Renovation of Caylor-White-Walters continues

Started in the Spring semester of 2010, the long-planned renovation of Caylor-White-Walters Hall continues to progress. The exterior shell of the new addition is taking shape. This massive project will add new laboratory space and renovate the existing buildings.

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17 science students complete degrees

At the recent Fall commencement, Delta State awarded 17 baccalaureate degrees to science majors. Thirteen degrees were awarded in biology, three in chemistry, and one in environmental science.

See our recent grads...

Pre-Optometry meeting for Southern College of Optometry

Ms. Sunnie Ewing from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN will be on campus to meet with students who are considering optometry as a career. If you are a pre-optometry student or thinking about optometry as an option, you will certainly want to attend this presentation. All science/pre-health majors are invited. Even if you are not thinking about optometry, any pre-professional student will benefit from learning more about this field. Ms Ewing's visit is sponsored by the DSU chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the preprofessional honor society.

Alpha Epsilon Delta is creating a pre-professional FAQ

AED has initiated a new project with the intention of providing important information to new students interested in the health professions. We are assembling a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) related to any aspect of pre-health professions programs. This FAQ will be posted on the AED web site as it evolves. If you have a question about admission to health profession schools; about program requirements; about what courses to take; or about ANY aspect of the pre-professional program experience, please submit them to AED. There is an online form on the AED site for submitting questions.

Astronomy students join asteroid search

Students taking Dr. Gabryszewska-Kukawa's Advanced Astronomy course (PHY 405) are again taking part in the Search Asteroids Campaign (International Astronomical Search Collaboration - IASC). This international program, run by NASA, concentrates on discovery of new asteroids in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter. Participants also help confirm the existence of near earth asteroids (NEOs) discovered during the past few years. Participants receive sky pictures taken every night by three large professional telescopes located in South America. Using special software, students analyze the images, searching for new asteroids (or to confirm the existence of NEOs). This is the third year the DSU students have been involved in the campaign. DSU students have an impressive track-record. They discovered two new asteroids and confirmed the existence of three other NEO objects during the last two campaigns. After their discoveries are confirmed, the discoverers will have the opportunity to officially name these asteroids. Hopefully this year's campaign will bring us new discoveries! Happy Hunting Students!

Astronomy students observe meteor shower

Students taking Dr. Gabryszewska-Kukawa,s Astronomy class (PHY 205) and Bayou Academy taking The Physical World (PHY 110) participated in a night expedition on the September 1st. The main event was the Aurigas meteor shower, so called because meteors appear as coming from the direction of the Auriga Constellation. Clear skies allowed observers to work successfully for two hours. The average number of meteors per hour was 9, a very good result for this meteor shower.

While the meteors were observed with the naked eye (the best way to observe them), telescopes were used to watch some other interesting sky objects. Students saw: The Pleiades: an open star cluster in the Constellation Taurus; Aldebaran, brightest star in Taurus; Jupiter and its Galilean moons: Io, Ganymede, Europe, and Callisto; Albireo, a binary star system located in the Constellation Cygnus; Deneb, brightest star in Cygnus; the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), called the "sister galaxy" of our Milky Way.

Susan Chow selected Staff Employee of the Month

Susan Chow, Administrative Assistant for the Division's Title III Grant, was selected Empoyee of the Month for the month of June, 2011 by the DSU Staff Council. Susan has served in this position since June 2009. Prior to coming to DSU, Susan worked for 29 years at Methodist Hospital in Memphis as a medical technologist and laboratory manager, and then at Baxter for 2 years.

Susan's dedicated service to the Division of Biological and Physical Sciencess is appreciated by the entire science faculty.

Congratulations, Susan for this well deserved recognition.

Dr. Somlai participates in chemical education research summit

Dr. Alline (Rie) Somlai, Associate Professor of Chemistry, has been chosen as one of 15 participants in the ChemEd DL/Chemical Education Research Summit Conference to be held at Catholic University in Washington, DC from July 10-16. Dr. Somlai was one of 15 participants chosen from more than 80 applicants. She was chosen based on her demonstrated ability to design technology-based instructional materials, familiarity with ChemEd DL resources, and experience in chemical education research. Congratulations Dr. Somlai!

Science grad Lauren St. Columbia receives service award

Lauren St. Columbia, 2011 biology/pre-pharmacy graduate was awarded the 2011 H. L. Nowell Service Award by the Delta State University Alumni Association. This award recognizes outstanding service and contributions to Delta State University by a member of the Student Alumni Association.

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Four science students inducted into DSU Hall of Fame

Four science majors were recently inducted into the DSU Hall of Fame: Micah Davis (chemistry), Pierre Pope (biology education), Haley Sligh (biology), and Carrie Willis (biology/chemistry).   The Hall of Fame was begun in 1972 to recognize outstanding students. It is the single highest honor bestowed upon any Delta State University student based on outstanding accomplishments in all phases of college life. A maximum of eight students comprise the Student Hall of Fame each year. The selection is made by a committee of students, faculty, and staff appointed by university deans and vice-presidents.
Micah Davis	Pierre Pope	Haley Sligh	Carrie Willis

Science faculty develop skills in educational technology

During May 9-12/2011, science faculty took part in a technology institute, a series of workshops designed to develop skills in educational technology. The faculty discovered techologies that they could use to enhance teaching and learning in their science courses. They experimented with techniques such as web page design, creation of interactive learning objects, podcasting, screencasting, and audio/video editing. The workshops were led by Dr. Susan Hines, Director of Instructional Technology at Delta State. As a result of these workshops, DSU science students can expect to see more technological enhancements to the couses they take in the coming semesters. Faculty participants were Nina Baghai-Riding, Joe Bentley, Barry Campbell, Eric Blackwell, Lacey Fitts, Ala Gabryszewska-Kukawa, Ellen Green, Jill Harper, Jira Katembe, Tanya McKinney, Carlysle Meek, Charles Smithhart, Rie Somlai, and John Tiftickjian. This was the second of three technology institutes being supported as part of the Increasing Student Success and Retention through the Transformation of Laboratory Science Instruction project, a Title III grant from the United States Department of Education.

Dr. Hines demonstrates using web resources

Photos by Kelly Kirkland

Dr. Steen posts biology/medical bibilography

Dr. James Steen, former Professor of Biology at DSU, has been working over many years to create an extensive bibliography of biology and medicine. The work is a annotated chronological listing of thousands of discoveries in selected fields. Dr. Steen has gratiously made this reference publically accessible online. His Selected Chronological Bibliography of Biology and Medicine should serve as a useful source of information for students and scholars, especially those interested in learning when certain key discoveries were made and who made them. Dr. Steen taught microbiology, cell biology, and biotechnology courses at Delta State for many years before retiring in 1998.

DSU Herbarium database posted

The Delta State University Herbarium, located in Caylor Hall, currently houses over 16,000 plant specimens. The herbarium is a resource for plant-related courses and also supports research studies. Dr. Baghai-Riding, assisted by DSU students, has begun the task of recording specimen data electronically. To date, over 2,800 specimens have been entered into the database. The listing of electronically cataloged specimens is now available online.

Visit the herbarium listing...

Freshman orientation slideshow

During the freshman orientation sessions, incoming science majors register for fall classes. Science advisors presented a brief slide show to help students understand the registration process.

See the slideshow