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Personalizing scientific experiences on a grand scale NaturalScience.msu.edu F all is back in East Lansing and with it the energy of our new and returning students. Enrollment in the sciences at Michigan State remains at an all-time high, and this fall we welcomed 1,200 freshmen to the College as they began their journey of exploration and discovery in science and mathematics. The pace of scientic advancement is breath-taking and continues to increase. For the College of Natural Science, this means that we must both continue to increase our research productivity and stature, and nd ways to embed this new knowledge deeply into the education we offer our students. We are fully focused on both of these missions. In this ever-evolving world, though, we must continue to ensure that the education we offer is rmly grounded in the timeless skills of critical thinking, communication, understanding of diverse viewpoints and knowledge of complex issues. Our means for preparing the next generation of scientists are changing, but our ultimate goals remain the same. We rmly believe that the strongest education in the sciences and mathematics is based in learning by doing. Whether it is working alongside faculty and graduate students in a laboratory, eld research around the world, or pushing the boundaries of complex mathematical problems, students nd that the exhilaration of discovery is a transformative experience. The scale of this endeavor with our nearly 5,000 undergraduate majors is a challenge, but we are committed to offering an ever increasing number of students this important opportunity. Undergraduate research continues to grow and provide tremendous experiences for our students. An impressive number of our students were among the 535 who participated in the annual Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum and we expect even more in 2011 as this event continues to grow. The faculty throughout the College continue to increase their research productivity and have attracted many new grants, a few of which are highlighted in the following pages. Let me especially highlight the BEACON – NSF Science and Technology Center. NSF supports only a very few of these prestigious centers, and this one builds on our expertise in experimental evolution, evolutionary biology, and computational science. This center, along with initiatives in complex materials, energy, infectious disease and molecular metabolism, is working to solve some of the world’s toughest problems. Yet we are also excited about the opportunities each of these initiatives provides for student involvement. Like all universities, Michigan State continues to evolve as the nation’s nancial picture changes. There will be many changes at the University and in the College as we focus on our strongest and most important programs and objectives. We will keep you abreast of these changes as they come about. We are continuing to look toward the future by building on our strengths. NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS FALL 2010 College of Natural Science CONNECTIONS Construction of the new plant science building at the corner of Bogue Street and Wilson Road began last spring. When it is completed in 2012, it will serve as an interdisciplinary hub for research involving plant science, bioenergy and plant genomics. The building will have multiple levels of research laboratories, and again, will provide our students the opportunity to enhance their education by working alongside some of the world’s strongest researchers. Virtually every alum I speak with has a story related to their personal experience at MSU and how it has affected their life. We are committed to giving our students the opportunities to have these experiences. I encourage you to stay connected and to join us as we continue to build this extraordinary University. R. James Kirkpatrick is Dean of the College of Natural Science. He joined MSU in 2007 and has served in college administration for more than 20 years. He has a Ph.D. in geology and is author of more than 200 research publications. By R. James Kirkpatrick Students walk through the Benefactors Plaza behind the Natural Science Building.

Connections Alumni Newsletter 2010

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Personalizing scientifi c experiences on a grand scale

NaturalScience.msu.edu

Fall is back in East Lansing and with it the energy of our new and returning students. Enrollment in

the sciences at Michigan State remains at an all-time high, and this fall we welcomed 1,200 freshmen to the College as they began their journey of exploration and discovery in science and mathematics.

The pace of scientifi c advancement is breath-taking and continues to increase. For the College of Natural Science, this means that we must both continue to increase our research productivity and stature, and fi nd ways to embed this new knowledge deeply into the education we offer our students. We are fully focused on both of these missions.

In this ever-evolving world, though, we must continue to ensure that the education we offer is fi rmly grounded in the timeless skills of critical thinking, communication, understanding of diverse viewpoints and knowledge of complex issues. Our means for preparing the next generation of scientists are changing, but our ultimate goals remain the same.

We fi rmly believe that the strongest education in the sciences and mathematics is based in learning by doing. Whether it is working alongside faculty and graduate students in a laboratory, fi eld research around the world, or pushing the boundaries of complex mathematical problems, students fi nd that the exhilaration of discovery is a transformative experience.

The scale of this endeavor with our nearly 5,000 undergraduate majors

is a challenge, but we are committed to offering an ever increasing number of students this important opportunity. Undergraduate research continues to grow and provide tremendous experiences for our students. An impressive number of our students were among the 535 who participated in the annual Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum and we expect even more in 2011 as this event continues to grow.

The faculty throughout the College continue to increase their research productivity and have attracted many new grants, a few of which are highlighted in the following pages. Let me especially highlight the BEACON – NSF Science and Technology Center. NSF supports only a very few of these prestigious centers, and this one builds on our expertise in experimental evolution, evolutionary biology, and computational science. This center, along with initiatives in complex materials, energy, infectious disease and molecular metabolism, is working to solve some of the world’s toughest problems. Yet we are also excited about the opportunities each of these initiatives provides for student involvement.

Like all universities, Michigan State continues to evolve as the nation’s fi nancial picture changes. There will be many changes at the University and in the College as we focus on our strongest and most important programs and objectives. We will keep you abreast of these changes as they come about.

We are continuing to look toward the future by building on our strengths.

NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS FALL 2010

College of Natural Science

CONNECTIONS

Construction of the new plant science building at the corner of Bogue Street and Wilson Road began last spring. When it is completed in 2012, it will serve as an interdisciplinary hub for research involving plant science, bioenergy and plant genomics. The building will have multiple levels of research laboratories, and again, will provide our students the opportunity to enhance their education by working alongside some of the world’s strongest researchers.

Virtually every alum I speak with has a story related to their personal experience at MSU and how it has affected their life. We are committed to giving our students the opportunities to have these experiences. I encourage you to stay connected and to join us as we continue to build this extraordinary University.

R. James Kirkpatrick is Dean of the College of Natural Science. He joined MSU in 2007 and has served in college administration for more than 20 years. He has a Ph.D. in geology and is author of more than 200 research publications.

By R. James Kirkpatrick

Students walk through the Benefactors Plaza behind the Natural Science Building.

2MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

In the ten years since the completion of the Human Genome Project, tremendous advances have been

made in the technology driving the fi eld of genomics. In addition to the human genome, understanding microorganisms and their roles is important to advancing discoveries in bioenergy, nutrition and health.

Sequencing continues to become more effi cient and where collecting genomics data used to take years, it now takes hours. Decoding the massive amount of data and understanding the function of the genes encoded by the DNA, a process called genome annotation, is where some of biggest challenges reside.

One solution to genome annotation is a project involving MSU students under the direction of microbiology faculty members Rob Britton and Poorna Viswanathan. This spring, they initiated a class where students used real DNA sequences that have never been annotated. Instead of reading a text and listening to a lecture, students learned by actually helping

identify and name genes in newly-sequenced bacterial genomes.

“We developed this new course for upper-level students where they receive hands-on genomics experience by working with real genomes and helping solve some unanswered questions,” said Britton. “The students fi nd this immersive experience exciting as they have the potential to make real-world contributions.”

The course, MMG 434: Laboratory in Genomics and Molecular Genetics, was offered during the spring semester. Educating the students on the techniques of genomics is the fi rst step, and this course builds off those techniques. Students used real data, made predictions and had a chance to directly impact work in bacterial genomics.

Students worked with Bacillus subtilis, a soil microorganism used widely as a model bacterium in Britton’s laboratory. The abundance of genetic and genomic tools available for studying the physiology of B. subtilis was ideal for the course.

“It was inspiring for the students as they knew the work they were doing was not just for the sake of learning how to do research or getting a grade, but they could see how they were helping contribute to the scientifi c literature,” said Viswanathan. “We were able to bring the lab experience into the classroom.”

Students Help Fill Gaps in Genome Annotation

GENOMICS IN THE CLASSROOM

Assistant Professor Poorna Viswanathan and Associate Professor Robert Britton developed the new genomics course to provide students hands-on experience in the latest techniques. Viswanathan is director of the undergraduate teaching labs in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and her research is focused on genetically engineering Flavobacteria to produce mosquitocidal toxins. Britton’s research involves genomics of probiotic bacteria and the role of essential GTPases in ribosome biogenesis.

Connections is published annually by the College of Natural Science Advancement Offi ce for alumni and friends. Copyright 2010 Michigan State University. MSU is an affi rmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Send correspondence to: MSU College of Natural Science c/o CNS Advancement Offi ce 103 Natural Science Building East Lansing, MI 48824 (517) 432-4561 | [email protected]

Contributing writers: Suzette Hittner, R. James Kirkpatrick, Alex Parsons, Gordon Shetler, Mike Steger, Elizabeth Wheeler. Photography: Thomas Harpstead, J.P. Lawrence, Pam Rasmussen, Gordon Shetler, Mike Steger, NASA Visible Earth, MSU University Relations.

Students conducted experiments where they received hands-on experience in genomics. They did their own gene knockouts and DNA microarrays to investigate the function of novel genes. Along the way, their skills increased in bioinformatics, microbial community analysis and high-throughput sequencing.

The students focused on three genes that scientists have shown are important for cell growth, yet the genes have no known function. For the fi nal project, students ran experiments and tried to predict the gene functions.

“Their fi ndings yielded no big breakthrough,” noted Britton. “However, the students generated hints as to the function of these genes. These will be followed up on in next year’s course.”

For the students, who were juniors and seniors considering medical school or advanced degrees, it was not the end result but the overall journey that made them give the class high marks. They gained the hands-on skills, worked with real data, and made predictions – all while helping fi ll a small gap in the increasingly large fi eld of genomics.

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 20103

The capabilities of technologies used by scientists in the lab have grown exponentially in recent years.

These advances have created a problem for biologists who are now struggling with data overload as they wrestle massive amounts of data from genomic sequencers.

“Sequencing technology has exceeded the prediction termed as Moore’s Law, with the amount of data produced more than doubling every 18 months, thereby creating new headaches for scientists as they work with these massive data sets,” says Titus Brown, assistant professor of microbiology and computer science. “The problem is like generating the amount of data from a particle accelerator and then using basic offi ce computers to conduct analysis.”

Two bioinformatics issues center around the equipment needed to handle large data sets and training biologists with the techniques needed to work with the data. Added to these problems is that often the data involved comes from multiple sources with each data set formatted differently.

Using College of Natural Science support provided by the George E. Leroi Strategic Visioning Fund endowment, Brown developed an intensive two-week program where he trained two dozen scientists in bioinformatics.

“We found a high demand among scientists who were looking for immediate solutions in their ongoing research,” says Brown. “These were biologists who were analyzing and integrating data sets as they are essentially reverse-engineering what nature has created.”

The program attracted scientists from academia and business. While ten of the participants were from MSU, others traveled from universities as far away as Italy and from companies including Monsanto and Pioneer.

Brown has received international attention for the program as it fi lls a signifi cant need in training scientists in computational data analysis.

“Giving biologists customized training that is normally for computer scientists and physicists is

essential for biological scientists working on the latest problems,” says Brown. “The key is focusing on their skills as biologists and giving customized bioinformatics training as it applies to their knowledge base.”

An effi cient and cost-effective method he used was partnering with Amazon Web Services. The short burst of cloud

Managing Data Overload in Next-Generation Sequencing

computing allowed them to use large amounts of processing power without investing time and money in computing resources for a two week program. This has earned Brown much attention as it is a creative, low-cost solution which many institutions often overlook. The program was held in June at the MSU’s rural Kellogg Biological Station. The intense day- and night-long session was both a scientifi c bonding and learning experience for the participants. Brown is considering building this into an annual event given the success of the fi rst workshop, feedback from the participants, and interest he has received from across the country.

Brown notes that, above all, the program was a forward investment as many of the participants will go on to train others. He has included all materials and components of the course along with the datasets on a website (ged.msu.edu/angus) with a Creative Commons license. Brown hopes that others can benefi t and learn the same techniques for managing the data overload confronting scientists in bioinformatics.

BIOINFORMATICS

Titus Brown, assistant professor of computer science and microbiology, is interested in mechanisms of development and his research lab focused on genomics, evolution, and development.

Students Gain Plant Genomics Research Skills

A plant genomics summer program became an offi cial NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) this summer. The 10-week program is for undergraduates from colleges across the country to come to MSU

and receive intensive experience in biochemistry, genetics, metabolomics and the scientifi c method. Professors Robert Last and Richard Allison lead the MSU program which involves two dozen research labs in fi ve departments on campus.

“The program draws upon the success of an existing fi ve-year summer program,” says Last, the Barnett Rosenberg Professor of Plant Biochemistry. “The visibility of the NSF grant means we can better attract a diverse group of students from across the country at all size institutions and who are eager to leverage the resources at MSU to advance their studies.”

The NSF’s REU program supports active research participation by undergraduate students as students are involved in meaningful ways with ongoing research programs or in research projects specifi cally designed for the REU program. At MSU, the Department of Physics also has an REU which has been in place for 15 years.

4MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

When the Large Hadron Collider is running at full speed, it produces more data than

any single computer in the world could process. Every 25 nanoseconds, bunches of protons collide and hundreds of thousands of individual sensors inside the detector report and create a massive fl ow of data. Some data makes its way from CERN in Geneva, Switzerland to East Lansing where it is processed as part of the global ATLAS experiment.

Physics Professor Raymond Brock is the co-director of the large computer center that analyzes the data that has poured out of the ATLAS detector. The system fi lters data in real-time and diverts it to a grid of supercomputers around the world.

“When two proton beams collide, accord-

ing to Einstein’s famous E=mc2 t-shirt equation, the energy of the beams become masses of hundreds of particles produced as debris,” Brock said. “Since the majority of the collisions are not scientifi cally inter-esting, only about one collision in a trillion is recorded by the detector.”

The accelerator and ATLAS are 300 feet underground where decision-making is done on-the-fl y by on-board electronics which the MSU team helped build. But that is not enough. By the time those intriguing events make it up to the laboratory on the surface, they are fi ltered again by off-line computer facilities around the world. ATLAS data criss-cross two oceans and facilities in ten nations on three continents.

“Teams at MSU and the University of Michigan were chosen to be a part of this world-wide analysis complex,” Brock said.

The global system is built in “tiers.” The CERN Tier 0 system does initial fi ltering and divides results among ten Tier 1 sites in participating countries. Brookhaven National Laboratory is the U.S. Tier 1 center. From there, data are split and sent to fi ve U.S. Tier 2 centers, one of which is the MSU-UM center.

“Our two universities are connected by the Michigan Lambda Rail, a ten gigabit-per-second fi ber optic cable loop to Chicago,” Brock said. “The two universities appear as one massive system.”

When ATLAS is producing data, the MSU data traffi c averages steadily at more than 5 gigabits-per-second – often bursting to full capacity. “MSU continues to build our system to where it will handle 3 petabytes of data per year, roughly 300 billion books worth,” Brock said.

As a part of the Tier 2 “cloud,” MSU is responsible for hosting and processing data for U.S. physicists at nearly 50 campuses. Currently, the equivalent of 1500 computers are crunching numbers 24/7 in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building in East Lansing.

Brock, Joey Huston and seven other MSU experimental faculty’s High Energy Physics research are funded by the National Science Foundation. The MSU HEP Group consists of nine faculty plus 20 graduate students and post docs, stationed in East Lansing and in Switzerland.

Michigan Physicists Partner to Process ATLAS Experiment Data

Professor Raymond Brock stands in the ATLAS Great Lakes Tier 2 Computing Center - one of only fi ve in the country that are gathering and analyzing data from the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s most powerful particle accelerator.

At 7,000 tons, the ATLAS detector is the largest detector at the Large Hadron Collider in CERN. Inside this behemoth are six different detecting

subsystems used to identify particles and measure their energy and momentum. A team of MSU physicists had a signifi cant role designing, building and installing the hadron calorimeter in ATLAS called the Tilecal. Inside the Tilecal, in a matrix of steel, are 450,000 scintillating tiles made of polystyrene – the same type of plastic as used with CD cases – doped with wavelength-shifting chemicals.

“The idea is that stacks of scintillators create light whenever charged particles pass through them,” said Joey Huston, professor of physics, who studies the products of the collisions of high-energy particles. “The light from the wavelength-shifting fi bers are collected in different photo-detectors. Because of this segmentation, we can determine both the direction and energy of the particles produced in the collision.”

The debris from collisions scatter in what is called “jets.” Within the last several years, Huston, along with CNS undergraduate students, wrote a computer program, “SpartyJet,” that is used to model predicted results and test experimental data. Two of the students who worked on this project went on to win Goldwater scholarships.

“After 20 years of planning and construction, we fi nally have an accelerator and a detector that can answer many of the most fundamental questions in the universe,” Huston said.

PROCESSING POWER

Measuring High-Energy Collisions

Professor Joey Huston

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 20105

Professor Jeanne Wald and a team of math advisors greeted hundreds of incoming freshmen students this

summer during the Academic Orientation Program and zeroed in on high-performing, mathematically-talented students.

The freshmen Wald was recruiting typically scored at least in the 97th percentile on the math portion of the ACT and excelled at high school calculus. From that group, Wald was seeking students who enjoy the thrill of being challenged.

Wald was recruiting students for several new advanced track math courses at MSU. These courses are sections of existing classes designed specifi cally for mathematically-talented students who seek a challenge. Calculus, linear algebra and differential equations are three of the classes offered this year with the advanced track option.

The advanced track course sequence is fl exible so students with varying levels of high school math can enter. Wald says one of the principles behind the courses is to

have a cohort of students who have equally high abilities and seek out the challenge of more diffi cult problems.

“If you put students together who are excited to be challenged and they get together to help each other, you get a stimulating environment full of energy,” said Wald. “These students build a strong cohort and enjoy the challenge and learning that accompanies it.”

As an incentive to students seeking the advanced track courses, the department is offering scholarships and special job opportunities. Several advanced track students will work in the Math Learning Center or as teaching aides so they can earn money while honing their skills and helping others.

Wald was hoping to have at least 15 students enrolled in the advanced track linear algebra course this fall. She had more than 30 students enroll. The department is also working to make this an offi cial option accompanying the mathematics major, and a proposal is currently in academic governance.

Advanced Sections Engage Students Who Crave Challenge

Beginning this fall, a one-credit seminar course “Mathematics Snapshots” has also been added. The seminar aims at generating interest and excitement about mathematics by exposing students to the beauty of math as well as the broad spectrum of its ideas and applications. Led by department chair Yang Wang, it includes guest lectures on selected topics and focuses on important ideas without indulging in technical details. The seminar is designed for students who enjoy math and look to explore career options in a range of fi elds.

“Students emerging from the advanced track program will be prepared quantitatively to go anywhere,” said Wald. “They are prepared for graduate school, professional school or the most challenging positions.”

For Wald, talking with incoming freshmen who enjoy being challenged in math was an exciting way to spend the summer.

ADVANCED MATH

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) project is on schedule and making progress. The facility will cost about $600 million and has an early completion goal of 2018. Adjoining,

and eventually subsuming, the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL), FRIB will be a U.S. Department of Energy Offi ce of Science National User Facility designed, established and operated by Michigan State University to support the mission of the Offi ce of Nuclear Physics in the DOE Offi ce of Science.

The DOE Offi ce of Science approved Critical Decision 1 (CD-1) for FRIB on September 1, 2010, which establishes the preferred alternative and cost/schedule range. Engineering and design activities over the next two years will develop the preferred alternative to a level of readiness where its cost, schedule, and scope can be baselined. Construction is currently underway on a new offi ce wing and experimental area addition to NSCL, an MSU contribution to the laboratory which will be completed in Fall 2011. Conventional construction for FRIB facilities are anticipated to begin in 2013.

Preferred Alternative Approved for DOE Rare Isotope Facility

An artist’s rendering of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, located east of the Chemistry and Biochemistry buildings. The facility adjoins, and will eventually subsume, the NSCL.

6MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

Walking into Richard Lenski’s lab in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building

provides a panoramic view of Spartan Stadium, the MSU Dairy Store and the Capitol dome. The unassuming incubator humming away at the end of a lab bench and the dozen gyrating fl asks yield no clues to their notoriety and importance.

Richard Lenski, Hannah Professor of Microbial Ecology, started the E. coli long-term evolution experiment in 1988. The inexorable rhythm of the project continues daily as cultures are propagated, samples are frozen, and generations evolve. The experiment is essentially a time machine. Samples are frozen at each 500 generation stage, allowing Lenski and his students to retrace evolution as it occurs.

And the E. coli have evolved.

One major breakthrough came in 2003 after 33,000 generations. The E. coli evolved a new way to eat and began using citrate – a secondary resource that their ancestors could not use – as food. The frozen

samples allowed Lenski and his students to replay the experiment and determine the role of earlier genetic changes in this breakthrough. The fi ndings, published in 2008, quickly became a benchmark study in evolution as it documented evolution in action.

In February, the 22nd anniversary of the experiment brought another milestone:

50,000 Generations of E. Coli Provide Data on Evolution

50,000 generations. Watching the same number of generations in humans would take around one million years.

Studying evolution, however, goes beyond the lab. Just days after the 50,000 generation milestone, a team of MSU faculty, anchored by Lenski, was awarded a Science and Technology Center (STC) grant by the National Science Foundation.

The $25 million grant unites biologists who study natural evolutionary processes with computer scientists and engineers who are harnessing these processes. The Bio/computational Evolution in Action CONsortium, or BEACON, involves more than 30 faculty in four MSU colleges and four other universities.

The data and concepts provided by biological scientists will enhance the development of computer models and engineered systems. The understanding of evolution will be applied to create new technologies and to solve problems ranging from the development of safer cars to systems that detect computer intrusions.

With a cadre of undergraduate and gradu-ate students, Lenski’s lab has emerged as a leader in the study of evolution. They have performed competition experiments to quantify changes in organismal fi tness, measured spontaneous mutation rates to discover changes in DNA-repair functions, and sequenced entire genomes to fi nd all of the mutations responsible for the fi tness gains and other phenotypic changes.

Students in the lab aim to integrate understanding of these genomic and phenotypic changes by identifying and manipulating both genetic and ecological variables. The long-term evolution experiment is their time machine for continuing the study of evolution in action – a concept suggested by Charles Darwin and one playing out on the sixth fl oor of the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building.

Lenski’s research is funded by the NSF and other federal agencies, as well as an endowment honoring long-time MSU president John Hannah. Students in the Lenski Lab are funded through research fellowships, undergraduate research scholarships and other endowments established through private support.

Richard Lenski, Hannah Professor of Microbial Ecology, pulls frozen bacteria cultures out of a freezer in his lab where he studies evolution in action.

6MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

Watching the same number of generations in humans would take around one million years.

EVOLUTION

The National Science Foundation awarded MSU a prestigious Science and Technology Center, or STC, this spring to study evolution in action. The center, titled BEACON, unites biologists studying natural evolutionary processes with engineers who are harnessing these processes. More than 30 faculty across MSU are involved, including co-principal investigators Richard Lenski and Kay Holekamp. Researchers will use deep biological principles to stimulate innovation in computational realms. More information is on the website at beacon.msu.edu.

SCIENCE & TECH CENTER

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 20107

Expansion Supports Plant Science Research

Construction began in the spring on a new science building to serve plant science research across MSU. The building will house the increased number of plant science researchers related to funded NIH and NSF initiatives, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Michigan Agriculture Experiment Station.

The 4-story, 80,000 square foot facility will have 2 levels of open research labs providing scientists with nearly 40,000 square feet of lab space. Plant scientists will also have access to 60 growth chambers in the basement needed to accommodate the growing areas of research.

The facility is located at the southwest corner of the Bogue Street and Wilson Road intersection. It will connect the Plant Biology and the Plant and Soil

Sciences buildings, allowing scientists to travel between the south campus greenhouses and

research labs without having to travel outside and risk exposing research

to extreme temperatures or contamination.

The $40 million facility is expected to be completed by 2012.

Fighting Malaria in MalawiMSU is home to one of ten recently announced International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research funded by the National Institutes of Health. The role of the MSU center is part of a continued effort to eliminate malaria in the African nation of Malawi. A team of MSU researchers across four departments will use the seven-year, $9.1 million federal grant to create new prevention and control strategies. MSU has been actively involved in malaria research in Malawi since 1985. The project is led by Terrie Taylor and also involves microbiologists Walt Esselman and Ned Walker.

Understanding Enteric DiseaseScientists are looking at the enteric microbiome as part of a $7.3 million grant to study the microbes in intestines and analyze the role they play in food- and water-borne illnesses. MSU’s Enterics Research Investigational Network (ERIN) is one of four such research centers being funded by grants from the NIH. The goal is to develop new interventions and treatments for food- and water-borne diseases. Enteric diseases, which are primarily caused by food- and water-borne pathogens, are the leading cause of acute diarrheal illness. ERIN researchers will be focus on three areas: microbial ecology and pathogenesis, host response, and clinical research. MSU faculty in four colleges and seven departments, along with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, are involved, including Robert Britton, Shannon Manning, Jim Tiedje, Terence Marsh, Thomas Schmidt, John Linz, Christopher Waters, and principal investigator Linda Mansfi eld.

RESEARCH

A team of MSU researchers developed a new cooling method in order to help them uncover the inner

workings of a key iron-containing enzyme.Taurine/alpha-ketoglutarate dioxygenase, known as TauD, is a bacterial enzyme that is important in metabolism. Enzymes in this family repair DNA, sense oxygen and help produce antibiotics.

The collaboration of researchers included Microbiology Professor Robert Hausinger and Biochemistry Professor Denis Proshlyakov, along with colleague Piotr Grzyska and Evan Appelman of the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago.

The researchers were exploring how iron and oxygen atoms reacted together in the enzyme. As the reactions were fast and complex, they developed a new method to follow the reaction by using a stream of nitrogen gas to slow down the reaction at -36 C. Ethylene glycol was used to prevent freezing and to keep the reaction going. Then lasers followed the vibrations of iron and oxygen atoms to determine how the reaction progressed.

The researchers found never seen before steps in the TauD reaction. Their fi ndings were published earlier this year in the Proceedings of National Academy of Science Early Edition. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

ENZYMES

Unlocking an Enzyme Using ‘Cool’ Method

8MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

As CNS continues to experience large numbers of undergraduate students in preprofessional majors, faculty and staff advisors have seen their schedules

fi ll up weeks in advance. To accommodate some of the more immediate student questions, CNS started a new program this fall to help advise students who are pursuing professional health careers.

The Preprofessional Peer Advisors are a group of upper-class students who assist other students with a variety of advising needs, including co-curricular activities, information on prerequisites and application preparation. These peer advisors are an integral part of the College’s advising program as they hold regular offi ce hours and work in tandem with College of Natural Science faculty and staff advisors.

The peer advisors are fi ve juniors and seniors who are trained to provide a basic level of guidance as well as provide students

CNS Enlists Juniors and Seniors to Provide Peer Guidance

Human Biology Senior Margaret White (left), a preprofessional peer advisor, discusses options for majors with Pre-med Sophomore Megan Hart in the College of Natural Science Center for Student Engagement.

STUDENTS HELPING STUDENTS

with their own wealth of personal experience learned during their years at MSU. The peer advising program helps expedite guidance and support while providing a peer-to-peer experience for CNS students.

Program Preps Freshmen for Campus Life

Helping students transition from high school to college-level science is one of the goals of

the SpartaNature program, now in its second year in the College of Natural Science. More than 100 incoming freshmen spent three days in July at the Kellogg Biological Station as part of the program. The students earn two credits as they participate in different learning modules.

Students are engaged in a variety of scientifi c tasks designed to boost their research skills. These hands-on experiences range from collecting plant samples in the forest and zebra mussels from Gull Lake to studying bees under microscopes and leaf samples in a lab. At each step of the process, faculty are involved with small groups of students as they experience science at MSU.

SPARTANATURE

The program builds connections with faculty and students. Students live in the dorms and activities are scheduled throughout their entire stay. KBS is MSU’s largest off-campus education complex.

Students measure and calculate the fl ow of Augusta Creek near the Kellogg Biological Station during SpartaNature in July.

A look at some of the numbers involving the College of Natural Science (Fall 2010):

4,923 Undergraduate CNS Majors 1,167 Freshman CNS Majors 1,037 CNS Graduate Students 862 Bachelors Degrees Awarded (12/09-8/10) 328 Tenure-stream Faculty in CNS 34 Undergraduate Majors Off ered

in CNS

SpartaNature exposes students to a variety of options available for science majors, allowing them to explore majors they otherwise may not have considered. The hands-on experiences in different labs and fi eld research works to develop their passion for science.

SpartaNature will expand in 2011 to allow for a greater number of incoming freshmen to participate. For additional photos or more information on the program, visit spartanature.msu.edu

CNS BY THE NUMBERS

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 20109

For visitors to campus, the construction around Wells Hall is apparent as MSU adds offi ces to

replace those in Morrill Hall. Yet away from the renovations, in the south end of Wells Hall, a less visible change in the Department of Mathematics has alumni and students extremely excited as its success is already taking shape.

The continued evolution of actuarial science in the Department of Mathematics has already begun to see success.

“The actuarial science specialization was started just a couple years ago,” says Yang Wang, chair of the Department of Mathematics. “We developed it with the help of many alumni working in the fi eld, so we were able to incorporate the latest ideas for a curriculum mirroring what the business world expects and what gives the students the best skills for success.”

As the recently named director of actuarial science, Albert Cohen also believes the short history combined with alumni involvement is a major advantage for MSU students.

“Being brand new, we have the ability to develop a program using the latest methods and practices,” said Cohen. “We have agility and have developed a strong program which can partner closely with companies being served by our graduates.”

Cohen added that students have been equally excited and are doing more than just taking the required classes. “They are immersing themselves in the culture,” said Cohen. “We have a very strong actuarial student club and they use every opportunity to deepen their understanding of the technical side of actuarial life. They are hungry for research ideas and real-world problems, and for those we turn to our business contacts to help provide real-world experience.”

The success of the actuarial science specialization can be measured by the student demand. In addition to mathematics students, it has attracted students from other majors as they discover the benefi ts actuarial science provides in landing jobs in private industry like insurance and hedge funds, added Wang.

Currently, students at MSU can receive a specialization in actuarial science. The program is working through college and university committees with the goal of becoming an offi cial undergraduate major in the near future. In the meantime, Cohen invites alumni in the fi eld to connect with him ([email protected]) as they help build a network for developing the program, support business needs and providing real-world experience for students.

ACTUARIAL SCIENCE

Actuarial Science Continues to Grow on Campus

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2011. The department will mark the anniversary during the annual Boezi Awards banquet in April. As part of the anniversary celebration, professor emeritus Clarence Suelter is compiling a history of the department which will be available electronically in the Spring.

BMB has more than 2,000 living alumni and has awarded 585 advanced degrees over the past 50 years, the majority being Ph.D.’s. E-mail [email protected] for details and to get on the mailing list for anniversary events.

The Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program will celebrate its 85th anniversary in the 2011-12 academic year. Things will kickoff with a football tailgate and end with a gala event. BLD is planning a web streaming alumni speaker series for students as well as other anniversary alumni events.

The BLD program has more than 3,000 living alumni with degrees in Medical Technology, Diagnostic Molecular Science, Clinical Laboratory Science and Biomedical Laboratory Operations. E-mail [email protected] for details and to get on their mailing list for the events.

BIOMEDICAL LAB DIAGNOSTICS 85TH ANNIVERSARY

Stay Connected with CNS

CNS Group on LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/CNSlink

CNS Fan Page on Facebook: http://bit.ly/CNSfbpage

CNS on Twitter: @MSU_NatSci

Several departments and programs in CNS also have specifi c groups for alumni and students from their majors. For a comprehensive list, go to naturalscience.msu.edu/social.html.

Upcoming Anniversary Celebrations

BIOCHEMISTRY 50TH ANNIVERSARY

10MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

Alumni Experience Classes Without Quizzes

Alumni returned to campus for a day of classes without quizzes this Spring. The inaugural event, titled Science University, provided alumni a chance to brush up on their science while getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse of campus today.

Students and faculty taught classes for the alumni. Classes were fun and educational, and the subjects included a microbiology class on evolution, a physics class discussing everything from the Big Bang to baseball, and a zoology class on hyenas.

“Our goal was to have alumni glimpse some of the unique experiences on campus and feel the excitement surrounding science at MSU,” said coordinator Elizabeth Wheeler. “The alumni experienced a day with faculty and students which brought back memories while showing how campus has changed. Everyone came away learning something new – whether it was about plant biology or fuel cells or simply student life on campus.”

CNS will host the event again on April 8-9, 2011. Details will be on the website at naturalscience.msu.edu/alumni. If you wish to participate or suggest a topic for a class, contact Elizabeth Wheeler at (517) 884-0290 or [email protected].

Join CNS Alumni for

Science University 2011:Classes without Quizzes

Relive your college years and re-experience MSU with two days of interactive classes, labs and tours from CNS faculty and students.

Friday, April 8, 2011Get behind-the-scenes tours, experience the excitement of the undergraduate research forum, and enjoy a dinner with CNS alumni, faculty and students.

Saturday, April 9, 2011Attend classes by CNS faculty and students where you will learn something new and enjoy the thrill of reliving your college days. Topics will explore many areas of natural science. No. 2 pencil not required.

Meet the CNS Alumni Association Board of Directors

SCIENCE UNIVERSITY

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 201011

The CNS Alumni Association is seeking nominations for the 2011

alumni awards. You can nominate yourself or another alumnus who exemplifi es the values of MSU and is a role model in their fi eld. Also nominate any MSU faculty member who helped make a difference in your college experience. Nominations for the Outstanding Alumni, Recent Alumni and Meritorious Faculty awards are due January 15, 2011. Forms and details are at naturalscience.msu.edu/alumni.

Azam Niroomand-Rad Outstanding Alumni Award

Azam Niroomand-Rad (M.S. Physics ‘71, Ph.D. Physics ‘78) was honored

with the Outstanding Alumni Award in recognition of her leadership and distinguished career in medical physics. While at MSU, she studied under the direction of Paul Parker in physics. Niroomand-Rad spent nearly 20 years at Georgetown University Medical Center’s Department of Radiation Medicine where she was director of clinical physics and professor of medical physics.

Throughout her career, Niroomand-Rad promoted her profession and the safe practice of radiation in hospitals and universities. She organized medical physics workshops and training courses in developing countries and helped establish several foreign national medical physics associations. She has also served as a liaison for the United Nations in promoting women’s and human rights in Iran.

In 2009, the World Congress of Medical Physics and Bioengineering presented her its top award - the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Award - for a distinguished career contributing to the advancement of international medical physics through research, teaching and leadership. Niroomand-Rad is retired and lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Julie Libarkin Meritorious Faculty Award

Associate Professor Julie

Libarkin received the Meritorious Faculty Award. She is a leader in university science education and focuses on improving how people learn science by understanding how they gain and interpret information.

Libarkin joined MSU in 2006 and is the director of the Geocognition Research Laboratory where she is known for the Geoscience Concept Inventory – an assessment tool used to evaluate student conceptions for classroom or research purposes. She is developing an empirical and theoretically consistent model for geocognition, a description of both the mechanisms by which novices gain understanding of geologic phenomena and the nature of working geological expertise. Libarkin is a faculty member of the Department of Geological Sciences and the Division of Science and Mathematics Education.

Chemistry Chair John McCracken, Recent Alumni Award Recipient Daniel Mindiola and CNS Dean R. James Kirkpatrick.

Professor Emeritus Paul Parker, Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient Azam Niroomand-Rad and CNS Dean R. James Kirkpatrick.

Associate Professor Julie Libarkin

NOMINATIONS

Daniel Mindiola Recent Alumni Award

Daniel Mindiola (B.S. Chemistry ‘96 ) received the Recent Alumni Award.

He is a professor of inorganic chemistry at Indiana University and has a remarkable track record of publications and awards in the eight years he has been part of the faculty. He and his students have contributed 58 articles and reviews, and is work has been cited 845 times with 241 of these appearing in papers published in 2009.

An ardent promoter of diversity in the sciences, Mindiola founded the Indiana University chapter of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. He also serves on the American Chemical Society Minority Affairs Committee and the Fellowship Affairs Committee. The students he has mentored are sought by the best scientists in the world.

Together with his research students, Mindiola discovered how to prepare low coordinate, multiple-bond complexes of inexpensive and versatile metals like titanium, vanadium and niobium that allows for their routine use in group-transfer chemistry. Applications based on this discovery could lead to cleaner and cheaper petroleum-based fuels.

2010 College of Natural Science Alumni Association Awards

12MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

1950’s & 1960’sLambert “Bert” Osen, Chemistry ’55, is a consultant to the coatings industry and is a 55-year member of the American Chemical Society and a 45-year member of the Society of Plastic Engineers.

Lawrence Quinn, Chemistry ’61, retired from Aerojet Propulsion in 2008 and moved to South Ogden, Utah.

James Sprague, Zoology ’64, has been developing and coordinating the technology to recycle coal combustion by-products into benefi cial applications.

Carl Brandon, Physics ’66, has been awarded 10 NASA grants over the past six years and was recently awarded a NASA Launch Opportunity which will have a single CubeSat to test a GPS/celestial lunar navigation system on a mission in 2012.

Ron Simon, Math ’67, retired from Auto-Owners Insurance after 44 years with the Lansing-based company. He was named President in 2005 and CEO in 2008.

Stanley Kantor, Zoology ’68, is assistant professor of family medicine in the Dept. of Family Medicine at the Univ. of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

1970’sRoger Gale, Math ’71, continues teaching high school math in Antioch, Illinois.

Seth Reice, Ph.D. Zoology ’73, has entered a 3-year phased retirement from the Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Russ Meyer, Zoology ’74, is the Associate Director for Housing Operations and Dining Services at the Univ. of Nevada, Reno.

Paul Watkins, Microbiology ’74, is the Director of Business Development, Marketing and Sales for North America, for the bioinformatics software and database management company BC Platforms.

Julie Harrington, Medical Technology ’77, is a Publishing Technology Consultant with SAGE Publications in Ohio.

Christina (Sieh) Hwang, Medical Technology ’78, is in her 31st year working in the Clinical Laboratories at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Gary McLeod, Nutrition ’78, was named a Fellow in the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic.

Arasiri Paleebut, M.S. Math ’78, has retired as Regional IT Manager from the East Asiatic (Thailand) Public Company.

Daniel Farkas, Microbiology ’79, has been appointed as Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology in the MSU College of Human Medicine. He also recently co-authored the fourth edition of DNA From A to Z and Back Again and was named Program Chair for the 2012 Association for Molecular Pathology Annual Meeting.

David Paddock, Math ‘79, M.S. Geology ‘82, has been promoted to Scientifi c Advisor – Seismic Reservoir Characterization at Schlumberger Technology Corporation.

1980’sBrandon West, Microbiology ’82, is in his 24th year practicing Podiatric Medicine and Surgery in Walled Lake, Mich.

Eric Eggenberger, Nutritional Sciences ‘83, is professor and vice chair of MSU’s Dept. of Neurology & Ophthalmology.

Pete Fitzpatrick, Geology ’83, is the I.T. Manager at US Foodservice in Wixom, Mich. April (Falardeau) Kiefer, Math ’85, recently completed her masters in mathematics education at Eastern Michigan Univ. and has started teaching mathematics courses at Schoolcraft Community College.

Frank Rabbio, Geology ’85, M.S. ’88, is Exploration Manager for Catamount Exploration in Denver working the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico and a variety of onshore resource sites.

Mark Rosenthal, Bio. Science ’86, is owner of Animal Magic, Inc, a licensed non-profi t, no-kill exotic animal rescue/educational facility in Belleville, Mich.

Martha Whitaker, Geology ’88, is an undergraduate advisor and instructor for the Univ. of Arizona’s Dept. of Hydrology & Water Resources and received three awards this year: the UA College of Science Distinguished Advising Award, the UA Excellence in Academic Advising Award (Faculty Advisor Category), and the Outstanding New Faculty Adviser Award from the National Academic Advising Association.

Let us share your accomplishments with fellow Spartans.Send your news to [email protected]

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 201013

1990’sVasilis Katsikiotis, M.S. Statistics ’90, Ph.D. ’95, is a Managing Director at Global Markets and Investment Banking at Bank of America - Merrill Lynch in New York, and in June received the Alumni of the Year Award from the School of Business at George Washington Univ.

Greg Buzzard, M.S. Math ’91, was promoted to Professor in the Dept. of Mathematics at Purdue Univ.

Amanda Fitzpatrick, Medical Technology ’91, is with the Red Cross and is the Quality Director for the Western Lake Erie Blood Services Region in Toledo, Ohio.

Terri Green, Zoology ’95, received a M.S. in Public Health from Walden Univ. and is the Chair for Sciences at Baker College in Jackson, Mich.

Konstantinos Chondroudis, Ph.D. Chem-istry ’97, is Production and R & D Director at Philkeram Johnson - a manufactur-ing company related to the construction industry in Greece.

David Szymanski, M.S. Geological Sciences ’99, Ph.D. ’07, is a professor in the Dept. of Natural and Applied Sciences at Bentley Univ. in Waltham, Mass.

2000’sKathleen Ham, Zoology ’00, is a board certifi ed small animal veterinary surgeon.

Ryan Blissett, Human Biology ’02, received a Master of Medical Science degree from Harvard Medical School and a certifi cate of advanced graduate study in prosthodontics from Harvard School of Dental Medicine where he currently lectures and provides clinical instruction to post-doctoral residents in the prosthodontics department.

Heather Hallen-Adams, Ph.D. Ecology, Evo. Biology & Behavior ’02, is Assistant

Professor at the Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln in the Dept. of Food Science and Tech.

Angela Carmell Hendrick, Physiology ’03, fi nished a residency in family medicine and is a staff family physician with obstetrics at the Columbia Valley Community Health Center and Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, Wash.

Michael Davison, Zoology ’03, received a DVM from Mississippi State Univ. and practices small and large animal medicine and surgery in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Carlos Maidana, M.S. Physics ’03, has been awarded a Senior Research Fellowship at CERN. His duties include research at the Compact Linear Collider, operation & control of the LHC and responsibilities as the Scientifi c Secretary for the Technical Department - Machine Protection Group - Performance Evaluation Section.

Tim Bodnar, Human Biology ’04, will be one of four Chief Medical Residents at Univ. of Michigan Health System in 2011.

Alayna Goetsch, Chemistry ’04, is teaching high school chemistry in Pfl ugerville, Texas.

Andrew Hall, Bio. Science ’04, is a high school biology and chemistry teacher in Henrico, Virginia.

Connie Eisenhart, General Science ’05, teaches science at Guardian Angels

Academy Catholic School.

Travis Reed, Biochemistry ’05, is doing a surgical

internship at Veterinary Specialists of Rochester, New York.

Jason Bennett, Ph.D. Chemistry ’06, is an

Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Penn

State Erie, The Behrend College, and is conducting

research in electrochemical sensors and electrocatalysis.

Erin Burkett, Zoology ’07, is in the Univ. of Michigan’s Conservation Biology masters program in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

Michelle (Seppala) Gibbs, Zoology ’07, is Next Generation Energy Coordinator at Lakeshore Tech. College in Wisconsin.

Brian Glasby, Microbiology ’07, is teaching 8th grade science at Westside K-8 in Orlando, Florida.

Amy (Marsh) Heriford, Math ’07, completed a Master’s in Special Education from MSU and is teaching resource geometry at Grand Ledge High School.

Ria Mehta, Math ’07, is a Health Information Analyst for Quality Partners of Rhode Island, a non-profi t quality improvement organization hired by the Center of Medicare & Medicaid services.

Elizabeth Murphy, Zoology ’07, is Life Science Product Manager for ThermoFisher Scientifi c.

MacKenzie Potvin, Math ’07, is teaching math at Waianae High School on Oahu.

Casey Miller, Env. Geosciences ’08, is an Environmental Geologist at DLZ Michigan, performing remediation activities at contamination sites in Michigan and Indiana.

Michelle Conway, Human Biology ’09, completed a Masters in Public Health from Dartmouth College and recently joined the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians as a Community Coordinator for their Strategic Alliance for Health grant.

Rex Famitangco, M.S. Clinical Lab. Sci. ’09, is the Laboratory Administrative Director of Morrill County Community Hospital in Bridgeport, Nebraska.

Rahul Ragunathan, Physics ’09, is an Application Programming Specialist at IBM in their East Lansing Delivery Center.

Edita Klimyte, Biochemistry and Microbiology ’10, started in the an M.D./Ph.D. program at the Univ. of Kentucky.

Help us share your

Spartan success stories with students & alumni

Stay connected

Send us your career news and updates to

[email protected]

14MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

For the average freshman arriving on campus this fall, they can expect to budget around $22,000 for in-state

tuition, room and board and other personal expenses. This puts MSU students slightly above the national average of total expenses which, according to The College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges, is $19,388 for in-state students at public four-year institutions.

Looking beyond the issue of fi nancial aid and debt, another area of great concern is that of opportunity. For students majoring in biological, physical or mathematical sciences, their careers depend on their involvement outside the traditional classroom while they are at MSU. Activities such as undergraduate research, study abroad and being involved in student organizations all help provide skills while creating an immersive learning environment for the students.

Lost Opportunities

Yet when fi nances become tight, these activities are the fi rst things dropped as students opt for part-time jobs or decide not to incur the travel cost of studying mammals in Kenya. It is these opportunities where students miss out on once-in-a-lifetime activities. It is these experiences where students learn and work alongside some of the most brilliant scientists in the world. It is these programs where students apply what they learn and hone their career skills.

For many alumni, these experiences are among the highlights of their college years. I regularly hear stories from alumni who often credit these in shaping their career.

These opportunities are built into many prestigious awards and scholarships. Whether it is a Goldwater Scholarship or an MSU Alumni Distinguished Scholarship, one of the major benefi ts is the ability to focus on the education and the opportunities available.

Unfortunately, there are not nearly enough of these awards for the 1,200 incoming College of Natural Science freshmen. Last year, 92 percent of MSU freshmen received fi nancial aid and we expect that number to remain the same this year. Equally alarming is that more than half of the fi nancial aid MSU students received last year was in student loans.

An Incentive to Help

In 2009, MSU received an anonymous gift of $10 million with a provision: the gift must be used for student fi nancial aid scholarships. With this gift, MSU launched the Spartan Scholarship Challenge as a way to leverage the gift into additional scholarships for students.

As we wind down to the closing months of the Scholarship Challenge, the College of Natural Science has been among the most successful on campus in using this opportunity to help our students. A half dozen CNS freshmen arrived this fall with a four-year scholarship and that number will more than double next year and continue to grow as the gifts and pledges are fulfi lled.

As I have worked with alumni in setting up their Challenge scholarships, the common theme I encounter is that the alumni are excited to be able to give students the ability to take advantage of opportunities.

The criteria for these scholarships is simply fi nancial need, however, the benefactors can target the scholarship based on an area of study. So far, we have multiple scholarships benefi tting students in biochemistry, physics, mathematics, zoology and food science as well as college-level scholarships for more broadly-defi ned areas of study.

The Challenge uses the initial anonymous gift as a match of $1 for every $2 donated. Under this program, a $20,000 gift can be used to reach the minimum $30,000 needed to establish an endowment.

The Challenge will run through the end of 2010. Yet for the benefactors and students receiving the scholarships, I have no doubt the lasting imprint of the opportunities provided will impact Spartans for generations to come. I encourage you to contact us and make your personal opportunity grow into infi nite opportunities for future students.

Suzette Hittner, senior director of development for the College of Natural Science, can be reached at (517) 353-9855 or [email protected].

Sources: The College Board, 2009-2010 Annual Survey of Colleges. http://www.trends-collegeboard.com/college_pricing/1_2_total_student_budgets.html?expandable=0

MSU Controller’s Offi ce, Estimated Undergraduate Budget 2010. http://ctlr.msu.edu/download/studentaccounts/SampleBudgets.pdf

Scholarship Challenge Increases Opportunities for Students

By Suzette Hittner

3% - Other

25%Department &

Program Support

Student Scholarships, Fellowships, and Undergraduate Research

Student Scholarships, Fellowships, and Undergraduate Research

1% - Faculty Endowments

34%

Includes gifts to the college received as of June 30, 2010.

37%Research

Where Your Philanthropy Helped in 2009-2010

hh

received as of June 30, 2010.

Ways to Make a Gift

Gifts of cashSecurities and real estate Matching giftsBequestsLife income plans Retirement plans

Each donor directs how and where their gift is used. Here is how the $4 millionin gifts received by the College of Natural Science in 2009-2010 were applied.

Clifton R. Wharton SocietyRecognizing individuals who makes a commitment of at least $2,500,000 to MSU or a qualifying deferred gift of at least $3,750,000. Randolph Cowen

Kedzie SocietyRecognizing individuals who make a commitment between $1,000,000 and $2,499,999 or a documented planned gift of at least $1,500,000.Stephen and Patricia ChazenDavid Grant Dvorak, M.D.Dr. and Mrs. Kirkwood E. FaberLarry D. FowlerGregory F. HauserMr. Harley N. HotchkissProfessor Rudolph Hugh, Ph.D.William N. HurjaGlenda and Peter LappanHenry and Lois BlosserDrs. G. Thomas and Robin L. MorganTimothy R. and Patricia E. OrenElizabeth Difanis PhillipsRon and Sharon RogowskiRitta RosenbergRichard and Patricia Wagner

Shaw SocietyRecognizing individuals who make a commitment between $500,000 and $999,999 to MSU or a documented planned gift of at least $1,000,000. Marilyn M. CulpepperKeith and Sue KnappDr. George H. LauffDrs. Richard J. and Renate M. SniderJim ValranceWarren and Anneliese WoodAlfred J. Zeits

Abbot SocietyRecognizing individuals who make a commitment between $250,000 and $499,999 to MSU or a documented planned gift of at least $500,000. Richard and Joyce Benefi elJ. K. Billman, Jr., M.D.Marc ConlinPam and Bill CostabileLarry R. Dalton and Nicole BoandMark and Sandy EhlertRichard and Claire GantosDr. Ronald E. GoldsberryThomas and Mary KrigasDr. Evan F. MeltzerLeo V. and Rebecca NothstineJack and Karen Sue Preiss

The many alumni and friends whose names ap-pear on the following pages have provided the fi nancial foundation for the College of Natural Science. Their support allows the college to provide scholarships to promising students, as-sist faculty with research and academic pursuits and enhance the natural science community.

Recognition represents contributions made between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. While we have carefully reviewed the names listed, we apologize for any errors or omissions and encourage you to contact the CNS Advancement Offi ce at (517) 353-9855.

Honor Roll of Donors

Snyder SocietyRecognizing individuals who make a commitment between $100,000 and $249,999 to MSU or a documented planned gift of at least $200,000. Orrin and Eleanor BarrettRalph and Dorothy BertolaciniCec BorgesonDr. D. Otto ChengCarol A. DesJardinsDr. Kathryn M. Doig and Mr. Richard J. BensonDaniel and Debra EdsonAlena Fabian, M.D.Mr. and Mrs. Barbara J. Frey and Nicholas R. ThinesOlga K. FritzCheryl Sisk and Doug GageDr. and Mrs. John P. GiesyDennis and Joan GillilandDavid and Karen GlossVelda D. GodfreyDr. Richard HahinElizabeth HantelDale E. HissongRoger and Gail KolasinskiGloria and F. R. (Pete) LehmanDr. Christy MacKinnonDr. and Mrs. Sigurd O. NelsonMr. and Mrs. Eugene N. ParkerEmory James and Mary Kathryn PatmosRichard C. and Shirley G. PendellDr. and Mrs. Ramon F. RolfRonald H. and Mary E. SimonMargaret A. SwitousDavid and Sara TaftPaul A. TaylorBrad and Jane ThompsonStephen E. Tilmann and Adrian BassLinda Petro Ulrey and Laurence UlreyDr. Berttina B. WentworthDr. Daniel WilliamsMr. and Mrs. Kenneth B. Yerrick

Hannah SocietyRecognizing individuals who make a commitment between $50,000 and $99,999 to MSU or a documented planned gift of at least $100,000. Lois AlexanderArt and Mary ApkarianJean B. BachMaurine BernsteinWalter BlinnPatricia M. BoydDr. Esther M. BrownDavid G. BrowningHarry and Ruth Ann Foiles BrunetKathy and Richard BurgisClaire ByerrumDr. and Mrs. James W. CarterMrs. Nadine ChurchillTom and Sally CrawfordSharon DeBarScott Essex and Brooke CorleyDan and Pam FarraEthan C. (“Chuck”) GallowayDr. Robert W. GeeHershel GorenGeraldine and Harold HartDr. Shirley HartlageHerbert and Margaret HooverR. James and Carol A. KirkpatrickDr. and Mrs. Mark KoenigFrederick G. and Virginia A. KraussDr. Peter L. Lee

Joanne and Peter McPhersonMable E. MeitesLinda M. MurpheyCharlotte F. NametzJuliette L. PrimeauRobert J. RietzJean J. RobinsonDr. James E. RodmanMichael SchulzJ. Mark and Kathleen B. ScriberBarb Sears and Ben HassengerDr. Duncan F. Sibley and Margaret C. SibleyMr. Gordon SmaleWilliam L. and Andrea K. SmithDouglas SpraggClarence and Loretta SuelterSteve and Sunday WagnerYang Wang, Ph.D. and Dr. Weixin Xu

Beaumont TowerRecognizing individuals who make a commitment between $25,000 and $49,999 to MSU.Anthony and Racelle ArmadaSam M. and Mary E. AustinThomas E. AyresJohn and Teofi la BeamanGeorge and Anne BirdMax BreuerMrs. Deborah J. Cicinelli-Tim and Dr. Kent E. TimmDouglas and Marjorie DelineLarry and Lois DimmittJerry and Carole DodgsonLeonard E. EamesSusan Eleuterio and Tom SourlisShelagh and Robert MillerMichele M. Fluck, Ph.D.Bruce and Susan FriemanMarianne GallowayDr. and Mrs. John A. GerlachDonna GibsonMrs. Leona C. GoodGreg and Jan HamiltonWilliam L. HarknessDr. Jon KaguniDr. Laurie KaguniRuth and Donald KeckBrin and Lisa KellerGabriele F. KendeDebra KoskyLorenz and Lynda KullThomas and Lucy LarsenEllen and George LeroiJoseph and Marjorie LongoDr. Sam and Susie MalloryDennis and Estelle McGroartyRich and Pam MerrittRoger Bruce Miles, Jr. and Kim ScherschligtLawrence Gregg MullicaMr. Thomas M. OsgoodMax and Jessie OswaldDelmer ParkerCharlie and Brooke PartlanPeter and Kate RathmannSharon & Dave ReganLois G. RidleyRichard and Elaine RudyThomas D. and Paulette B. SharkeyJohn L. SnyderFrederick W. and Mary Ann StehrMr. David B. Steiger and Dr. Elizabeth J. GalbreathJim and Jan Stewart

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 201015

Arnold D. and Helen E. SuomiThomas R. Taylor and Margo J. SackheimDr. and Mrs. Alexander TulinskyPatrick J. Tyrrell and Mary E. Riendl-TyrrellMrs. Martha VincentKatherine R. Fishburn and Thomas A. VogelJohn L. Wang and Lucille D. FallonVivian L. WongMrs. Dorothy J. YoungMatt and Mary Ellen Zabik

Presidents ClubRecognizing individuals who make a commitment between $10,000 and $24,999 to MSU. Christiane and William R. AndersonMs. Doris H. AsherMr. Sheldon AxlerTerrance and Sandra BaconGeorge BallJack and Joanne BassCharles and Susan BauerDr. and Mrs. BauerScott and Patricia BeldenDr. Glenn BelyeaChristoph Benning, Ph.D. and Susanne Hoffman-

Benning, Ph.D.Roger and Louise BergmanDr. Helmut BertrandDr. and Mrs. Morley BiesmanJames and Linda BittellDr. David E. Blair and Rebecca Adams BlairMr. and Mrs. James F. BoettcherDave BorgattiDavid M. BowenMr. and Mrs. Judson T. BradfordWayne and Lorene BronnerKathryn H. BrooksKirby and Sarah BrownsPamela Pajas and David BurkeZachary F. Burton, Ph.D. and Ann Finkelstein, Ph.D.Gary R. Byerly, Ph.D. and Maud M. Walsh, Ph.D.Chester and Julie CallahanDr. Edward and Mrs. Louise CarlsonGreg CaucuttMr. and Mrs. Joseph and Angela CerasoMrs. Dallas ChapinJim and Debbie ChaseMildred K. Chatfi eldArthur and Barbara ChesterFu-Ho ChowDavid and Jan ClayWard T. CollinsDr. David DeWitt and Dr. Susan ConradRobert and Susan CopelandProfessor James P. CovellRobert and Carol CukierLaura A. DavisMr. and Mrs. Gil and Jeane de las AlasJohn and Phyllis DelaneyPhilip C. DemingDave and Shari DevendorfGerald and Marilyn DommelDr. Lewis L. Dotterer and Mrs. Debra A. DottererJim and Angie DyeJames and Ruth LinnemannDr. and Mrs. Harry EickDoug and Sue EstryDr. and Mrs. Gregory L. FauthDr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy and Mr. Richard MundyJustus J. Fiechtner, M.D. and Karlene J. GehlerBrian and Jeannie MallickDr. Arthur E. and Lois C. Fitz

George L. FlemingMr. Edward M. Tank and Dr. Andrea L. FoilesDr. Bonnie Fons WilsonSharon R. FoxProfessor Pam FrakerBarbara B. FreeMr. and Mrs. James FuchsJoseph and Josephine GardinerDr. Brage GoldingEdward and Ellen Grafi usSamuel and Julia GrayErnie S. GrushJeffrey and Joyce HackBonnie M. HaleMr. Stephen W. HaleDon and Peggy HallDr. Lee and Lois HalstedWilliam and Christine HartmannSteven and Merle HeidemannMarshall and Barbara HestenesRon Hill and Pam Gemery-HillRichard and Susan HillSuzette and Konrad HittnerDr. J.F. HollandRobert and Judith HollingworthDr. Robert and Mrs. Remedios HolmesDr. Gregory A. HolzheiRichard J. HudsonSteven and Ann HuntDr. and Mrs. Paul W. W. HunterDr. and Mrs. Joseph A. IgnatoskiDr. Andrew and Mrs. Joan JaroszMr. Matthew T. JeskaTroy and Elizabeth JohnsonMichael Kaiser, M.D.Stephen Kamin and Diane GutekunstGerasimos and Marianna KarabatsosEdwin and Marilyn KashyKen and Sue KeegstraNorman and Hanna KelkerNatalie M. Kerby and James T. Kerby, M.D.Kenneth B. KerrEvan and Betty KidsonPaul and Barbara KillgoarJeffrey and Katherine KlingerRuth E. KlomparensNellie R. KnepperLee and Mary KroosMr. Paul KuipersPaul LaBellMr. and Mrs. LaingDouglas and Mary LakeLori J. LampelDr. Douglas A. Landis and Mrs. Joy N. LandisD. Jack and Vonda A. Eckard LemonJames and Michelene LepczykDr. Tien-Yien LiMrs. Harriet T. LinJoyce Parker and Edwin LohDr. and Mrs. Brent LokMr. and Mrs. Robert J. LoobyBruce and Mary Jo MaguireVincent and Debbra MalcangiRobert and Lori-Ann MaronDr. and Mrs. B. William MaxeyDorothy M. MayMr. and Mrs. William MaybaumSteven P. and Diane J. MazurekMr. Mark C. McCroskeyJohn G. Shabushnig and Victoria L. McGuffi nFrances MeyerWilliam MihelichBruce Mills

Keki and Phyllis MistryThomas and Delores MontgomeryJohn and Linda MuellerWilliam and Charlene MuthDr. Karim and Mary T. Nafi si-MoragherMr. and Mrs. Kunimitsu NakahiraMr. and Mrs. Michael A. NametzFedor and Natalie NazarovMr. and Mrs. David J. NeebesMorgens NielsenDr. Robert T. O’DellJohn and Carol OhlroggeDong OkLarry and Beverly OlsenRae Ramsdell and George OrbanOlga A. OrbisonRaymond S. PacovskyEdgar and Jane PalmerDr. and Mrs. Morton PanishA. Dean and Vicki Jo ParlingSandy PartlanSam and Vivian PatonWesley and Debra PhillipsRobert and Helen PiconeGlen and Judith PieczynskiThomas J. and Marilyn E. PinnavaiaMark and Lisa PintoChester and Suzanne PiotrowskiBernard and Wendy PopeStephen and Marguerite PoredaThomas and Carrie PorterBill and Sally PrattRobert and Anne PressleyDr. Charles H. ProctorJames A. RabeDavid E. Randolph, M.D.Mrs. Alvin C. ReinhardtDrs. William and Rosetta ReuschDave and Janet RichardsonDr. and Mrs. Donald L. RobachAlma J. RomboutsRobert and Michele Root-BernsteinCraig E. RyanHillard and Angela SalasHabib and Joan SalehiJack and Daisy SamariasRuth E. SchmitterMr. Ronald SchultzDr. and Mrs. Michael A. SheldenPeter and Elizabeth SignellSusan M. SimkinAlfred J. Smetana, Ph.D.Jeffrey SmithMargaret E. SmithDr. and Mrs. Patrick B. SmithGary and Janelle SmolinskiDr. Loren R. Snyder and Wendy C. Champness, Ph.D.Chris and Shauna SomervilleBill and Nancy SonsinJohn Clarence Speck, Jr.William A. and Gloria J. SpencerJulie St. OngeRonald J. St. OngeSheila and Michael StegerBill and Sue StelzerCharles and Martha StockerDr. William T. Suggs and Mrs. Jean M. Gawlak-SuggsMrs. Catherine C. SweeneyDr. Arthur Tai and Dr. Joan KeiserDr. and Mrs. Robert A. TallerRichard E. Teets and Mary S. PickettMargaret L. Thorp, D.V.M.Eleanor D. Tolbert

Honor Roll of Donors

16MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

Joyce E. TrierSteven and Laura TriezenbergJohn and Polly TullochBeatrice S. TungMr. and Mrs. James G. VanderwallBruce and Nancy VerWestJohn W. Vinson and Karen L. StricklerMegan Donahue and Mark VoitClaude and Anne WatsonDonald and Joyce WatsonPatrick and Mukta WebberDr. Timothy T. and Jan E. WellemeyerDr. William W. Wells and Helen W. WellsDrs. Gary and Catherine WestfallRick and Pat Whitfi eldJoyce WildenthalJohn and Sandy WilsonThomas and Theresa WilsonTimothy and Therese WitherspoonMr. and Mrs. Thomas WitherspoonDavid and Jill YoungClare and Phillip ZecherRietje ZeevaartDr. Marilyn J. Zweng

1855 ClubBarbara A. Baker and Robert B. Baker, Jr.Stuart H. and Patricia S. GageRichard E. and Linda R. Triemer

Annual Gifts to the College of Natural Science

$10,000 and moreMaurine BernsteinJ. K. Billman, Jr., M.D.Professor Carl H. Brubaker, Jr. and Mrs. Mary Fiske

BrubakerMark and Sandy EhlertHariram GajalakshmiMichael D. Gottfried and Pamela C. RasmussenAlice V. HagelshawHerbert and Margaret HooverR. James and Carol A. KirkpatrickDebra KoskyFrederick G. and Virginia A. KraussDr. Milton E. MuelderMarvis RichardsonDr. James E. RodmanRon and Sharon RogowskiBeth E. SchwartzRonald H. and Mary E. SimonKaren L. and Todd VanMeekerenSteve and Sunday WagnerYang Wang, Ph.D. and Dr. Weixin XuLarry and Jeanne WorkmanAlfred J. Zeits

$5,000 - $9,999Lois AlexanderChristoph Benning, Ph.D. and Susanne Hoffman-

Benning, Ph.D.Ralph and Dorothy BertolaciniHarry and Ruth Ann Foiles BrunetC. Konrad and Brigitte GelbkeRichard and Susan HillBrin and Lisa KellerDr. Tien-Yien LiLeland G. Merrill, Jr.Lois G. RidleyThomas D. and Paulette B. SharkeyDouglas SpraggMr. and Mrs. Kenneth B. Yerrick

Clare and Phillip Zecher

$1,000 - $4,999A. Gordon Adams, Jr.Christiane and William R. AndersonJames W. and K. Elizabeth H. AtkinsonClara Louise AugustineRichard L. and Marilyn AugustineAlice L. and Phaedon H. AvourisThomas E. AyresBarbara A. Baker and Robert B. Baker, Jr.John and Teofi la BeamanRobert G. Begbie, Jr.Scott and Patricia BeldenDiana L. BellMr. and Mrs. Harold G. BernthalGeorge and Anne BirdLarry L. BurtonClaire ByerrumKaty CaliffMr. and Mrs. Joseph and Angela CerasoArthur and Barbara ChesterMrs. Deborah J. Cicinelli-Tim and Dr. Kent E. TimmDr. David DeWitt and Dr. Susan ConradTom and Sally CrawfordLaura A. DavisDean D. Dellapenna and Katherine W. OsteryoungDave and Shari DevendorfCharles W. and Janet D. DickersonDavid Grant Dvorak, M.D.Doug and Sue EstryGary A. FeuerbacherChristopher D. FisherKevin E. and Cynthia FitzgeraldGeorge L. FlemingAndrew S. FliesMichele M. Fluck, Ph.D.Mr. Edward M. Tank and Dr. Andrea L. FoilesCharles R. and Veronica R. FullerCheryl Sisk and Doug GageMarion and Aaron I. GalonskyRichard and Claire GantosDr. and Mrs. John A. GerlachKelin and Connie GersickDennis and Joan GillilandRonald S. GrossBruce D. and Lassie M. HammockRichard and Bobbi HansenBetty G. HardenburgDr. Shirley HartlageHenry B. and Mary Jo HawkRon Hill and Pam Gemery-HillJohn A. Hirst and Deborah J. DelmerDr. Robert and Mrs. Remedios HolmesDr. Gregory A. HolzheiDr. and Mrs. Paul W. W. HunterDr. and Mrs. Joseph A. IgnatoskiGerasimos and Marianna KarabatsosKenneth P. Kato and Nancy A. NagyNorman and Hanna KelkerJeffrey D. and Glynith C. KellyKenneth B. KerrPaul and Barbara KillgoarKeith and Sue KnappNellie R. KnepperThomas and Mary KrigasDr. Douglas A. Landis and Mrs. Joy N. LandisDr. George H. LauffD. Jack and Vonda A. Eckard LemonEllen and George LeroiSteve and Linnea LintonJoyce Parker and Edwin LohDr. and Mrs. Brent Lok

Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. LoobyVincent and Debbra MalcangiMr. and Mrs. William MaybaumSteven P. and Diane J. MazurekJohn L. and Gayle McCrackenDennis and Estelle McGroartyJames D. and Shirley W. McLeanRich and Pam MerrittChristopher MillinGary G. Mittelbach and Katherine L. GrossLawrence Gregg MullicaWilliam and Charlene MuthJohn and Carol OhlroggeLarry and Beverly OlsenTimothy R. and Patricia E. OrenRobert and Helen PiconeChristopher R. Pierson and Jodi Mrozinski-PiersonRobert G. PonziniRobert and Anne PressleyRena H. QuinnL Virginia RhodesDave and Janet RichardsonRitta RosenbergLeonard C. and Virginia A. RoweHillard and Angela SalasDouglas W. SchemskeMargaret C. and Richard C. SchoeningMichael SchulzBarb Sears and Ben HassengerRobert W. ShaffstallEleanor L. ShawDr. Duncan F. Sibley and Margaret C. SibleyAlfred J. Smetana, Ph.D.Jeffrey SmithGary M. and Carol D. SoleMatthew A. St. PeterMr. David B. Steiger and Dr. Elizabeth J. GalbreathJim and Jan StewartClarence and Loretta SuelterMichael R. SussmanAlison L. and Ralph E. TaggartKiat W. TanDrs. Michael and Suzanne ThomashowRichard E. and Linda R. TriemerJeanne L. Turner and Roger N. Turner, Jr.Megan Donahue and Mark VoitDrs. Gary and Catherine WestfallMark J. and Anne J. WojnaDr. Marilyn J. Zweng

$500 - $999Mary E. and Peter AlexanderJack and Sue AllenNora M. AllenLynn G. AndersonJames W. AtkinsonRonald L. and Shirley A. AubleKeith M. and Wilma A. BaldwinMark A. Batzer and Pamela E. RichardCharles and Susan BauerDr. and Mrs. BauerTeresa S. and Roger N. BeachyGlen E. BehrendtJerold S. and Candice BellTodd A. and Laura D. BlackDr. David E. Blair and Rebecca Adams BlairWendell S. and Constance M. BlandingMax BreuerJames L. and Donna A. BrewbakerYueying Cao and Yuxun WangDerrick R. CarterGreg Caucutt

Honor Roll of Donors

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 201017

18MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

18MSU College of Natural Science | Falalall 2010

1

Michelle C. ChambersAlene D. ChernickJuno-Ann ClarkeTonya P. and Phillip J. CollierWard T. CollinsMarc ConlinNita G. DewoodyGerald and Marilyn DommelTerry A. Donovan-O’Neill and William J. O’NeillSuzanne M. DorinskiDr. Lewis L. Dotterer Mrs. Debra A. DottererSam C. and Dianne G. EwingJanet A. FairleyShi-Ruie Fang and Willard C. Hooks, Jr.Shelagh and Robert MillerJohn W. and Loralee FisherMichael L. and Cathleen B. FosterBarbara B. FreeWilliam W. Freimuth and Deborah L. MalkovichJames L. and Sara A. FryKazuya and Martha J. FujitaSim S. and Donna M. GalazkaJohn and Sharon GarsideThomas and Christine B. GettyThomas N. GinterEdward and Ellen Grafi usJohn G. and Donna M. GrazalStephen K. Hamilton and Suzanne J. SippelJames B. Hazen III and Sara J. HazenJohn H. HefnerSuzette and Konrad HittnerReynard HollinsJanice E. Huff Ezzo and Stephen J. EzzoJoseph T. HuppStephen Kamin and Diane GutekunstSusan M. Kauzlarich and Peter KlavinsRuth and Donald KeckGabriele F. KendeHarvey and Renee KesnerWilliam J. and Gerri Lynne KossMax W. KrellPaul U. LabineSteven J. and Candace M. LaganaRobert L. Last and Jill M. CannyRaoul D. and Janet K. LePageSherry S. and Kyle T. LewallenFloyd J. and Myrna A. MalveauxBill MarklewitzRobert MartinRussell G. MawbyWilliam W. and Susan L. MertenLynne M. MettyNorton G. and Heather S. MillerH. David and Ginger MoehringVirginia M. MoehringJohn and Linda MuellerDale and Susan MyersEcaterina Nagy and Jeffrey W. KochEric A. and Jennie NeerMorgens NielsenJohn R. and Rebecca OesterleJon L. and Sharon E. OpsalRichard E. and Elissa J. PalmerWilliam U. and Barbara A. ParfetPreston S. and Barbara J. ParishA. Dean and Vicki Jo ParlingMark and Lisa PintoMichael A. and Karen C. PorzioSteven P. PouliosDr. Charles H. ProctorFreeman L. Rawson III and Joanne P. RawsonDr. and Mrs. Donald L. Robach

Thomas E. RollinsValerie RossLeonard E. SalikaEdward A. SchmidtRuth E. SchmitterPaul J. SchuelePamela M. and David M. SchultzElizabeth C. and William E. SeamanJoseph C. and Karen SeeligDonald R. and Ada R. SlyGary and Janelle SmolinskiMarylu SpencerRobert D. and Mary J. SpencerHolly A. Spohn-Gross and Robert L. Gross, Jr.Ronald J. St. OngeMatthew B. and Christy J. StehouwerMark F. and Mary Ellen StinskiZachary H. and Vasiliki D. StoumbosDr. Arthur Tai Dr. Joan KeiserDr. and Mrs. Robert A. TallerPhilip R. and Rachel H. ThorntonMatthew J. ToddMark V. TranJoyce E. TrierRuth Ann and William M. UggenJoni VanDenBosCharles A. WaltonDr. William W. Wells Helen W. WellsPatricia Whelan and William L. Whelan, Jr.Nancy L. WidenerJosephine V. and Coleman P. WolkWilliam D. and Dinah M. WrightCatherine G. YeotisDavid and Jill YoungScott A. and Rivka M. ZemkeHorst R. and Carol L. Zielke

$250 - $499Lynne M. and Brian A. AgarMary Lou AngelottiPatricia T. ArvillaJohn T. Atwood, Jr. and Donna B. AtwoodJim and Stephanie AyersJoseph C. Baer II and Julie A. BaerCharles W. Bainbridge III and Mary J. BainbridgePeter W. BatesAaron M. BauerLawrence F. BeauchampMargaret and Michael BeresfordGeorge J. and Joyce A. BerzinsDouglas W. and Susan J. BiererGay L. BirchardRichard A. BlevinsGary R. Bond and Karen D. LindigChristine L. Borgman and George M. MoodCynthia M. BottDavid M. BowenLaura C. BroughtonZachary F. Burton, Ph.D. and Ann Finkelstein, Ph.D.Roger J. and Bethany E. CameronSusan L. CarpenterAngeline A. and Alfred D. CarterDr. and Mrs. James W. CarterVicki E. CarusiJoseph A. and Judith M. CarusoJose F. Cerda and Marta C. AbadMu-Tsang and Tseh-Ling ChenWayne D. CheyneEvart W. and Suzanne K. ChristensenProfessor James P. CovellAleen T. CrossAureal T. CrossCharlyn and Garrett E. Crow

Hilman W. CulpRita Dandridge McCaskill and Michael McCaskillJoanne DavidhizarFrederick De Wilde, Sr. and Joan De WildeMichael T. and Laurie L. DembickiLinda L. Deneen and Gary M. ShuteFred and Jan DerksenCarole A. and Keith W. DeyerJeffery T. and Jean S. DukesKari E. DylhoffConstance C. and Dean A. EicherDr. and Mrs. Gregory L. FauthTeri R. and Daniel K. FiliusKun Sun and Lang-Fong FineAlice B. and James A. FishDaniel W. FragaLarry R. and Nancy M. GalbraithL. C. GarnhamRussell A. Gill and Josephine E. FranzBenjamin M. and Desiree GoldBrian P. and Louise M. GordonPamela J. Green and Thomas C. NewmanRoger A. and Nancy A. GreyRichard A. GudewiczMary L. Guerinot and C. R. McClungJulia A. HackettSteven C. and Kelly A. HaefnerDavid R. HaleRobert M. Hall and Cynthia GlinesEarl M. and Barbara Z. HansenMichael E. HansonAlan J. and Mary E. HarveyGregory F. HauserBarbara R. HayesJudith E. and Mark A. HectorRichard J. Hensh and Lydia M. RunkelDavid P. and Kathleen J. HerzogMarshall and Barbara HestenesRichard A. and Cheryl L. HiipakkaJanice G. HiteDr. J.F. HollandRawle and Saleela HollingsworthDonald W. HomanCharles R. and Bonnie HoppinTodd L. HouserChristopher W. and Debra J. HughesGregory A. and Stephany L. HumenikJames M. and Sharon JennessDonn T. and Paula E. JohnsonVictor A. Johnson, Sr. and Barbara S. JohnsonRobin J. and James P. KastenmayerPadmanand and Hemamali D. KaviratnaPaul K. and Judith A. KindelAnita S. KleinHiralal L. and Shama P. KoulC DeClarke and Barbara W. KramerGinger M. and Scott KubishMark J. and Denise L. LancasterJohn S. and Sherry A. LandersPhilip E. and Jacquelynn A. LapinskiEdward G. LarsenThomas M. LaughonLissa M. Leege and Frank D’ArcangeloDolores J. and Daniel J. LennonEdmund F. and Dolores S. LerouxE. K. Longpre and Michelle M. SmithJoseph S. LonsteinThomas W. and Carey A. LovelandJames A. LuskLisbeth A. and Zael E. LutzKrista J. MakiRobert E. and Cynthia J. MaleczkaJanet M. Malvitz

Honor Roll of Donors

18MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 2010

Janis J. MathisonSaroj P. Mathupala and Lathika MoragodaDr. and Mrs. B. William MaxeyTeresa L. and David E. McCleeryLauren E. and Mark C. McMillsJean M. and J E. McPhersonMark E. MehaffeySheila M. MethodLisa A. MeyerRoy F. and Irma MilksJohn C. and Judy L. NeimanCharles E. Newman, Jr.Liviu I. NicolaescuSue A. OlsonChristian OrlicEdgar and Jane PalmerEmory James and Mary Kathryn PatmosWarren H. and Jacqueline A. PearseSusan T. PolkStephen and Marguerite PoredaL. A. Prather and Bryan S. LijewskiRonald J. and Helen M. PriestDeanne D. ProctorRobert S. PrzygockiJill B. and John R. QuinleyJames A. RabeJeffrey W. RaggonJohn R. and Barbara A. RasmussenKenneth R. RederJames A. and Anne E. RenderSonya L. and Leonard J. RibnickyDavid P. and Maribel RitterLisa L. and Richard A. RosenbaumDr. Paul A. RubinJohn J. and Sandra L. SchallerMark J. Schervish and Nancy J. ShurlowEleanor D. SchlenkerJohn C. Schneider, Jr. and Diana I. SchneiderRobert J. and Barbara L. SchulzLarry G. and Bonnie J. SellersGary T. Seng and Leslie A. Greenbauer-SengMichael C. Serafi niDebra A. ShermanDana A. Shuey

Irene Sidor Smith and Joseph A. SmithAnatoli V. Skorokhod and Irina Inoyaiovna KadyrovaDrs. Richard J. and Renate M. SniderFrank J. Sottile and Sarah J. WitherspoonCharles L. SprinkleDavid R. SteeleBill and Sue StelzerCarole A. StevensAlan E. and Moi StocklandMuriel E. StraightRandall W. and Bonnie K. StrateBiing-Ming and Shiu-Chin H. SuDr. William T. Suggs and Mrs. Jean M. Gawlak-SuggsDaniel W. and Martha SullivanAnne M. and Chris G. TheodoranHolly A. and Robert L. ThompsonCharles W. Todd, Jr. and Sonia S. Rico-ToddBarbara J. and James L. TourangeauDavid S. TuckerMing-Shin and Lih-Meei TzouJack R. Van LopikGary A. and Judith VincentRobert N. and Faye WagonerLi-Ching Wang Linkous and Clovis A. LinkousCarla Warfi eldJanet G. and Michael WeidingerJohn W. WeilerDebra A. WeipertMark T. WerthAnne M. and John M. WestBenson H. WheelerCynthia L. and Douglas J. WilkeningCarole A. Williams Roseland and James E. RoselandAnn L. WittbrodtWayne C. Wolsey and Mary L. Morris WolseyDorne R. Yager and Elise ZylstraMatt and Mary Ellen ZabikCorinne Zachary-GiustiWenzhong Zhang

Corporation & Foundation Donors ($250+)Accident Fund Insurance Company of AmericaAHCC Research AssociationAnnual Reviews

Linda E. Landon SocietyNamed in honor of the university’s fi rst female faculty member, the Landon Society recognizes the supporters who have named the college as a benefi ciary of their estate or planned giving arrangement.

Art Guild, Inc.Association for Laboratory AutomationAuto-Owners InsuranceBASF CorporationBellair Heating and Cooling IncBioGaia ABBlakes Photographic StudioCarl Zeiss IncorporatedCentral Mich. Lapidary & Mineral SocietyCharles River Laboratories Inc.Chevron CorporationConsort Design GroupCorners LimitedDow Chemical CompanyGFS Chemicals, Inc.Gull Lake Country ClubGull Lake Quality Organization, Inc.H. J. Heinz Company FoundationIFMA Educational FoundationJames S. McDonnell FoundationJuvenile Diabetes Research Fdtn Int’lKellogg CompanyLillyMSU FoundationMunicipal Employees Ret Sys of MINew England Biolabs, Inc.Pennsylvania Cystic Fibrosis, Inc.Pheasants Forever, Inc.Ridge Quest IncRose and Thistle Garden ClubShell Oil CompanySigma-Aldrich CorporationSiGNa Chemistry, Inc.Smart BioscienceSun Microsystems, Inc.The Camille and Henry Dreyfus FoundationThe Ceres TrustThe Dart FoundationThe Dow Chemical Company FoundationThe Michigan Bean CommissionThermo Electron CorporationWaco Classic Aircraft CorporationWatson Wyatt & Company

Honor Roll of Donors

MSU College of Natural Science | Fall 201019

Ms. Judith M. AitkenRichard L. and Marilyn AugustineJames M. and Marjorie R. BarnesOrrin and Eleanor BarrettMs. Olive M. BatcherHenry and Lois BlosserPatricia M. BoydDr. and Mrs. James W. CarterMs. Ruthann CiszewskiMarc ConlinMr. James P. ConlonPam and Bill CostabileMrs. Helen J. CoukoulisAureal T. CrossMarilyn M. CulpepperSharon DeBarClarence F. and Lucile E. DeckerCarol A. DesJardinsMary Jane P. Dockeray, Ph.D.Dr. Kathryn M. Doig and Mr. Richard

J. BensonDavid Grant Dvorak, M.D.

Jim and Angie DyeDaniel and Debra EdsonRoy V. and Alice EricksonDr. and Mrs. Kirkwood E. FaberJoseph C. Ferrar, Jr. and Sara J. FerrarProfessor Pam FrakerBarbara J. Frey and Nicholas R. ThinesOlga K. FritzCheryl Sisk and Doug GageEthan C. (“Chuck”) GallowayDr. Robert W. GeeDr. Richard HahinGregory F. HauserDale E. HissongMrs. Arleen D. HitchcockDr. Phillenore D. HowardProfessor Rudolph Hugh, Ph.D.William N. HurjaMrs. Peggy J. JacobsMr. Matthew T. JeskaMrs. Jeanne B. KilbourneKeith and Sue Knapp

Roger and Gail KolasinskiDr. George H. LauffMs. Elizabeth G. LimmexMrs. Lois E. LoetzThomas MallDr. Evan F. MeltzerMargaret M. and Gary B. MitchellDrs. G. Thomas and Robin L. MorganDr. and Mrs. Sigurd O. NelsonSharin E. and Thomas C. NoallLeo V. and Rebecca NothstineJohn F. and Donna J. NovitskyMr. Jay P. O’BrienTimothy R. and Patricia E. OrenEmory James and Mary Kathryn PatmosRichard C. and Shirley G. PendellMr. Raymond C. Perry, Jr.Jack and Karen Sue PreissDavid E. Randolph, M.D.Ms. Deborah J. RemerMrs. Mary A. RichardsRobert J. Rietz

Ron and Sharon RogowskiJack M. and Lila J. RyderMrs. Eleanor L. ShawDr. Duncan F. and Margaret C. SibleyMr. Gordon SmaleMargaret E. SmithDrs. Richard J. and Renate M. SniderMrs. Sara E. SteeleDr. Fred J. StutzenbergerBrad and Jane ThompsonStephen E. Tilmann and Adrian BassKarl S. and Nancy VorresRichard and Patricia WagnerDr. Berttina B. WentworthPatricia A. Werner, Ph.D.Warren and Anneliese WoodMr. Keith L. YoungerMatt and Mary Ellen ZabikAlfred J. Zeits

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDEAST LANSING, MI

PERMIT NO. 21College of Natural Science103 Natural Science BuildingEast Lansing, MI 48824-1115

Course: Wild Borneo - Exploring the Biodiversity of Southeast Asia

Background: This course was fi rst offered in 2010 and gives hands-on experience in methods of sampling and studying biodiversity while seeing conservation in action in an area with rich biodiversity.

Instructor: Pam Rasmussen, Assistant Professor, Zoology

Course Description: This Study Abroad course gives students fi rst-hand exposure to the biodiversity in rainforest and marine environments of Borneo. Activities include biodiversity surveying and testing hypotheses about diversity levels. Students learn the biological and geological processes that have led to the evolution of these patterns.

Course Requirements: During the 3-week course, students keep fi eld notebooks with scientifi c notes from every excursion, includ-ing observations related to birds, mammals, habitat, viewing details, sketches and more. Students conduct fi eld projects involv-ing avian behavioral observations, primate behavioral observa-tions, and avian visual and auditory surveys. Each student records, documents and identifi es vocalizations of fi ve bird species. There is a mid-term and a fi nal exam. Students conduct two pre-trip assignments: a behavioral ethogram using binoculars and a species sound profi le. Each student completes a fi nal project: a species sounds profi le for the AVoCet research project.

Required Packing List Items: binoculars and leech socks

Clockwise from top: Black-backed Kingfi sher, the class in Borneo, J.P. Lawrence diving with a school of jack at Mabul Island, the summit of Mt. Kinabalu - the highest mountain in southeast Asia, a Blue-eyed Angle-headed Lizard. Photos by J.P. Lawrence and Pam Rasmussen.

SYLLABUS SPOTLIGHT