ChemLinks Coalition Update
Beloit Science Center Renovation Planning Update
Departmental Awards
Scholarships Awarded to Biochemistry and Chemistry Majors
Honors at Graduation
Honor Societies
The Beloit Biologist, Volume 18, 1999
Beloit College 23rd Annual Student Symposium, April, 1999
Pew Science and Mathematics Consortium
Wisconsin Undergraduate Symposium in Chemistry
The fourth floor of Chamberlin Hall continues to be an exciting place.
The spirit of cooperation remains strong between students, faculty, and alumni. That spirit begins with the General Chemistry course which uses topical modules developed through the ChemLinks Coalition directed by Brock Spencer (see the ChemLinks Coalition Update below). This year we removed the tablet chairs from the general chemistry classroom and switched to tables that seat four students. Having tables makes it easier for the active learning of the course (we do activities or investigations each day instead of lectures) and sitting in groups lowers the activation barrier to collaborative learning. While we continue to limit sections to a class size of 24, multiple sections mean that a third to a half of all Beloit College students take at least one chemistry course. During the year, 5 or 6 different chemistry faculty teach a section of general chemistry. Frequent faculty visits in other sections introduce students to additional members of the department, and provide extra possibilities for guidance and help. Faculty spend significant time in joint preparation and discussion of pedagogy. Those discussions, especially of how classroom spaces influence learning, have been important in helping to define program goals for the future (see Science Center Renovation Planning below).
Beloit College has received a $500,000 grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation. One-half of the grant award will fund new interdisciplinary laboratories for spectroscopy and molecular modeling, and for ecological and geographical modeling. The other $250,000 will serve as a challenge grant to create a $1 million science endowment. Endowment income will support new faculty start-up costs, student-faculty research, equipment acquisitions and laboratory improvements, and other projects in the sciences. This past year has seen implementation of the first phase of the spectroscopy and molecular modeling laboratory.
In the fall, our 200 MHz proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer was upgraded by replacing the computer system with a networked Sun workstation. No more waiting for Fourier transformations! This instrument is used in general chemistry and used routinely in the organic course; instrumental analysis students make use of the 2-dimensional NMR capabilities. Storing spectra in student accounts makes it much easier to go back and re-examine spectra, check integrals, or look downfield.
In the spring, we inaugurated a new iMac lab (see back cover of this newsletter and think tangerine color). Since the lab opened mid-semester, the Chemical Equilibrium students especially noticed the enhanced MathCad speed for sophisticated system modelling. Much thanks to Rama for installing the software and networking. This lab makes substantial use of the campus network since the computers do not have removable media such as floppy disks. Files are stored over the network on student server accounts or on personal computers in residence halls. We also obtained a computer and projection system on a cart for use in classrooms. Imagine chemistry seminar where we routinely roll the projector into the room, plug into the network, and students download their Powerpoint talk. It works!
Part of what makes Beloit exciting are the individual people, accomplishments, awards, scholarship, research, publications, workshops, and presentations highlighted in the rest of this newsletter. We are proud of our students, faculty, and alumni.
Beloit College has received a renewal for the fifth and final year of its grant from the National Science Foundation to support the ChemLinks Coalition. In collaboration with the ModularCHEM Consortium, headquartered at the University of California - Berkeley, and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. the topical modules for general chemistry listed below are being published as Beta Test Versions for use nationally this coming fall (authors who are present or past staff members at Beloit are indicated).
Earth, Fire and Air: What is Needed to Make an Effective Air-Bag
System?
Computer Chip Thermochemistry: How Can We Create an Integrated
Circuit from Sand?
What Should We Do About Global Warming? (Sharon Anthony, Tom Brauch)
Why Does the Ozone Hole Form? (Sharon Anthony)
Build a Better CD Player: How Do You Get Blue Light From a Solid?
(George Lisensky)
Water Treatment: How Can We Make Our Water Safe to Drink?
Would you Like Fries with That? The Fuss about Fats in our Diet
(Heather Mernitz)
Origin of Life on Earth
What's in a Star?
Should we Build a Copper Mine?
Bags, Bottles and Backpacks (Sharon Anthony)
The "Global Warming," "Fuss about Fats," and "CD Player" modules were all tested in Chemistry 117 at Beloit this past year, as was a "Vitamin C" module under development by Roc Ordman. Workshops to train faculty to teach with these innovative materials are being held this year at Beloit, Berkeley, University of Southern California, Inter American University in Puerto Rico, Iowa State University, and The Evergreen State College in Washington.
After several years of curricular and program planning by the Science Division, the College engaged Ellenzweig Associates, a Cambridge (MA) architectural firm with considerable experience nationally in programming analysis and building planning for undergraduate science facilities. Our planning committee worked with Ellenzweig this past fall to use our program plans to define space needs and consider options for meeting them. A report was presented to the April meeting of the Beloit College Board of Trustees outlining three options: renovation only of the Science Center, renovation plus an addition, and construction of a new building with renovation of Chamberlin and Mayer Halls for other uses. The preferred option recommended by the planning committee is to build an addition to Chamberlin, then renovate both Chamberlin and Mayer Halls. This plan would provide greatly improved and slightly expanded teaching and research spaces, bring the building up to code, and replace the mechanical systems, which have already outlived their projected lifetime. In addition, this facility would provide much-needed space for psychology and possibly music, as well as additional classroom space and areas that could be used for poster sessions and public events by the rest of the campus community. The estimated cost of this project is $28 million. The Board of Trustees approved a resolution directing the administration "to continue the planning process, within the context of the capital needs of the College." This fall we will move to the next stage of planning, which will further define specific space needs and their physical arrangement, phasing of construction and renovation, and a plan for fundraising, in preparation for the process of selecting an architect for the project.
"People Making a Difference"
When recruiting students for Beloit, I end my pitch by telling them that perhaps the best aspect is the people connected with the College. The atmosphere here starts with the student offices in Chamberlin, which allow science majors to interact with each other and faculty in a professional milieu rarely found at the undergraduate level. Students get to know each other as well as the faculty. The students also get to study in a supportive environment and are able to share the excitement of discovery and learning. Mixed with people from around the world, students get their values challenged, their standards raised, and their perspectives widened. But that connection with professionals extends far beyond Beloit - you! A tremendous skill taught to Beloit students is the ability to network.
This year, as every year, there are numerous examples of how you, individuals connected with Beloit and science, help each other. A highlight this year was the visit of Dr. Harry Broquist, '40, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University. Under Beloit's Distinguished Scholar in Residence Program, Harry spent a week here this fall speaking with classes ranging from Dance to Chemistry, discussing his career as a research professor. Harry's career exemplifies the best of the liberal arts. His research on folic acid has led him through industry, academia, and government circles to help people maintain good health. His ability to share personal stories about his experiences touched many lives here - including my own. So many students worry that a career in science means working exclusively with test tubes - a notion readily dispelled by the personal warmth of people like Harry.
A growing tradition is the return of younger alumni to enrich our classes. It is impossible for anyone to keep up with all the new discoveries these days, and these alumni contribute generously to enrich education at Beloit. Furthermore, these young alumni show how quickly our graduates become sophisticated scientists and validate how useful their undergraduate preparation has be en. This year Dean Aguiar, '90, came to speak about his post-doctoral research at the Univ. of Minnesota on restoration of spinal cartilage. Gaoussou Diarra, '95, came down several times from the Univ. of Wisconsin where he is working toward his Ph.D. to speak of his research using molecular biological methods to study malaria. He also could share his first hand experience in helping to sequence the complete genome of E. coli . Three more sterling examples of such generosity of time and spirit are Alice Dobie-Galuska,'90, and Erica Black Periman,'89, who spoke at the Girls and Women in Science Symposium, which was coordinated by Sarah James, '99.
Our course content relies on alumni contributions too. The molecular biology course began thanks to Dan Gentry, '84, who provided our first plasmids which we used to study cloning, protein expression, and other modern techniques. This term, Tara Sander, '94, who is working on her Ph.D. at the Medical College of Wisconsin, donated her SCAN domain constructs for us to work with, and came to tell us about its role in cell differentiation and oncogenesis. Thanks to her DNA and the thermal cycler donated by Derek Magnuson, '93, we completed our first successful polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments this year. And the lovely box of equipment which appeared in my office one day thanks to Erica Severson, '95, provided many of the latest toys for us to play with from Prochem where she works and Reno Novak, '83 is president.
Where did this tradition begin, and how does it continue so vibrantly?
Beloit has a long tradition of warm, devoted students and faculty. Paul Boutwell,'10, who was a chemistry professor here for many years, has a scholarship established in his honor. When I published the first Chemistry Department Newsletter in 1978, many of our alumni wrote to say how inspired they were by his example. This year, I supervised the outstanding senior thesis of George Rogge, '99. George has been supported in his education by the Paul Boutwell Scholarship fund. George and so many students and alumni realize that their outstanding educational opportunities come from the support, financial and personal, of devoted alumni. (By the way, if you are wondering where to invest some of the wonderful returns from the stock market in recent years, the Paul Boutwell Scholarship fund is a great place. Financial aid is one of the greatest demands on College resources these days.)
Another delightful connection was the phone call from Phil Christian, '81. Phil got his M.D. after Beloit and went on to become involved in health care of senior citizens in need. As a result, he has been the Chief Medical Officer involved in the spectacular growth of Elder Health, which has numerous clinics providing health care to our senior citizens. He called to share his enthusiasm about recruiting future Beloit students.
A final example demonstrates the wonderful impact of this service tradition. The top honor for public service presented to a graduating senior is the Willard Wirtz Prize for Public Service. This year, that award went to Angela Moten Russell, '99. How proud we can all be that a biochemistry major has been recognized for outstanding public service! That honor is richly deserved, not only by Angela, but by all of our science alumni who have done so much for Beloit and the world!
After delivering a talk on "Biochemistry and the Law: The Story of Personal Health Corporation" in a graduate biochemistry course at Rush University on December 9, 1998, Professor Roc Ordman met with alumni studying there. This fall, Ian Schmidt '98 and Danielja Lucic '98 began their graduate studies there. Ian has already published his first paper! Gregg Ehrendreich '97 is preparing for prelims, while Brian Pfister '95 is working round the clock on his discovery of an exciting protein in joints, which has been sought for over a decade. Kay Dennis '94 is finishing her thesis as well, looking for a post-doc and considering attending law school eventually. Tanya Danner '97 was unavailable for the Beloit Reunion dinner the others shared, studying hard for finals in her second year of medical school at Rush. The week before Dr. Dean Aguiar, ‘90, who received his Ph.D. at Rush and is now post-docing at the University of Minnesota, spoke at Beloit on his current research on the use of notochord cells to reactivate and repair cartilage in spinal discs as a potential route to treating, even curing, lower back pain from joint aging. Jeanine Pennington '97 is also at Rush working as a technician before attending graduate school, and Boon Yeap Pin '95 is working on an advanced nursing degree there. In addition to existing cooperative programs for internships, graduate studies, and admissions for inner-city high school students, new programs are being developed between Beloit and Rush with the help of Beloit Trustee and Chair of Orthopedic Medicine Jorge Galante.
Charles Abrams
Assistant Professor
A.B. Washington University
A.M., M.Phil., Columbia University
Ph.D. (pending), McGill University
At Beloit since January 1998
https://www.beloit.edu/chemistry/Abrams/
This past year was busy and productive. In the summer I worked with five students on various multimedia projects. Two incoming students worked with me on the next version of IR Tutor, and I supervised a student at Lawrence U. creating a tutorial for ligand field theory. Chemistry majors George Rogge '99 and Scott Barry '00 produced IR Tutor: Greenhouse Gases, which is already distributed by Wiley as part of the resources for the ChemLinks Global Warming module. Scott also presented this work at two regional symposia, and both George and Scott presented at the Senior Symposium. In August I ran two national workshops at BCCE Waterloo: Educational Software Development for Chemistry, a two day introduction to MacroMedia Director with 15 participants, and "Monty Python meets Newton's Apple" (with Karen Harpp of Colgate U.) about teaching chemistry with skits performed by undergraduates for elementary school audiences. Both groups learn something!
In the Fall I taught both sections of Organic chem. We started with spectroscopy early, and the students made bracelets with UV-sensitive beads (they change color in sunlight). These became a popular fashion item across campus. In the Spring I taught Chem 117 for the first time. One day I used a scene from the television show "ER" to introduce ionic precipitates: the unfortunate tale of a man exposed to HF. Fluoride combines with calcium and removes it from the muscle tissues as CaF2, ultimately causing the heart to stop. I think I had everyone's attention! Second semester organic students worked on some very ambitious synthesis projects, including Tamoxifen, [7]Helicene, and [7]Furanohelicene, a molecule made for the first time by Yutan Getzler '98. This year marks the introduction of the "O-Chem Wall O-Fame", where students who complete a multistep synthesis immortalize their name and structure of their molecule. Also in the Spring, Jon Scheerer '01 and Leah Bandstra '01 made progress on a long-term special project: the synthesis of a helical analog of ethidium bromide.
In April I was the Warrington Science Speaker at Shenandoah University in Virginia. Looking forward, this summer is dedicated to finishing my Ph.D. thesis and then a whole host of projects. First things first!
In fall 1998, Bill taught Advanced Organic in a new format, and a first-time offering of Molecular Visualization and Computational Organic Chemistry. While the latter course is free-standing now, it is Bill's hope that its content will be integrated into the chemistry curriculum at some point in the very near future. In the Spring 1999, Bill was on sabbatical leave and engaged in several professional development projects. First was systematic reading in the area of enantioselective synthesis and organometallic catalysis. Material from this study will be integrated into Bill's next offering of Advanced Organic, which will be Fall 1999.
Another sabbatical project was to develop an interactive CD to accompany Introduction to Organic Chemistry, 2nd Edition. Both the text and the CD are scheduled for publication by Saunders in July 1999. The CD contains 250 images rendered in Chem3D. Using the plug-in supplied on the disk, students can measure bond angles, bond distances, and distances between nonbonded atoms; they can represent molecules in any one of five different model types; finally they can rotate molecules freely in space. The next phase of this project is to create animations for reaction mechanisms. The disk itself and html text have been prepared by Cambridge Soft Corporation under contract from Saunders College Publishing.
Bill has also been invited by Saunders College Publishing to become co-author for the 6th edition of General, Organic, and Biochemistry, authored to this point by Fred Bettelheim and Jerry March, both of Adelphi College. Following Jerry's untimely death, Bill has been asked to take over Jerry's part of the text. The 6th edition is scheduled for publication in summer 2000.
Perhaps the most exciting and challenging new venture for Bill is membership on the Chemistry Advisory Group for Encyclopaedia Britannica. EB is undertaking a 3-year core restoration project and Bill has been asked to be the organic member of the advisory group.
And there was adventure to the sabbatical term as well. Bill and Carolyn spent the month of March in Torrey, Utah. For those less familiar with Utah, Torrey is at the gateway to Capitol Reef National Park. The area is high desert, thus days in March were in the 50—60s, clear and sunny, and ideal for hiking and exploring canyons. "Some of the finest canyon hiking we have experienced!"
The Japanese translation of Introduction to Organic Chemistry 1e has finally arrived. The translation is copyright by Hirokawa Publishing Company, under agreement from Saunders College Publishing.
In Fall 1999, Bill will further reduce his teaching responsibilities, and then retire at the end of academic 1999-2000.
As combination professor and ChemLinks post-doctoral associate, Jennifer enjoyed the first year of her two-year appointment at Beloit. Fall semester she taught Introductory Chemistry using the ChemLinks Modules and has become a convert to the modular approach. It was tremendously satisfying to forestall the question "why are we learning this?" by guiding students as they discovered for themselves that the chemistry in the course is relevant to their lives. Rama also graciously allowed Jennifer to teach Kinetics and Thermodynamics during the spring semester, which was extremely exciting for her. She was happy to discover that she still enjoys the challenge of lengthy physical chemistry homework problem sets, now from the design side. She was impressed by the initiative of the students in the course; their maturity spoke well of the chemistry and biochemistry programs at Beloit.
Jennifer attended the ACS conference in Los Angeles this past spring and gave a talk on successful results from a course for at-risk students she helped to develop at Pennsylvania State University. She also was presenter and co-author with Heather Mernitz, Laura Parmentier, and Brock Spencer, of a poster on adapting the ChemLinks Module "Would You Like Fries With That? The Fuss About Fats In Our Diets" to General Chemistry students at Beloit. Jennifer's biggest accomplishment this year, however, was successfully defending her dissertation, loading a moving van, and driving to Beloit from State College, Pennsylvania, in less than a week. She wishes to thank the Beloit College Chemistry Department for providing a firm deadline. Over Winter Break, Jennifer flew back to Pennsylvania to take part in graduation ceremonies and to train the post-doctoral associate who is continuing her research. Jennifer's plans for the summer include finally unpacking, looking at birds, and having fun fiddling with the fluorimeter.
George taught Inorganic Chemistry and FYI in the fall and Chemical Equilibrium and Instrumental Analysis in the spring.
The FYI course concerned Package Design. The packaging industry is a $100 billion annual business in the US, 70% of which involves food and beverage packaging. During an average 30 minute visit to a supermarket, 30 thousand products ask for your attention. That’s more than 15 per second. Few other experiences in life offer the visual intensity of a supermarket. What do you see if you stop to look? What material, color, design, or brand name of a package influences your buying decisions or judgment of the suitability of a product? Does identity depend on the external shell either to grab your attention or serve as a comforting source of familiarity?
George continues to be involved in the ChemLinks project as an author of two different modules. "Build a Better CD Player: How Can You Get Blue Light from a Solid?" concerns periodicity and materials chemistry. "What Happens to Acid Rain?" concerns soil equilibria. Both involve significant use of computers and animation. George, Joey Blackwell '98 and Suzanne Thorp '99 have also prepared CDs of environmental data to accompany the global warming module and the ozone module.
A symposium in which he participated is described in the June issue of the Journal of Chemical Education, 76, 737-746 (1999), and he was one of the authors for the July cover article of the Journal of Chemical Education. Other presentations and publications are listed below.
•G. C. Lisensky, K. J. Nordell, S. M. Condren, and A.
B. Ellis, "Exploring color and periodic properties with light-emitting
diodes," ACS Presidential Symposium, Anaheim, CA, March 21,1999
•A. B. Ellis and G. C. Lisensky, "Customizing Materials
for the 21st Century," Midwestern Association of Chemistry
Teachers in Liberal Arts Colleges, Wartburg College, Waverly,
IA, October 23-24, 1998
•A. B. Ellis and G. C. Lisensky, "The Chemistry Model,"
Gordon Conference on Innovations in College Teaching Of Materials
Science and Engineering, July 26-29, 1998
•G. C. Lisensky, "How Can You Get Blue Light from
a Solid?", ChemLinks Pedagogy Conference, Berkeley, March
18-19, 1999
•B. Spencer and G. C. Lisensky, "ChemLinks and Modular
Chem Consortia Modules," Biennial Conference on Chemical
Education, Waterloo, Ontario, August 9-13, 1998.
•G. Lisensky and K. J. Nordell, "Semiconductors and
Metals", NSF Solid State Chemistry Program for Undergraduates
and College Faculty, University of Southern California, June 13-15,
1999
•"Quicktime Materials in the Classroom," Gordon Conference on Visualization in Science Education, Queen's College, Oxford, UK, September 20-25, 1998
•J. A. Olsen, M. A. Chesnik, K. J. Nordell, M. S. Rzchowski,
S. M. Condren, C. R Landis, G. C. Lisensky, and A. B. Ellis, "Simple
and Inexpensive Classroom Demonstrations of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
and Magnetic Resonance Imaging," submitted to J. Chem.
Ed.
•P. Berger, N. Adelman, K. J. Beckman, D. J. Campbell, A.
B. Ellis, and G. C. Lisensky, "Preparation and Properties
of an Aqueous Based Ferrofluid," J. Chem. Ed., 76,
943-948 (1999).
•K. J. Nordell, A. L. Jackelen, S. M. Condren, G. C. Lisensky,
and A. B. Ellis, "Liver and Onions: DNA Extraction from Animal
and Plant Tissues," J. Chem. Ed., 76, 400A-400B (1999).
•G. C. Lisensky, A. A. Lucas, K. J. Nordell, A. L. Jackelen,
S. M. Condren, R. H. Tobe, and A. B. Ellis, DNA Optical Transform
Kit, Publication 99-001, Institute for Chemical Education,
Madison, WI, 1999.
•D. J. Campbell, K. J. Beckman, C. E. Calderon, P. W. Doolan,
R. H. Moore, A. B. Ellis, and G. C. Lisensky, "Replication
and Compression of Surface Structures with Polydimethylsiloxane
Elastomer," J. Chem. Ed., 76, 537-541 (1999).
•G. C. Lisensky, A. B. Ellis, H. Beall, D. J. Campbell, and,
J. Stewart, Build a Better CD Player: How Can You Get Blue
Light from a Solid?, ISBN 0-471-32469-8, Wiley, New York,
1999.
•G. C. Lisensky and J. M. Blackwell, "Blue Light
CD," in Module Web Tools, ISBN 0555-11731-6, Wiley,
New York, 1998.
•G. C. Lisensky and S. C. Thorp, "Global Warming
CD," in Module Web Tools, ISBN 0555-11731-6, Wiley,
New York, 1998.
•G. C. Lisensky and S. C. Thorp, "The Ozone Hole
CD," in Module Web Tools, ISBN 0555-11731-6, Wiley,
New York, 1998.
There is nothing like returning to Beloit after a year's sabbatical in northern California, coupled with turning 50, to stimulate one to ask what life is all about. Fortunately, this fall I was able to lead a First Year Initiative (FYI) seminar on the meaning of life. What fun to discuss life's goals all term with 15 enthusiastic young freshmen. We read books from a variety of disciplines, a reading list I heartily recommend to all liberal artists - (Galapagos; Genesis; Peace is Every Step; Guns, Germs, and Steel; Emotional Intelligence; Introduction to the Sociology of Development; The Selfish Gene; The Magus; Fear and Trembling). For each, we asked first, what does the structure of the discipline represented in the text say about the meaning of life, and second, what does the author say about the meaning of life through the text. After a semester of study, the students had an excellent introduction to the different perspectives represented in liberal arts disciplines, plenty of questions to explore in their own education, and a framework in which to develop their own meaning of life. As for me, I found the greatest meaning in Fear and Trembling: "Let age be cursed, for it lacks passion!" This statement is not about chronological age. It reminds us that those who are truly alive are filled with passion for their existence - a characteristic I find true of so many students, faculty and alumni whom I respect.
Turning 50 is a wonderful experience. When I was young, I thought 50 would be an old age. Taking my vitamins regularly, I have found that 50 is just the beginning of the second stage of life. The first 50 years were spent trying to achieve all the things that I was supposed to do, and for the next 50, I can do what I want. It's a wonderful time.
In addition to the FYI, I taught Biochemistry, Chemistry 117, and Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. In the introductory chemistry course, we continued studying the absorption of calcium, and this summer I will be working with McNair Scholar Danny Casillas in further study on the optimal dosage of vitamins C and E. In June, I presented a paper at the annual meeting of the American Aging Association as part of a consensus conference on vitamins C and E. My third patent is about to issue, covering the method of urinary excretion for all water-soluble, edible substances detectable in the urine. And I have continued work with Rush University recruiting talented inner-city students from Chicago to attend Beloit, with our efforts bringing three talented freshmen to Beloit this fall.
The biggest personal change is that after 22 years living next door to campus, Eliza and I are building a house on 5 acres near New Glarus. With three more of our children about to graduate from college (2 engaged!), and only one left at home, we are going to spend more time frolicking in the woods! What is the meaning of life? This question will be fun to contemplate sitting in my hot tub by my forest!
This has been a very enjoyable teaching year for me. In the fall, Brock, Jennifer, and I each taught a section of Chem 117 (with a lot of help from Heather Mernitz, ChemLinks Project Assistant and co-author of the "Fats" module!) in which we incorporated both our lab-oriented, hands-on approach to learning and three modules, Global Warming, Fats, and parts of Blue Light. We spent a lot of time in each other's course, and continue to refine our picture of what works best at Beloit. In the spring I got to focus largely on our seniors in my two courses Medicinal Chemistry and Senior Seminar. Both of these courses have an emphasis on student presentations, and I continue to be impressed and amazed at what our students teach us.
This summer I will be participating in two workshops, one here at Beloit College on Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Women & Science Curriculum Reform Institute sponsored by the University of Wisconsin System in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The two workshops are related, and both focus on the design of interdisciplinary courses.
Jennifer Lewis, Suzanne Cox (Psychology Department), and I are designing a science-based course in Women's Health to be offered in the spring of 2000. This is a lovely opportunity for us to pool many of our mutual interests and to work collaboratively in course design. If any alums have interests or expertise in areas related to women's health I would love to hear from you! Perhaps you would like to come back to Beloit as a guest speaker?
I am again serving as Editor of this Newsletter (with large contributions from my assistant, Sarah James '99), so please send me your comments and suggestions. Keep in touch!
Brock has continued to divide his time between teaching General Chemistry and directing the National Science Foundation Chem Links Coalition Curricular reform project. Over the past year he has helped lead project workshops at Beloit, Berkeley, Morehouse College in Atlanta, the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education in Waterloo (Ontario), and the University of Southern California. This summer he will be involved in workshops at Beloit, Berkeley, and Evergreen State College in Washington, and will be participating in the Gordon Research Conference on Innovations in College Chemistry Teaching. He was a reviewer for the report on "Transforming Undergraduate Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education" for the National Research Council's Committee on Undergraduate Science Education and was an invited participant in the initial meeting of the Environmental Protection Agency - American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Outreach and Educational Materials Development Program. He continues as a member of the Project Kaleidoscope National Issues Task Force. One of his most exciting jobs has been to chair the committee planning the Beloit Science Center renovation.
I taught Quantum Chemistry and a course on Scientific Computation this past fall. For both courses, I have developed software in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) that can be accessed through the latest versions of Excel on either a Mac or a PC--the source code works unchanged (well, almost...the file dialogs are slightly different!) In the spring, I was able to teach an interdisciplinary course on emerging energy technologies for the twenty-first century (while Jennifer Lewis taught Thermodynamics & Kinetics). This course turned out to be very interesting and included field trips. One such trip was to Fairbanks-Morse (just across from the college on White Avenue). We learned that, apart from making giant diesel engines for the U.S. Navy and environmentally friendly dual fuel (diesel/natural gas) engines with minimal nitrogen oxide emissions, the company started almost a century back by marketing windmills (for grinding corn and pumping water) in the Mid-West. We also visited an alternative energy store in Viroqua and saw hands-on applications of solar cells (the store was powered by a solar panel-based system, including deep-cycle batteries and an inverter) and a state-of-the-art wind turbine capable of supplying all the electricity for a typical household. Finally, we visited the nuclear power station at Byron, Illinois, which is a giant station that puts out two GW on a year-round basis. We learned all about the promise (and peril--we managed to scram the control rods and shut down the reactor in the full-scale simulation of the control room that they use for operator training) of nuclear power. All in all, it was a most interesting course!
Dr. David Virshup, MD, '77, Professor of Oncology, visited in October from the University of Utah and spoke on his research on cancer and beta-catenin.
Also in October, Dr. Harry Broquist, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry, visited from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Broquist spent a week at Beloit as a Visiting Distinguished Scholar, meeting with students, speaking in numerous classes about his research career studying the metabolism of folic acid. He is one of Beloit's most distinguished science alumni, having published numerous papers and received many awards including the Elvejehm Award from the American Society of Nutritional Sciences.
In December, Tom Duncanson from the Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Atlanta, GA, discussed graduate school research and career opportunities connected with paper chemistry.
Dean Aguiar, Ph.D., '90, returned to Beloit this fall, after receiving his Ph.D. at Rush University, to speak with the Biochemistry class about his post-doctoral research at the University of Minnesota on regenerating cartilage in the spine, promising future relief to lower back injury.
Tara Sander, '94, is working toward her Ph.D. in biochemistry at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She collaborated with the Molecular Biology course this spring, providing research materials and a guest lecture on her Ph.D. thesis project related to the SCAN domain of MZF-1, a novel protein domain involved in regulation of transcription which is a key event in cell differentiation and carcinogenesis.
Also this spring, Gaoussou Diarra, '95, gave a series of lectures to the Molecular Biology class on his graduate research at UW-Madison on the immunology of malaria infection, discussing molecular biological and immunologic methods of preventing malaria infection.
Alice Dobie-Galuska, '90, currently Assistant Coordinator for General Chemistry at Indiana University, and Erica Black Periman, '89, a veterinarian in Moose, WY, spoke at the Girls and Women in Science Symposium this spring, discussing the challenges of balancing career and family as science professionals. Both had their young children along to demonstrate the practical joys and challenges they have encountered.
In the end of April, Dr. Laura J. Parker came and spoke to the Chemistry Seminar class about "Research Chemistry in a Military Laboratory." She discussed why she chose this career and what type of research she was working on at the Naval Research Laboratory.
Thad Whiting, '95, also came and spoke to the Chemistry Seminar class. His presentation was entitled "An Overview of Forensic Science." Thad discussed the types of chemistry related work performed in a forensic crime lab, based on his experience at the Northern Illinois Police Crime Laboratory.
Also in April, Neil Collie, '83, came and spoke at the Boomerang 1999 session on the inside scoop on choosing quality medicinal herbs.
The weekend of April 9-10, 1999 saw the ninth annual Girls and Women in Science Conference, organized by Sarah James ('99), Kathy Greene, Leah Bandstra ('01) and Marion Fass. This unique program, supported by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Beloit College, brings 40 area sixth-grade girls and their teachers and parents to Beloit where they interact with Beloit College faculty and students. The Beloit College students who plan and organize the annual Conference are known as the Women of Chamberlin because most (but not all!) of them are women science students. This year the theme of the Conference was "Change: A World of Possibilities," a theme represented in program materials, science investigation stations, and souvenir shirts for both college students and sixth-graders. The theme is also appropriate for this year as Kathy Greene, the founding director, stepped down, and Sarah James, the three year assistant director, graduated. As usual, the Chemistry Department faculty, staff, and students were active and enthusiastic participants creating stations that allowed the girls to make and examine esters and polymers. Alice Dobie-Galuska, '90, returned to participate in the alumnae panel, Erica Black Periman, '89, returned as the key note speaker, and Charlie Abrams, Jennifer Lewis, Laura Parmentier, and George Lisensky represented Chemistry faculty . Look for many new and exciting surprises within the program as Marion Fass and Leah Bandstra ('01) prepare for the tenth anniversary of the Girls and Women in Science Program.
1998-1999
FALL
| 117 | General Chemistry | 52 |
| 230 | Organic Chemistry I | 32 |
| 245 | Quantum Chemistry | 4 |
| 250 | Inorganic Chemistry | 4 |
| 300 | Biochemistry | 12 |
| 370 | Advanced Topics | 6 |
| 380 | Senior Seminar | 6 |
| 385 | Senior Thesis | 2 |
| 390 | Special Projects | 1 |
| Total | 126 |
| 117 | General Chemistry | 73 |
| 220 | Chemical Equilibrium | 15 |
| 235 | Organic Chemistry II | 19 |
| 240 | Thermodynamics and Kinetics | 6 |
| 275 | Biotechnology and Molecular Biology | 19 |
| 280 | Scientific Literature | 15 |
| 360 | Instrumental Methods of Analysis | 5 |
| 380 | Senior Seminar | 7 |
| 385 | Senior Thesis | 4 |
| 390 | Special Projects | 4 |
| Total | 167 |
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.
Kevin Braun '99 and George Rogge '99
WILLIAM J. TRAUTMAN AWARD in PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
(Professor at Beloit 1921-1947) given to a student doing outstanding
work in physical chemistry.
Suzanne Thorp '99 and Dave Murry '00
EDWARD C. FULLER AWARD in CHEMICAL EDUCATION
was established by the majors of the Class of 1982 in honor of
Professor Fuller and is given to a junior or senior who has done
outstanding work as a teaching assistant.
Jonathan Scheerer '01
MERCK INDEX AWARD
is given to an outstanding senior and consists of a copy of the
Merck Index from the publisher.
Maya Das '99 and Angela Russell '99
CRC PRESS FRESHMAN CHEMISTRY AWARD
recognizes outstanding work by a first-year student and consists
of a copy of the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics .
Lenny Tinker '02
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY JUNIOR ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AWARD
recognizes a junior by providing a year's membership in the ACS
Division of Analytical Chemistry and a subscription to the journal
Analytical Chemistry.
Scott Barry '00
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 and a
video tape about polymers.
Jody Urish '00
DAVID A. NORRIS '92 STUDENT RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
was established by David's friends and family in his memory and
provides endowed support for chemistry-related undergraduate research.
Jonathan Scheerer '01, Leah Bandstra '01, Kevin Braun '99, and
Derek Devine '99
THE FREE RADICAL AWARD
was established by members of the class of '86 to recognize unusual
contributions to the life and spirit of the department.
Brian Stupi '99
ANN M. VERVILLE SCHOLARS AWARD
is awarded to a senior biology or biochemistry major for outstanding
academic achievement.
Maya Das '99 and Suzanne Thorp '99
GERTRUDE E. SWEET AWARD
was established in 1999 and is presented to a biology student
who is committed to serving others and demonstrates leadership
in confronting societal issues related to the life sciences.
Angela Russell '99
VICTOR E. FERRALL MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP
Maya Das '99
WILLIAM AND EUDORA SHEPHERD AWARD IN VOICE
Rebecca Mallinson '01
JANE QUISENBERRY AND WILLARD WIRTZ PRIZE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE
Angela Russell '99
Ericsson Chemistry Scholarship
Mayowa Agbaje-Williams (’00)
Sarah J. James (’99)
Derek Divine (’99)
Presidential Scholarship
Nicole Burton (’01)
Maya Das (’99)
Angela T. Hahn (’01)
Charlotte L. Miller (’99)
David S. Murray (’00)
Suzanne C. Thorp (’99)
Leah Bandstra (’01)
Kevin L. Braun (’99)
Christopher Kindschi (’99)
Ian C. Mandel (’02)
George Rogge (’99)
Jonathan Scheerer (’01)
Stephanie B. Williams (’01)
Tori Ziemann (’01)
Hawkins Scholarship
Mayowa Agbaje-Williams (’00)
Rock Island Securities Scholarship
Nicole Burton (’01)
Mary Salsbury (’99)
Tori Ziemann (’01)
Moore Family Scholarship
Antoire Christie (’00)
Tamara Lowe (’01)
Inga Smith (’00)
Chia Goh (’02)
Rock Island Nat'l Excellence
Ian Mandel (’02)
Banucci Family Scholarship
Brian Stupi (’99)
Marjorie Leff Brown Scholarship
Glen Cronan (’00)
Rebecca Mallinson (’01)
David Atlas (’00)
Jennifer Callen (’01)
Porter Scholarship
Maya Das (’99)
Suzanne Thorp (’99)
WI Academic Excellence Scholarship
Angela Hahn (’01)
Christopher Kindschi (’99)
Ferwerda Science Division
Sarah J. James (’99)
Kevin Braun (’99)
Christoper Kindschi (’99)
Scott Barry (’00)
Joseph P. Collie Scholarship
Sarah J. James (’99)
Scott Barry (’99)
Luke Schwantes (’99)
Eaton Scholarship
Rebecca Mallinson (’01)
Jennifer Callen (’01)
Wing Lam Scholarship
Charlotte Miller (’99)
General Motors Scholarship
David Murray(’00)
Judge William Hooker Scholarship
Angela Russell (’99)
David Atlas (’00)
Dr. Frank Burton Hudson Scholarship
Suzanne Thorp (’99)
Irene & Lillian Eldridge Scholarship
Leah Bandstra (’01)
Charles H. Ferris Scholarship
Kevin Braun (’99)
Charles Winter Wood Scholarship
Jennifer Callen (’01)
Courtney Maeda (’01)
Minneapolis Area Alumni
Jennifer Callen (’01)
A&M Wilson Scholarship
Elizabeth Lang (’00)
Seth Levine (’01)
Sherrill Scholarship
George Rogge (’99)
Paul W. Boutwell Scholarship
George Rogge (’99)
Joan Anderson Hoffman Scholarship<
Tori Ziemann (’01)
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
Maya Das
Suzanne Thorp
DEPARTMENTAL HONORS
Maya Das- Biochemistry
Sarah James- Biochemistry
Angela Russell- Biochemistry
Suzanne Thorp- Biochemistry
Charlotte Miller- History
PHI BETA KAPPA
Maya Das
Suzanne Thorp
MORTAR BOARD
Scott Barry
Courtney Maeda
This year our students again had great opportunities to gain professional experience by presenting their research at various programs and publishing their papers in the 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:
"Determination of Mass Transfer and Microbial Degradations Rates of Air-borne Contamination," Suzanne Thorp and Thomas Klasson (work done at Oak Ridge National Laboratory).
"Efficacy of Calcium-Antagonist Therapy for the Treatment of Earring Keloids," Maya Das and Raphael C. Lee (work done at University of Chicago).
"Microdamage Repair Mechanisms and Fractures in Older Women," Mary Salsbury, Satoshi Mori, and David Burr (work done at Indiana University School of Medicine).
To Breathe or Not to Breathe: The Role of Environmental Allergens and Pollutants in Asthma Among Inner-City Children," Angela R. Russell (work done at Beloit College).
"A Dewlap of a Different Color: Analysis of Throat Fan Pigments in Anolis Lizards," Sarah James and Joseph Macedonia (work done at Indiana University, Alma College, and Beloit College).
"A Comparative Review: The Evolution and Control of Influenza B," Charlotte Miller (work done at Beloit College).
Maya Das — Biochemistry ’99
Efficacy of Calcium-Antagonist Therapy for the Treatment of Earring
Keloids
Suzanne Thorp — Biochemistry ’99
Determining Mass Transfer and Microbial Degradation Rates of Air-Borne
Contaminants
Scott Barry ’00 and George Rogge ’99 —
Chemistry
Interactive Animation of the Infrared Spectra of Greenhouse Gases
Charlotte Miller — Biochemistry and History ’99
The Impact of Colonialism an Ethnic Relations in Rwanada
Kevin Braun — Chemistry and Anthropology ’99
Anthropology: Can It Continue to Bridge the Science-Humanities
Gap?
Maya Das — Biochemistry ’99
Efficacy of Calcium-Antagonist Therapy for the Treatment of Earring
Keloids
Scott Barry — Chemistry ’00
Interactive Animation of the Infrared Spectra of Greenhouse Gases
Scott Barry — Chemistry ’00
Interactive Animation of the Infrared Spectra of Greenhouse Gases
Leah Bandstra ('01) - Summer research in chemistry at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Scott J. Barry ('00) will be participating in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program sponsored by the National Science Foundation at the Materials Research Center at Northwestern University this summer.
Nicole Burton ('00) will be doing research at the University of Chicago this summer with Professor Carl Correll on the structure of small RNAs, especially the interaction of RNA and proteins.
Jen Callen (’01) has an internship this summer with DiaSorin, a company that deals with immunodiagnostic technology and research in many areas. She is working with a group of people in the developmental lab creating an autoimmune assay using double stranded DNA.
Dan Casillas ('00) is a McNair Scholar this summer. He will be working with Dr. Roc Ordman studying the effect of vitamin C and E supplementation on free radical damage in vivo in human plasma.
Seppe Kuehn ('01) has been accepted to the UC Boulder REU program. He will be working on a project in molecular physics, using a time-resolved Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) instrument with laser initiation.
David Murry ('00) will be doing an internship with Dr. Guido Franzoso at the University of Chicago. The research is on the role of various transcription factors in lymphocyte development.
Jon Scheerer ('01) - NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at Columbia University, NYC, this summer.
James "Matt" Watson ('00) will be working with Professor Dorothy Shippen on telomerase, the enzyme involved in human aging, at Texas A and M University.
Mayowa Agbaja-Williams ('01) and Tamara Lowe ('00) plan to spend the summer doing research at Rush University Department of Biochemistry studying the role of collagen in osteoarthritis.
Tori Ziemann ('01) has been accepted into a program at the Great Lakes Institute in Milwaukee doing research in Geochemistry. She will be either be studying the effects of iron on bacteria in groundwater or the effects of radon in groundwater.
Oak Ridge Science Semester - Suzanne Thorp
Scotland Seminar - Sarah James, George Rogge, Taherreh Jalali, Julia Kamenetsky
Kansai Gaidai University (Japan) - Steve Schmoldt
Woods Hole Environmental Semester - Tori Zeimann ('01)
University of Cape Town in South Africa - Stephanie Williams ('01)
|
Mayowa Agbaje-Williams David Atlas Kirsten Balogh Leah Bandstra Scott Barry Nicole Burton Jennifer Callen Antoire Christie Glen Cronan Catherine Crowe Meghan Eicher Carlo Giacomoni Chia Goh Angela Hahn Benjamin Isaac Taherreh Jalali Elizabeth Lang Seth Levine Tamara Lowe Courtney Maeda Rebecca Mallinson Ian Mandel Jonathan Scheerer Scott Sweeney David Murray Inga Smith James Watson Stephanie Williams Tori Ziemann |
2000 2000 2000 2001 2000 2001 2001 2000 2000 2000 2001 2000 2002 2001 2001 2000 2000 2001 2001 2000 2001 2002 2001 2000 2000 2000 2000 2001 2001 |
Biochemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Chemistry Chemistry Biochemistry Biochemistry Biochemistry Chemistry Chemistry |
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Kevin Braun - McPherson, KS. Chemistry & Anthropology. Originally I came to Beloit planning to major only in Anthropology. After my first chemistry class that changed. During the summer after my Junior year I participated in an internship at Bowling Green State University under the guidance of Dr. M. A. J. Rodgers. This year I worked with Professor Viswanathan in developing my summer research into a lab for publication in the Journal of Chemical Education. Upon graduating I will be conducting research with Dr. William Perry from the University of Arizona. Next fall I will be entering the Ph.D. program in Chemistry and Chemical Education at the University of Arizona.
Maya Das - South Beloit, IL. Biochemistry. Maya will be a medical student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall. During her 3 years at Beloit, she was a member of the Beloit College Orchestra and participated in the Girls and Women in Science Program. She was a tutor for the Learning Resource Center and the Upward Bound program, a TA for Human Biology, and an emergency room volunteer at Beloit Memorial Hospital. During the past summer, Maya conducted clinical research with Dr. Raphael Lee at the University of Chicago. She also did an internship with Dr. Barbara Johnson-Wirt at Northern Illinois University. Maya performs with the Natyalulalayam Dance Company, an Indian-classical dance company in Chicago, IL. She graduated with honors in biochemistry for her research on "Efficacy of calcium-antagonist therapy for the treatment of earring keloids". For outstanding academic achievement, she was awarded the Verville Scholars Award.
Derek L. Divine — Beloit, WI. Chemistry. During the fall semester, Derek participated in an internship at Prochem Inc., from which he was able to see the direct application of classroom and learn about the internal workings of a chemical company. This internship was a turning point in Derek’s life and influenced his decision to attend The United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates Class in Quantico, Virginia this summer. He plans to pursue a career as a Marine Corps Officer.
Sarah James- Darlington, WI. Biochemistry. Sarah spent the last two summers working on her research on Anolis lizards from the Grand Cayman Islands with her mentor at Indian University. She presented her results at the Mighigan Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Pew Undergaduate Research Conference, and at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, and they will be published in the Journal of Herpetology. While she was attending Beloit she was involved with the Beloit College Pep band for 4 years and the Orchestra for 3 years. Sarah also participated in the AIDS Task Force for 2 years. This year was Sarah's third year as the assistant director of the Girls and Women in Science Program as well as her second year as a student athletic trainer for the Beloit College track/field and softball teams. Sarah is also a member of Mortar Board. During the fall semester of her senior year, thanks to careful course planning, Sarah studied abroad in Scotland. Eventually she plans on either having a career in Medicine or medical research. She graduated with honors in biochemistry for her research on "Analysis of color pigments within Anolis lizard skin".
Chris Kindschi — Beloit, WI. Chemistry. While attending Beloit College, Chris has done research in the field of forensic science, specifically in the area of arson/fire investigation. Chris hopes that Beloit College and the Chemistry Department will continue to educate students in the expanding field of forensic science. Chris also wishes that the mass spectroscopy lab experiment Fire Debris Analysis using n-pentane Solvent aka the "Flaming Cardboard using Diesel Lab," which he designed, would be used in the future.
Charlotte Miller-Virginia Beach, VA. History and Biochemistry. Charlotte worked at the Learning Resource Center as a chemistry tutor and as a lifeguard. Charlotte will be spending the next two years in Africa working as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching Physics and Chemistry.
George A. Rogge- Riverton, WY. Chemistry. Over the summer, I will be working in Missoula, Montana and pursuing a career in organic chemistry. The field is a large one, so I still have some decisions to make as to what graduate schools are right for me and in what exactly I want to get my Ph.D. The summer will involve a lot of fishing and outdoor activities allowing me to meditate and decide my future.
Angela Russell - Peroia, IL. Biochemistry with Health Care Studies Minor. Angela spent her last summer working at the Goldie Floberg Center and working as a volunteer for Beloit Regional Hospice. During the summer between her sophomore and junior year she worked as an intern with the Wisconsin Women's Cancer Control program with the Wisconsin Bureau of Public Health. Angela will be spending the next two year's in graduate school in Population Health at UW-Madison. Her first two years at Beloit she was an active member of the AIDS Education task force. Angela also spent some of her time as a teen mentor and a hospice volunteer her senior year. She also worked for three years as a Career Advisor at Field and Career Services including developing a wonderful web site for the Health Professions Advisory Committee. While at Beloit she was selected as an ACM Minority Scholar and a Howard Hughes Scholar. Angela graduated with honors in biochemistry for her research on " A public health approach to reducing breast cancer mortality in black women". After a year of exploration, she plans to attend medical school. For her tremendous service to the College and society, she received the Gertrude Sweet Award for Public Service and the Willard Wirtz Prize for Public Service at commencement. Her life goal is to live life to the fullest.
Mary Salsbury - Grand Rapids, MI. Biochemistry. Mary spent the summer of 1997 doing research at the University of Indiana Medical School in Indianapolis. She will be marrying Brian Wright (Behavioral Biology, '97) in June and moving down to Indianapolis, IN. Her plans for the future include working for a few years and then returning to school for a masters or Ph.D.
Luke Schwantes - Janesville, WI. Chemistry. Beloit has been very rewarding for Luke. He came here as a freshman then left his sophomore year to attend St. Cloud State University. After attending St. Cloud for a year, he realized that in order to get the most out of college Luke needed to be encouraged by his professors to excel. The professors at Beloit did just this thus Luke came back to Beloit College. While at Beloit, Luke completed an internship with Reno Novak '83 at ProChem Inc. At ProChem, he learned a lot about the kind of chemistry job he would like to have after graduation. This summer Luke will travel to Bristol Bay, Alaska to do some commercial fishing of red Salmon, king crab, and spider crab. He plans on doing this until he gets all of his student loans paid off. In between seasons, Luke will be traveling the world. This August he is planning an Argentina bike trip and in the summer of 2000 he is planning to visit Europe via Euro-rail. After Luke pays back his loans he hopes to enter a brewing school somewhere in California to work towards his dream of becoming the Master Brewer of his own brewery.
Brian Stupi - Moss Beach, CA. Chemistry. Brian spent last summer doing an internship at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke in Chicago. After graduating he will work in the San Francisco Bay Area as a chemist. He has spent two years as an active member of the Beloit College Ice Hockey Club. Eventually, he plans to work for a pharmaceutical company design and/or making medication.
Suzanne Thorp - Janesville, WI. Biochemistry. Suzanne worked with Roc Ordman conducting a research project on vitamin C excretion in smokers. She presented her research at the American Aging Association annual meeting in Philadelphia in October, 1997. During the summers of 1998 and 1999, Suzanne worked with the ChemLinks Coalition. Suzanne also spent the fall of 1998 participating in the Oak Ridge Science Semester, for which she received honors in biochemistry for her research with Dr. K. Thomas Klasson on "Determination of Mass Transfer and Microbial Degradation Rates of Airborne Contaminants". In the fall, Suzanne will be heading to UNC for the Medicinal Chemistry Ph.D. program.
Keep sending us your news!
1939 Roz Boutwell, from Madison, received the American Cancer Society Medal of Honor in Atlanta on November 15th. This Medal is the top honor of the American Cancer Society.
1974 Richard Bey, M. D. was named the outstanding teacher in 1998 by the residents in family medicine at Wake Forest Univeristy Medical School.
1977 Hank Seifert tells us that his professional life is going well and his laboratory is very active with bright graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. They are producing a steady stream of new findings in aspects of the molecular pathogenesis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Hank was just promoted to Professor of Microbiology at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. On the home front, Hank's son Max just turned 5 and appears to have picked up an argumentative nature, possibly from his friends. His step-children are almost all grown. David starts Law School at the University of Chicago this fall and Susan is a junior at the University of Kansas on her third major.
1980 Dorita Arzu has now completed an M.D. degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, in addition to her earlier Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Rice University. Dorita is starting a residency in radiation oncology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
1980 Kirk Jacobson sends word of his new email address: kjacobsn@pressenter.com.
1981 Brian Davis and wife, Karen Derrick Davis, had a daughter, Eleanor Jane Davis on September 5, 1997. Brian also began a new position at Proteome, Inc., in Beverly, Mass., working in the field of Bioinformatics.
1982 Christopher Bailey has been promoted to Professor of Chemistry at Wells College in Aurora, New York. He and Kathy ('81) have three kids and are enjoying refurbishing an 1817 farmhouse.
1983 Jeff Cleaveland, after traveling around the south pacific for three months, walked into a full-time position teaching high school. He is currently teaching four sections of introductory chemistry (for non-science types) and 1 section of international baccalaureate biology.
1985 Mat Isham. After getting out of the Navy and getting an MBA in HCA, Becky ('86) and Mat retreated from the subtropics to weather once again in Portland, Oregon. Currently, he works for Lucent Technologies as a Large Systems Business Communications Consultant with the ultimate goal of selling voice and data solutions. Enjoying this small city; fantastic beer at the Tugboat (J. McEnroe '67), great activities like snowboarding year round, great symphony and fun parades.
1985 Joanne Krol Pfeifer and husband, David Pfeifer, 1986, had a daughter, Rachel Marie Hye Sung Pfeifer on July 15, 1997.
1985 Mike Wirt graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine with a Doctor of Medicine degree. Mike was also elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He will continue his training as a resident in orthopedic surgery at Tripler Army medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii as a Captain in the United States Army.
1986 Ebbe Nordlander and wife, Sofi Elmroth Nordlander, had a son, Jonas Nordlander on April 29, 1997.
1986 Paschal Sciarra is enjoying a life of invention at Plenco, a plastics engineering company in Sheboygan, WI. The company has been awarded some new patents and sales are starting to pick-up. In his free time, Paschal has landed a hole in one and, presently, enjoys watching WF.
1986 Laura Wright recently started in a new position as University Data Administrator for Miami University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is working with several committees on the development of a new (Y2K motivated) data warehouse. Laura is learning all about the local "culture", busily writing policy, and trying to get some rudimentary analyses underway to demonstrate why a centralized warehouse is "a good thing". Her son Quincy, who is in preschool, announced that he wants to "do science like Mommy and Daddy," which surprised both of his parents.
1989 Trudy Hartmann sends word of her new email address: tjmalone@execpc.com.
1989 Bill Hipple, Montclair, N. J., is unit manager for Technical Consulting at Computron Software, which implements accounting and imaging systems at Fortune 500 companies.
1990 Jennifer Merchant and Kent Reetz, '88, River Falls, Wisconsin, were married on September 5, 1998.
1990 Lynn Ryland has moved to Boulder, Colorado, to take a job in quality assurance with Amgen, a biotech pharmaceutical company.
1991 Caroline Schauer and Raymond Habas of Worcester, Mass. were married on May 30, 1998.
1992 Calae Dianne Dorsett is a senior preclinical medical student and a second year medical student in Jamaica at the University of the West Indies, Mona. The program is 5 years. She is a member of the 2002 graduating class. This semester she is taking pharmacology as well as repeating physiology. Then later in the summer Calae will become a clinical student.
1992 R. Lee Penn, after finishing her Ph.D., is now working at Johns Hopkins University in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department.
1993 Erik Anderson is in his second year of a two year Master of Science program in Historic Preservation at Columbia University in the City of New York. Are there any other alumni who went into artifact, or art or architectural conservation? My email is: ea176@columbia.edu
1993 Steve Chan started out working as technical support for an electroplating industry. Now he is doing half laboratory work and half management work in Hong Kong. Steve is very involved in the testing industry, trying to get the most updated regulatory information for different countries, and using lots of instruments, like GCMS, HPLC, ICP, etc.
1993 Brenda Waller has completed her Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Idaho and is now the Educational Outreach Coordinator for the Center on Polymer Interfaces and Macromolecular Assemblies in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University.
1995 Bryony Melville is loving the study of Medicine, at England's Newcastle University, although the work load is intense! Currently Bryony is organizing an internship for this next summer and hoping to follow through on a 6 week internship possibility with the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters in Geneva.
1995 Wenyi Feng is now in her third year in her graduate study program, about to give a proposition for a doctoral thesis and defend it in front of her committee. Currently, Wenyi is studying DNA polymerase epsilon in fission yeast and got some intriguing results recently which challenges conventional thinking about polymerases. At the annual departmental retreat this year, Wenyi won the prize for best oral presentation (of her research project). She thanks her Beloit education for her great ability to present orally.
1995 Thad Whiting is working as a Forensic Scientist at the Northern Illinois Police Crime Laboratory.
1996 Kham (Arthur) Lee is in podiatry medical school in Cleveland. He sounds happy and says he did well his first semester.
1996 Kimberly White enjoyed her thesis writing and finished at Notre Dame this fall. Now working at Brevard College which is a small college in the mountains of North Carolina, just south of Asheville. At Brevard, Kim is the head softball coach, the assistant basketball coach, and is teaching the general chemistry labs. Kim is really enjoying teaching. Next semester, she will be lecturing and doing the lab for Intro to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry.
1996 Kris Zimmermann was taking statistics at the University of Wisconsin in the fall. She sends word of her new address: 322 Maple Ave #2, Madison, WI 53704.
1996 Lina Tze in enjoying her second year in graduate school at the University of Minnesota. Her research is in immunology: B cell development, specifically looking at cell fate decision at the immature stage and role of Bdx in this process.
1997 Kelly Knudson is working on her Ph.D. in archaeology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. This summer she is doing field work in Peru using strontium isotope ratios in bones and teeth to determine population migration patterns.
1997 David Gan is working at Estee Lauder, where he did a field term as an undergraduate, and is also working on a masters degree in biology at St. John's University
1998 Joey Blackwell is currently an analytical chemist at General Labs, an environmental company in Elkhorn, WI.
1998 Marc Dao enjoyed his first year at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
1998 Yutan Getzlar completed and honors term at Beloit during the fall semester. Then he spent the spring semester abroad in Israel. In the fall, Yutan will be heading for Cornell University to begin his graduate studies in Chemistry.
1998 Danielja Lucic is a graduate student at Rush University.
1998 Norad Morgan is at the University of The West Indies, Mona Jamaica, studying Medicine. After 5 years, Norad will get an M.B.B.S (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) degree. Norad was also one of 6 recipients of the Governmental Medical Scholarship, nationwide, which will pay for 85% of Norad's 5 years in medical school.
1998 Jeanine Pennington, after working at RUSH University for the past year, is headed to graduate school at Baylor University in Texas. Jeanine will be working on a graduate degree in Molecular Biology.
1998 Laura Sasse is currently serving with the Peace Corps in Zambia, Africa. She will be working with other Peace Corps Volunteers on the "Zambia Aquaculture project 1998," as a fish culture extension agent. This is a 2 year assignment.
1998 Ian Schmitz is a graduate student at Rush University.
1998 Bob Simmons is working at Hewlett Packard. At the present time, he and his partner are working on the surface chemistry of the DNA chip.
1998 Laura Tarwater is a consultant for DA Consulting Group in San Francisco.
1998 Melanie Whalen is currently a lab technician at Enzyme Biosystems in Beloit, WI.
We have received word of the deaths of the following alumni:
Lawrence P. Ray '25 8/13/98
Leonard Hanesworth '55 3/25/99
Harold Johnson '36 1/22/99
John W. Whitson, Jr. '39 10/5/98
John Biester '41 5/11/99
Theodore A. Collier '50 9/8/98
David J. Dewar '36 7/18/98
John L. Biester '41 died May 11, 1999, in Beloit. Born in 1918 in Aurora, Ill., he graduated from Beloit College in 1941 and earned master's and Ph.D. degrees from Syracuse University. In 1948 he joined the Beloit College chemistry faculty as an associate professor and taught organic chemistry. With the start of the Beloit Plan in 1964 he moved to the Office of Field Placement and Career Planning where he was instrumental in helping establish the new Field Term program. In 1969 he became director of Field Placement and Career Planning. Professor Biester retired in 1983, when he was granted emeritus status. In his retirement, he remained an active volunteer in the city and well connected to the life of the College.
Gifts to Chemistry and Biochemistry have been received from: Estate of Walter S. Haven, Stewart W. Gloyer ’32, Robert Taylor ’37, Jeffrey S. Cleaveland '83, Reno Novak ’83, Patricia A. Smith ’86, William G. Hipple '89, PaHoua Ly ‘93, Manish Patel ’94, Peter Allen ’96, Kristine Zimmermann ’96, and Rama Viswanathan.
Lowell H. Ericsson '50 has continued his annual support for scholarships that are "not an award for already achieving exceptional scholarship, but for three to five hard working students ... [who] have potential for becoming outstanding students, need encouragement, and are in need of financial assistance." These scholarships, along with the James R. Ferwerda (Physics, '53) Science Scholarships, have been most useful to a number of our students in recent years in providing both financial support and effective encouragement.
The David A. Norris '92 Student Research Fellowship, established by David's friends and family in his memory, provides endowed support for chemistry-related undergraduate research by providing funds for research expenses and/or travel to present research results. Research that draws connections between chemistry and other fields in the sciences and beyond is encouraged. This year’s recipients of research support were Leah Bandstra (’01), and John Scheerer (’01) for work on an organic synthesis project with Professor Abrams, and Kevin Braun (’99) and Derek Devine (’99) for work on a fluorescence project with Professor Viswanathan.
Thank you for your support, and thank you to all those not listed here who continue to give generously to Beloit College!
Our alumni email network is growing steadily. It has been tremendously helpful to our present students for finding mentors, summer research positions, and post-graduate opportunities. Beloit College Alumni office now maintains an email directory that can be accessed at https://www.beloit.edu/alumni/emaildir/. Please send updates and corrections to that list.
Chemistry
Abrams@beloit.edu
Brownwh@beloit.edu
Greene@beloit.edu
Lisensky@beloit.edu
Ordman@beloit.edu
Parmentr@beloit.edu
Spencer@beloit.edu
Ramav@beloit.edu
Biology:
Yasukawa@beloit.edu
Mankiewicz@beloit.edu
Newsome@beloit.edu
Roym@beloit.edu
Jungck@beloit.edu
Grossman@beloit.edu
Fassm@beloit.edu
Departmental web pages
https://www.beloit.edu/chemistry
https://www.beloit.edu/biology
Please send us your news- this is what keeps the newsletter going! Send updates and information on the page below to Prof. Laura Parmentier, Beloit College, 700 College St., Beloit, WI 53511, or, if you can, send email to parmentr@beloit.edu or any of the Chemistry faculty!