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NEWS August
2001
"News from the College of Life Sciences at the University
of Maryland, College Park"
NEWS ITEMS
1. The Dean's Message
2. Upcoming Events
3. Faculty
& Department Recognition
4.
Student/Alumni
News
5. The Rollinson Fellowship
Program
6. College
Financial Matters
7. Jump
Start Program
8. Mentornet: Network
For Women In Science And Engineering
9. Funding
Alerts
10. How
to Post Your News Here
FROM THE DEAN
Welcome back, and my very best wishes to all of you as we begin a
new academic year. Like many of you, I am looking forward to another
year that I know will be filled with many opportunities and interesting
experiences. I extend a particularly warm welcome to Doug English,
who has joined the faculty of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.
For many of us, one of the high points of the summer was Millie Lindenberger’s
retirement party. So many people thronged to the Golf Course Club
House that we totally overwhelmed the air conditioning system! Thanks
to Eileen Barnett, Linda Ringer, Gene Ferrick and Vicki Levy who organized
the event, Mike Raupp, who hosted it, and the speakers, Sapienza Barone,
Sandra Greer. Albert Klavon and Paul Mazzocchi, who did an impressive
job of communicating what Millie has meant to all of us. The best
news is that Millie will still be with us on a part time basis as
Administrative Manager for the Dean’s Office, focussing on Human
Resource issues.
There are several new faces in the Dean’s Office: Denise Abu-Laban,
my executive assistant; Christine Lambert, our Development Officer,
and Rhonda Brown, Coordinator of Business Affairs.
Over the summer, the chairs, the Student Affairs staff and I have
been formulating a plan of action to respond to the internal review
of our undergraduate academic, advising and internship programs that
we carried out last spring. I will be distributing and discussing
this plan with you early in the fall semester.
There will be several major events in the College this fall: a College
reception, a Construction Celebration of the new Chemistry/Biochemistry
teaching wing, a Board of Visitors meeting and a reprise of the Bioscience
Research & Technology Review Day held last fall. I hope that all
of you will plan on attending the reception and Construction Celebration,
and participating in Bioscience Research & Technology Day. Scheduling
details are provided below.
Speaking of the new Chemistry wing, construction is now well underway,
and the amateur builders and engineers among you will enjoy a visit
to the building site. Progress is also being documented on the Chemistry/Biochemistry
web site.
At the close of the last legislative session, the Legislature requested
that the University of Maryland System form a Bioscience Working Group
to discuss ways of maximizing the returns in the investment that the
State has made in biotechnology and the life sciences. I, together
with a representative from each unit in the System have been participating
in meetings throughout the summer with the goal of preparing a report
for the Legislature, which is now almost complete. I have also been
working with the President and Facilities Management to provide information
about our new Bioscience building to the Maryland Department of Budget
and Management.
The search committee for the Assistant/Associate Dean of Undergraduate
Academic Programs has invited seven candidates for interviews in September.
We will also be interviewing three candidates for Chair of Entomology.
The search committee for Director of College Computing has completed
its interviews and will be discussing its recommendations with me
shortly.
The College will be running a number of faculty searches in the coming
year. Chemistry is searching for faculty in analytical chemistry,
biochemistry and material science, Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics
is searching for a cellular immunologist, cell biologist and plant
virologist, and Biology will be searching for a molecular/cellular
neurobiologist or physiologist. The Center for Bioinformatics and
Computational Biology is also continuing its search for a permanent
director and faculty members. Millard Alexander, Steve Mount and Jerry
Wilkinson are our representatives on the search committee, which Charlie
Mitter is co-chairing with Diane O’Leary from Computer Science.
We can look forward to another year rich with possibilities.
Our new College web site is close to being ready for beta testing.
Click on http://www.life.umd.edu/
and check our progress!
Have a great year!
Norma Allewell
Dean
Top of page
UPCOMING EVENTS
Schedule of Classes
August 29: Fall Classes begin
September 12: Schedule Adjustment (Drop/Add) ends
September 12: Diploma Applications for December 2001 Graduation are
due
November 7: Final day to drop a course (4 credit limit) with a "W"
mark
Events
September 29 and November 17: Academically Talented Open Houses:.
The best and the brightest Maryland high school students are invited
to attend an AT Open House. This Saturday event will include short
presentations for students interested in the life sciences and a luncheon.
October 8 and 26, November 12: Visit Maryland Days. Potential students
and their families will visit the University. Please make them feel
welcome.
October 9: Building Community Day. Events will occur throughout the
day as we celebrate our campus diversity. If you would like to showcase
an activity or work that celebrates the special diversity of our campus
or want to know more information about the day, please contact Warren
Kelley in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at
x48436.
October 10: College of Life Sciences reception at the Rossborough,
3 - 5 p.m. Join Dean Allewell and your colleagues to celebrate the
beginning of the academic year.
October 25: The Chemistry Wing Construction Celebration will be held
on October 25 at 11:00 a.m. Join Governor Glendening President Mote,
Dean Allewell and Dr. Phil DeShong for this exciting event.
November 1: The newly appointed Board of Visitors for the College
of Life Sciences will assemble for a meeting on November 1.
November 13: Bioscience Research & Technology Review Day will
be held at the Inn and Conference Center, UM University College. Faculty
and students are encouraged to prepare a poster for presentation to
the University, corporate and government communities.
Spring 2002: Mark your calendars now for the Spring Open Houses to
be held on February 18, March 8, April 5 and 19.
Top of page
FACULTY & DEPARTMENT RECOGNITION
Dr. Caren Chang (Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics) received
a two-year, $130,000 USDA/NRICGP grant to study "Ethylene Receptor
Signaling." Dr. Chang also received a supplemental award of $20,000
from the Department of Energy Biosciences Program for continuation
of her project "Suppressors and Enhancers of an Arabidopsis Ethylene
Receptor Mutant."
Dr. Bill Jeffery (Biology) received a three-year NSF grant titled
" Evolution of Eye Regression in Cavefish." This $390,000
grant will be used to study eye degeneration in the blind cavefish.
The results of this investigation are expected to provide new insights
into the mechanisms underlying an evolutionary change in morphology.
Drs. Stephen Mount (PI) and Caren Change (Co-PI) both from Cell Biology
& Molecular Genetics and Steven Salzberg (Co-PI) from TIGR have
just received a three-year NSF award for $1 Million. The grant is
titled "Arabidopsis 2010: Pre-mRNA Splicing Signals in Arabidopsis."
Drs. Joelle Presson (Dean's Office, BSCI Program) and Bruce Jarvis
(Chemistry & Biochemistry) have been named Lilly fellows for the
2001-2 academic year. Eight fellows selected from across the campus.
The fellows will be discussing issues in undergraduate education.
The Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics has been named
a recipient of a Departmental Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate
Teaching Award. This is the third time that the Department's faculty
have been selected for this recognition by the Lilly-CTE Teaching
Fellows since the inception of the program. The first two applications
for the awards were initiated by Drs. Spencer Benson and David Straney.
This year, Dr. Ann Smith receives our accolades for putting together
the application. Congratulations to CBMG!
Dr. Robert Yuan (Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics) received special
thanks for his contribution to the success of the Project Kaleidoscope
2001 Summer Institute. Project Kaleidoscope is an informal national
alliance focused on strengthening undergraduate programs in various
fields of science. Over 100 faculty and administrators from colleges
and universities devoted energy and expertise to support the 400 participants
in the Summer Institute. Dr. Yuan was a leader in the workshop on
making connections beyond the campus.
Top of page
STUDENTS/ALUMNI
Congratulations to Frank Kotch who received an American Chemical
Society Organic Division Fellowship sponsored by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals
for 2002. Frank is a graduate student in Dr. Jeff Davis' group and
is studying self-assembled biosensors. This is a prestigious fellowship
that is awarded to fewer than 20 graduate students in the U.S. annually.
Well done, Frank.
Leah Siskind, a Biology graduate student working in the lab of Dr.
Marco Colombini, was awarded an NIH NRSA predoctoral fellowship (approx.
$74,000) for 3 years to study "The Role of Ceramide Channel Formation
in Apoptosis?".
Top
of page
THE ROLLINSON FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The Rollinson Fellowship Program serves as a means of introducing
first year chemistry majors to research opportunities in analytical,
materials and physical chemistry. The program matches up to eight
qualified freshmen with faculty and/or graduate student mentors engaged
in cutting-edge, quantitative research.
Research projects span a wide cross section of scientific interests
ranging from polymer phase separation to surface chemistry on Chesapeake
Bay sediment. Students receive some tuition support and research funds.
Dr. Robert Walker (Chemistry & Biochemistry), the program’s
director, reports that faculty, graduate mentors and undergraduates
are uniformly enthusiastic about the program. In the coming fall,
seven of the undergraduate participants will continue to do research
with their Rollinson Fellowship Program groups.
The College is pleased to support a program that offers a great experience
to undergraduates. We are grateful to the following faculty mentors.
Dr. Neil Blough
Dr. Bryan Eichhorn
Dr. Sandra Greer
Dr. George Helz
Dr. Lyle Isaacs
Dr. Janice Reutt-Robey
Dr. Robert Walker
Top
of page
FINANCIAL MATTERS
Linda Ringer, Assistant Dean of Finance, reports that the
College closed the fiscal year in good shape. According to Linda, "The
College is fiscally sound."
The University is instituting a new Payroll Human Resource (PHR) system
and staff are beginning training. The first Colleges began using the
system on July 1; Life Sciences is scheduled to "go live"
in late October. Once we are live, all payroll journals will be electronic,
non-faculty time sheets will be web based and leave will be recorded
in real time. The PHR system will not have timesheets for faculty or
graduate students. Faculty supervisors will be trained in timesheet
approval because they have employees on their grants. Transitions in
financial systems are always challenging and we ask for your patience.
If you would like information about the PHR system, visit the web site
at http://www.inform.umd.edu/CampusInfo/Committees/PHR/
.
Top
of page
JUMPSTART
PROGRAM
This summer, the College of Life Sciences hosted 125
high school students for Jump Start, a science immersion program
sponsored by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Students
were selected competitively from more than 360 applicants representing
seven states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
The students spent one week in the Biology 105 teaching labs studying
Biomedical Science, Forensic Science or Animal Behavior and Physiology.
Students conducted experiments, went on field trips, visited faculty
labs and participated in professional development seminars.
In the Biomedical Science session, students investigated the impact
of microbes on human lives. The highlight of the week was a food
safety lab in which students tested for the presence of bacteria
in hamburger cooked to different temperatures. Students were shocked
to find that hamburger that looks "done" may still harbor
harmful bacteria. In the Forensic Science session students extracted
DNA from their own cheek cells, then conducted PCR and DNA electrophoresis
to learn how genetic evidence can be used to solve crimes. Due to
pipetting errors, only some of the students gained meaningful results
- a lesson on the importance of careful lab techniques! Students
studying Animal Behavior and Physiology examined skulls and skeletons
to uncover the relationship between form and function and designed
experiments to compare aggression and courtship displays in Siamese
fighting fish. Feedback from the students who participated in Jump
Start indicated that they were inspired by the exposure to modern
research techniques and appreciated the opportunity to interact
with undergraduates, graduate students and faculty on our campus.
Many people had a hand in making Jump Start successful. Dr. Kaci
Thompson directs the program. Tanya Marushak (Ph.D. student, Plant
Biology), Anne Tsang (Lecturer, CBMG), Xiaozhong Bao (Ph.D. student,
CBMG), Esther Shaffer (Faculty Research Assistant, Entomology),
Paul Callo (Ph.D. student, Zoology) and Andrew Sensenig (M.S. student,
Entomology) served as instructors for the program and assisted in
the creation of laboratory exercises. Dr. Ann Smith (CBMG) developed
the curriculum and lab exercises for the Biomedical Sciences session.
Dr. Tim Maugel (Biology) developed and taught a scanning electron
microscope exercise for the Forensic Science groups. Drs. Lisa Bradley
(Assistant Dean) and Sacared Bodison (Clinical Director, University
Health Center) spoke to students about
careers in medicine. Finally, our thanks to the faculty who opened
their
labs for tours: Drs. Jocelyne DiRuggiero, Chuck Delwiche, Earlene
Armstrong, Jeff
Shultz, Sue Carter, Bruce Cushing and Bob Dooling.
MENTORNET - NETWORK FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Please encourage women students in the colleges of CMPS, ENGR, and
to sign up for an on-line mentor through www.mentornet.net, the
Electronic Network for Women in Science and Engineering. MentorNet
couples undergraduate and graduate women in engineering, math, and
related sciences with engineers and scientists working in industry
and national labs for e-mail based mentoring relationships. Through
relationships with their mentors, students become acquainted with
career opportunities in technical and industrial careers, gain access
to professional networks and receive personal and professional guidance,
support, and encouragement.
This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn more about science
and engineering careers beyond academic research and medicine. Mentoring
has been identified as an effective way to support women students
and to increase their participation in the technical and scientific
workforce, where less than 30% of the scientists and less than 10%
of the engineers are women.
Students may apply via the MentorNet web site from mid August through
the end of October. For more information, please visit the MentorNet
web site at: www.mentornet.net
Feel free to contact the campus representatives if you have any questions.
Deborah R. Bryant
dbryant@deans.umd.edu
CMPS representative
Erin A. Rooney-Eckel
erooney@deans.umd.edu
ENGR representative
Lisa D. Bradley
lbradley@deans.umd.edu
representative
Top of page
FUNDING
ALERTS
Below is the web site for the USAID-RFA on Biotechnology and Bio-diversity
Interface competitive grants program. This is a five year program
in bio-safety research aimed at addressing the interface between the
use of biotechnology, particularly genetically engineered crops, and
natural bio-diversity as it occurs in developing countries that are
rich in bio-diversity. Dr. Tal Shehata would be
happy to assist any faculty member who is interested in submitting
a research proposal. http://www.usaid.gov/ftp_data/pub/OP/RFA/mop011084/
Community of Science Database of Funding - If you want information
about the Community of Science database of funding sources go to the
Office of Research Administration and Advancement at http://www.umresearch.umd.edu/ORAA/.
List
of funding alerts
- Click here to see a list of funding alerts that may be relevant
to the Life Sciences.
Top
of page
How to
Post your NEWS!
If you would
like to share your accomplishments or other news, please send a note
to Gene Ferrick at gferrick@deans.umd.edu.
Maintained by Gene Ferrick -
gferrick@deans.umd.edu.
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