Undergraduate Researchers in Neuroscience Publish on Habit Formation</h1> <article> <h1>Undergraduate Researchers in Neuroscience Publish on Habit Formation</h1> <p>hhempste — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 22:45:17 +0000</p> <span>Undergraduate Researchers in Neuroscience Publish on Habit Formation</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-01-15T17:45:17-05:00" title="Wednesday, January 15, 2020 - 17:45">Wed, 01/15/2020 - 17:45</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Habits can be explained as inflexible and automatic behaviors. Assistant Professor of Neuroscience <a href="/christopher-howard" target="_blank">Christopher Howard’s</a> lab investigated how the brain encodes habits and shared its findings in “<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0224715" target="_blank">Lesion of striatal patches disrupts habitual behaviors and increases behavioral variability</a>” which was published in <em>PLOS ONE</em>. The article was written by Howard and students Jacob A. Nadel ’19, seniors Sean S. Pawelko and Della Copes-Finke, and sophomore Maya Neidhart.</p> <p>“Habits are efficient,” says Howard. “They allow an organism to think about other things while responding to the world. However, not much is known about how the brain does this.”</p> <p>What the group in Howard’s lab did know was that a deep brain region called the striatum is needed for normal habit formation.</p> <p>“Within the striatum are unique neurons called “patches” which were discovered 50 years ago and the function of which is unknown,” says Howard. We lesioned these neurons, essentially disrupting their activity, in a transgenic mouse model and tested them for habit formation.”</p> <p>The group found that mice with lesioned patches have impaired habitual behaviors and that their behavior becomes more unpredictable from day to day. They believe this suggests patches play a role in stabilizing behavioral patterns over time.</p> <p>The publication’s lead author, Jacob A. Nadel ’19, completed significant work on the project, developing and designing experiments in close collaboration with Howard.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Jacob A. Nadel ’19.<br> Photo credit: Courtsey Jacob Nadel</figcaption> </figure> <p>“I performed dozens of surgeries, ran mice on behavioral tasks nearly every day for months, and analyzed most of the data,” says Nadel. “I also coordinated with other students to ensure someone was running the experiment daily, and then took the lead on writing the manuscript and preparing figures.”</p> <p>Nadel currently works as a postbac fellow in the Intramural Research Training Award program at the National Institute of Health (NIH), and he says that this research in Howard’s lab had a major impact on his post-�鶹��Ƶ career trajectory.</p> <p>“One of the major advantages of �鶹��Ƶ is there aren’t graduate students and postdocs. This means that undergraduate researchers are free to lead their own projects, gaining experience in operating independently and thinking critically about experimental design while working under faculty members. These skills undoubtedly helped my secure my path at the NIH.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-01-15T12:00:00Z">Wed, 01/15/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Hillary Hempstead</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A manuscript from Assistant Professor of Neuroscience Christopher Howard’s lab was published in the journal <em>PLOS ONE</em>. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2410">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Pictured left to right: Maya Neidhart, Della Copes-Finke, Professor Christopher Howard, and Sean S. Pawelko, working in Howard's lab.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Mike Crupi</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Q&A with Chris Marx: Great Lakes Mathematical Physics Meeting</h1> <p>hhempste — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 18:28:10 +0000</p> <span>Q&A with Chris Marx: Great Lakes Mathematical Physics Meeting</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-07-12T14:28:10-04:00" title="Friday, July 12, 2019 - 14:28">Fri, 07/12/2019 - 14:28</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Q: The Great Lakes Mathematical Physics meeting is an annual meeting in mathematical physics in the greater Midwest. How did �鶹��Ƶ College come to host this meeting?</strong></p> <p>Since the first GLaMP meeting four years ago, the conference has been co-organized by Michigan State University (MSU), the University of Kentucky (UKY), and �鶹��Ƶ College. The first three meetings were held at MSU; starting with this year’s meeting the plan is to alternate the meeting between MSU, UKY, and �鶹��Ƶ. I was excited to host this year’s meeting on our campus and, for the first time, open up participation to also include undergraduate students.</p> <p>Aside from logistics, my primary responsibility as a local organizer was to secure funding. This year, we were fortunate to receive support from four organizations, which awarded funding totaling $35,700: the National Science Foundation (NSF, DMS-1900167; $30,000), the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), the American Institute of Physics (AIP), and the International Association of Mathematical Physics (IAMP). The meeting was also awarded “in cooperation status” by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM).</p> <p><strong>Q: How would you describe "mathematical physics"? </strong></p> <p>Generally speaking, mathematical physicists aim to provide a mathematically rigorous foundation of physics. This means to develop a mathematically sound and consistent framework, which allows to prove theorems that capture the behavior of physical systems. In the United States, most mathematical physicists are employed in mathematics departments. Current research interests include statistical physics, quantum mechanics, many body and solid state physics, and general relativity. With our conference, we try to represent the field as broadly as possible.</p> <p><strong>Q: What was the overall goal of GLaMP, and how was it achieved?</strong></p> <p>The distinguishing feature of the GLaMP meeting has been its emphasis on young researchers in the field. With the majority of contributed talks given by early-career faculty, postdocs, and graduate students, we aim to provide a forum that showcases the work of young researchers, offers career development opportunities, and more generally, helps secure a flourishing future of mathematical physics in the United States.</p> <p><strong>Q: Part of GLaMP's special focus is the support of young researchers in the field. How was that group supported?</strong></p> <p>The GLaMP meeting offers career development opportunities, specifically through a three-hour mini course in a topic of current research interest by a world-class expert, four invited plenary talks from leading researchers in their respective fields, and a career round table, representing different career paths in mathematical physics, both in academia and in industry. This year’s mini course was on “disordered quantum spin chains” given by Günter Stolz of the University of Alabama, Birmingham. The career round table advises students and junior researchers on career issues in mathematical physics and related areas.</p> <p><strong>Q: Six �鶹��Ƶ students participated in the GLaMP—this was the first time undergraduate students were able to attend the meeting. How were these undergraduates involved? </strong></p> <p>One intention in opening the meeting to undergraduate students was to give them the opportunity to experience a research conference and see examples of the type of problems that people are currently interested in. In addition, participating undergraduate students also had a chance to interact with current graduate students, post-docs, and junior researchers, i.e. participants who are only one or two career steps removed from them. In conjunction with the career round table, we hoped this would give undergraduate students useful insights and examples which would help them in their own career planning.</p> <p>We were pleased that seven of the 43 registered participants of GLaMP 2019 were undergraduate students, six of whom were affiliated with �鶹��Ƶ: Didi Banyeretse, Alexandra Du, Rainie Heck, Omar Hurtado, Claire Segura, and Hengrui Zhu.</p> <p><strong>Q: Is there anything else you'd like to share about the GLaMP?</strong></p> <p>The feedback we received by the participants was phenomenal. In this context, I am very grateful for the local support, in particular from �鶹��Ƶ’s Conference Services and the staff of the Hotel at �鶹��Ƶ, both of which made this meeting run as smoothly as it did. With this year’s successful meeting, I am already looking forward to GLaMP 2020 which, I am happy to report, will again take place at �鶹��Ƶ.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2019-07-12T12:00:00Z">Fri, 07/12/2019 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Assistant Professor of Mathematics <a href="/chris-marx">Chris Marx</a> served as the local organizer of the <a href="https://sites.google.com/msu.edu/glamp2019/home">Great Lakes Mathematical Physics</a> meeting (GLaMP) held June 28-30, 2019 at �鶹��Ƶ College. For the first time in the program’s history, undergraduate students, including six from �鶹��Ƶ, were able to participate.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/chris-marx" hreflang="und">Chris Marx</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/mathematics" hreflang="und">Mathematics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Great Lakes Mathematical Physics meeting attendees pose together on the �鶹��Ƶ College campus.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Sylvia Rios</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Writing Science Truth</h1> <p>hhempste — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 19:48:29 +0000</p> <span>Writing Science Truth</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2017-06-06T15:48:29-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - 15:48">Tue, 06/06/2017 - 15:48</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Harnessing the momentum from the <a href="https://www.marchforscience.com/" target="_blank">March for Science</a> rallies held across the nation on April 22, faculty from the sciences and the Rhetoric and Composition Program hosted “Truth to Power: Writing Science to Your Local Representative,” as part of a week of action dedicated to scientific advocacy. Held in the Science Center’s Bent Corridor, the event included write-in stations for such topics as such immigration and science, funding for the Great Lakes, and support for basic scientific research.</p> <p>“Writing to your representative is one of the best ways to be heard in the political sphere,” says Rebecca Whelan, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry. “Your personal experience and why the issue matters to others in the representative's district are key.”</p> <p>According to event organizers, effective communication efforts of this kind are direct, free of jargon, and based in evidence. Any communication with local representatives, no matter how brief, is important. “Even if it's only in the form of writing a postcard, every show of support matters,” says Whelan.</p> <p>“Truth to Power” facilitators will continue to organize around the topic of science communication. The group is planning the symposium “Translating Science,” for fall 2017. For this, they plan to invite alumni who work in science policy, journalism, and communication.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2017-04-25T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/25/2017 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2575">Activism</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2546">Photo Feature</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Anna Norris</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>New Instruments Bolster Science Research Capabilities</h1> <p>hhempste — Mon, 01 May 2017 14:53:18 +0000</p> <span>New Instruments Bolster Science Research Capabilities</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2017-05-01T10:53:18-04:00" title="Monday, May 1, 2017 - 10:53">Mon, 05/01/2017 - 10:53</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>If you've ever seen a bird smoothing its feathers, chances are that it was spreading uropygial fluid, informally known as “preening” fluid, as part of keeping clean and healthy. This secretion has long been understood to aid in waterproofing a bird’s feathers. More recently, the scientific community has discovered that the fluid also contains volatile compounds that may serve as chemical signals to communicate information — like deterring predators and pests or finding a mate. To analyze these volatile compounds, scientists at �鶹��Ƶ use a highly sophisticated instrument called a gas chromatograph with a single quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC-MS).</p> <p>This January, through a combination of charitable gifts and funds from the college, the <a href="http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry/">Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry</a> acquired a new GC-MS to replace the department’s 16-year-old model. Not only will students and faculty throughout the science departments use this new machine, but the instrument will be key in further collaborative research between <a href="https://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry/faculty_detail.dot?id=21285">Rebecca Whelan</a>, associate professor and chair of chemistry and biochemistry, and <a href="https://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/environment/faculty_detail.dot?id=20777">Mary Garvin</a>, professor of biology.</p> <p>By utilizing the GC-MS, the cross-departmental research teams have ascertained that the composition of secretions in birds’ feathers can vary dramatically across a bird’s species, age, location, and sex.</p> <p>“Without the GC-MS, it would be nearly impossible to know what these secretions contain,” says Whelan. “The GC-MS is amazing in its ability to gently lift molecules into the gaseous state and push on them in different ways such that, instead of looking at a complicated soup of many components, you separate your sample physically and can interrogate the constituents of a sample one at a time. The mass spectrometer breaks up each chemical in a way that produces a fingerprint, so you can gain additional information about what your sample contains.”</p> <p>Also in January, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry acquired a new liquid chromatograph with photodiode array detector and triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-MS). This instrument will be used similarly to the GC-MS, but it will be reserved for analyzing less volatile compounds.</p> <p>As an environmental researcher, Professor of Chemistry <a href="https://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry/faculty_detail.dot?id=21243">Robert Thompson</a> frequently uses the LC-MS in his research on the pesticide levels in our food. In order to conduct his studies, he requires the additional quantification capabilities that the LC-MS provides.</p> <p>While both instruments serve slightly different purposes, they are similar in that they both provide a means of identifying and quantifying one organic compound among many in a complex sample, such as in air, blood, food, water, and soil. “Each instrument can identify an unknown as one particular compound or, at a minimum, as one of a small set of possibilities out of tens of millions of known compounds,” explains Thompson. “Both instruments can also detect as little as a few picograms of a compound, which is a mass that is one million times smaller than a grain of salt.”</p> <p>The instruments, with a combined list price of $430,000, were purchased using donations from alumni and friends, gift funds, a discount by the manufacturer, Shimadzu Corporation, and funds from the college. The new machines provide much more efficient analyses, with higher speed and more powerful data analysis, compared to the 16-year-old instruments they replace.</p> <p>“The acquisition of these instruments greatly enhances teaching and research in many areas of chemistry and biochemistry, including environmental and forensic analysis, biochemical and peptide/protein studies, and synthesis of new bioorganic and organic compounds,” says Thompson. “All science department faculty and majors will use one or both instruments.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2017-02-17T12:00:00Z">Fri, 02/17/2017 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Hillary Hempstead</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2764">Science Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Professor of Chemistry Robert Thompson uses this LC-MS instrument in his research on the pesticide levels in our food.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Hillary Hempstead</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Lab Crawl 2016</h1> <p>Anonymous — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:16:03 +0000</p> <span>Lab Crawl 2016</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2017-02-12T12:16:03-05:00" title="Sunday, February 12, 2017 - 12:16">Sun, 02/12/2017 - 12:16</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The third annual <a href="http://new.oberlin.edu/office/clear/events/lab-crawl/">Lab Crawl</a> on November 18 featured the work of Associate Professor of Biology Roger Laushman and student collaborators. Laushman’s lab studies plant ecology, particularly forest changes resulting from the death of ash trees—a dominant canopy species—due to an invasive insect called the emerald ash borer. Laushman’s lab was among 30 spaces showcased during Lab Crawl, giving the campus community an opportunity to learn about the research conducted by faculty and students across a variety of disciplines.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2016-11-29T12:00:00Z">Tue, 11/29/2016 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2546">Photo Feature</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Invasive insect samples in the lab of Roger Laushman, associate professor of biology.<br> <br> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Alice Koeninger</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Professors Collaborate on West Nile Virus Research</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:19:41 +0000</p> <span>Professors Collaborate on West Nile Virus Research</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:19:41-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:19">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:19</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What drives the interaction, chemically and evolutionarily, between a particular species of mosquito and a particular species of bird? Professor of Biology Mary Garvin hypothesizes volatile chemicals in the secretion of birds’ feathers may be the cause of attraction. With help from Associate Professor of Chemistry Rebecca Whelan, Garvin and student researchers are now testing this hypothesis in her lab.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-10-15T12:00:00Z">Thu, 10/15/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25306">Chemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>The Role of Fallout Radionuclides in River Erosion</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:19:57 +0000</p> <span>The Role of Fallout Radionuclides in River Erosion</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:19:57-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:19">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:19</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>The following was provided by Adrian Singleton. It has been edited for style and clarity.</em></p> <p>“I started researching with Geology Assistant Professor Amanda Schmidt the summer after my sophomore year. This will be my third school year working with her, and I have also worked in her lab for three summers and two winter terms. </p> <p>In our lab, we use fallout radionuclides and other methods to learn about erosion on rivers in China's Yunnan province. Fallout radionuclides are radioactive isotopes that are in the sky, get stuck to dust, and come down to earth's surface primarily when it rains. Some fallout radionuclides are human made and some occur naturally. They exist in very trace amounts in soils and sediments around the globe. </p> <p>We measure most of their concentrations with a gamma spectrometer in our lab. Based on their concentrations in river sediment, we can get an idea of how deep in a soil profile the sediment is being sourced from. However, there is a problem with this method: Fallout isotopes aren't evenly retained by everything they fall on. To some extent, the mineralogy and grain size of the soil and sediment, among other factors, determine how much of an isotope gets stuck.</p> <p>My research looks at this problem in two ways, one of which is the pollinator garden experiment. The teflon containers in the garden are draining beakers with filters on the bottom that have five different grain sizes of quartz, five different grain sizes of river sediment, and five sheet silicate minerals. We bring them inside periodically to determine how much of each isotope gets retained in each sample.</p> <p>Secondly, I am measuring concentrations of fallout radionuclides in river sediment that we collected in Yunnan province during winter term 2014. I am also using other methods to determine the composition of the sediment, such as microscopy and X-ray diffraction. </p> <p>In addition to traveling to China to do field work with Schmidt, I also accompanied her to Glasgow, Scotland, during fall break of my junior year. There, we visited the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, where our collaborator measured the concentration of Beryllium-10 (10Be) in our river sediments. 10Be is an isotope that has to be measured in an accelerator mass spectrometer—an instrument that is roughly the size of a warehouse. The spectrometer is incredibly precise, and it is used to literally count atoms of 10Be.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-08-31T12:00:00Z">Mon, 08/31/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2546">Photo Feature</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25366">Geosciences</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/amanda-schmidt" hreflang="und">Amanda Schmidt</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/geosciences" hreflang="und">Geosciences</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Alum Presents Science Research Conducted at �鶹��Ƶ</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:19:57 +0000</p> <span>Alum Presents Science Research Conducted at �鶹��Ƶ</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:19:57-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:19">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:19</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>Gabriel Moore ’15 studies Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans), microscopic worms that can serve as model organisms to study biological processes that may then be applied to more complex organisms. Moore was awarded a travel grant to attend the 2015 C.elegans International Meeting earlier this summer, where he presented research he conducted over three years in the lab of Associate Professor of Biology Maureen Peters. Read more about Moore and his research <a href="/news/microscopic-worm-leads-big-opportunity">on the News Center</a>.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-08-14T12:00:00Z">Fri, 08/14/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2546">Photo Feature</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Winter Term Science Research</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:20:22 +0000</p> <span>Winter Term Science Research</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:20:22-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:20">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:20</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>While many students complete their winter term projects off campus, some choose to remain in �鶹��Ƶ. Of the approximately 855 students who are on campus this winter term, 78 are completing chemistry, neuroscience, and biology research in the science center.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2015-01-26T12:00:00Z">Mon, 01/26/2015 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2402">Winter Term</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2546">Photo Feature</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Nadya Primak</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>CLEARly Committed to STEM</h1> <p>Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 18:21:16 +0000</p> <span>CLEARly Committed to STEM</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2016-11-07T13:21:16-05:00" title="Monday, November 7, 2016 - 13:21">Mon, 11/07/2016 - 13:21</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The Obama administration’s 2014 budget proposal includes a $3.1 billion commitment to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, underscoring the growing recognition among educators that strong natural science and math programs can strengthen the general liberal arts curriculum and provide students with essential skills for success in the 21st century.</p> <p>That recognition is not new at �鶹��Ƶ, where the college has again strengthened its commitment to STEM education by establishing the Center for Learning, Education, and Research in the Sciences (CLEAR) with an $800,000 grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) Science Education Initiative. CLEAR became fully staffed earlier this year when Marcelo Vinces accepted its directorship and 2012 �鶹��Ƶ graduate Emily Gazda joined on as administrative assistant.</p> <p>The center’s goal is to enhance the quantitative and scientific problem-solving skills of �鶹��Ƶ’s science and math majors through faculty curricular development, workshops, and student peer-led activities, areas that are central to the HHMI project’s goal of improving science teaching and student learning in the sciences.</p> <p>“HHMI recognizes that the development of strong quantitative problem-solving skills is critical for students to succeed both as STEM majors and throughout their future careers in the increasingly interdisciplinary worlds of science and medicine,” says �鶹��Ƶ’s HHMI program director <a href="/node/5221">Jason Belitsky</a>, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry.</p> <h2>Like a Writing Center, but for STEM</h2> <p>CLEAR’s services for students will be akin to those offered by the <a href="/node/41931">Writing Center</a>, with CLEAR’s programs and trained peer mentors helping natural science and math students strengthen their understanding of quantitative and formal reasoning skills.</p> <p>The center will provide peer support in such areas as statistics, software, and math that are made use of in a variety of courses, says Vinces.</p> <p>CLEAR is currently accepting applications for peer tutors and mentors. Applications can be completed online and are available on the <a href="/node/4406">CLEAR website</a>. The application deadline is Friday, May 17.</p> <h2>Focus on Visibility</h2> <p>Since arriving on campus barely two months ago, CLEAR’s two-person staff has hit the ground running. Many of their early initiatives have focused on promoting �鶹��Ƶ’s STEM disciplines and advertising the center’s services.</p> <p>• A newly launched <a href="/node/4406">website for CLEAR</a> not only describes the center and its objectives, but it also features information and links to a variety of on- and off-campus resources, making it a one-stop shop of resources for scientific, mathematical, and quantitative pursuits.</p> <p>• Students and faculty can connect with CLEAR Twitter.</p> <p>• On Friday, May 3, the center will host its first annual Lab Crawl. With 22 participating labs and information stations across campus representing every STEM discipline at �鶹��Ƶ, the event aims to increase student awareness of student-faculty research opportunities.</p> <p>• A calendar on the CLEAR website displays all campus events relating to science, math, and technology.</p> <p>“�鶹��Ƶ already provides a lot of support for math, science, and quantitative skills,” says Vinces. “What the new website, the calendar, and social events like the Lab Crawl do is raise the profile of the great intellectual and physical resources we have on campus, as well as facilitate even greater interactions among different facets of the �鶹��Ƶ community, whether it be among students of different majors, faculty across departments, or staff in various offices.”</p> <h2>Focus on Resources</h2> <p>Organizing and making accessible current science, math, and technology resources—and adding to them—is another of CLEAR’s objectives. Current programs that CLEAR will administer include the �鶹��Ƶ Workshop and Learning Sessions (OWLS), a peer group-tutoring program. Drop-in tutoring will be available in fall 2013.</p> <p>“Peer mentoring has been shown to be an effective way to reinforce student learning of content from lecture courses,” says Vinces, “and the peer mentors themselves benefit by solidifying their knowledge and honing their teaching and mentoring skills. There is rich scholarship in the effectiveness of these peer-led models, and we are eager to do assessment of these programs, as well as perhaps contribute the scholarship on peer-mentoring.”</p> <p>CLEAR also will sponsor workshops and curriculum development opportunities for faculty. The first workshop, held in January, featured a discussion of teaching quantitative reasoning across the curriculum. A second will take place May 22 and 23, when Corrine Taylor, director of Wellesley’s Quantitative Reasoning Program, leads the workshop “Taking Quantitative Reasoning to the Next Step at �鶹��Ƶ.”</p> <p>During the summer, 10 faculty members will develop new course material to strengthen the teaching of quantitative-reasoning skills. The revised courses will be introduced in the 2013-14 academic year.</p> <p>In the planning stages for fall 2013 is an event examining issues of diversity in the natural sciences that will bring in multiple perspectives from the �鶹��Ƶ College community and from outside the campus.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">Campus News</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2013-05-01T12:00:00Z">Wed, 05/01/2013 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cynthia Nickoloff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2401">Resources for Students</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">An �鶹��Ƶ biochemistry laboratory.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Matt Lester</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>