Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Bloomsburg Programming Teams Compete in Virginia

Five members of Bloomsburg University’s Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) club programming squad traveled to Marymount University for this year’s programming contest at the 37th Annual Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges (CCSC)-Eastern Conference. The contest featured 17 teams representing schools in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Team members Ben Vick and Eric Cool of the “Bytesize Houligans” solved six of ten problems and received an honorable mention for getting the only solution to one problem, although the winning team solved seven. Brandon Noecker, William Gallagher, and Karun Mahadevan from team “CompuHuskies” solved three problems during the four-hour contest.

~Retrieved from BU Student News Email - Monday, Nov. 1, 2021

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

FDU Provost Gillian Small and B U Provost Diana Rogers-Adkinson Sign Pharmacy School Agreement

BU inks agreement to benefit students interested in a career in pharmacy.

Florham Park, NJ—At a signing ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 28, officials from Bloomsburg University and the Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences finalized an agreement to allow qualified students to earn both an undergraduate degree and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in seven years, saving a full year of time and costs.

FDU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Gillian Small offered a welcome to those in attendance. “We are pleased to be able to partner with Bloomsburg University on a program that will benefit students,” said Small. “We hope to have more partnerships in the future with BU.”

Bloomsburg University Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Diana Rogers-Adkinson offered remarks on behalf of BU President Bashar Hanna. “Agreements such as this are very important and expand our ability to attract quality, highly-driven students,” said Rogers-Adkinson. “We look forward to collaborating with Fairleigh Dickinson University on other programs in the future that will benefit our students.”

The Fairleigh Dickinson University program will allow BU students majoring in chemistry or health sciences into the Fast Track to Pharmacy (PharmD) program at Fairleigh Dickinson following their junior year. BU students will then complete their final year enrolled in pharmacy coursework at the Fairleigh Dickinson School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. That year will also serve to complete both their first year of study within the Doctor of Pharmacy program and concurrently to complete the final credits to receive their B.A. degree in chemistry or B.S. degree in health sciences from Bloomsburg University.

Candidates for admission must have a 3.3 or higher overall GPA at BU and complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of B- or better. Reserved admission is limited to a maximum of five BU students each year.

The agreement is effective immediately, allowing current Bloomsburg University students to apply for admission.

“Access to such accelerated pathways to professional programs are very attractive opportunities to students, and we are excited to partner with FDU’s School of Pharmacy to provide this opportunity to our current and future students in the College of Science and Technology, said Latha Ramakrishnan, dean of the Bloomsburg University College of Science and Technology. “Our faculty are dedicated to support student success and I am delighted to note the collaboration between faculty in chemistry and biology and allied health departments to create such pathways for success to our students.”

Taking part in the signing ceremony were Small, Rogers-Adkinson, Dr. Latha Ramakrishnan, Dr. Michael Avaltroni, dean of the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at FDU; Dr. Anastasia Rivkin, executive associate dean of the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; and Dr. Chadwin Sandifer, associate dean for Student Affairs and Administrative Operations.

About Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy
As a fully accredited program by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), FDU’s PharmD program meets the academic requirements for licensure in all 50 states. Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants to complete other requirements.

Professional licensure and certification requirements may vary state to state, and are also subject to change. Students should contact the appropriate licensing agency in each home state to obtain the most up-to-date information.

About Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 7,800 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in five distinct colleges: College of Education, Zeigler College of Business, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and Technology, and new Honors College.

Front row (L to R)--FDU Provost Gillian Small, BU Provost Diana Rogers-Adkinson
Back row (L to R)--Dr. Chadwin Sandifer, FDU associate dean for Student Affairs and Administrative Operations; Dr. Michael Avaltroni, FDU dean of the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; Dr. Anastasia Rivkin, FDU executive associate dean of the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; Dr. Latha Ramakrishnan, BU dean of the College of Science and Technology.

~Retrieved from BU News 9.28.21- https://www.bloomu.edu/news/agreement-signed-fairleigh-dickinson-school-pharmacy

BU MATHEMATICS GRADUATE PURSUING PH.D.

Chase Sakitis '18 takes love of research and mathematics from BU to important work on fMRI image reconstruction.

To the average person, mathematics is a mystery. But its application to everyday life is very important. It’s what has driven Bloomsburg University graduate Chase Sakitis to spend the past year pursuing his doctorate at Marquette University. 
 
After taking a year and a half off after finishing his degree in mathematics at BU, Sakitis decided to begin his post-graduate studies at Marquette University in Milwaukee with a Master of Applied Statistics. Shortly after finishing his master’s degree, Sakitis was asked to stay for his Ph.D. and join his advisor, Dr. Daniel Rowe’s, and Clemson professor Dr. Andrew Brown’s research project. “I was a little surprised that he asked me to join the project,” Sakitis said, “It was just great that he thought highly of me enough to be joining this project.”  
 
Sakitis said that his time at BU helped prepare him for where he is today in his studies. “The math department did very well with preparing me," said Sakitis.”The classes that Bloomsburg had to offer gave me a very strong background in what I was studying here.”  
 
“Bloomsburg professors were very helpful,” said Sakitis, “especially Dr. (Mehdi) Razzaghi, giving me an opportunity to work on an independent study with him.” Even though they didn’t finish the work they did together at BU, it gave Sakitis the opportunity to know what it was like to work on research. 
 
Currently, Sakitis is working on research in Bayesian statistics and fMRI image reconstruction. His research involves converting subsampled spatial frequencies, which are collected during the imaging process, into images using a mathematical process called Fourier transformations to show brain activity. 
 
“With MRI machines, when they take these images, it's not actually a giant camera that takes a picture, and that's what comes up on the screen,” Sakitis explained. “There's a lot of physics behind it, and magnetization. Basically, the physicist collects these frequencies, or as they're called, spatial frequencies. As a statistician, or from the mathematical part, we turn these spatial frequencies into images. You can, for example, if you're trying to look at someone's brain, which is what I'm working on, turn the frequencies into an image through mathematical processes called Fourier transformations. 
 
“I’m trying to work on a new method to turn those frequencies into actual images in a quicker fashion, because MRIs, they could take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours,” explained Sakitis. 
 
Sakitis is projected to finish his Ph.D. in 2024. After finishing his doctorate, Sakitis is considering either continuing in academia and becoming a professor or pursuing research at a medical school to continue his work in neuroscience. 

~Retrieved from BU News 9.20.21: https://www.bloomu.edu/news/bu-mathematics-graduate-pursuing-phd 

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY'S DEPARTMENT OF NURSING RANKED SIXTH IN PENNSYLVANIA

                       

BLOOMSBURG — The Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Department of Nursing is ranked sixth of 76 schools in Pennsylvania according to RNCareers.org. In addition, BU is ranked 67th in the Mid-Atlantic region by NursingSchoolAlmanac.com.

The sixth annual RNCareers.org ranking of 96.99% is based on each institution's first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates, the number of students taking the test, the program nursing accreditation, and more. The results were then compared against other nursing programs in Pennsylvania to provide the state rankings.

"I congratulate our nursing faculty and students on this well-deserved recognition," said BU President Bashar Hanna. "The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has accentuated the criticality of the nursing profession in our health care system. Our world desperately needs well-educated and well-prepared nurses, and thanks to the faculty and staff in our nursing program, we at BU are doing our part to prepare our nursing students to be the very best in their field."

"We are very proud of this ranking which demonstrates the rigor and strength of our nursing program at Bloomsburg University," said Lori Metzger, chair of the Department of Nursing. "This is a testament to our dedicated faculty who have real-life experience which they bring to our nursing program, and our hard-working students put the necessary effort into their work to achieve this recognition."

Bloomsburg University offers multiple quality nursing degree programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Bloomsburg also offers RN to BSN and RN to BSN to MSN programs, allowing registered nurses to obtain the BSN and MSN online in a condensed timeframe.

~Retrieved from BU News website 9.14.21

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Congratulations: COST 2021-22 Promotion and Tenure

We want to send a special congratulations to all COST faculty who have achieved promotion and tenure. 

Promoted to Associate Professor

  • Barry Minemyer, Mathematical & Digital Sciences 
  • Jennifer Haney, Environmental, Geographical, & Geological Sciences 
  • Debra Minzola, Nursing 
  • Luke Haile, Exercise Science 

Promoted to Professor

  • Jennifer Venditti, Biological & Allied Health Sciences
  • Eric Hawrelak, Chemistry & Biochemistry

Awarded Tenure

  • Melinda Barrett, Nursing
  • Heather Ervin, Mathematical & Digital Sciences 
  • Barry Minemyer, Mathematical & Digital Sciences 
  • Mohsin Shaikh, Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • Cara Tolan, Communication Sciences and Disorders

~Retrieved from The Week Ahead 9.13.2021

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

BU'S DIGITAL FORENSICS DEGREE PROGRAM RANKED FOURTH-BEST IN THE COUNTRY BY STUDY.COM

BLOOMSBURG--Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania’s digital forensics degree program has been ranked fourth-best in the country by Study.com

Bloomsburg University offers the only digital forensics and cybersecurity bachelor's degree in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Bloomsburg graduates are working in law enforcement, homeland security agencies, law firms and private companies.

Bloomsburg University has also been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense Education with a focus in the area of digital forensics through academic year 2021. The CAE designation, jointly sponsored by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, recognizes that Bloomsburg’s digital forensics program has met stringent criteria in regard to its digital forensics curriculum, faculty and research, as well as demonstrated an institution-wide commitment to information assurance practices and cyber defense education.

Students attending CAE designated schools become eligible to apply for related scholarships and grants through the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Program

About Study.com
Over 40 million visitors per month use Study.com to research potential schools, degrees, and careers, and this list will help our users and your potential students learn about Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania's excellent offerings. To compile this list we considered hundreds of universities across the country and selected Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania based on academic and career resources, the quality of education, faculty, and more.

~Retrieved from BU News webpage - https://www.bloomu.edu/news/bus-digital-forensics-degree-program-ranked-fourth-best-country-studycom

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

FACULTY FROM NORTHEAST INTEGRATING UNIVERSITIES COLLABORATING ON TREE SWALLOW NESTING RESEARCH

 BU professor of biology Lauri Green is collecting the nests of Tree Swallows to evaluate nest construction to determine if there are any patterns to their construction. She is working with Leslie Clifford, a Mansfield University faculty member. Mansfield is one of the three universities in the Northeast part of Pennsylvania which are integrating.


Anyone out walking in their yard or on a hiking trail has come across a bird’s nest and marveled at its construction.

Bloomsburg University professor of biology Lauri Green is collecting the nests of Tree Swallows to evaluate nest construction to determine if there are any patterns to their construction. She has put together a group to assist her in the work. That team includes Leslie Clifford, a Mansfield University faculty member. Mansfield is one of the three universities (along with Lock Haven) in the Northeast part of Pennsylvania which are integrating.


Also, working with Green is seasonal ranger Lydia Mohn from the US Army Corps of Engineers at Blue Marsh Lake in Leesport, Berks County; Rhiannon Summers from the Department of Natural Resources at Ricketts Glen, BU graduate students Eric Moeller, Mitchell Liddick, and Michael Facella; and Gabby Leonard, an undergraduate. New for the Fall 2021 semester will be BU undergrads Rebecca Burlingame and Savannah Scherer.

“Tree Swallows and other species use the feathers of other species to construct their nests and form a ‘nest cup’ (where the eggs are laid and chicks are hatched),” said Green.  “The literature suggests that feather linings help with temperature regulation and maybe as a parasite barrier for chicks. Though a few studies noted the number of feathers that Tree Swallows use in their nests, largely absent was any quantification of the feather sizes or types.”

After the nests are collected is when the real work starts.

“In Spring 2021, Leonard quantified the feathers used in Tree Swallow nests at my field sites,” Green said. “She meticulously counted, traced, and identified each feather. Tracing the feathers in a digitizing program tells us how big each feather was. She found that Tree Swallows seem to use different types of feathers at each site (some used large flight feathers, some used contour feathers). Interestingly, the total feather area for each nest (the sum of all the feather areas in each nest) was not significantly different across the sites.”

Clifford and Green first met as part of a discussion of faculty from the three universities interested in natural history. They soon found out they were both working on Tree Swallow research.

“I'm really excited to involve Mansfield University undergraduate students in this project because it will allow them to actually do science themselves and not just learn about the results of scientific investigations by others,” said Clifford. “It's much more exciting to be able to discover patterns and answer original questions for yourself than it is to be told what the answer is. We generally learn best by doing something, so this hands-on research experience will provide students with a wonderful learning opportunity that will enhance their education.  My hope is that once my students learn the Tree Swallow system and begin to answer the questions that Lauri (Green) and I have posed, they will start to come up with their own original questions about tree swallow nests and pursue them.”

“We are going to repeat the study for the 2021 field season,” said Green. “Dr. Clifford is working with her undergraduate students to count, measure and identify the feathers used in her Tree Swallow boxes. I will begin the analysis of our nests soon. Anecdotally, Dr. Clifford’s nest boxes are smaller, so the sizes of the feathers appear to be smaller.  Up at Blue Marsh Lake, they also have small nest boxes, but many of the feathers used in the nests appear quite large.”

Green’s work, she hopes, will answer a variety of questions about the construction.

•    Do the numbers and sizes of feathers used by Tree Swallow vary across sites and habitat types (wetland vs. riparian for example)?
•    Do Tree Swallows aim for a specific feather area to nest volume ratio in their nests?
•    What types of feathers are they using (flight, contour, downy)?
•    What species of bird feathers are Tree Swallows using (are they targeting certain species or just picking up what is available)?
•    Do differences in feather lining affect chick survival?
•    In the long term, we plan to partner with other Tree Swallow researchers in PA and hopefully across the country to evaluate broadscale patterns.
•    In the long term, will feather linings change as the climate warms?
•    In the long term, will feather linings change as the sources of the feathers from migratory birds change?

Leonard learned a lot as part of the research team.  

“I thought it was cool to see the type of habitat the Tree Swallows prefer first hand, which I also thought to be relevant when the differences/similarities between the nests across the different nesting sites were compared,” said Leonard. “It was super interesting to see that there was consistency in how the birds made their nests despite some observed differences between nesting sites. As a student, collecting and compiling the feather and nest data was very tedious (and messy), but I enjoyed my research experience, and the topic of this project was aligned with my interests.”

Green is concerned about one aspect of nest construction she is starting to come across.

“I happened to pick up an old Robin nest recently and found that they included plastic in their nests. This is intriguing and concerning since plastic will likely change the temperature regulation of the nest, which would impact chick survival.”


~Retrieved from BU's News page - https://www.bloomu.edu/news/faculty-northeast-integrating-universities-collaborating-tree-swallow-nesting-research

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Faculty Publication


Michael K. Shepard, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental, Geographical, and Geological Sciences, is the coauthor of a new paper titled “The Surface of (16) Psyche from Thermal Emission and Polarization Mapping [bloomu.us5.list-manage.com]” published in The Planetary Science Journal, a peer-reviewed publication of the American Astronomical Society. The paper is a companion to his previously published paper “Asteroid 16 Psyche: Shape, Features, and Global Map [bloomu.us5.list-manage.com]” in the same journal (July). Psyche is of great interest to planetary scientists as a possible metallic asteroid and is the target of the upcoming NASA Psyche mission, to be launched next summer. Shepard’s shape model is being used by mission planners as they prepare to orbit this asteroid. The recent paper has been featured in the popular press: https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/psyche-is-the-most-metal-asteroid-it-may-have-volcanoes-that-spewed-molten-iron [bloomu.us5.list-manage.com]

~Retrieved from Bloomsburg University's 8/9/2021 Week Ahead


Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Inaugural Aronstam Family Research Fellow Named


Dr. Matthew Polinski, Aronstam Family Research Fellow

We are pleased to announce Dr. Matthew Polinski, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been named the inaugural Aronstam Family Research Fellow.  The fellowship, established by retired Dean of the College of Science and Technology, Dr. Robert Aronstam, is intended to recognize faculty who conduct exemplary and original research, have high potential impact to the scientific/university community, and possess strong record of scholarly productivity.  The fellowship is a two-year appointment to support continued research endeavors.

BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY ENTERS INTO ADMISSIONS AGREEMENT WITH TEMPLE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

 Bloomsburg University and the Temple University School of Pharmacy have entered into an agreement to guarantee admission for up to six qualified students per year to the PharmD program at Temple.



It will give the students an opportunity to earn both a Bloomsburg University undergraduate degree and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Temple University in seven years, saving a full year of time and costs.

The Temple University program will allow BU students majoring in chemistry or health sciences into the PharmD program at Temple following their junior year. BU students will then complete their final year enrolled in pharmacy coursework at the Temple University School of Pharmacy. That year will also serve to complete both their first year of study within the Doctor of Pharmacy program and concurrently to complete the final credits to receive their B.A. degree in chemistry or B.S. degree in health sciences from Bloomsburg University.

Candidates for admission must have a 2.7 or higher overall GPA at BU and complete all prerequisite courses.

 “We are excited about the partnership between our two universities that will benefit our students interested in a career in pharmacy,” said Diana Rogers-Adkinson, Bloomsburg University provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “The Temple University School of Pharmacy has been preparing pharmacists for more than 100 years and it is wonderful that our students will be able to take advantage of all that the school has to offer.”

"The work of the Temple University School of Pharmacy is life-critical. In the last year, PharmD students have delivered the COVID-19 vaccine in community pharmacies, open lots in our Philadelphia neighborhoods, and right on our Main Campus,” said JoAnne A. Epps, executive vice president and provost, Temple University. “Our partnership with Bloomsburg University creates a secure and abundant pipeline of people who will be exceptional Pennsylvania-based healthcare professionals and who will influence innovations in disease management, even before graduation day."

The agreement is effective immediately, allowing current Bloomsburg University students to apply for admission.

“Faculty in the biology and allied health and chemistry departments have a long-standing collaboration to advise and mentor students interested in seeking admissions into professional programs. With this new partnership, we in the College of Science and Technology are thrilled to prepare and mentor students in central PA to have access to the Commonwealth’s premier school of pharmacy,” stated Latha Ramakrishnan, dean of BU’s College of Science and Technology.

About the Temple School of Pharmacy

Established in 1901, the Temple University School of Pharmacy carries more than a century’s worth of history and reliability in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education. Our programs, assets, and products provide opportunities to transform lives. Located in a pharmaceutical industry and healthcare hotspot, students benefit from long-standing connections across the job marketplace.

About Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,100 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in five distinct colleges: College of Education, Zeigler College of Business, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and Technology, and new Honors College.

~Retrieved from BU's News page - https://www.bloomu.edu/news/bu-enters-admissions-agreement-farleigh-dickinson-university-school-pharmacy

BU ENTERS INTO ADMISSIONS AGREEMENT WITH FARLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

BU and the Farleigh Dickinson University (FDU) School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences have entered into an agreement to allow qualified students to earn both an undergraduate degree and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in seven years, saving a full year of time and costs.

The Farleigh Dickinson University program will allow BU students majoring in chemistry or health sciences into the Fast Track to Pharmacy (PharmD) program at Farleigh Dickinson following their junior year. BU students will then complete their final year enrolled in pharmacy coursework at the Farleigh Dickinson School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. That year will also serve to complete both their first year of study within the Doctor of Pharmacy program and concurrently to complete the final credits to receive their B.A. degree in chemistry or B.S. degree in health sciences from Bloomsburg University.

Candidates for admission must have a 3.3 or higher overall GPA at BU and complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of B- or better. Reserved admission is limited to a maximum of five BU students each year.

“This agreement will benefit our students who are interested in attending pharmacy school, giving them a path to save both time and money,” said Diana Rogers-Adkinson, Bloomsburg University provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “The Farleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy is preparing pharmacists for the 21st century with increased roles in the health care field. We are excited to be able to partner with them for the benefit of our students.”

“We are excited to be able to provide a new opportunity for students from Bloomsburg University to gain access to FDU’s Doctor of Pharmacy program, and to open doors for students to enter the professional portion of their studies in an accelerated fashion that both saves them time and money,” said Gillian Small, university provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “Additionally, it provides students an entry point to enter clinical practice sooner, to take on the challenges facing our health care system amidst these dynamic and changing times.”

The agreement is effective immediately, allowing current Bloomsburg University students to apply for admission.

“Access to such accelerated pathways to professional programs are very attractive opportunities to students, and we are excited to partner with FDU’s School of Pharmacy to provide this opportunity to our current and future students in the College of Science and Technology, said Latha Ramakrishnan, dean of the Bloomsburg University College of Science and Technology. “Our faculty are dedicated to support student success and I am delighted to note the collaboration between faculty in chemistry and biology and allied health departments to create such pathways for success to our students.”

About Farleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy

As a fully accredited program by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), FDU’s PharmD program meets the academic requirements for licensure in all 50 states. Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants to complete other requirements.

Professional licensure and certification requirements may vary state to state, and are also subject to change. Students should contact the appropriate licensing agency in each home state to obtain the most up-to-date information.

About Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,100 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in five distinct colleges: College of Education, Zeigler College of Business, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and Technology, and new Honors College.

~Retrieved from BU's News page - https://www.bloomu.edu/news/bu-enters-admissions-agreement-farleigh-dickinson-university-school-pharmacy


Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Three Bloomsburg University faculty members were named 2020-21 Outstanding Teaching Award recipients


    From L to R---Abby Hare-Harris, Michael Huben, Brett McLaurin

Bloomsburg, PA (07/06/2021) — Three Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania faculty members were named 2020-21 Outstanding Teaching Award recipients by the Teaching and Learning Enhancement (TALE) Center.

Abby Hare-Harris, a Stephen J. Jones Professional U Fellow, is an assistant professor of biological and allied health sciences; Michael Huben, a Stephen J. Jones Professional U Fellow, is an instructor of marketing and professional sales; and Brett McLaurin is a professor of environmental, geographical, and geological sciences. The faculty were nominated by graduating seniors from the class of 2020-21 and selected by TALE's Outstanding Teaching Award Committee.

"I am grateful to professors Abby Hare-Harris, Brett McLaurin, Michael Huben, and all our outstanding faculty members who go above and beyond in support of our students and their success," said President Bashar Hanna.

Hare-Harris' research elds are human genetics and genomics, and many of her students and advisees earn the medical genomics and counseling certicate. Student nominations emphasized that her courses are tough yet taught with care and patience to ensure every student succeeds. Her rapport with students is exceptional. One student wrote, "She is not an easy professor by any means. She promotes independent thinking and has helped me become a better student and a better person." Hare-Harris' life transformative teaching permeated the students' nominations, and her empathy helps students overcome academic and personal struggles.

Michael Huben joined BU following a career at Merck. Creating bridges between higher education and a career led students to nominate Huben for the outstanding teaching award. A nominator wrote, "Mr. Huben teaches in real-world examples and is able to relate content to everyday life, so students can understand how the lessons will look outside of the classroom." Huben's dedication is evident in mentoring students in sales competitions, coaching them on how to network and interview for jobs, and develop leadership qualities.

Brett McLaurin is a geologist specializing in stratigraphy and sedimentology. Students nominating McLaurin spoke of his exceptional ability to combine theory and practice, making every topic relevant and engrossing. One student wrote, "Whenever I had questions, the professor was available and engaged me in possible learning experiences beyond the classroom." McLaurin creates spaces where students can risk failure, learn from their experiences, and increase condence in their skills and knowledge. Engaging, caring, hands-on were constant themes in his student nominations.

"These three faculty members exemplify the hard work and dedication all our faculty make to our students in support of their academic success," said BU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Diana Rogers-Adkinson. "What is even more remarkable is how they adapted to teaching in a virtual world for the last year, and yet, were able to make strong connections with their students. As provost, I am very proud of their work and offer my congratulations to them."

All three will receive a plaque and be awarded a professional development stipend sponsored by the BU Foundation.

Retrieved from BU's Merit Page 7/6/2021 

http://bloomu.meritpages.com/news/Three-Bloomsburg-University-faculty-members-were-named-2020-21-Outstanding-Teaching-Award-recipients/20872?utm_source=newswire&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=media_pr_emails


Monday, May 3, 2021

Graduating Nursing Students Recognized with Pinning Ceremony

BU celebrated more than 80 graduating nursing students Saturday, May 1, with a nursing pinning ceremony in Haas Center for the Arts.



The first nursing pin or 'badge' in the United States was presented to the class of 1880. This badge was created by the first Nightingale School of Nursing at Bellevue Hospital. It symbolized vigilance, mercy, and relief of suffering. The distinctive nursing pin of BU was designed by the students of the class of 1979, the first graduates of the nursing program.

The first part of the pin is its colors, maroon and gold, which represent the colors of Bloomsburg University. The second part is the Nightingale flame which signifies enlightenment, new knowledge and new experiences. The final part of Bloomsburg's nursing pin is the inscription "QUALITAE OED/CAT" which means dedicated to quality. These three parts of the nursing pin symbolize the accomplishments of Bloomsburg University nursing students. It signifies achievement, dedication and commitment to nursing.
~Retrieved from 5/3/2021 Marketing and Communications Week Ahead

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Biology Professor receives Provost's Award for Excellence in Research/Scholarly Activity

Dr. Kate Beishline, assistant professor, Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, has received the Provost's Award for Excellence in Research/Scholarly Activity. This award recognizes the scholarly achievements of probationary Bloomsburg University faculty. Dr. Beishline was nominated for this award by the dean of the College of Science and Technology. She is one of only four recipients of the award for the 2020-2021 academic year. 


Provost Rogers-Adkinson (right) presenting Dr. Beishline's award

Dr. Beishline's current research focuses on pathways that regulate the transcription and replication of eukaryotic telomeres. Her active research program has involved both undergraduate and graduate students. Her students have presented their research at various local and regional venues.

~Retrived from March 11th BioSythesis Blog posting: https://bloomsburgbiosynthesis.blogspot.com/2021/03/dr-beishline-recognized-for-research.html;
photo supplied by Dr. Angela Hess



Biochemistry student places 1st at 84th Annual Intercollegiate Chemist Convention

Biochemistry senior, Jason Stone, was awarded 1st place in the (Bio)Inorganic division at the 84th Annual Intercollegiate Chemist Convention hosted virtually by Lehigh University earlier this month.  

Jason Stone, Biochemistry

Jason’s oral presentation, stemming from a recent collaborative research publication with Dr. Matthew Polinski, was presented alongside other undergraduate student contributors from Swarthmore College, Lehigh University, Ursinus College, Towson University, Messiah University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  The college is tremendously proud of Jason’s accomplishment.

~Retrieved from consultation with Dr. Matthew Polinski, photo supplied by Jason Stone

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Biology Alumna Appointed Vice President of Codagenix, Inc.

 

FARMINGDALE, N.Y., April 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Codagenix Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing prophylactic vaccines and oncolytic virus therapies, today announced the appointment of biotech industry veteran Linda Maldonado as Vice President, Biologics Chemistry and Manufacturing Controls (CMC).


  Linda Maldonado, Vice President, Codagenix, Inc.

"We are pleased to welcome Linda to Codagenix's growing management team in anticipation of multiple significant growth opportunities this year, including the advancement COVI-VAC, our single-dose, intranasal, live-attenuated COVID-19 vaccine, to late-stage clinical trials," said J. Robert Coleman, Ph.D., CEO of Codagenix. "Linda has a proven track record with clinical process development, scale-up and technology transfer to GMP production that will be critical to ensuring the productivity, consistency and high quality of all Codagenix vaccines."

Codagenix utilizes its proprietary Synthetic Attenuated Virus Engineering (SAVE) platform to re-code the genome of a virus – turning the virus from dangerous pathogen into safe vaccine or solid-tumor therapeutic. Unlike other vaccine platforms that require the development and construction of supportive manufacturing in parallel, all Codagenix vaccine candidates leverage existing live-attenuated vaccine manufacturing systems to scale-up.  


Trending Videos

Ms. Maldonado has more than 25 years of experience in biologics manufacturing from early clinical phase to commercial operations, spanning development to commercial launch for vaccine, antibody and gene therapy processes and products. Prior to joining Codagenix, she served as Senior Director of GMP Manufacturing, Downstream and Fill Finish for Catalent Cell and Gene Therapy, where she led early-phase production for a wide variety of biologics. Before Catalent, she held positions of increasing responsibility at vaccine and therapeutic manufacturers including PharmAthene, Human Genome Sciences,  Baxter Bioscience, Progenics and Sanofi Pasteur. Ms. Maldonado earned a M.S. in Biology from East Stroudsburg University and a B.S. in Biology from Bloomsburg University. 

"This is an exciting time for Codagenix, which has seen substantial growth over the past year in concert with the rapid advance of COVI-VAC, which went from concept-to-clinic in less than nine months," Ms. Maldonado said. "As VP, Biologics CMC, I look forward to working with the management team to optimize all vaccines in development, and in particular COVI-VAC, which has the potential to address several key logistical challenges to immunization against SARS-CoV-2 at a global scale including ease of administration and scalable manufacturing."

~Article shared by BU's Marketing and Communications Department 4/14/2021

Thursday, March 25, 2021

'Lights Out Columbia County' aimed at protecting migratory birds

 

Check out the article and link below as Dr. Clay Corbin contributes to a recent Newswatch 16 segment. Great work on sharing your area of expertise with the surrounding community, Dr. Corbin!


As birds prepare to migrate, commissioners in Columbia County are asking residents and business owners to help prevent those birds from flying into buildings.


Dr. Clay Corbin
Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences
                                                                              

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — Billions of birds migrate north in the spring and south in the fall. According to the National Audubon Society, millions of those birds are killed by flying into buildings and glass windows.

Commissioners in Columbia County recently signed a proclamation in hopes of preventing bird deaths. It's called "Lights Out Columbia County." The commissioners are asking business owners and residents to reduce unnecessary lighting.


"The city glow and then the glow from bright houses confuses the migratory birds, and then they'll actually crash into the building windows, or they'll crash into the windows in your house," Columbia County Commissioner Chris Young said.

Commissioner Young had the idea for Lights Out Columbia County after Philadelphia recently adopted the program. Young says that while Columbia is a rural county, there are tall buildings in Bloomsburg and Berwick with a lot of glass.

"If we can work with them and get them to reduce the lighting, then it's going to be good for the migratory birds," Young said.

"It's a huge problem. There are several contributors of bird death in North America, and one of them is birds running into windows that have a high reflectivity," said Clay Corbin, a biology professor at Bloomsburg University.

Corbin participated in a 2014 study regarding birds flying into windows. His class collected bird carcasses from outside campus buildings.

"If we're going to have an effect on the extinction of it that's occurring, we have to act locally. I think Columbia County is a great place to do it," Corbin said.

In addition to potentially saving birds, turning down lights could potentially save energy.

"Which also helps not only your electric bill but also helps the environment," Young said.

Lights Out Columbia County runs from April 1 through May 31 and August 15 through November 15.




~Retrieved from:  WNEP website as reported by Nikki Krize, March 24, 2021


Link to article and news airing:  https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/columbia-county/lights-out-columbia-county-aimed-at-protecting-migratory-birds/523-a4d0d0c3-6fd6-4c5c-8d4d-78c47064c15e






Thursday, February 18, 2021

BU prof has eye on Mars landing ‘Space guy’ says drone will look for signs of life

 BLOOMSBURG — By dinner time tonight, NASA will have landed a rover and a helicopter drone inside a Martian crater, ready to explore new ground for manned landings and possible human habitation in the future.

Bloomsburg University professor Michael Shepherd will be watching closely.

“Mars has been a huge focus of NASA in recent years as it is one of the closest and most Earth-like planets and the only one that can be settled in a reasonable amount of time,” Shepard said. He has studied asteroids and is contributing to an asteroid visit by a space probe next year. Some of his academic colleagues and friends helped work on the space project.

The NASA Perseverance rover and Ingenuity drone were launched last July 30 and should touch down on Mars at 3:55 p.m. today. Its two-year mission, and possibly longer, is to collect rock and soil samples and look for signs of any ancient microbial life, while also testing methods of extracting oxygen in the Martian atmosphere needed for manned explorations.

Prior visits to the Martian surface have turned up evidence of water in ice deposits. The Perseverance drone has a drill to collect core samples in a search for possible early signs of microbial life embedded in subsurface rock.

“This crater in which it is landing is thought to have been a giant lake about the size of Columbia County,” Shepherd said. “It has instrument packets to look at minerals there and for any organic material that may show signs of past life.”

Shaping up an asteroid

Shepard developed a 3-D model to envision the shape of a large asteroid between Mars and Jupiter that is believed to be largely composed of metal, unlike most asteroids, which primarily are made of rock.

That is significant because if Psyche, as the asteroid is named, is found to be largely metal, it could be the core of a former planet that once existed in the solar system. It would be kind of like Superman’s Krypton home that fictionally exploded in the cosmos.

“There are not many metal cores floating around,” Shepard said. “They’re never seen before because they are buried deep inside planets.”

His shape-determining model, which appears like a squashed football, will help a probe land on the asteroid’s surface in 2025 or 2026.

“It’s a pretty good sized rock,” he said. “And it is rocky, but there appears to be a lot of metal sticking out of it.”

Shepard is working on a research paper about his work and will speak at an upcoming NASA Lunar and Planetary Conference in Houston about it.

‘Weird space guy’

As a professor and “weird space guy” in BU’s Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences department, Shepard has students in his classes who see and discuss space exploration as “a normal thing,” with hopes of visiting those places one day.

Business magnate Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket development project to reduce space exploration costs and offer commercial space flights one day “will be a big business for a lot of people,” Shepard said.

When asked if he might want to journey to Mars someday, Shepard declined.

“I get motion sick,” he said.

But he has his fingers crossed on the success of today’s Martian landing.

~Retrieved from the Press Enterprise article by Leon Bogdan, 2-18-2021

Friday, February 5, 2021

Geography Students' Data Mining Helps Florida Forest Conservation

A remote sensing geography class from BU played a key role in the conservation of a 14-acre southern Florida forest [bloomu.us5.list-manage.com] home to protected wildlife that’s been fending off urban and commercial development for the past 60 years.


In November, the Boynton Beach City Commission turned down a developer’s bid to purchase the land where it planned to build nearly 100 single-family homes. The residents’ plea to save Nickels Forest was aided by the proposed data analysis of area satellite imagery by BU students this past fall for their Remote Sensing of the Environment class. Their professor presented to the commission a plan to analyze urban growth and reduction of green cover with Nickels Forest being the center of focus. 

~Retrieved from Onward Campus Events and News 2/4/2021