RIT | School of Life Sciences

Meet the 2013 Baldwin Award winners...

Congratulations to the 2013 winners of the Baldwin Award! These students have demonstrated excellence not only in the classroom, but also in service to their fellows.

Christina Catavero is a third-year honors student from Poughquag, NY who is juggling two majors: Biomedical Sciences from the College of Health Sciences and Technology, and Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience from the College of Science. She first became interested in questions of how people learn science through a SMERC seminar she attended as a freshman, and that led her to embark on a biology education research project with Dr. Dina Newman. She won a summer undergraduate research fellowship from the COS honors program that summer, which allowed her to analyze the cell division content of 17 college textbooks and give her first scientific presentation at the Undergraduate Research and Innovation Symposium. Later this work was presented at a national conference, and she also became a co-author on a paper published in a prestigious peer-reviewed journal this fall. Currently Christina is working on a new paper for which she will be first author, and that will also qualify her for the Research Scholar award. Christina has helped many of peers as an Honors Orientation Mentor, a conversation partner with the English Language Center, and as a teaching assistant for Cell Biology. She spent last summer doing brain research at Boston University and will continue pursuing her interest in neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh this summer. In the future, Christina plans to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience and aspires to a faculty position where she can devote herself to both teaching and research.

Nick Fisk is a third year student in the Bioinformatics Option program. In addition to being an excellent student Nick contributes to the community, both at RIT and beyond, as in the spirit of David Baldwin. Nick is part of the Research Scholars Program where he is involved in a Biology Education Research project investigating origins of misconceptions and representational competence in the context of how students learn and think about Molecular Biology. In his spare time, Nick is part of the Bioprep group where he works very hard preparing reagents and setting up for the teaching laboratories. Nick is also a member of the RIT Wrestling Team, an incredibly intense sport that demands a lot of time and dedication.
The service activity that really stood out for the Baldwin committee is Nick's work with his Dad, Sgt. Maj. William Fisk in his home state of New Mexico. Nick and his Father are part of the "Willie's Heroes" project (named for Sgt. Maj. William Fisk) that raises money for the Wounded Warrior Project. This mission of this Wounded Warrior organization is "to honor and empower wounded warriors" through a variety of programs that may involve the Veterans leadership and skills training and also support to visit Washington D.C. Nick and his Father collect donations of chili peppers from regional New Mexico farmers, coordinate and run a chili-roast (called "Chili's for Willie") and sell the roasted peppers to the community to raise money for the organization. We are very impressed with all of Nick's accomplishments but we know that there is more yet to come.

Haeja Kessler is a fourth student in the Biotechnology program. Over her three years at RIT, she has volunteered for multiple organizations such as the Salvation Army, the Mercy Health and Rehabilitation Center, and Greece Residents Assisting Stray Pets (GRASP). Be it spending time with the elderly or cleaning cages for stray cats, she has selflessly given her time to making the world a better place. Haeja hopes to continue this spirit into graduate school pursuing the study of vaccine development.

Marissa Masek is a fourth year biology and biomedical photographic communications double major at Rochester Institute of Technology. While at RIT, she works as a Resident Advisor for Art House as well as a cager at the SPAS Photographic Cage. Over the past two summers, she has worked at the Optical Science Laboratory at Northeastern University. While there, she examined melanin in hopes of creating a noninvasive device for detecting melanoma. At RIT, she continues to do research with Prof. Savka and Prof. Osgood. Recently, Marissa was awarded an Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar Award which she will receive this April. Marissa plans to continue with research when she graduates, focusing on microscopy, microbiology, and medicine in order to examine how the body works, as well as the pathogens that infiltrate it.

Gabe Pendleton is a fourth year student in the Environmental Science program. Since his freshman year at RIT, he has conducted an independent research project comparing decomposition rates in natural and created freshwater wetlands. He has participated in the Research Scholars program and will be completing his project this summer. He has been an active participant in the Student Environmental Action League and served as president during the 2012-2013 academic year. He spearheaded efforts to support electronics recycling and reduce waste from plastic water bottles.
During the summer and fall of 2012 he was an intern for the Buckland Creek Watershed Restoration Program's Environmental Protection Agency Five Star Project, educating the public about creek restoration and the importance of good stormwater management practices. He helped install rain barrels and rain gardens, and was a regular figure at Color Brighton Green's outreach booth at the Farmer's Market. Gabe will be participating in a study abroad program in Brazil during fall 2013, and in the future he would like to become a canopy ecologist in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, publishing on his research and raising public awareness of the importance of protecting natural resources.

Harshita Sood is a fourth student from India in the Environmental Science BS/MS program. Since her first year at RIT, she has served other international students through International House, first as a volunteer, and later in different officer positions. She has also served as a Peer Advisor Leader for International Student Orientation, as a Resident Assistant, a Global Village Resident Assistant, and as secretary for RIT Global Union. In addition to these leadership roles, she has been an active participant in charity work, such as fund raising for the World Food Program and the Ronald McDonald House. Harshida is a long-standing member of the GSOLS Research Scholars Program.

April 2013 Spotlight on...

David Kim is a MS Bioinformatics student working with Dr. Michael Osier.

Q: Could you briefly describe your research project?
A: The currently used substitution matrices used for protein sequence alignments work well for general protein sequences but is not optimal for disordered proteins. Disordered proteins are known to have low sequence complexity and favor certain amino acids when compared to ordered proteins. The matrices used today do not reflect these characteristics and therefore will not optimally align disordered proteins. It is the focus of my project to find an optimal substitution matrix using known disordered protein sequences with the implementation of genetic algorithms.

Q: What is it like carrying out a research project from the opposite coast?
A: It can be challenging to find motivation to work consistently on my project due to the distance but I am fortunate to have an adviser keeps me accountable on the progress of my work. Professor Michael Osier offers helpful suggestions on the project which enables me to think more about the project’s logistics and become focused again on my work.

Q: How do you manage to juggle research and employment?
A: It could be difficult at times to manage my thesis, employment, and home life all at the same time. However, if you allocate portions of time throughout the week and use your time wisely you can complete your thesis.

Q: What recommendations do you have for students who are interested in pursuing similar research?
A: Do not be intimidated about the computational aspect of the research. If you are not particularly strong in programming, the research opportunity is a chance for you to exercise what you have learned in the classroom. By applying your knowledge from the classroom and implementing it in a research project, you can gain valuable experience that can be applied towards your future career.

March 2013 Spotlight on...

Laura McMahon is a student working with Dr. Sandra Connelly. She shares her research insights with us.

Q: Could you briefly describe your research project?
A: UV radiation induces adverse effects on organisms including mutations, photo lesions and decreased fitness. Current UV radiation levels are not as high as the levels experienced at one time on Earth. Speciation events of the past may have been induced by these high levels of UV radiation. The primary question is whether the DNA mutations led to increased fitness and increased rates of evolution. The research project for the 2012-2013 year involves studying various strains of Daphnia over many generations and investigating whether the DNA mutations incurred from UV radiation are maintained in the Daphnia genome and lead to increased fitness of the organism.

Q: What drew you to this particular project?
A: I became involved in this research through speaking with Dr. Connelly. Her expertise and enthusiasm for the subject was infectious. We discussed possible research projects and decided that this topic would help to combine my coursework from genetics and molecular and cellular biology.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about your research?
A: I have enjoyed every aspect of the research because it offers real lab experience as well as colloboration with faculty.

Q: How do you manage to juggle courses, research, and all your other activities as a student?
A: I participate in two lab research projects (this on and one at the University of Rochester) so juggling coursework, research and everyday activities can be challenging however the independent research project provided me with the opportunity to progress at a pace the was comfortable for me. Since it is my project I have the ability to decide when certain aspects of the research will take place. I can make sure there isn't anything critical going on during weeks that I have a lot of exams or homework. I am a wife and mother of two so time management is critical for me. Making lists, keeping organized and prioritizing is essential.

Q: What recommendations do you have for students who are interested in pursuing similar research?
A: Participating in the independent research aided in my acceptance to a graduate PhD program at the University of Rochester. Most graduate programs are looking for individuals with some sort of lab research experience. My advice for other students is to talk with faculty and find a project that peaks their interest especially if they are interested in applying to graduate level programs.

Spring 2013 Spotlight on...

Erin Strobl is a graduate of the Environmental Science Master of Science Program at RIT. She is currently employed at Cornell University in the Cornell Cooperative Extension Invasive Species Program.

Q: What is an average day on the job like as an Extension Associate for the Invasive Species Program at Cornell?
A: The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Invasive Species Program is a regional program that covers all of New York State. I am based on the Cornell Campus and I work with other members of the program who are based out in the CCE County Associations. Within the Invasive Species Program, I am the Education and Outreach Regional Team leader. I organize training workshops and develop education and outreach resources for invasive species educators in New York. At Cornell, I am in the Department of Crop and Soil Science as a way to bring more agricultural aspects to the Invasive Species Program. Mainly, my work is done on campus where I have contact with faculty in a variety of departments. The job does require some travel to other parts of New York on occasion because the program partners with many state agencies and other environmental organizations. I work very closely with New York's eight PRISMs (Partners in Regional Invasive Species Management). You can find out more information on our program and the PRISMs on our website nyis.info.

Q: What do you like best about your current position?
A: Part of my position is working with leaders and educators from the Cornell Cooperative Extension, state agencies, and environmental organizations all over the state so, there are great networking opportunities. Also, I am becoming more and more aware of what is going on environmentally across the state just by being highly networked. The learning experiences and professional development opportunities that come with this job are fantastic. There are many group meetings and presentations done via Webex (webinar format) to allow you to participate without traveling. The Cornell campus also has so much to offer in terms of what resources that are available for additional learning experiences.

Q: What aspects of your RIT education have helped you in your current job? Do you use any specific skills that you learned in your RIT courses?
A: Taking a variety of classes at RIT has helped to make me well balanced in my education. If I had to pick a few classes that were most useful to my career, I would say Plant Ecology and Plant Biology. These classes helped me to initially get a natural resource job up at Fort Drum where I performed surveys of invasive plants. The classes and various job positions provided the background knowledge and technical experience that were useful for obtaining the Cornell position. Other than taking classes, taking advantage of teaching assistant opportunities and working with the faculty were very beneficial to me.

Q: What impact do you think your work will have on invasive species management? Or what successes are you most proud of in your career?
A: While my position is not involved with directly controlling the invasive species in the field, I do a lot education and outreach. The Invasive Species Program at Cornell is set up to provide current invasive species managers and educators with the science based resources they need to effectively carry out invasive species programs for the public. One of the larger projects I am currently working on is a spring workshop series on how to develop a crisis communication plan if an invasive species invades in your area and also how to develop long term educational programming. One of the main goals for invasive species education in New York is to improve coordination and communication between organizations and to create consistent messaging.

Q: What advice do you have for students who are interested in pursuing a similar career path?
A: Students that are pursuing any type of environmental career should take some classes in agriculture to understand conservation and management strategies in agricultural systems. I applied to many environmental jobs and most of them had a requirement for at least a basic understanding of agriculture. I originally was more interested in studying ecology in natural systems and did not take any agriculture classes early on, but then I took a part time position at Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District and they sent me to an agricultural management training which helped to get me the job at Cornell.
Also, I would tell students to take advantage of any opportunity you can to build your resume with internships, trainings, workshops etc... everything helps to build your skill set and develop networking connections.

February 2013 Spotlight on...

Morgan Bida is a Master of Science student in Environmental Science doing research with Dr. Christy Tyler. He discussed his research experience with us.

Q: Could you briefly describe your research project?
A: Dissolved organic matter (DOM) can be described as an amalgam of thousands of organic molecules that originate from the decomposition of plants, animals and microbes. In recent decades there has been an increased interest in understanding how DOM composition changes as a result of the varied biogeochemical processes occurring on land and in water. The global scientific community is trying to understand how carbon cycles through land to better predict pending ecological changes in the face of climate change. In my thesis project I wanted to find out if we could detect differences in dissolved organic matter (DOM) quantity and composition in streams draining into Conesus Lake, NY, based on the land use(s) within individual stream catchments. I hypothesized that agricultural land use in the watershed would strongly influence the composition and quantity of stream DOM compared to that of predominantly forested, reference streams. To examine DOM, I used traditional chemical analysis techniques to measure C, N, and P, and our lab also recorded excitation-emission (EEM) fluorescence spectra. We used parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to decompose the combined EEMs into groups of similarly fluorescing molecules. Our data suggest that in the Conesus Lake watershed, stream morphology, subwatershed land use, and climatic variables all affect DOM quantity and composition, perhaps in compounding ways.

Q: How has your course work impacted your project?
A: This is a difficult question because I draw on my coursework on a daily basis. For example, the whole idea of land use as indicator of DOM composition was inspired by my GIS coursework. When I took Ecological Applications of GIS, Dr. Korfmacher showed us how powerful GIS is and I used that course to start incorporating GIS into my project.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about your research?
A: I enjoy my research because it is like a puzzle (and often puzzling). Taking all the pieces from chemistry, biology, mathematics, and using them together is challenging, but also rewarding. I have also enjoyed working with all different types of professors and students with different disciplines and backgrounds.

Q: What impact has your Teaching Assistant experience had on you?
A: My experience as a TA at RIT has made me a better student, a better leader, and a better communicator. I got to meet and tutor hundreds of students as a TA, which exposed me to a variety of learning styles and challenged me to really understand the subject(s). I was able to gain a greater appreciation for my professors and the hard work they do. Being a TA helped me to feel like part of a community at RIT.

Environmental Science graduate student Stephanie Schroeder was awarded a research grant from the Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research program to fund her proposal entitled "The Impact of Fruit Quality on the Physiological Condition of Songbirds during Migration Stopover". Stephanie's grant will fund research related to her thesis project on the antioxidant properties of wild fruits and the development of multidimensional fluorescence profiles to assess fruit quality.

The Sigma-Xi Grant-in-Aid of research is a competitive grant program for student research in all areas of science and engineering and typically funds 20% of applications.

As noted in her interview earlier in the year, Steph is working with Assistant Professor Susan Smith Pagano.

Congratulations Steph!

January 2013 Spotlight on...

Nicole Kinlock is fourth year Biology major doing research with Dr. Christy Tyler. She discussed her research experience with us.

Q: Could you briefly describe your research project?
A: With my project, I am trying to determine if small wetlands act as reservoirs for biodiversity, an important ecosystem service and an indicator of a wetland’s function. While it is already well known that large, natural wetlands provide ecosystem services such as pollution removal, flood control, provision of wildlife habitat, and of course, high biodiversity; whether or not manmade wetlands provide the same services is unclear. I collected samples of the aquatic invertebrate communities in 20 small wetlands (natural and constructed) and detention ponds in Monroe County as a means to quantify their potential as biodiversity reservoirs. Aquatic invertebrates are very important members of the wetland food web because they act as agents of nutrient transfer in the system. I will be looking for correlations with aquatic invertebrate biodiversity in natural wetlands, created wetlands, and detention ponds, as well as with other variables, including the shape, water chemistry, and vegetation communities of each wetland.

Q: What drew you to this particular project?
A: My project is exciting because it uses our community (Monroe County) as the backdrop for an assessment that could have practical implications around the world. Incorporating small wetlands into human-dominated landscapes is a goal that integrates the interests of humans and the ecosystem.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about your research?
A: My project is ideal because I am able to be out in the field to collect samples and in the lab to analyze them. It’s the perfect combination for someone who enjoys all areas of biology.

Q: What positive impact will your project have?
A: Created wetlands and detention ponds are already a huge part of the developed landscape and can be found near many businesses, private communities, and by roadways. If these manmade wetlands house substantial communities of aquatic invertebrates, this is a sign that they function similarly to large, natural wetlands and can provide all of the same services. Better yet, knowing what structural variables, such as the shape of the wetland and the vegetation communities present, correlate with high biodiversity can help us plan future development to maximize these ecosystem services.

Q: What recommendations do you have for students who are interested in pursuing similar research?
A: I think that researching topics that will help us become better environmental stewards is time and knowledge well used! As students, we study so many disciplines in biology and it is really valuable when we can synthesize all of this knowledge for large-scale, practical purposes in ecology.

December 2012 Spotlight on...

Katharina Schulze is a fourth year Bioinformatics student in the 4+1 BS/MS program doing research with Dr. Gregory Babbitt.

Q: Could you briefly describe your research project?
A: The research I have been doing with Dr. Babbitt uses a certain flexibility score to draw structural conclusions about the DNA molecule in an evolutionary context. Ever since the genetic code has become widely accepted, people tend to focus on the information contained in a sequence of nucleotides and how it is influenced by evolution. Less often have scientists stepped back and questioned how evolution might influence the flexibility of the same nucleotide sequence, disregarding its code. After all, DNA is a physical molecule, which interacts with many other cellular components through the properties of its structure. So far our research has shown that besides the genetic code, the intrinsic flexibility of DNA is in fact under evolutionary pressure as well, especially evident through silent substitutions.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about your research?
A: This may not be a very surprising answer from a bioinformatics major, but most of my enjoyment originates in the computational problem solving aspect of this specific area of research. I find it interesting to see the different ways in which you can handle, analyze, and represent data (e.g. a genetic sequence and a flexibility score, in order to infer biological meaning).

Q: What are likely to be downstream benefits of your project?
A: Other than encouraging more scientists to take the structure of DNA into consideration, the findings of our project could eventually be a valuable addition to the better understanding of gene function, DNA interactions, and genome folding.

Q: What successes are you most proud of on this project?
A: To be honest, I'm equally proud and humbled by having been able to contribute something of scientific value to the greater scientific community alongside Dr. Babbitt a couple of months past. I've surprised myself by how far I've come considering that approximately four years ago I did not even have the slightest clue about how to write a simple code that was not related to the math program Maple.

Q: What recommendations do you have for students who are interested in pursuing similar research?
A: Don't let yourself be intimidated too easily, especially not by the prospect of computational analyses. There are so many readily available biological datasets that have likely only been analyzed from one specific angle, even though they potentially contain far more information only waiting to be accessed by someone asking new questions. As Dr. Babbitt likes to point out, you can do a lot of research nowadays with a laptop and a little bit of coding.

A. Sue Weisler

Professor Michael Savka and Assistant Professor André Hudson of the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences have published the first whole genome sequence of three bacterial strains associated with the commercial plants Jamaican sugarcane and New York State grapevines. These strains are being assessed for pathogenicity and nitrogen fixation, potentially creating insights into how to improve the growth and development of these important crops.

November 2012 Spotlight on...

Steph Schroeder is a second year graduate student in the Environmental Science program. She is working on her thesis with Assistant Professor Susan Smith Pagano. Steph recently spoke with us about her project and research in GSOLS.

Q: In a nutshell, what is the nature of your project?
A: I am studying the chemical composition of wild fruits that are consumed by songbirds during fall migration in eastern North America. More specifically, I am looking at the antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content of these fruits. I intend to compare these results between native/invasive fruits and to also determine if there are any seasonal or regional differences in fruit composition. I will also be using a technique called multidimensional fluorescence to generate a "fruit fingerprint" in attempt to quantify and characterize the phenols in these fruits.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about your research?
A: I love the freedom that is involved with this project. My research advisor, Dr. Smith, has been amazing in this whole process. While she had some ideas as to what I could focus my thesis on, she really let me develop my own ideas and enthusiastically supported my decision to pursue a novel area of research.

Q: What are likely to be downstream benefits of the project?
A: By quantifying the phenolics and antioxidant capacity of native/invasive fruits, I will be able to identify high-quality food and habitat resources for migrating birds and recommend habitat management strategies to conservation professionals to increase the quality of critical stopover habitat . This is a key management tool for increasing survivorship of migrating songbird populations.

Q: What successes are you most proud of on this project?
A: I am most proud of the novelty of this project. Studies that relate the physiological condition of birds during migration stopover periods with wild fruit nutritional composition are rare. The multidimensional fluorescence technique has also yet to be applied to fruit phenolics. This rarely-studied area has a lot of potential to provide results that can be immediately applied to songbird conservation efforts.

Q: What recommendations do you have for students who are interested in pursuing similar research?
A: I would encourage them to not be afraid of pursuing a novel area of research. Some aspects of my thesis have already not gone as planned, but that's ok! It's an opportunity to learn and adapt and find something new that will contribute to your project.

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences student Kristin Berger was featured for her work in promoting salmon conservation in Alaska's Kachemak Bay Research Reserve (KBRR).

Berger is a BS/MS student in environmental science being mentored by Assistant Professor Christy Tyler.

According to Berger in an interview with Research at RIT, ""Salmon play an incredibly important role in stream ecosystems, but we still know very little about their movement patterns, what types of streams make the best habitat, and how better stream management can improve salmon health."