Achievements

Mason London

Biological Sciences

Biology graduate student Mason London presented his research at the California Chapter of the Society for Freshwater Science meeting in Davis, CA on Oct 25, 2017. The title of his talk was "A comparison of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in perennial and intermittent headwater streams of the Mattole River in northern California, USA."

Jianmin Zhong

Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences Professor Jianmin Zhong has published a manuscript on the journal of "Ticks and tick-borne diseases." Although the status of the manuscript is still in press, the online copy has been published.

The article is now published online at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.08.001

Amy Sprowles and Kerri J. Malloy

Biological Sciences

Amy Sprowles (Biology) and Kerri J. Malloy (Native American Studies) presented their paper “Klamath Connections: creating cultural awareness through interdisciplinary study and community partnerships in the next generation of STEM professionals” at the Critical Histories and Activist Futures: Science, Medicine, and Racial Violence conference (February 24-25, 2017) at the Program in History of Science and Medicine at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The conference focused on issues of science and racial violence as objects of historical study, and considered the lingering inequalities and injustices within history as a discipline.

Joe Szewczak

Biological Sciences

Dr. Joe Szewczak, Biological Sciences Dept., was recently featured in the October issue of the California Educator Magazine http://educator.cta.org/i/587184-october-2015/23 The article discusses the "Real Bat Man", as Dr. Szewczak teaches, among other courses, Biology of Chiroptera, which is the study of bats. Dr. Szewczak has studied many bat species, looking at migration patterns, social communication, endangered species, and how to reduce fatalities caused by energy-producing wind turbines. He and his colleagues recently completed a two-year trial that provided high-intensity ultrasound emitted from turbines can steer bats away from death.

Brian Tissot

Biological Sciences

Brian Tissot was an invited speaker at a conference sponsored by the European Association of Surfing Doctors; a group of surfers that are also medical doctors and health practitioners. Held near Biarittz in the beautiful Basque region of southern France he was tasked with the question: Why Should Surfers Care about Ocean Conservation?

Kathryn Hedges, Bruce O'Gara, Wayne Knight

Biological Sciences

Alumni Kathryn Hedges started her own business which focuses on laser-cutting jewelry, holiday decor, and souvenirs. She is using skills from Wayne Knight's graphic design classes and credits her thesis advisor, Bruce O'Gara, with instilling an entrepreneurial mindset. She is currently crowdfunding a Kiva Zip loan to get a studio, hire staff, and manage inventory. You can join her community of supporters at https://zip.kiva.org/loans/15574/i/qs5 or purchase her items at www.splendidcolors.com.

Carsten Charlesworth and Kyle Herout

Biological Sciences

Two HSU students recently won first place in their category at the 40th Annual West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Carsten Charlesworth and Kyle Herout took first in the Cell Biology category for their presentation on the Paternal Effect Genes of C. Elegans. Their adviser on the project was Biological Sciences Professor Jakob Varkey.

Sara Downey

Biological Sciences

Last week a CSU team made public comments in support of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Bridges program. Former HSU Biology Major/CIRM Bridges Scholar, Sara Downey’s presence at last week’s meeting was electric because most everyone in the room knew she’s on a team developing an embryonic stem cell-derived product as a treatment for type 1 diabetes. After four years on the job, Sara has transformed from a fresh biological sciences graduate with academic research experience into a biotech professional comfortable talking about Six Sigma, cGMPs, regulatory affairs, biotech business cycles, & process engineering. The CIRM board has extended the program for one year.

Jianmin Zhong, Andre H. Kurlovs, Jinze Li and Du Cheng

Biological Sciences

Biological sciences faculty member Jianmin Zhong and students recently published a paper in the scientific journal PLOS ONE examining Rickettsia, antibiotics and ticks. Andre H. Kurlovs, Jinze Li and Du Cheng were co-authors. The paper is titled "Ixodes pacificus Ticks Maintain Embryogenesis and Egg Hatching after Antibiotic Treatment of Rickettsia Endosymbiont."

Bruce O'Gara

Biological Sciences

Bruce A. O'Gara, Professor of Zoology and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, was recently profiled in the Member Spotlight section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) website. Read the full text here: "http://membercentral.aaas.org/blogs/member-spotlight/bruce-o-gara-teach…":http://membercentral.aaas.org/blogs/member-spotlight/bruce-o-gara-teach….

The AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the prestigious scientific journal, Science. The profile entitled "Bruce O’Gara teaches his students how to find an answer" details how Prof. O'Gara works with students in his research laboratory to provide practical training to help them advance in their scientific careers. Featured in the profile is the research of senior Cellular and Molecular Biology major Araik Sinanyan on the endocrine disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) and its effects on the regeneration of lost body parts of an annelid worm. Also featured in the profile are quotes from HSU graduate Michael Smeaton, who attributes his experiences in O'Gara's laboratory as being an important factor in giving him the confidence to earn a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins and perform postdoctoral work at Cal-Tech and Stanford.