaboration with Dr. Roc Ordman and Dr. Klaus
Kuettner, Chairs of the two programs, over the past two years
forging a cooperative program. Special admissions programs, internship
opportunities, visits, and interactions are underway,. and new
ideas of field terms, lectures, and recruiting are being developed.
By continuing my connection with Beloit, I have had the satisfaction
of giving something back to the College, seeing some of my ideas
about education implemented, and helping future science majors
to succeed.
Colleges too often measure their success on the basis of monetary
contributions of alumni. Beloit College science programs can measure
their success on both the achievements of their graduates and
the participation of alumni in helping present science majors.
If any alumnus/a knows of internships for future scientists or
physicians, could help guide an upperclass student to graduate
school, or has other suggestions how to help the education of
future graduates, let the faculty at Beloit know. I can assure
you that they are listening.
In today's society, it is sometimes not what you know but whom
you know. Your opening of a door could offer rewarding possibilities
to a future graduate of Beloit and provide you the satisfaction
of making a real contribution to the College.
Dean J. Aguiar '90
Department of Biochemistry
Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center
Chicago, IL 60612
email: d_aguiar-rushmed@nova.novanet.org(Dean Aguiar)
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