Life mission achieved through medical imaging

Emily Hackenberg has always wanted to help people, and Bloomsburg University’s medical imaging program is getting her a step closer to doing just that for a living.

“My favorite aspect of the program is I take all my required classes with other medical imaging students,” Hackenberg said. “This allowed me to create relationships with other students who have the same interests and goals as me. Everybody encouraged one another to always do their best!”

This fall Hackenberg began her 18-month clinical experience at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, which will complete her requirements for a bachelor’s in medical imaging. The next step will be sitting for the national registry exams.

“Geisinger was my chosen clinical option, because it’s the top hospital site in the area I live and is well known for their School of Radiologic Technologies,” Hackenberg said. “Geisinger has a good learning atmosphere for students and will help me grow in this career!”

Hackenberg added, “I’m most looking forward to being able to learn hands-on and finally being able to apply the information I learned in classes to real-life situations while in my clinical program. Instead of sitting in classes five days a week, I’ll be out in the hospital interacting with patients and other technologists.”

Medical imaging technologists are allied health professionals with expertise in operating imaging equipment and preparing patients for various diagnostic and treatment procedures. Specialties may include radiography, nuclear medicine, sonography, radiation therapy, cardiovascular technology, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, positron emission tomography and mammography.

“Bloomsburg University has prepared me for my clinical by requiring challenging classes and having a great learning atmosphere,” said Hackenberg, adding after her clinical she plans to like to get certified in other concentrations like mammography and MRI/CT. “One specific way BU prepares medical imaging majors is giving us the opportunity to be involved with an internship. Being a part of this showed me what being a radiologic technologist is like and allowed me to apply all the information I learned in classes to real life situations.”

HuskyUnleashed MedicalImaging ScienceTechnology Geisinger clinical ProfessionalU radiology
~from http://bloomsburgu.tumblr.com 

Medical imaging guides career path to radiology

Emily Reynolds has always been fascinated by how the internal human body works, an interest that’s led her to a future in radiology courtesy of Bloomsburg University’s medical imaging program.

“The fact we’re able to use technology to find a diagnosis and conduct a form of treatment has always been intriguing to me,” said Reynolds, a senior medical imaging major. “Modern day medicine is improving left and right, and the use of imaging and technology is advancing and becoming incorporated more so each day. I want to be a part of these advances and encounter the hands-on experiences with patients.”

This summer Reynolds began her 18-month clinical experience at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, which will complete her requirements for a bachelor’s in medical imaging. The next step will be sitting for the national registry exams.

“Johns Hopkins was my chosen clinical option, because it’s well-renowned as one of the top teaching hospitals in the country,” Reynolds said. “It offers an intense, challenging program I feel will help me achieve my long-term career goals. They offer a diverse and unique course and clinical setting, when compared to most other clinical programs. Once I complete their program, I will be specialized in various fields within sonography.”

Medical imaging technologists are allied health professionals with expertise in operating imaging equipment and preparing patients for various diagnostic and treatment procedures. Specialties may include radiography, nuclear medicine, sonography, radiation therapy, cardiovascular technology, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, positron emission tomography and mammography.

“My favorite aspect of the imaging program here at BU has been the extremely helpful and well-educated professors and staff,” Reynolds said. “Everyone here has been very helpful in the success of my career so far. No matter how many questions I had or if I needed anything explained to me from a different point of view, my professors were there to help guide me in the right direction.”
Reynolds added, “They created challenging coursework, which has made me more prepared in problem solving aspects of my clinical experience thus far. I’ve been able to easily retain all the information learned from the many courses I have taken over the past two years at BU. This was extremely helpful in the preparation for my internship and clinical interviews.”

According to Reynolds, BU’s medical imaging program prepared her well for the Johns Hopkins clinical. “BU provided a challenging program that taught me all the valuable information I’ll need to begin in my clinical,” Reynolds said. “It has proficiently expanded my medical vocabulary, amplified my ability to understand professional diagnoses and prognoses, extended my ability to understand the workings of the human body so I can more easily apply my findings to solve medical problems. It has bettered my interpersonal skills when encountering patients and fellow co-workers. BU has provided many opportunities for me to gain experience and knowledge about my career through internships, open houses, mock interviews, seminars and many more hands-on opportunities.”

HuskyUnleashed MedicalImaging ScienceTechnology JohnsHopkins clinical ProfessionalU sonography radiology
~from http://bloomsburgu.tumblr.com 

Students present at the 13th annual Susquehanna River Symposium

Research students from the labs of Steven Rier, professor of Biological and Allied Health Sciences (BAHS) and Laurie Green, assistant professor of BAHS, recently presented at the 13th annual Susquehanna River Symposium at Bucknell University.  

 

 Jennifer Soohy (M.S. student) presented an oral presentation entitled 
"A survey of algal productivity and nutrient concentrations across a land-use gradient using pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry as a rapid assessment and measure of ecosystem function on a spatial and temporal scale”.  

 

Emily Ashberry (M.S. student) presented a poster titled "Understanding the environmental context of algal priming of coarse particulate organic matter
 decomposition in streams”

 

Aaron Gordon-Weaver (M.S. student) presented a poster titled "Polyphosphate storage dynamics across a gradient of phosphorous enrichment”

 

Victoria Roper (M.S. student) and coauthors Amanda Aulenbach (B.S. biology student) and Ben Paul (M.S. student) presented a poster titled "Aerial insectivore response to acid mine drainage in Pennsylvania streams” .  This poster won the prize for best poster given by a graduate student.

Victoria Roper

Emily Ashberry

Aaron Gordon

 

Proposals Sought for Educational Technology Conference

The Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communications and Technology (PAECT) is honored to offer you the opportunity to present at the 3rd annual Technology Education Research Symposium (TERS) 2019! 

The event will be held at Bloomsburg University on April 13, 2019.
Proposals are now being accepted at:  https://www.smore.com/mvnaf

Priority submission deadline for proposals — Dec. 13, 2018

Deadline for proposals — Feb. 1, 2019 * Based on availability with no assurances of acceptance*

·         Present your educational technology research to others

·         Accepted publications will be published in Volume 3, Issue 1 of the PAECT: Technology Education Research Journal

·         Attend sessions to learn from other Ed Tech leaders and researchers

Who should attend?

Higher education faculty

Doctoral students

Educational Technology researchers

Educators

School Administrators

Corporate e-learning specialists

Instructional technology specialists

Anyone interested in educational technology research topics!

Click here to submit a proposal for presentation, publication, and to learn more about this event.

Update from the 2018 TERS Conference

Bloomsburg University was well represented within Volume 2 Issue 1 of the PAECT: Technology Education Research Journal. This publication is the result of a peer reviewed research papers submitted for presentation at the 2nd annual Technology Education Research Symposium (TERS) held on campus of Bloomsburg University on April 14^th, 2018

The following Bloomsburg University faculty are recognized for their contributions to this inaugural publication: 

Dr. R. Lynn Hummel Jr. – Co Editor

College of Science and Technology

The following faculty at Bloomsburg University were contributing authors to articles published in the peer reviewed journal:

College of Education      

Dr. Frank D’Angelo

Dr. Robin Drogan

Ms. Ingrid Everett

Dr. Brooke Lylo

Dr. Molly Marnella

Dr. Cherie Roberts

Non-Aligned Faculty

Dr. Regina Bobak

Dr. Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar

Bloomsburg University Students

Katherine Herrera

Alana Jacaruso

Special recognition is given to Dr. R. Lynn Hummel Jr. for his efforts in co-founding what is now an annual event and planning the second annual Technology Education Research Symposium (TERS) 2018 and its corresponding research journal.

Department of Instructional Technology hosts Alumni Career Panel

On November 7^th, 2018 the Department of Instructional Technology at Bloomsburg University was honored to have five alumni return to campus to participate in a career panel discussion. The panel discussion was attended by current graduate students and perspective students who are considering enrolling in the Master of Science in Instructional Technology degree program. Alumni panelists answered questions from the audience pertaining to internships, skills used in the workplace, maintaining a healthy work life balance, and other career oriented topics. Student feedback from the event included “That was awesome!” and “This was the best event I attended all semester!” 

Pictured are alumni panel members from left to right: Brenda Machuga, Lee Millard, Rachel Troychock, Mike Thompson, and PJ Michael. The Department of Instructional Technology would like to thank our alumni panelists for volunteering their time to participate in this event.

To learn more about the Department of Instructional Technology and for instructions on how to apply, please visit http://iit.bloomu.edu/ or contact Department Chairperson Helmut Doll at hdoll@bloomu.edu. Applications are now being accepted for the Spring 2019 and Fall 2019 semesters!

 

Chemistry seniors earn ASBMB certification

Allison Martin and Kimberly Hollister in the lab. Photo credit: Jaime North

One sees chemistry as a path to law school and the other, a journey to a doctorate degree in synthetic chemistry. Both are set to graduate Bloomsburg University this December as among the few chemistry graduates — less than 425 in the country — walking this year with American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) certification.

Kimberly Hollister and Alison Martin capped their spring semester by passing the ASBMB National Accreditation exam, enabling BU to exceed the national average by eight percent. Nearly 1,000 college students took the exam, some 417 (42 percent) achieved certification with 122 students (12.3 percent) achieving certification with distinction, as announced by ASBMB last month.

“I love the personalness you feel in our chemistry department,” said Hollister, who plans to pursue a doctorate in synthetic chemistry. “The professors are very invested in our success. They have not only helped me during my academic career but also prepared me for grad school and the workforce. I love that I get the opportunity to work in a research lab for multiple semesters. I’ve learned so much from the hands-on and personal nature of the department.”

Martin, who plans to attend law school and study intellectual property and patents, said BU’s small size is actually an asset, allowing students to develop a collaborative working relationship with professors in addition to mentorship.“Each professor really wants what’s best for their students to succeed in and out of the classroom,” Martin said. “The chemistry program has taught me how to think critically. I learned memorizing is not enough. Being able to apply what you know to practical applications is extremely important in the real world.

All students who are part of an ASBMB accredited program are invited to take the certification exam. Students are permitted only a single attempt at the exam during their undergraduate career. The certification exam is designed to test students’ knowledge and understanding of the core competencies in biochemistry and molecular biology developed by the ASBMB and its members.
BU, the first State System school to garner ASBMB program accreditation, isone of six PA schools accredited by ASBMB to include Dusquesne, Penn State and Villanova.

“This highlights the ability of our program to prepare students to be successful on a national stage, especially considering who we compete against,” said Michael Borland, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry. “This credit does not fall solely on the biochemists; this is a victory for all the (department) faculty and their dedicated and unwavering commitment to undergraduate education. We spend countless hours in the classroom, lab, and office providing these students with the knowledge, tools and opportunities to become diligent, intelligent and competent scientists.”

According to Borland, the ASBMB accreditation and recent exam certification validates that a chemistry and biochemistry education from BU — with small class sizes and hands-on laboratory experiences with cutting-edge instrumentation — makes its undergraduates competitive nationally.
“We may be a small department in terms of graduates,” Borland said. “… but we are an impactful department that provides students the opportunity to evolve and blossom into the best version of themselves as leaders and scientists.”

Hollister agrees. “Every professor I’ve talked to in the department has wanted to help me with my future goals,” Hollister said. “I started doing research a couple summers ago, which really solidified my idea of going to graduate school. I’ve been able to learn so much from my research advisor and mentor. It’s really cool they push us to explore opportunities to do research here but also research at other institutions. At a larger institution you wouldn’t receive the same quality of undergraduate research experience that you would at Bloomsburg University.”

~from http://bloomsburgu.tumblr.com

Instructional Technology Professor and Graduate Student Receive Awards at DevLearn 2018

Kristen Venditti and Dr. Karl Kapp pose with Kristen's award

Kristen Venditti, BU Instructional Technology graduate student (MSIT), has been awarded the DemoFest 2018 "Best Student Solution" at the industry conference DevLearn. Her project was titled "Improving Reading Comprehension with AR in Storytelling." Kristen used Augmented Reality to make the pages of a booklet she designed come to life. The learner could place their phone over certain areas of the booklet and additional information would appear on the phone in the form of images and pictures. DemoFest is an event held in a ball room at the DevLearn conference where over 100 individuals show off an share elearning projects in a science fair-like environment. Attendees have the opportunity to see a wide variety of solutions to common eLearning challenges and to talk with the project developers about the tools, technologies and processes they used to build them.  

Bloomsburg University MSIT students have won the "Best Student Solution" at DemoFest for four straight years, ever since the student category of DemoFest was introduced in 2014. 

Kristen demonstrates her AR storytelling project

Karl Kapp, Ed.D. Professor of Instructional Technology at Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, PA received recognition at DevLearn 2018 for his "outstanding contributions to the eLearning Guild community and the learning technologies industry." The award was created to recognize members of the elearning community who have consistently contributed to the community in terms of both quantity and quality of content—and thus help make the community a vibrant center for learning. Karl was recognized for his pioneering work in the gamification of learning and for his continual efforts to build the future of our industry by tirelessly working to involve students at eLearning Guild events and introducing them to the professional community. 

At the conference, Dr. Kapp presented on the eLearning Rockstars Learning Stage. Check out some of Dr. Kapp's talk in the video at the bottom of the eLearning Brothers page. 

Dr. Kapp's Guild Master award

Geography Professor Expresses Gratitude to Bloomsburg University with a $700,000 Bequest

Dr. John Enman

A $700,000 gift from the estate of John Enman, Ph.D., professor emeritus of geography at Bloomsburg University will further support students, faculty and programs in the department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences (EGGS).


“Dr. Enman’s gift will go a long way toward helping the EGGS department provide the best possible Husky Experience for students and faculty,” said Bloomsburg University President Bashar W. Hanna. “As a member of our BU family, Dr. Enman was committed to helping students and fellow faculty in any way he could. We are eternally grateful for his generosity and the lasting impact his gift will have on the students and faculty in the department he loved.”


Enman died in August 2016 at the age of 94, following a lifelong career devoted to his passion for geographical sciences. Prior to joining the faculty at Bloomsburg University, Enman served as a cartographer in India while serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II.


From the time Enman began his career at BU in 1959, he developed a strong connection to the department and viewed his fellow faculty members and students as an extension of his family. According to Dr. Brian Johnson, a fellow retiree and Dr. Sandra Kehoe-Forutan both of the EGGS department, the direction of the gift stemmed from Enman’s sense of connection with his fellow faculty and students.


“Our department has always felt like a family,” says Kehoe-Forutan. “From the day I arrived here in 1992, John mentored me and treated me as an equal. It was important to him to build that sense of community to make all the faculty, staff and students feel like they belonged here.”


In 2014, when Enman’s health began to decline, he turned to his EGGS family to help him with basic needs. “Because of the relationships he had built with us, he was comfortable turning to us for help with everyday things like getting groceries or transportation to appointments,” said Johnson. “And we were happy to pull together to help him, because that’s what he would have done for us.” 


It was the outpouring of support from the faculty, both retired and current, staff and students in the department that inspired Enman to remember his Bloomsburg University family in his will.  With the gift, the EGGS department is already bolstering student support through equipment upgrades, and providing funding to sponsor several trips for students that allow them to gain valuable field experiences.


“This will allow us to do so much more for our students by providing high-impact experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom setting,” said EGGS Department Chair Dr. Michael Shepard. “Dr. Enman truly loved this department and considered it his home in many ways. This gift is an expression of that love."

Michael Shepard, chair of the EGGS; Sandra Kehoe-Forutan, professor of EGGS; Brian Johnson, professor emeritus of geography and planning; and Cheryl Smith, department secretary, holding Enman’s United States burial casket flag to honor his service as a veteran.

~Article from https://giving.bloomu.edu/news/news

Undergraduate Lauren Barrett Conducts Chemical Oceanography Research

Howdy! Y’all gig’em in Aggieland!

That’s just some of the culture I picked up this summer at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. I and nine other undergraduate students from around the country were selected to participate in their ten week Observing the Ocean Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. In this program, I had the opportunity to work with an Oceanography research professor on an independent research project. My responsibilities included writing a formal research proposal, conducting laboratory experiments, collecting water samples on an oceanographic research vessel, processing and analyzing data, and communicating the results of my research both orally and in a poster presentation. 

I was mentored by Dr. Kathryn Shamberger, who studies carbonate chemistry, ocean acidification, and coral reef biogeochemistry. My research project studied the effects of Hurricane Harvey on the coral reef ecosystems at the Flower Garden Banks (FGB) National Marine Sanctuary, which is in the Gulf of Mexico. Little is known about their water chemistry, so the data I analyzed this summer will be used in future work to elucidate the temporal variation in the environment. My research found that, with respect to their ability to generate calcium carbonate skeletons, the FGB coral reef ecosystems were not negatively impacted by Hurricane Harvey. 

The most exciting part of the REU was the opportunity to work on an oceanographic research vessel. In June, we embarked on a three-day cruise in the Gulf of Mexico on the R/V Pelican. We used a Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) instrument to assess water column data such as dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, temperature, depth, and salinity. We also collected water samples for chemical and biological analysis. 

My experiences in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at Bloomsburg University prepared me for this experience. I was able to quickly learn to use and troubleshoot our lab’s main analytical instrument, the VINDTA, as well as display mastery of other laboratory techniques. Those skills were not granted naturally, and the excellent guidance of BU chemistry faculty, in both research and coursework, is where credit is owed. My exposure to a wide variety of instruments in Physical Chemistry and in my research at BU last summer was particularly helpful. I could not have succeeded as I did this summer without the prior mentorship of BU faculty! 

Though my research project has concluded, I will continue to communicate its results. Based on an oral presentation I gave at the end of the program, I received a travel award to attend the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico this February! I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have been exposed to by participating in this REU.

My positive experience at Texas A&M this summer has inspired me to pursue a career in Chemical Oceanography. This fall I will be applying for Ph.D. programs! I highly recommend participation in REU programs to undergraduate chemistry students. I wish I would have participated in one earlier in my undergraduate career. It is important to be exposed to different fields of research as well as the resources that larger universities can offer. An REU program can also be a good indication of your suitability for graduate school, if that’s something you’re not sure about (I wasn’t). My advice would be to keep an open mind when considering what you would like to do with your chemistry degree. Without the guidance of the wonderful Dr. Venn of the EGGS Department, I probably would have never known that Chemical Oceanography existed. Cast a wide net, because you never know what research you will end up falling in love with!

~ Lauren Barrett