Data science opening doors to real-world impact

 

Juliette Gudknecht is an analytical type who likes to solve problems.

Majoring in Physics was an obvious and fitting choice for her at Bloomsburg University. Then she discovered how Mathematics could be used to solve real-world problems.

And her sights were set.

“I took one computer science class and fell in love with programming,” says Gudknecht, a mathematics and physics dual major who plans to pursue a master’s degree in data science and become a data scientist. “I’ve always been fascinated with science, specifically astronomy. I had the same mindset most do — that (astro) physics would be too hard to pursue, or that I was bad at math. I decided to just go for it and work hard.”

That grit and determination has led to a lengthy resume of internships, summer programs, and research opportunities to include two years of analyzing NASA telescope data. All done semesters ahead of graduating next summer.

Her latest endeavors involve interning with the U.S. Department of State working on a machine learning neural network algorithm for visa applications and assisting Authentic Social as a consultant intern, leveraging her data science skills with sales analytics and improving their social media strategies.

“I love it,” Gudknecht says. “It’s a great change of pace from previous internships and class projects. I’m getting real-world experience and fostering connections to advance my career.”

Networking and real-world impact have been Gudknecht’s calling, a common thread to her vast list of out-of-classroom experiences that have included projects with Princeton, Stanford and Old Dominion universities, and most recently her machine learning internship with the federal state department.

“Basically, I’m using mass amounts of data to train the computer to work on its own,” Gudknecht says. “This involves using information for visa applications and automating some of the processes, so we can catch things better and improve our national security. It’s a super fun internship! I’ve made many connections already (with) other universities, tech companies, and federal agencies.”

Gudknecht got an earlier taste of machine learning — a branch of data science that involves building algorithms from a math model based on sample data — this past spring helping Geisinger Medical Center during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was very happy to help out,” says Gudknecht in creating machine learning algorithms from Geisinger’s (COVID-19) data to predict the curve of cases. “It’s made me very motivated to tackle real-world problems. I also found a love for healthcare informatics. I think it’s awesome I could make a difference and save lives through data science.”

Her methodic climb through physics and math into data science can be traced back to those single steps she took in gauging her initial interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as a teen, bringing her to Bloomsburg.

“I’ve learned mathematical and computational skills that are very transferrable and in high demand on the job market,” Gudknecht says. “I recommend any STEM major who likes to solve problems to look into the data science program at BU. Job prospects look great for data science and the professors are amazing.”

Excited about self-driving cars and voice recognition?

What about researching human behavior using social media?Can you recognize the key features embedded in data?

The field of data science focuses on learning methods to extract meaning and the hidden truth from data. Sound interesting? It really is! It’s a combination of techniques and theories from many fields including mathematics, computers science, statistics, machine learning, pattern recognition, communication studies and ethics.

Bloomsburg University’s data science major equips you to draw conclusions from data, using knowledge of statistical inference, computational technology, data management skills and related theories. Study practical and scientific topics, learning how to carry out analyses of data through the full cycle of the investigative process. Participate in a project-based capstone course that synthesizes the skills and knowledge learned in the various disciplines that encompass data science. BU’s Department of Mathematical and Digital Sciences is ready to help you become a data scientist.

 

Retrieved from The Week Ahead 10/26/2020

Bloomsburg University Names Latha Ramakrishnan Dean of the College of Science and Technology

 

 

BLOOMSBURG — Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Diana Rogers-Adkinson, has named Latha Ramakrishnan dean of the College of Science and Technology. Lynn Hummel has been serving as the interim dean of the college.

Dr. Ramakrishnan comes to Bloomsburg after serving for more than 14 years in multiple roles at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Since July 2016, she has served as interim associate provost for research and dean of the school of graduate studies. As graduate dean, she oversaw more than 40 programs, including doctoral programs in higher education leadership and in educational administration. She managed operations and the program portfolio at St. Cloud State’s Twin Cities Graduate Center. She also led graduate enrollment management, strategically recruiting new students and implementing retention and student success initiatives.

As associate provost, she managed external grants, with annual awards ranging between $7 million and $10 million. Ramakrishnan also worked to diversify sponsorships and build equitable educational pathways at St. Cloud State. She supported faculty and staff efforts to secure the school’s first Department of Education funded TRIO SSS grant and the Robert Noyce STEM teacher scholarship grant funded by the National Science Foundation. 

“I am delighted for the opportunity to collaborate with the distinguished, passionate, and dedicated faculty and staff members in the College of Science and Technology to advance its reputation of excellence,” said Ramakrishnan “My goals will be to foster innovation and build on the portfolio of nationally distinctive and reputable programs.”

“During the interview process Dr. Ramakrishnan distinguished herself as someone who has a depth of experiences that will serve our institution well,” said Rogers-Adkinson. “She also possesses the qualities of being a collaborative problem-solver, an outstanding mentor to faculty and students, and a champion of diversity.”

She joined St. Cloud State’s chemistry department in 2006 as a tenure-track assistant professor of biochemistry and was promoted to full professor in 2014. In 2013, she was elected co-chair of the Division of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Physics and in 2014 became chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Her experiences with professional society certifications include working with the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. During her tenure as chair, the chemistry department developed and launched a new professional science masters in materials science and scientific instrumentation.

Ramakrishnan’s shared governance experiences include serving as a faculty association senate member, and working collaboratively with the faculty association leadership and faculty research grants and graduate education committees to advance scholarship and advocate for graduate education on campus.

During her tenure at St. Cloud State, Ramakrishnan secured over $6 million in external grants, including multiple grants from the National Science Foundation. She secured over $500,000 from the Major Research Instrumentation program at National Science Foundation to modernize the research instrumentation infrastructure and $5 million to award scholarships for at least 100 students aspiring to seek a degree in STEM and have a demonstrated financial need.

As an independent investigator, she established a research program in behavioral neuropharmacology testing anti-convulsive drugs using planarian flatworms as model organisms. She mentored over 50 undergraduate students in research and published research articles with multiple student co-authors.

Prior to arriving at St. Cloud State, she did post-doctoral research in biophysical chemistry at Cornell University. She was awarded the Epilepsy Research Foundation and Milken Family Foundation’s post-doctoral fellowship grant in 2003.

Ramakrishnan earned her doctorate in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India and her master’s degree in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India.

 

Retrieved from the Week Ahead 10-05-2020

Biology professor receives $327K National Fish and Wildlife Foundation research grant

 

Bloomsburg University biology professor Steven Rier has been awarded a grant, in collaboration with the Academy of Natural Science of Drexel University, from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

The grant, valued at $327,000, will allow Rier, his graduate student, and several undergraduate students, to evaluate the vulnerability and resilience to climate change of headwater streams in the Delaware River basin.

“This project will allow my research students and I to collaborate with an amazing group of scientists at the Academy of Natural Science on an important project concerning the health of stream ecosystems in the 21st century,” said Rier.

The grant, titled “Evaluating Headwater Biodiversity, Vulnerability, and Potential Resilience to Inform Conservation in the Delaware Basin,” will also allow researchers to study species in their watersheds that are vulnerable to human activities, including climate change. The project will provide data and approaches that can be applied to protect important headwaters and to give an understanding of where in the watershed climate change may pose a higher threat.

“We will measure ecosystem metabolism in 40 streams over two years,” Rier added. “Ecosystem metabolism is a way of taking the ‘pulse’ of the entire ecosystem. It includes all of the photosynthesis and collective metabolic activity of all organisms from bacteria to fish. We will measure ecosystem metabolism by deploying loggers that measure oxygen, temperature, light, and depth every 15 minutes for an entire year.”

The grant is one of 37 new or continuing conservation and restoration projects totaling $8.12 million for a 2020-year round of funding for Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 2020 awards generated $22.08 million in non-federal match from the grantees, providing a total conservation impact of more than $30.2 million.

The Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund aims to conserve and restore natural areas, corridors, and waterways on public and private lands to support native migratory and resident wildlife and fish, and native plants; and to contribute to the social health and economic vitality of the communities in the Delaware River watershed.

The fund was launched in 2018 to bring together various stakeholders to collaboratively deliver restoration and conservation efforts throughout the Delaware River Watershed that strategically improve fish and wildlife habitat, grow partner capacity, build networks, and improve project efficiency and focus on a basin-wide scale.

Retrieved from Bloomsburg University tumblr post 9/30/2020

Scholarship and Research - Mr. Troy Prutzman

 

 
Troy Prutzman, radiation protection specialist, a staff member of COST Dean’s office and campus radiation safety officer has obtained his Radiological Officer certification from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency this summer. As a Radiological Officer, he joins five other individuals in Columbia County Emergency Management Agency designated to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens by responding to radiological and nuclear incidents as needed. Prutzman is an active member of the Columbia County Radiological Response Team.

Recently, Prutzman has been selected to serve as a panelist at the national meeting of the Health Physics Society, where he will join other panelists in the Academic, Industrial, and Research Radiation Safety section of the meeting on October 8. The Health Physics Society is a scientific organization of professionals who specialize in radiation safety. Its mission is to support its members in the practice of their profession and to promote excellence in the science and practice of radiation safety.

Retrieved from The Week Ahead 09/28/2020

Three Bloomsburg University chemistry students pass national accreditation exam

 

Three Bloomsburg University students in the B.S. Chemistry-Biochemistry option passed the national American Society for Biochemistry and Biochemistry Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Accreditation Exam.

Stepan Budkin, Tara Full, and Jason Stone were among 926 students nationwide that took the rigorous exam in spring 2020 and among the 40.4% (374 students) who passed. Additionally, Stone was awarded certification with distinction for extraordinary success on the exam. Including this year’s cohort, nine total BU students have earned the national certification recognition and three have earned high distinction. Bloomsburg’s 50% certification rate exceeds the national average of 43.8%.

“The ASBMB has routinely validated what we have always known,” said Michael Borland, ASBMB Accreditation Coordinator and professor of chemistry and biochemistry. “Small class sizes, hands-on laboratory experiences, use of cutting-edge instrumentation/methods, and the high impact practice of one-on-one faculty-mentored research experiences creates students ready for nationwide success in whatever path they choose.”

BU was also the first PASSHE program to garner ASBMB program accreditation in 2014. Only 85 programs nationwide hold ASBMB accreditation, including 5 others in Pennsylvania alongside BU. “It is a great testament to the hard and dedication of our students for BU to regularly earn national recognition alongside other prestigious ASBMB programs; I am proud that BU, and our department, provides this opportunity to our students,” said Borland.

Stone, a senior from Dresher, plans to attend medical school with the goal of becoming a cardiovascular surgeon. Jason has conducted research with Matthew Polinski, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, investigating the understudied chemical bonding patterns in f-element containing materials. Stone’s work studying these uncommon ligands and donors will shed light on new modes in which f-element chemistry can be harnessed.

“All the professors have been very supportive and encouraging,” said Stone. “Due to the small student to teacher ratio you really get the chance to interact with your professors and get to know them. Several of my professors were constantly available to help me work on my medical school application and provide valuable insight into the processes and how I could make myself stand out. For me personally, research has taught me several valuable lessons about science and about life, but most importantly it has taught me how believe in myself and work towards my goals.”

Tara Full, a senior honors student from Mountain Top, will graduate this fall and plans to attend medical school to become an emergency medicine physician. Full conducted her two-semester honors research project with Kate Beishline, assistant professor of biology, to study the regulation and role of telomere dynamics in aging and cancer. Full’s research was also supported by a chemistry and biochemistry Department Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.

“The chemistry program at Bloomsburg has taught me more about myself in four years than I ever thought possible,” said Full. “It has taught me to reach outside my comfort zone and shown me that my potential in this field is much larger than what I originally thought as a freshman. I would like to specifically thank Dr. (Michael) Borland and Dr. (Matthew) Polinski for encouraging me to pursue my dreams and change those dream into a very real possibility for my future.”

Stepan Budkin, a Hazleton resident who was born in Russia, praised the access to laboratory experiences at BU. “The BU chemistry program is focused on giving students lots of laboratory experience, which becomes very important when students are searching for jobs and graduate schools,” said Budkin. “Students spend over four hours a week in a lab when they are taking multiple chemistry classes. Labs meant for more advanced classes are stuffed with unique equipment.”

Budkin conducted research with Dan McCurry, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, in generating high surface area electrodes for sensitive molecular analysis. He has been able to alter fabrication conditions to modify geometry on the hundreds of atoms scale. Budkin plans to attend graduate school in the biomedical sciences as a mechanism to apply his knowledge to solving real-world science diagnostic issues. 

 

Retrieved from the Week Ahead 9-7-2020

Scholarship and Recognition - Dr. Adrian Van Rythoven, Department of EGGS

 

 

Adrian Van Rythoven, assistant professor of environmental, geographical, and geological sciences, has his article, “Ultramafic xenoliths from the 1.15 Ga Certac kimberlite, eastern Superior Craton, [bloomu.us5.list-manage.com]” published in the The Canadian Mineralogist (2020) 58 (2): 267-286. Co-authors are Daniel Schulze and Donald Davis. Kimberlite is a type of volcanic rock originating from depths of more than 100 miles within the Earth. It is best known for bringing up crystals of diamond, but also contains useful, otherwise inaccessible, samples of other types mantle rock (xenoliths). Examining these xenoliths allows for us to learn about deep Earth processes. Age-dating the kimberlite allows us to construct the history of those processes that have built the Earth over time.

Retrieved from Onward at BU 8/13/2020