Honors at Graduation
Honor Societies
Departmental Awards
Midstates Symposia
Beloit College International Symposium
Beloit College Annual Student Symposium
The Beloit Biologist
It has been another busy year. We will miss this year’s graduating class of twenty majors (see their student paragraphs below.) We will also miss Brock Spencer who, after many years of teaching chemistry, was awarded emeritus status at graduation (see his citation below.)
On the other hand we welcome Kevin Braun to a tenure track position. While Kevin has been at Beloit for a while, both when he was here as a student and in a temporary teaching position after he completed his graduate work at the University of Arizona and a post doc at the University of North Carolina, it is good to have him as a regular faculty member. He is helping to keep ChemLinks alive by co-authoring the beautiful ChemConnections Activity Workbook, along with Sharon Anthony (Northland College) and Heather Mernitz (Alverno College), published by W. W. Norton and Company [ISBN: 978-0-393-91305-7].
We also welcome Maya Celestina Braun, born on September 4, and Winifred Rose Gries, born on December 21. It has been a few years since we had two infants in the department!
With Laura Parmentier finishing a sabbatical in the fall, we were pleased to have Lee Bishop teaching organic in the fall. You can hear more of Lee’s current activities at his blogs http://www.scienceminusdetails.com, http://www.greenchemblog.com, and http://sustainable-nano.com
This summer is also busy with five students doing research in the department in areas from zinc oxide nanorods, forensic capillary electrophoresis, photonic crystals, and enzyme mechanisms.
Brock Spencer Emeritus Citation
Kohnstamm Professor of Chemistry Brock Spencer has been on the faculty at Beloit for well over a quarter of the life of the college. Indeed, Brock arrived to teach chemistry in Pearsons Hall, and he not only outlasted its successor, Chamberlin Hall, he also served as the project director for the construction of Beloit’s new Center for the Sciences.
No matter where Brock has been located physically, his commitment and dedication to teaching, especially in the context of a liberal arts curriculum, can be found in the rich and varied nature of the common courses, first-year seminars, environmental studies classes, and multiple branches of chemistry that he has taught.
Brock also chaired the chemistry department for 20 years and instituted many core features of Beloit’s chemistry program, including:
At the heart of Brock’s encouragement, leadership and teaching is his ability to facilitate the process of individual discovery, and to bring out the best in his students and colleagues.
He has been recognized as a Teacher of the Year at Beloit and served as Associate Dean. He has been honored with a national teaching medal, the Catalyst Award, from the Chemical Manufacturers Association. He was elected Chair of the Gordon Research Conference on Innovations in the Teaching of College Chemistry, and he received the Distinguished Achievement Award in 2011 from the alumni association of his undergraduate alma mater, Carleton College.
He has done research in Lund, Cambridge, Madison, Berkeley, Richland, Uppsala, Cleveland and, of course, Beloit.
Brock Spencer has had a significant impact on his students, his profession, and his colleagues both at Beloit and elsewhere. He organized faculty from multiple institutions in the Midstates Consortium and again in ChemLinks to work together to improve teaching and learning. In the design of the Science Center, he convinced faculty to make academic programs the guiding principle, and he involved students in researching green options that contributed to its recognition as a Platinum LEED facility. He has always helped students locate research posts and encouraged them to apply for those positions. In all of these ways, and simply by teaching as he has every day in his classes, Brock Spencer has made a difference.
There is a recurring phrase that students have written in many of Brock’s course evaluations: "Brock made me think." The faculty who have been his colleagues can say the same.
As a symbol of our deep appreciation and abiding respect, we welcome Brock Spencer into the honored ranks of Beloit College faculty emeriti.
Kevin Braun '99
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.S. (chemistry) and B.A. (anthropology) Beloit College
Ph.D. University of Arizona
At Beloit since 2007
http://chemistry.beloit.edu/classes/braun
This school year I had many notable accomplishments, although by far the most rewarding was the birth of my daughter, Maya Celestina. With generous support from my colleagues and students, the transition to parenthood has been smooth, albeit a bit sleepless.
Last summer, George and I welcomed twenty-one professors from institutions across the United States to our second Chemistry Collaborations, Workshops, and Community of Scholars (cCWCS) program on renewable energy. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the weeklong workshop engages participants in renewable energy-based activities and laboratories. Though exhausting to organize and implement, the return based on participant feedback has made this one of the most rewarding programs to be involved in. This was made even more evident as George and I hosted a session at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in New Orleans in which alumni from our two workshops discussed how the material has impacted their curriculum. With this additional encouragement, I am looking forward to hosting our third workshop next summer. Alumni interested in participating in the workshop can find more information on the cCWCS website (www.cCWCS.org).
The new school year also saw the completion and publication of two major projects. As mentioned in last year’s newsletter, the ChemConnections Activity Workbook coauthored/edited with Sharon Anthony from Northland College and Heather Mernitz from Alverno College, went into print last summer. To promote the book, I gave two presentations at the Biennial Conference on Chemistry Education at Pennsylvania State University in August and attended my first ‘Meet the Author’ social hosted by the book’s publisher, W.W. Norton and Company. I also co-authored a research paper with collaborators from the University of Arizona, which was published in the journal Electrophoresis. Titled, “Online Photolytic Optical Gating of Caged Fluorophores in Capillary Zone Electrophoresis Utilizing an Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diode,” the paper builds on my graduate work in instrument miniaturization and implementation of signal multiplexing techniques to improve detection limits.
Courses I taught this year included General Chemistry (117), Instrumental Analysis: NMR/IR (225), Environmental, Analytical and Geochemistry (220), Chemistry Thesis (385), and a laboratory section for Organic I (230). With a minor in organic chemistry, a return to the organic laboratory was enriching, while also providing a great platform for recruiting for my instrumental analysis courses.
This summer, I am conducting research with James Lazarcik ’14 on forensic document analysis using capillary electrophoresis. Graciously funded by a Sanger Fellowship, this is a new research direction that builds on my interest in forensic instrumentation. James will also be working with me as I continue my collaboration with Bruce Atwood from the department of mathematics on the application of wavelet transforms in denoising electropherograms. It should be noted that my research student, James, was one of only fifteen student-athletes named to the Academic All-American team for Division III Basketball. In addition to his success in the classroom, James was also named First Team All-Midwest Conference and Third Team All-Region. James exemplifies the multitalented students that Beloit attracts and I feel lucky and honored to get to work with them on a daily basis.
Overall, this has been an outstanding year for me and my family. With my accepting a tenure-track position at Beloit this year, I look forward to many more in the future.
Ted Gries
Assistant Professor
B.A. Indiana University
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin
At Beloit since 2010
http://chemistry.beloit.edu/classes/gries
It has once again been a great year to be a biochemist at Beloit College. Last summer, I had the distinct pleasure to teach a Summer Fields course on forensic science with Professor Nancy Krusko from the Anthropology Department. We set up a mock crime scene in the basement of the Logan Museum and during a three-week block course taught nine rising high school students to collect evidence and subsequently process it in the osteology and biochemistry labs. This was an intense, rewarding, and enjoyable experience for Nancy, our students, and me. In my research lab, Ozgun Kilic (’13) worked as a Biomedical Scholar investigating the molecule or molecules responsible for the ant deterrentactivity exhibited by X. nematophila and P. luminescens.
During the fall, I continued to refine the DNA and Protein Biochemistry course (CHEM/BIOL 300) as it transitions into a full workshop format course (75% of in-class time is now spent in the lab). Students spent the semester developing an understanding of what a protein is and how proteins, especially enzymes, function. Brock, Kevin, and I had an enjoyable time teaching General Chemistry (CHEM117). Additionally, I sang as a tenor in the Masterworks Choir. In December, Amanda and I welcomed our daughter Winifred Rose into our family.
During the spring semester, I taught Nutrition and Metabolism: Biochemical Mechanisms (CHEM/BIOL 260). We had a full, engaged classroom and enjoyed diving into the details of what happens within your body when you eat a particular nutrient. Brock and I taught General Chemistry.
This summer I’ll be working with Biomedical Scholar Laramie Wieseman (’14) to develop urea and glycine betaine as probes of enzyme conformational changes.
George Lisensky
Professor and Chair
B.A. Earlham College
Ph.D. California Institute of Technology
At Beloit since 1980
http://chemistry.beloit.edu/classes/lisensky
In the fall of 2012 George taught Solid State Chemistry (250) and a first-year seminar on Nanotechnology. Jennifer Gilbertson ‘12 helped with the seminar and did research with George preparing microfluidic devices as part of an Honors Term. The seminar members also hosted Help Yourself high school students for a Saturday morning in lab doing nanoscience experiments. George again organized Beloit’s annual fall International Student Symposium. In the spring of 2013 George taught Environmental, Analytical and Geochemistry (Chem 220) and Nanochemistry (Chem 150). George has now taught nanochemistry or nanotechnology courses ten times, going back to 2003. The goal for Chem 150 is to understand current literature. Even the laboratory experiments have that goal, and all of the tests are comprised of material published since the semester started. Members of the fall FYI and the spring Nanochemistry class joined together to present nanoscience to the public during the UW-Madison Engineering EXPO, and they also produced a carbon nanotube balloon sculpture in the Science Center atrium for Honors Day.
George participated in Masterwork’s Chorus all year and joined with Laura Parmentier as part of the North Atlantic Music Ensemble. George called a dance for the Contra Club in the spring.
This summer Emma Koenig ‘16, Rachel Monroe ’15, and Jiaqi Luo ’14 are working with George in the lab as part of Sanger, McNair, and MRSEC programs.
In July George and Chris Bailey ‘82 will organize and teach a week-long workshop at Beloit for college chemistry faculty from around the country on Materials Science and Nanotechnology as part of the NSF-funded Chemistry Collaborations, Workshops & Communities of Scholars program (cCWCS). See http://chemistry.beloit.edu/classes/cwcs
George continues his collaboration with UW-MRSEC on materials science and nanotechnology education.
Meetings
Talks and Workshops
Other
Alfred "Roc" Bram Ordman
Professor
B.A. Carleton College
Ph. D. Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison
At Beloit since 1977
http://chemistry.beloit.edu/Ordman
http://www.nutritioninvestigator.org
This has been the most demanding year of my career at Beloit. Thanks to so many alumni friends who I have reached out to for support in my challenges.
Last fall I offered my first FYI since the one when my class watched the World Trade Towers collapse. How wonderful this year’s FYI when: Jack won the Digital FYI Identity Film contest (send request and I’ll share it); Cam led a panel from our class at the International Symposium on how to foster intercultural conversations with others on campus, and Komari and Maddie helped with my vitamin C and cancer research. Teaching nutrition and consciousness classes – who could be this lucky? Students spent the entire term trying to find an operational definition of consciousness. Grading their 23 essays left my mind scrambled with delight. Many in the class have decided we do not have free will. Fortunately, we had no choice.
I directed a research class that conducted a clinical trial to determine the optimal vitamin C dosage to prevent the recurrence of superficial bladder carcinoma, which I presented at the Linus Pauling Meetings in May and is on line at http://chemistry.beloit.edu/Ordman/posters/postinds/zpostrocresch.htm. I am working with Dr. Tracy Downs, a cancer surgeon at UW Hospitals, trying to get funding to do a clinical trial with patients.
This is the first year the College has revealed course evaluation scores for the entire campus. I have always thought, and been told by students, that my classes are great. But what a delightful surprise to see that the average course evaluation for the entire campus is almost the same. It is less surprising now to learn that Beloit is ranked the 6th best undergraduate education out of 1,600 schools.
And then there has been the long spring term recovering in my personal life. I awoke Dec. 6th to discover my house a blazing inferno. After calling 911 and fleeing, I had to re-enter the blaze to drag out Eliza, 60 seconds before carbon monoxide killed her. Imagine losing everything – clothes, computers, tax records, photos. In April we were still finding burnt dollar bills blowing around our forest as we picked up the debris. But thanks to our insurance for military vets, we will have a new house on the same spot around August 1st.
My wife is stalwart. Pointing to her brain and her heart, she says “stuff is just stuff. We have everything right here.” Greetings to all my dear alumni who I also have right here.
Laura E. Parmentier
Professor
B.S. Northland College
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin - Madison
At Beloit since 1991
http://chemistry.beloit.edu/classes/parmentier
I was on sabbatical in the fall of 2012. Will Ksander (Chemistry ’12) worked with me on the novel synthesis and enzyme inhibition studies of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. ACE cleaves angiotensin I into the octapeptide angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor. By inhibiting the production of this vasoconstrictor, hypertension is reduced. Chris Goyne (Biochemistry ’13) was awarded an Honors Term for fall of 2013 to continue work on synthetic strategy of inhibitors and to optimize our enzyme system.
Spring has been a very enjoyable teaching semester for me (I guess it’s a good sign that I always say that). We again had enrollment demand two lab sections of Chem 235. Independent synthesis projects continue to be a key component of this course. New projects this year included the synthesis of ibuprofen via a Grignard reaction and the synthesis of virstatin, an inhibitor of virulence regulation in Vibrio cholerae that might be applicable in the treatment of cholera. Students also made lidocaine, flutamide, Prozac precursor, zyban, and others some of you may have made yourself!
I also taught our interdisciplinary, laboratory-based Women’s Health class this semester, together with Professor Suzanne Cox (Psychology). We expanded our community engagement component of the course to meet the College’s recent Liberal Arts in Practice (LAP) requirement. Activism projects included work with the Sexual Assault Recovery Program (SARP), Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center, Red Tent, Even Start, Family Services of Southern Wisconsin, Beloit Public Health Initiative (BPHI), Advocates 4 Choice, Vagina Monologues, Date Safe Project (Can I Kiss You?), Help Yourself, Upward Bound, Early Head Start, GOGA, Take Back the Night, Girls and Women in Science, Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA), Nutrition and Health Associated Rock County, and self defense activism. Many projects had very significant outreach components. The oral presentation of these projects was a highlight for me this year. This is a group of highly motivated, highly engaged students who are committed to women’s health activism, and their enthusiasm is exciting and far-reaching.
As always, it is a treat to hear from alums! Please keep those emails, cards, and letters coming, and do stop by when you can. Let’s go to a soccer game, out for a walk, or sit and visit. We love to see you!
Brock finished his final year of formal teaching with a section of Chemistry 117 each semester. This was particularly fitting since he was much involved in its founding in the Fall of 1969 (shortly after the move from Pearsons to Chamberlin) to replace the traditional two semesters of General Chemistry, its conversion to a “lab first” workshop format with George and Laura in the early 1990s, and its early testing and adoption of the NSF ChemLinks topical module approach in the late ‘90s. The course continues to evolve with a strong emphasis on hands-on lab experience, collaborative work, writing, and a recent primary focus, refined with Kevin and Ted, on environmental issues. The course remains an enviable example of faculty collaboration and experimentation. This year the ChemLinks modules evolved into the ChemConnections Activity Workbook, published by W.W. Norton, with Kevin Braun as co-editor (with Sharon Anthony and Heather Mernitz, both formerly at Beloit) and Ted, George, and Brock as contributing authors.
After a series of festivities at the end of the year (including receiving a Periodic Table of Wine Grapes!), Brock was given Emeritus status at this year’s Commencement ceremony. This summer he is serving as a mentor for Beloit College Sustainability Fellows working on the new student-initiated Beloit Urban Garden (BUG!) and the Merrill Community Sharing Garden. His immediate plans are to stay in Beloit, and he will be teaching an Environmental Studies course on Sustainable Agriculture in the fall “just for fun.” He also looks forward to remaining in contact with his alumni friends.This was (as usual) a very busy year for Rama. Apart from teaching CHEM245--Molecular Modeling and Computational Chemistry (aka MOMO) and CHEM240--Thermodynamics and Kinetics, Rama also served as the ad hoc Principal Investigator of a grant to develop a course in entrepreneurship in science and technology, funded by NCIIA--the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance. The course was successfully piloted and team-taught (with faculty from Physics, Economics, Health and Society, and Chemistry participating and working with CELEB) as a "advanced topics" practicum this past spring. In addition, Rama also taught a new version of the entry course in computer science, CS111--Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming. This was the first time in almost a decade that the course was taught as a full unit, using Java as the programming language and including a formal laboratory component. Rama estimates that with the revisions in the CS curriculum over the past five years, he has designed and developed at least five new courses!
Kristy Kounovsky-Shafer, graduate student in analytical chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, gave a seminar on “Genomic Analysis via Nanoconfinement: Nanocoding.”
Prof. Kevin Braun, Beloit College, gave a seminar “From Transforms to Forensics: The Wondrous World of Capillary Electrophoresis.”
Dr. Jodi Szarko, a post-doctoral Fellow in chemistry at Northwestern University, gave a seminar on “Spectroscopic, Dynamic, and Structural Investigations in Conducting Polymers Utilized in High Efficiency Organic Solar Cells.”
Katie McCool (Beloit Chemistry ’08) returned to campus to meet with students interested in possible careers in pharmacy. Katie completed her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Illinois – Chicago and is now doing her residency at the VA Hospital in Madison.
Prof. Andrew Knudsen from Lawrence University gave a talk on "Dirty Dirt: The Legacy of Soil-Lead Contamination," based on work using a portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrophotometer for elemental analysis and quantification in the field. Following his talk, he demonstrated the instrument on rocks and objects from the Logan Museum. We plan to submit a proposal for a grant to obtain a similar instrument for use in the field for anthropology, biology, geology, and chemistry.
Dr. John Greenler (who has taught in the Biology Department at Beloit in the past) is Director of Education Programs at the Wisconsin Energy Institute and Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He and graduate student Brianna Laude gave a seminar "The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center: Sustainable Bioenergy with a Focus on the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles" on current research at the Center and met with students interested in graduate work in the bioenergy field.
| 117 | Chemistry (3 sections) | 68 |
| 127 | Biochemical Issues: Nutrition | 16 |
| 225 | Instrumental: IR and NMR | 10 |
| 230 | Organic Chemistry I (2 sections and 3 labs) | 49 |
| 245 | Molecular Modeling, Visualization and Computational Chemistry | 9 |
| 250 | Solid State Chemistry | 14 |
| 300 | DNA and Protein Biochemistry | 17 |
| 375 | Advanced Topics: Vitamin C | 9 |
| 380 | Chemistry Seminar | 10 |
| 385 | Senior Thesis | 10 |
| 390 | Special Projects | 5 |
| 395 | Teaching Assistant | 2 |
| Total | 219 |
| 117 | Chemistry (2 sections) | 48 |
| 127 | Biochemical Issues: Nutrition | 9 |
| 150 | Nanochemistry | 11 |
| 220 | Environmental, Analytical, & Geochemistry (2 sections) | 37 |
| 225 | Instrumental Analysis: Scanning Electron and Probe Microscopy | 6 |
| 235 | Organic Chemistry II | 31 |
| 240 | Thermodynamics and Kinetics | 9 |
| 260 | Biochemistry of Metabolism | 24 |
| 280 | Professional Tools for Scientific Careers | 19 |
| 370 | Advanced Topics: Social Entrepreneurship in Science and Technology | 7 |
| 380 | Chemistry Seminar | 3 |
| 385 | Senior Thesis | 8 |
| 390 | Special Projects | 5 |
| 395 | Teaching Assistant | 3 |
| 395 | Teaching Assistant Research | 1 |
| Total | 221 |
| Michelle Alvarez | 2015 | Biochemistry | Chicago, Illinois |
| Taylor Amery | 2015 | Biochemistry | Vancouver, Washington |
| Meghan Caves | 2016 | Biochemistry | Anchorage, Alaska |
| Chelsea Cribben | 2016 | Biochemistry | Clinton, Wisconsin |
| Xinchen Deng | 2014 | Applied Chemistry | Guiyang, China |
| Angeline Earley | 2016 | Biochemistry | Robbinsdale, Minnesota |
| Samuel Gartzman | 2016 | Environmental Chemistry | Evanston, Illinois |
| George Gray | 2016 | Biological Chemistry | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| Alicia Hoffman | 2015 | Biological Chemistry | Cumberland, Maine |
| Elizabeth Jenkins | 2014 | Chemistry | Beloit, Wisconsin |
| Sofia Jurado | 2015 | Chemistry | Los Angeles, California |
| Kayla Kingslien | 2014 | Chemistry | Beloit, Wisconsin |
| Christopher Koch | 2014 | Biochemistry | Houston, Texas |
| Carolyn Kramer | 2016 | Biochemistry | Burlington, Wisconsin |
| Leah Kruckman | 2014 | Chemistry Minor | Libertyville, Illinois |
| William Kubetin | 2015 | Biochemistry | Tacoma Park, Maryland |
| James Lazarcik | 2014 | Chemstry | LaCrescent, Minnesota |
| Joshua Litofsky | 2014 | Chemistry Minor | Columbia, Missouri |
| Jiaqu Lou | 2014 | Applied Chemistry | Shenzhen, China |
| Megan McCabe | 2016 | Biochemistry | Victoria, Minnesota |
| Dillon McCannon | 2015 | Biochemistry | Ashton, Illinois |
| Michael Molway | 2015 | Applied Chemistry | Johnsburg, Illinois |
| Spencer Moore | 2015 | Biological Chemistry | Greencastle, Indiana |
| Shaunte Moss | 2016 | Biochemistry | Plantation, Florida |
| Ryan Munger | 2014 | Chemistry | Appleton, Wisconsin |
| Kevin Palmer | 2014 | Biological Chemistry | Stoughton, Wisconsin |
| Andreina Patlliet | 2016 | Biochemistry | Beloit, Wisconsin |
| Aurora Peck | 2014 | Biological Chemistry | Raytown, Missouri |
| Joseph Poshepny | 2014 | Biochemistry | Viroqua, Wisconsin |
| Santiago Quintana | 2015 | Biochemistry | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Olivia Randi | 2014 | Biological Chemistry | Franklin Lakes, New Jersey |
| Hannah Richter | 2015 | Biochemistry | Spokane, Washington |
| Donnia Robbins | 2014 | Biological Chemistry | Nassau, Bahamas |
| Cate Rubin | 2015 | Chemistry | Tucson, Arizona |
| Johnson Saba | 2015 | Biochemistry | Schaumburg, Illinois |
| Yarden Sagron | 2014 | Chemistry | Highland Park, Illinois |
| Matthew Sherrell | 2015 | Chemistry | Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
| Amanda Silverman | 2014 | Chemistry | Dresden, Maine |
| Joshua Smith | 2015 | Biochemistry | Downers Grove, Illinois |
| Chandler Stevenson | 2016 | Biological Chemistry | Beloit, Wisconsin |
| Alexa Sughroue | 2015 | Biochemistry | Roscoe, Illinois |
| Haoda Zhong | 2015 | Biochemistry | Beijing, China |
| SUMMA CUM LAUDE | Christopher Goyne |
| MAGNA CUM LAUDE | Grace Kellogg |
| CUM LAUDE | Valerie Dautermann |
| DEPARTMENTAL HONORS | Valerie Dautermann – Biochemistry |
| Phi Beta Kappa | Grace Kellogg |
| Mortar Board | Kelsey Kettelhut |
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AWARD,
sponsored by the Division of Analytical Chemistry, recognizes a student who displays an aptitude for analytical chemistry.
Chris Goyne '13, Kelsey Kettelhut '13
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.
Carolyn Kramer '16
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
sponsored by the Division of Inorganic Chemistry, recognizes undergraduate achievement in inorganic chemistry.
Jiaqi Luo '14
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY ROCK RIVER SECTION AWARD recognizes an outstanding chemistry or biochemistry major.
Joseph Lownik '13
FIRST YEAR CHEMISTRY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
recognizes outstanding work by a first-year student.
Sam Gartzman '16
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.
Chris Goyne '13
FREE RADICAL AWARD, established by chemistry majors in the classes of 1986-1988, is given only occasionally to recognize academic achievement and particularly unusual “social spirit,” as is fitting for the catalytic effect of chemical free radicals.
Amanda Silverman '14
JOHN H. NAIR AWARD
honors an alumnus (Class of 1915) and provides membership in an appropriate professional society.
Valerie Dautermann '13, Ozgun Kilic '13, Chris Nakamoto '13, Orion Pearce '13
ANN M. VERVILLE SCHOLAR'S AWARD in Biology
presented to an upper class biology major chosen by the biology department faculty as the outstanding student of the year.
Joseph Lownik '13, Christina Mikulka '13
Donald S. Dean Biology Education Award awarded to students who have demonstrated commitment to generating innovative curricular materials and/or becoming a life science educator.
Joseph Lownik '13
Elizabeth W. Souter Award recognizes outstanding scholarship and the potential for research in Biology.
Joseph Lownik '13, Christina Mikulka '13
J. Carl Welty Honor Award in Biology awarded to students whose services or accomplishments most enhance the department.
Valerie Dautermann '13, Joseph Lownik '13
Susan Fulton Welty Award is awarded annually to first-year students who show exceptional academic achievement and commitment to scholarly studies relative to environmental affairs.
Sam Gartzman '16
Department of Theatre, Dance and Media Studies Award for Outstanding Achievement in Performance
Michael Kreiser '13
FERWERDA MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS are awarded to science majors who have established a record of academic excellence in their chosen field. The James R. Ferwerda Endowed Science Scholarship Fund was established in 1978 by Dr. James Ferwerda, a member of the class of 1953 and a Beloit College trustee, and his wife, Connie.
Alicia Hoffman '15, James Lazarcik '14, Joseph Poshepny '14, Alex Sughroue '15
2012-2013 Athletic Honors
ALL-MIDWEST CONFERENCE TEAMS
Men's Soccer First Team – Ryan Munger '14
Men's Basketball First Team – James Lazarcik '14
STUDENT RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS
2012 Midstates Science and Math Consortium Undergraduate Research Symposium
in the Biological Sciences and Psychology
November 9-10, 2013 at the University of Chicago
Joseph Lownik ’13 – “Solute Studies of E. Coli Alkaline Phosphatase” – based on work done at Beloit College with Ted Gries
Jiaqi Luo ’14 – “Overexpression and Characterization of Novel Dyp-Type Peroxidases from Schistosoma mansoni as Drug Targets” – based on work done with Coraline Rigouin and David Williams in the Department of Immunology at Rush University Medical Center
2012 Midstates Science and Math Consortium Undergraduate Research Symposium
in the Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science
November 16-17, 2012 at Washington University in St. Louis
Edward Folk ’13 – “Vitamin C: A Cure for Cancer?” based on work done at Beloit with Roc Ordman
Jennifer Gilbertson ’12 – Biocompatible Dry Adhesives Mimicking Gecko Spatulae for for EEG Electrodes” – based on work done at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de St. Etienne, Gardanne, France in the summer of 2012 through the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation
Ozgun Kilic ’13 – “Synthesis of 5-Bromo-2’-Deoxyuridine” based on work done while studying at the University of Helsinki in Finland
Beloit College 11th International Symposium
November 14, 2012
Edward Folk ’13 – “An Innocent Abroad: The Oscillating Modernization of Turkey”
Jennifer Gilbertson ’12 (Honors Term) – Biocompatible Dry Adhesives Mimicking Gecko Spatulae for for EEG Electrodes” – based on work done at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de St. Etienne, Gardanne, France in the summer of 2012 through the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation
Ozgun Kilic ’13 – “Organic Synthesis and Cultural Observations in Finland”
Christopher Koch ’14 – “Caring for the Physically Disabled and Mentally Handicapped in Kingston, Jamaica”
American Chemical Society National Meeting
New Orleans, Louisiana – April, 2013
Xinchen Deng ’14 – “Transparent Conducting Film Produced by Carbon Nanotube and Reduced Graphene,” based on work done with Dr. Jie Liu and Hongbo Zhang at Duke University in the summer of 2012.
Experimental Biology 2013 Conference
Boston, Massachusetts – April 2013
Valerie Dautermann ’13 and Namoonga Mantina ’15 presented a poster on their work with Kathryn Johnson on cortisol levels after exercise. Joseph Lownik ’13 presented enzyme research he had done with Ted Gries at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology poster competition, as well as at the enzyme poster session and APS teaching poster session.
Beloit College 37th Annual Student Symposium
April 11, 2013
Valerie Dautermann ’13 and Namoonga Mantina ’15 – “Morning Bout of Exercise Resulted in an Increase in Circulating Cortisol Levels” – Sponsors: Kathryn Johnson, Yaffa Grossman
Edward Folk ’13 – “Vitamin C: A Cure for Cancer?” – Sponsor: Roc Ordman
Joseph Lownik ’13 and Gordon Kane ’15 – “Solute Studies on E. coli Alkaline Phosphatase” – Sponsor: Theodore Gries
Joseph Lownik ’13 – “Workshop Format Increases Scientific Knowledge, Skills, and Interest when Implemented in an Introductory Biology Course” – Sponsors: Kathryn Johnson, Yaffa Grossman
Christina Mikulka ’13 – “The Origins of Prion Family Protein Shadoo Predate the Bony Vertebrates” – Sponsors: Demetrius Gravis, Yaffa Grossman
Ryan Munger ’14, Donnia Robbins ’14, Ellery Addington-White ’15, and Raksha Ashaysha ‘13 – “A Social Entrepreneurship Exercise: Pitching a Startup Product” – Sponsor: Rama Viswanathan
The Beloit Biologist, Volume 32, 2013
Valerie Dautermann ’13, Namoonga Mantina ‘15, and Kathryn Johnson – “Morning and Afternoon Exercise Result in the Same Salivary Cortisol Levels, a Measure of Physiological Stress”
Joseph Lownik ‘13 and Kathryn Johnson – “Workshop Format Increased Scientific Knowledge, Skills, and Interest When Implemented in an Introductory Biology Course”
Jiaqui Luo ’14, Coraline Rigouin, and David Williams – “Dye-decolorized Peroxidases (DYPS) in Schistosoma Mansoni May Serve as Potential Drug Targets for Treatment of Schistosomiasis”
Christina Mikulka ‘13 and Demetrius Gravis – “The Origins of Prion Family Proteins Shadoo predate the Bony Vertebrates (Euteleostomi)”
Olivia Randi ’14 was an ACM-Brazil FIPSE Environmental Fellow studying in Brazil in the Fall, 2012.
Orion Pearce ’13 and Colbert Miller ’13 are doing summer internships with ChemTool in Rockton, IL.
Chris Nakamoto ’13 is spending the summer back with the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network through an international research experience at the Forschungszentrum in Jülich, Germany.
Amanda Silverman ‘14 is interning with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission on the Old Fort Richmond archeological dig this summer.
Alexa Sughroue ’15 is doing cancer biology research this summer at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Ryan Munger ’14 did an internship at ChemTool in Rockton, IL in the spring and this summer is doing research at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum Conservation Institute using GC-MS and portable FT-IR techniques.
Among those selected to participate in the 2013 Beloit Sanger Summer Research Program:
Kevin Braun and James Lazarcik ‘14 are examining electrophoretic analysis of printer inks for forensic applications. George Lisensky and Emma Koenig ‘16 are working on the preparation and applications of oriented zinc oxide nanorod devices. Jaiqi Lou ‘14 is also working with George.
Among those selected to participate in the 2013 Beloit McNair Scholars Program:
Rachel Monroe ‘14 (George Lisensky, Faculty Mentor)
Among those selected to participate in the 2013 Beloit Biomedical Scholar Program:
Ted Gries and Laramie Wieseman ‘14 are developing urea and glycine betaine as probes of protein conformational changes in coupled enzyme processes uses hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase as a model system. Taylor Amery ’15 is working at Rush University with Dr. Carl Ruby on tumor immunology. Jason Saba ‘15 and Joe Poshepny ’14 are working at Rush University with Dr. Andrew Zloza on tumor immunology/virology. Josh Smith ‘15 is working on plant innate immunity genes with Amy Briggs at Beloit.
Elizabeth Capstick – Beloit, Wisconsin
Applied Chemistry Major
Education and Youth Studies Major
Mathematics Minor
Beth came to Beloit knowing she wanted to teach high school. In her sophomore year, she decided she would like to teach chemistry. During her time at Beloit, she was an active member of SPIEL and SSS. She especially loved her job as a tutor with the Help Yourself Program. After graduation, Beth will spend a semester student teaching chemistry in a secondary school in England. Upon her return, she plans on finding a full time teaching position in a public high school in Wisconsin.
Michael Collis – Willowbrook, Illinois
Biochemistry Major
Michael arrived at Beloit with the hopes of gaining a deeper understanding in Biochemistry. After two years of intensive chemistry studies Michael interned at Loyola University of Chicago with a developmental biologist, Dr. Eric Schroeter, by means of the Beloit Biomedical Research Scholars program and worked with fish retinal phototransduction protein DNA sequencing. This research would be the basis of Michael's thesis on identification and characterization of opsin protein DNA from South American convict cichlids. Due to Michael's interests in biology, more specifically evolution and ecology, he spent a semester abroad at a Beloit College sponsored program at the Universidad de San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands studying the flora and fauna of the tropics. Michael always had goals of combining his studies in the sciences with business within such fields as marketing for biotechnology firms, pharmaceutical sales, drug discovery, or industrial scientific research. As such, he aspires to work in a business setting for a number of years before securing an MBA and returning to the scientific realm. He has goals of working for or managing a biotechnology start up firm after his graduate work. He is currently working in Chicago as an account executive specializing in sales and operations for Corvus Janitorial. Once he cuts his teeth in a business oriented sales and management role, we expect him to be able to excel in most any field, just as we would expect from any student with the liberal arts background that Beloit College provides.
Valerie Dautermann – Beloit, Wisconsin
Biochemistry Major
Val has always been fascinated with the sciences and knew she wanted to pursue a career as a medical professional. At Beloit College, she was quick to declare a major in biochemistry in the pursuit of getting into a medical program after graduation. In the summer of 2011 and 2012, she was a Biomedical Research Scholar at Beloit College in the lab of Professor Katie Johnson and conducted salivary cortisol research, and also worked as a research assistant in Katie’s lab in the fall of 2011 conducting a study on the men’s soccer team. She presented her research at the Midstate’s Science and Math Consortium Undergraduate Research Symposium 2011 at Washington University in St. Louis, Experimental Biology (EB) 2012 in San Diego, EB 2013 in Boston, Beloit College Student Research Symposia and Summer Research Symposia 2012 and 2013, and for Physiology Phun Week at Clinton High School in 2012. Val was involved as a GWIS coordinator, a Physiology Phun Week guest speaker, a Family Discovery Night coordinator and lab head, and was a conference worker and lab assistant for the Chemistry Collaborations, Workshops & Communities of Scholars Conference 2012 held by George Lisensky and Kevin Braun. She was a teaching assistant for Genetics and Zoology, and both a tutor and teaching assistant for Chemistry 117. She was an active volunteer in the Beloit Hospital emergency room. After graduation, Val is headed to Carroll University where she has been accepted into their Physician Assistant (PA) program, which begins in June, and will be a member of their class of 2015!
Thomas Davis – Westminster, Maryland
Chemistry Major
Geology Major
Tommy has always had a love for the outdoors and science. In coming to Beloit he hoped to combine those two and major in Geology with a minor in Chemistry. As his time at Beloit progressed, he found that he was taking more and more Chemistry classes and enjoying them. Apart from taking Geology and Chemistry classes Tommy was an active member of the Beloit Ultimate Team (BUFF) and the Outdoor Environmental Club. The fall semester his junior year he made two big decisions: First, to add a Chemistry major and second, to graduate a semester early. In the fall of 2012 Tommy completed his combined Geology and Chemistry thesis titled “Imaging Porosity Evolution in Experimental Replacement Reactions in the KBr - KCl system”. Upon graduating early from Beloit, Tommy took time to plan his thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. Having taken time out to return to campus for Commencement, Tommy is currently somewhere between Damascus, VA and Mount Katahdin, ME. Upon completion of his thru hike, Tommy hopes to apply for jobs with environmental consulting firms.
Edward Folk – Lebanon, Illinois
Biological Chemistry Major
Christopher Goyne – Valparaiso, Indiana
Biochemistry Major
During his time at Beloit College, Chris did research with Demetrius Gravis (on neurotransmitter effects on CREB phosphorylation) and George Lisensky (on adapting a synthetic protocol for student use). He had an internship at a small biotech company called NOX technologies and one with NSERC (related to NASA) where he looked at modeling evapotransporation rates in vineyards to help farmers more efficiently water their crops. After an Honors Term in the fall with Laura Parmentier synthesizing angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors with and testing them with enzyme purified from fruit flies, he plans to get a job somewhere and perhaps eventually go to either medical school or graduate school.
Grace Kellogg – Falcon Heights, Minnesota
Environmental Chemistry Major
Geology Minor
Grace came to Beloit with a strong interest in the broad natural sciences. After taking Brock Spencer's introductory chemistry course during the spring of her freshman year, she knew that studying chemistry with an environmental focus was her niche. During her subsequent years at Beloit, Grace was a two time Sustainability Fellow, completing projects that contributed to the overall energy efficiency of campus. She continued to devote her time to sustainability practices on campus by serving as the Chair of the Board for the Beloit College Revolving Loan Fund for three years. During the fall of her junior year, she studied abroad in Sogndal, Norway. Her time in Norway was spent participating in a research project that aimed to investigate the overall effects of warming on the Sogndalsfjord. Specifically, Grace worked to use tephrochronological methods to date fjord sediments; she presented her findings on Symposium day during spring 2012. During her senior year, Grace worked with Geology Professor Sue Swanson to investigate the potential use of oxygen isotopes to clarify hyrdogeologic conditions at Clear Lake in Milton, WI. Starting in August, 2013, she will participate in Green Corps, traveling around the country and working on various environmental advocacy campaigns. She is excited to experience the social perspective of environmental issues, and looks forward to an adventurous year.
Kelsey Kettelhut– Northbrook and Downers Grove, Illinois
Chemistry Major
Women’s and Gender Studies Major
Kelsey came to Beloit as a Sophomore Transfer Student in Fall 2010, ready and eager to roll up her sleeves as part of the Chemistry Department. She declared her chemistry major almost immediately, but didn’t really know what path she planned to take post-graduation. Although she spent most of her sophomore year learning the ropes, by her junior year Kelsey was a very active participant both inside and outside of the classroom. Most notably, Kelsey became heavily involved in the Girls and Women in Science Conference (GWIS), acting as co-coordinator her junior year and returning as the administrative coordinator her senior year. Other extracurricular activities, such as her involvement with The Vagina Monologues (cast member and co-director), led her to declare a second major in Women’s and Gender Studies. In Summer 2012, Kelsey was an intern for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) at Abbott Laboratories, where her work focused primarily on Tuberculosis. Upon return for her senior year in Fall 2012, Kelsey continued her involvement in GWIS and The Vagina Monologues and also became an active member of Mortar Board Senior Honor Society as an executive board member. In Spring 2013, Kelsey was also fortunate to be a part of the Duffy Community Partnerships program, where she interned at Neighborhood Housing Services of Beloit. After graduation in May, Kelsey will be working at SGS North America in Lincolnshire, IL as a laboratory assistant with eventual plans to attend graduate school.
Ozgun Kilic – Izmir, Turkey
Biochemistry Major
Ozgun has been interested in research and science since high school. She declared a biological chemistry major early and switched to biochemistry major her last year as she got more biology background. During the summer after her first year, she had an internship at North Dakota State University (NDSU) where she worked on drug molecule synthesis and presented this project at the poster session of the Protease Center at NDSU. During her second summer, she worked with a professor at Ege University in Izmir, Turkey, organizing an international symposium on applications of nanotechnology in medicine with international and domestic professors, as well as participants from local industries. Ozgun presented at the International Symposium at Beloit talking about the different approach of Turkey and the United States on scientific developments based on her experience. During the spring semester of her third year, she studied abroad at the University of Helsinki in Finland where she took advanced chemistry and biology courses meanwhile doing lab reseaerch on synthesizing nucleoside derivatives. She presented this research at the Midstate's Science and Math Consortium Undergraduate Research Symposium at Washington University in Saint Louis and at the International Symposium at Beloit College. In her third summer, Ozgun participated in Biomedical Scholars program at Beloit College, working with Ted Gries on developing a natural insect repellent and continued the project throughout her senior year. She will be attending the University of Minnesota in their Medicinal Chemistry PhD program.
Michael Kreiser – Beloit, Wisconsin
Biochemistry Major
Theatre, Dance and Media Studies: Performance Major
Originally thinking he would major in Math and Physics, Michael’s interests changed after his nanochemistry FYI course with George Lisensky and microbiology course with Marion Fass. With a new grasp of the possibilities and applications of chemistry in a biological context, Michael declared his biochemistry major and has since become interested in the idea of pursuing a career in research. He was accepted into the Biomedical Research Scholars program for the summer of 2011 where he assisted in research at the Cell and Molecular Physiology Department of Loyola University Medical Center. Working with a team of researchers under principal investigator Dr. Piedras-Renteria, Michael studied a novel protein, KLHL1, which is crucial for neurological function and plays a role in the neurodegenerative disease, Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 8 (SCA8). He presented this research at Beloit College Student Research Symposium 2012 and further pursued the topic as the subject of his senior thesis. Michael has also spent a good deal of time studying outside of the lab and inside of the theatre. Double majoring in performance, Michael has been seen on stage in numerous leading roles for the Beloit College Theatre Department and the student group, Beloit Independent Theatre Experience (BITE), of which he is a founding and active member. However, Michael is still planning on keeping the majority of his research in the field of biochemistry, where he hopes to go to graduate school to further his education.
William Ksander – Amherst, New Hampshire
Chemistry Major
Will is pursuing his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at Colorado State University starting this fall.
Katsuki Kubota – Singapore City, Singapore
Environmental Chemistry Major
Joseph Lownik – Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
Biochemistry Major
Joe transferred to Beloit at the start of his Junior year. He quickly began doing research with Katie Johnson, writing a drug review on a new diabetes therapy, and continued to work with Katie, but switched focused to educational research. Joe also worked with Ted Gries on enzyme kinetics and solute theory and also spent a summer at the University of Pittsburgh working on tissue engineering, using mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for ocular disorders. Joe will continue his studies at a combined MD/PhD program at Virginia Commonwealth University with his PhD focusing on Immunology.
Andrew May – Waukegan, Illinois
Biochemistry Major
Christina Mikulka – Crystal Lake, Illinois
Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biology Major
Chemistry Minor
Christina came to Beloit with plans to major in Biology. The summer after her sophomore year she participated in a REU at the University of Iowa, where she studied terminase, the DNA packaging motor in bacteriophage lambda. At Beloit, she conducted research with Demetrius Gravis on the evolutionary origins of the prion family proteins. In August of 2013 she is looking forward to attending graduate school at Washington University in St Louis, pursuing a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Genomics.
Colbert Miller – Galloway, Ohio
Chemistry Major
Christopher Nakamoto – Naperville, Illinois
Chemistry Major
Christopher’s Beloit career started off on the right foot with a FYI taught by George Lisensky on nanotechnology. This guided his interests over his undergraduate career resulting in four years of studying with a career in nanophase materials in mind. His junior year he was able to spend fall semester studying at Oak Ridge National Laboratories through an ACM program. While there he worked on the growth of silicon nanowires by patterned gold catalyst. The following summer he spent at the University of California, Santa Barbara in a National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network internship where he studied the anodization of alumina nanopores for use in a selective neural ion pump. While not studying chemistry, physics, or mathematics, Christopher enjoys pranking his brothers in Phi Kappa Psi. After graduation Christopher will spend the summer back with the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network through an international research experience at the Forschungszentrum in Jülich, Germany. After this he will be continuing on to graduate school at the University of California, Santa Barbara in chemistry.
Orion Pearce – Rockland, Maine
Chemistry Major
Mathematics Major
Orion came to Beloit not knowing what he wanted to major in. However after Brock Spencer's introductory chemistry course he soon knew that he wanted to become a professional chemist. In his time at Beloit he has been a member of the Chemistry Club, Math Club, and Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He has also been a teaching assistant for several Mathematics and Chemistry courses at Beloit and completed a research internship through the Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology at Duke University in the summer of 2012. He now aims to become a professor of chemistry at a university where he can spend equal time teaching and performing research. He will be pursuing his Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Gregory Schalla – West Bend, Wisconsin
Biochemistry Major
Darrell Scott – Chicago, Illinois
Applied Chemistry Major
Constance Siu – Chicago, Illinois
Biochemistry Major
Philosophy Minor
Constance came to Beloit unsure of what she wanted to go into. However, with the combination of her interest in science and social justice issues, she decided to go into Biochemistry with the purpose of entering the medical field sometime after she graduates from Beloit College. She spent her summers between academic years doing various internships with the Shanghai Fudan University Cancer Center and Advocate Health Care outside of Chicago. These experiences reinforced her idea that one way to truly make a lasting impact on the world is to go into health and to help and enable those who would otherwise be overlooked. During her time at Beloit College, Constance spent most of her free time involved with the Beloit Peace and Justice Club working with activists of all types both on and off campus. Her aim was to encourage the discussion and critical evaluation of the society in which we live in order to explore how we can contribute to effective and lasting change.
Daniel Walker – Oregon, Wisconsin
Classical Civilization Major
Chemistry Minor
Jillian Wulf – Beloit, Wisconsin
Chemistry Major
Elizabeth Wynn – Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Applied Chemistry Major
Betsy came to Beloit completely undecided, but found chemistry to be exciting, challenging, and important. When she wasn't studying chemistry, Betsy was competing on the track and field and cross country teams, as well as being an orientation leader and then an orientation coordinator for two years. This summer Betsy plans to move to Los Angeles, California as a City Year corps member helping middle school and high school students get their high school diplomas.
Past issues of Beloit College Magazine can be accessed on-line at https://www.beloit.edu/belmag/.
Tom Tisue ’61 has continued teaching some labs sections at Muskegon Community College and is involved in a volunteer water monitoring project near his home in Michigan, as well working with the local watershed council for the White River. Tom’s role co-leading the Beloit College environmental seminar in Sweden and Germany in 1972 was featured in the Summer 2102 issue of the Beloit Magazine
Alan Rocke ’69, a historian of science, has been named a Distinguished University Professor by Case Western University, the highest honor that the university bestows on a member of its tenured faculty. He was also honored by the American Chemical Society by being selected as one of the 2012 ACS Fellows, recognized for their contributions to science and the profession.
John Houk ’72 was named 2012 Physician of the Year by the Hawaii Medical Association.
Hank Seifert ’77 was awarded an endowed chair last year in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, where he continues to run an active laboratory studying the pathogenic Neisseria as the John E. Porter Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Associate Chair of the Department of Microbiology-Immunology. He also was honored by receiving an Astor Visiting Professorship at Oxford University in the U.K. where he delivered several lectures and managed to work in weeing a Manchester United “football” match. Hank visited Beloit a year ago to give a lecture and talk with students, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Paul Blechschmidt '89 is teaching at Woodrow Wilson High School in Portland, Oregon
Brenda Waller Kaushik '93 was married in November 2011 to Atulesh Kaushik. They live in Sunnyvale, California. Brenda is a staff scientist for S.E.A. Medical Systems, a small start-up medical device company focusing on creating new technology to detect IV drug formulations with the goal of preventing medical errors in hospital settings. She is currently doing research and product development, and will be working on applications and training as the products mature and go to market.
Laura (Anna) Applebaum Sigworth ’93 completed her Masters in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Bowling Green State University, then moved to Texas to post-doc at the University of Houston in 2001. For the past 5 years, she has been teaching IB Biology and AP Biology to juniors and seniors at the Westchester Academy for International Studies in Houston, an International Baccalaureate (IB) school for grades 6-12.
Tara Sander Lee ’94, associate professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, was recognized in The Business Journal of Milwaukee for her work as the scientific director of the molecular diagnostics at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
Carrie Clothier McCray ’97 is now a Senior Project Manager for new immunoassay product development with Thermo Fisher Scientific in Rockford, IL.
Norad Morgan, M.D. '98 completed his medical training at the University of the West Indies in 2003 and has now been accepted to begin further study for a Masters in Science in cancer immunology in England.
Seth Levine ’01 is living in Hong Kong and teaching chemistry at a private British high school.
Matthew Heming ’02 stopped by to visit the Chemistry Department this spring. He is an oral surgeon practicing in Bristol, England.
Jonathan Demick ’03 reports that he celebrated the birth of his son, Henry, in December, 2011. Jonathan has completed his Ph.D at the University of Georgia in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and is now in an industrial postdoc position at Merial, an international animal health company.
Elizabeth Boatman ’07 and George Lisensky made the list for the Journal of Chemical Education’s “Celebrating 15 Years with the 15 Greatest Hits” (http://pubs.acs.org/page/jceda8/15years.html) with their classroom activity “Colors in Liquid Crystals” (J. Chem. Educ., 2005, 82, 1360A–1360B. DOI: 10.1021/ed082p1360A).
Daniel Murphy ’08 is now at the Morgridge Institute for Research at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery at UW-Madison as an Outreach Coordinator, developing and leading courses and science outreach at the Institutes and Town Center for learners of all ages. He developed and taught an interdisciplinary undergraduate chemistry course for art students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Annemarie Rini ’10 is a Behavior Specialist at Porter Starke Community Health Center in Valparaiso, Indiana where she supervises and assists14 residents of a halfway house for mentally ill adults adjusting to living alone.
Robert (Bo) Wilkins ’10 is an analytical chemist with Aspen Consulting and Testing in Helena, Montana.
Jenny Gilbertson ’12 has started a one-year Masters degree program at the Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design at Johns Hopkins University, which includes clinical rotations and a global health unit to identify to identify, invent, and implement unique health care solutions for resource-constrained environments worldwide. Jenny started the program in May.
MacKenzie Hilliard ’12 is working with Brava Salon Specialists, a cosmetic distributing company, where she is responsible for introducing a new product line from London, called Label M. She is based in Milwaukee.
Ari Jacobs ’12 spent the past year as a Faculty Assistant (TA) for General Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and this fall is entering the Ph.D. program in chemistry at Stanford University.
Jared McCannon ’12 is working with Sentry Insurance in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
Adam Nicholas ’12 is an Extraction Chemist at Overseas Merchandise Inspection Co. in Beaverton, Oregon.
Our alumni email network has been tremendously helpful to our present students for finding mentors, summer research positions, and post-graduate opportunities. The Beloit College Alumni office now maintains an email directory that can be accessed at https://www.beloit.edu/alumni/. Please send email addresses and changes to alumni@beloit.edu.
Chemistry faculty
braunk@beloit.edu
griest@beloit.edu
lisensky@beloit.edu
ordman@beloit.edu
parmentr@beloit.edu
spencer@beloit.edu
ramav@beloit.edu
Department Web page
http://chemistry.beloit.edu/classes
(Previous issues of the Annual Newsletter dating back to 1993 are available on-line via the home page!)
ALUMNI, PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH!! Please send your news and notes to any of the Chemistry faculty.