College of Natural Science & MathematicsVol. 11 Issue 1 Fall 2010

Glaciology Grad Students Kick Ice

plus•The“DynamicDuo”Chronicles•CNSMSmokeDetectors•Marine-SystemMonitoring•ASRATurnsTen•HighSchoolStudentsGetResults

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UAF College oF NAtUrAl SCieNCe & MAtheMAtiCS

By Dave larimer and Stephanie Mrozek, graduate Students, Department of geology & geophysics

recently, two graduate students from the Department of geology & geophysics partook in an excellent adventure to the “outside.” Stephanie Mrozek and Dave Larimer,

both graduate students in economic geology, were selected to attend the 2010 Society of economic geologists (Seg) Foundation Student-Dedicated Field Course: ore Deposits of the Colorado Plateau. this field course started in Salt lake, Utah and ended seven days later in Keystone, Colorado for the start of the Seg conference. the student-dedicated field courses started several years ago in response to student members of Seg seeking interaction with professionals, and educators in this industry. Monetary support for these field trips comes from generous donations from the industry, and professionals interested in the development of young economic geologists. this field course represents the sixth in a series of student dedicated field courses that have taken place around the world.

While the main emphasis of this trip was a “field course,” it is also considered an award where the participants are selected to attend. Additionally, the majority of the expenses for the trip were covered, including a $1,000 grant for plane tickets, hotel rooms, and meals. the application process for Steph and Dave started back in February. As student members of Seg, they were alerted to the possibility and application period for this trip through email. Not to be outdone by the other, they raced to see who would complete their application first, to include a short essay, and nomination/recommendation from their advisor, Rainer Newberry. While Dave thinks he completed and submitted his application first, Steph is convinced her recommendations were slightly better (given her remarkable ability to win over their advisor with redbull and cheese!).

While over fifty students applied for this course, only sixteen were chosen to attend. it is important to note that the Seg foundation is a worldwide recognized society and the composition of the students attending this year’s field trip with Steph and Dave reflected this. of the seventeen students chosen, eight were from the U.S., two from the UK, two from Canada, one Australian, one hungarian, one Colombian, one german, and one from South Africa. Additionally, only one school had more than one student selected….UAF!!! the fact that both Steph and Dave were selected to attend is not only

evidence of their abilities as graduate students and future potential as economic geologists, but AlSo a strong testament of the University of Alaska Fairbanks system, the Department of geology & geophysics program, their teachers and advisor.

the basic motivation for Dave and Steph to attend this field course (like they both have copious free time at the moment) was simple…to see firsthand more ore deposits. to them, their discipline and science is their passion!!! they both taught

undergraduate ore Deposits, covering not only similar deposit types, but covering some of the deposits they visited. While student backgrounds were diverse, the dynamic atmosphere of seventeen motivated graduate students with the same passion for economic geology was awe-inspiring. Dave noted that it was refreshing to be able to fully explain his thesis project with everyone understanding where he was going and others could relate similar experiments or offer suggestions on what else to look for. Words such as: porphyry, skarn, metasomatism, supergene, argillic, retrograde, mineral stability field, propylitic, molybdenite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, bornite, carnotitite, uraninite, oxidation and sulfidation state were plentiful and well understood by all.

this field course was led by two dynamic professors: Bill Chavez from New Mexico institute for Mining and

technology, and erich Petersen from the University of Utah. their attitude of teaching, coaching, and mentoring fostered an environment that was academically stimulating as well as fun and relaxing. All students not only absorbed first-hand knowledge of ore deposits of the Colorado Plateau, but also were encouraged to teach and share experiences amongst the group. rounding out the group were three professionals from the industry. these professionals not only rounded out the academic knowledge in the various deposits visited, but bestowed priceless information and mentoring to the upcoming generation of economic geologists.

Days of the field course were spent inside active mines and mining districts, normally starting out with a brief field lecture to outline the basic geology and ore deposit geochemistry. Some of the highlights of the trip included a day spent traversing the tintic Mining District of Utah; a day in the Kennecott Bingham copper/molybdenum/gold mine; multiple days traversing the Colorado plateau looking at relic and operating uranium/vanadium mines and mills; and a day in the Paradox and lisbon Valleys studying more uranium and sediment hosted copper deposits. lots of time was spent by all field course participants

UAF CNSM economic geology graduate students, Dave Larimer and Stephanie Mrozek, in the Tintic mining district of Utah. Both students were selected by the Society of Economic Geologists Foundation to attend a week long student dedicated field course in “Ore Deposits of the Colorado Plateau.” Photo by Dave larimer.

The “Dynamic Duo” Chronicles: Steph and Dave Study the Colorado Plateau

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collecting hand samples to be sent back to their personal and university collections. Collectively, Steph and Dave racked up a $100+ bill at the U.S. Postal Service to mail their favorite samples back to Alaska.

the field course concluded in Keystone, Colorado at the start of the Seg Conference. Steph and Dave (along with their 14 newest friends) attended the Seg student reception, sponsored by Newmont Mining Company (to include an open bar!!!), where they mingled with 190 other graduate students from around the world, sharing their previous week’s adventures. Now that it is all said and done, both Steph and Dave have had a chance to reflect on the awe-inspiring geology they studied and look forward to seeing and collaborating with their new friends in the future. they both look forward to sharing their experience and teaching the knowledge they have gained from this trip in their continued pursuit of academic excellence.

San Rafael Swell mining district, east-central Utah. Abandoned uranium mines are frequent occurrences in this region of Utah. Note relic mining shaft in foreground, and black arrow (background left) pointing to the “Chinle” formation (major uranium and vanadium host of the region). Photo by Dave larimer.

Stacia BackenstoM., ethnoecology and Wildlife ecology: interdisciplinary Program

Lisa Lyman BeattieMS, Statistics

Anna-Marie BensonMS, Statistics

Laura S. BrosiusMS, Biology

Kelley BrumleyMS, geology, general geology

Helena BuurmanMS, geophysics: Solid-earth geophysics

Daniel A. CarlsonMS, environmental Chemistry

Luosha DiaoMS, Statistics

Danielle Marie DillonMS, Biology

Bjørg H. EdbergMS, Neuroscience: interdisciplinary Program

Kevin P. GallowayMS, Computer Science

Elizabeth GreenMS, Biology

Megan HoffmanMS, Biology

Grant R.W. HumphriesMS, Wildlife Biology

Feiran JiaoMS, Statistics

Laura Eliza LeBlancMS, geophysics: Snow, ice and Permafrost geophysics

Agatha LightMS, Atmospheric Sciences

Andrea M. LovelandMS, geology: general geology

Jennifer R. MarchMS, glacial Meteorology: interdisciplinary Program

Brandon Ashlee MarkenMS, Computer Science

Tawna MorganMS, Biology

Brent Darrel MortensenMS, Biology

Linda Nicholas-FigueroaMA, Chemistry

Allison Leslie PayneMS, geology: Volcanology

Joshua H. PayneMS, geology: Petroleum geology

Brian Joel PetersonMSe, Software engineering

Rachel Ann PuchrikMS, geology: remote Sensing; Volcanology

Heather Ann SlaterMS, environmental Chemistry

Daniel StahlkeMS, Physics

Kelsie Marie Engen StoneMS, Biology

Alison N. TriebenbachMS, Biology

Dolores van der KolkMS, geology: general geology

Christopher Jared Van TreeckMS, geology: economic geology

Dragos Augustin VasMS, lake ebullition geophysics: interdisciplinary Program

Emily Louise WeiserMS, Wildlife Biology

Walker WheelerMS, Computer Science

Theresa WoldstadMS, Wildlife Biology

Jia WuMSe, Software engineering

2010 CNSM Master’s Degree Recipients

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UAF College oF NAtUrAl SCieNCe & MAtheMAtiCS

By larry Duffy, Professor of Chemistry and interim Dean of the graduate School

the University of Alaska Fairbanks, co-lead for graduate Studies in the University of the Arctic Network, sponsored a meeting of Arctic graduate students in conjunction

with the Fourth UArCtiC rectors, Chancellors and Presidents Meeting. Student representatives gathered in Fairbanks and discussed university and community interaction for coping with socio-ecological changes and challenges – the same issue addressed by the rectors and chancellors.

UAF graduate students from the resilience and Adaptation graduate Program, under the guidance of CNSM professor of biology Rich Boone, developed a survey for visiting students to distribute to fellow students and community leaders. the data was then collected, discussed and analyzed during the three-day UArCtiC Student Forum. the results of their discussion were presented in the form of a joint declaration that parallels the rectors’ Declaration (www.uafgradsch.edu).

Members of the first UArCtiC Student Forum emphasized that “there exists an opportunity to better interface the diversity of knowledge in the Arctic. Cross-scale dialogue that focuses on the dual goals of information sharing and problem solving enhances the resilience and adaptability of northern communities.” they further stated that universities in the Arctic have the

capacity to empower stakeholders, including students, educators, rural residents, indigenous peoples, and industry professionals, by providing a forum for the exchange of knowledge, providing educational opportunities and facilitating research.

Consistent with the UArCtiC strategic plan, suggestions for action by UArCtiC universities included:

• Strengthening the two-way sharing of knowledge between UArCtiC institutions and indigenous communities.

• improving teacher education and the quality of distance education.

• organizing annual UArCtiC Student Forums in conjunction with the rectors’ Forum.

• establishing a course and instructor evaluation process shared across the network.

• increasing student participation in the thematic networks through outreach, fellowships and internships.

• listing UArCtiC curriculum in the member institutions’ course catalogues for degree credit.

• offering UArCtiC endorsement to accompany degrees from the home institutions.

• encouraging the creation of a UArCtiC student association in each member institution.

the UArCtiC network was launched in 2001 as a supplement to universities working in the north with the endorsement of the Arctic Council’s senior officials. Beginning with 33 member institutions, including UAF, the network has grown to include 121 institutions of which 83 are higher education colleges and universities. the diversity of UArCtiC’s member institutions is reflected by their student numbers, varying from small northern indigenous colleges to large research universities. Most UArCtiC higher education institutions have less than 3,000 total students (47%), 31% have between 3,000 and 10,000 students, while the remaining 22% have 10,000 or more students. UArCtiC’s geographic range is such that 41 members are located on or above the Arctic boundary, as defined by the Arctic human Development report. Collectively, UArCtiC’s members have over 700,000 students and 50,000 faculty members on their staffs.

in 2007, UAF and the University of lapland took leadership roles in developing the graduate area for the network. three focus areas were developed: (1) an endorsement of joint Masters Degrees, (2) Field Courses, and (3) a graduate Student Network.

UAF helped develop the land and environment courses using a Science education for New Civic engagement and responsibility (SeNCer) philosophy. SeNCer is a reform movement in science education that fits well with the UArCtiC values of access, sharing and a place-based educational focus on northern issues.

Graduate students from across the Arctic meet at UAF

Left to right: Tracey Loewen, University of Manitoba; Eleanor Wirts, UAF; Johanna Heffernan, Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences; Eeva-Maarit Aikio, Sámi Allaskuvla/Sámi University College; Janne Pietilä, Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences; Allison Butler, UAF; Mika Flöjt, University of Lapland/Arctic Centre/NIEM; Anna Godduhn, UAF; Becky Warren, UAF; Chandelle King, Yukon College; and Rachel V. Boschma-Wynn, UAA. UAF photo by todd Paris

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By Catherine Cahill, Associate Professor of Chemistry

every winter a blanket of air pollution smothers Fairbanks. this blanket is made up of gases and small particles emitted by woodstoves, oil furnaces, cars, power plants

and other emission sources in Fairbanks. the problem with this blanket is that it has a high concentration of fine particles with diameters smaller than 2.5 micrometers, about 1/50th the diameter of a human hair. these particles are called PM2.5 and they are causing an uproar in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

the PM2.5 concentrations in the blanket over Fairbanks exceed the U.S. environmental Protection Agency’s (ePA) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). the ePA created a NAAQS for PM2.5 because these particles are capable of traveling deep into your lung. once in your lung, these particles deposit and cause adverse health effects including: increased asthma, hospital admissions, emergency room visits and doctor’s visits for respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases, non-fatal heart attacks, and premature death in people with heart and lung disease. to protect the people of Fairbanks from the health effects associated with high PM2.5 concentrations and come into compliance with the NAAQS, we have to reduce the amount of PM2.5 in Fairbanks’s air. enter the CNSM smoke detectors.

the CNSM smoke detectors are faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students from the Department of

Atmospheric Sciences and the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry who study the sources of PM2.5 in Fairbanks and assist the government regulators in deciding the best methods for decreasing the concentrations. Nicole Mölders, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, and her students use meteorological and chemical models to examine how changing the emissions from a source, such as woodstoves, impacts the PM2.5 concentration in the air. Javier Fochesatto, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, and his team use specialized equipment, such as atmospheric sounders and lidars to determine the flow of air and PM2.5 through Fairbanks and the surrounding areas. Atmospheric sounders and lidars are instruments that send sound pulses and light pulses, respectively, into the atmosphere and listen or look for echoes to determine the properties of the atmosphere above them. William Simpson, Professor of Chemistry, his graduate student Deanna Huff and the rest of the “Simpson squad” use state-of-the-art chemical equipment they developed to investigate the processes that turn emitted gases into particles. they also study how the particles are removed from the air through interactions with snow. Catherine Cahill, Associate Professor of Chemistry, serves as a Pollution Control Commissioner for the Fairbanks North Star Borough where she uses her experience collecting PM2.5 measurements to assist the Borough in deciding how to reduce the local PM2.5.

these are just a few examples of the CNSM scientists working hard to protect the health of the people of Fairbanks.

Particulate Matterand the CNSM Smoke Detectors

Photo by Catherine Cahill

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UAF College oF NAtUrAl SCieNCe & MAtheMAtiCS

Jason A. Addison, PhD, geologyThesis: high-resolution Paleoceanography of the gulf of Alaska, Subarctic Northeast Pacific ocean, Since the last glacial Maximum: insights into a Dynamic Atmosphere-ocean-ecosystem linkage at Decadal to Millennial timescales. Major Professors: Bruce P. Finney and James e. Begét

Leslie Deanne Almberg, PhD, geologyThesis: temporal-Spatial Micro-Scale investigations of Shallow Silicic Conduits: late-Stage Degassing, Crystallization, and Alteration. Major Professor: Jessica F. larsen

Jason Amundson, PhD, geophysicsThesis: iceberg Calving Dynamics of Jakobshavn isbræ, greenland. Major Professor: Martin truffer

Brian Michael Barth, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Neuroscience optionThesis: Ceramide Metabolism regulates a Neuronal NADPh oxidase influencing Neuron Survival During inflammation. Major Professor: thomas B. Kuhn

Rebecca Leah Bentzen, PhD, Biological Sciences: Wildlife BiologyThesis: reproductive Patterns in King eiders. Major Professor: Abby N. Powell

Todd J. Brinkman, PhD, Biological Sciences: Wildlife BiologyThesis: resilience of a Deer hunting System in Southeast Alaska: integrating Social, ecological, and genetic Dimensions. Major Professors: F. Stuart “terry”Chapin iii and Kris J. hundertmark

Cord M. Brundage, PhD, Biological Sciences: BiologyThesis: Neuroplasticity and Neurotoxicology: Central Breathing Control Following Developmental Nicotine or ethanol exposure. Major Professor: Barbara e. taylor

Anna S. Bulanova, PhD, MathematicsThesis: Control theoretic Approach to Sampling and Approximation Problems. Major Professor: Sergei A. Avdonin

Andrea Corcoran, PhD, Biological Sciences: ZoologyThesis: Serotonergic and hypocretinergic Systems Modulate Ventilation and hyercapnic Ventilatory responses. Major Professor: Michael B. harris

Michel dos Santos Mesquita, PhD, Atmospheric SciencesThesis: Characteristics and Variability of Storm tracks in the North Pacific, Bering Sea and Alaska. Major Professor: David e. Atkinson

Christopher Thomas Fallen, PhD, Space PhysicsThesis: Applications of a time-Dependent Polar ionosphere Model for radio Modification experiments. Major Professor: Brenton J. Watkins

Peter Paul Flaig, PhD, geologyThesis: Depositional environments of the late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Dinosaur-Bering Prince Creek Formation: Colville river region, North Slope, Alaska. Major Professor: Paul J. McCarthy

Matthew D. Gardine, PhD, geophysicsThesis: tracing the Movement and Storage of Magma in the Crust through Seismology: examples from Alaska and Western Mexico. Major Professor: Michael e. West

John Craighead George, PhD, Biological Sciences: Wildlife BiologyThesis: growth, Morphology and energetics of Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus). Major Professor: erich h. Follmann

Congratulations, 2010 CNSM PhD Recipients!

CNSM WelCoMeS

New Faculty• Matthias Braun

Associate Professor of remote Sensing

• Laura Conner research Assistant Professor of Science education

• Javier Fochesatto Associate Professor of Atmospheric Sciences

• Jessica Larsen Associate Professor of geology

• Elisabeth Nadin Assistant Professor of geology

• Carl Tape Assistant Professor of geophysics

• Hui Zhang Assistant Professor of Space Physics

New StaFF• Rich Boone

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies

• Agatha Light lab Coordinator, Physics

• Carolyn Johnston office Assistant, Dean’s office

• Jacy Pietsch lab Manager, Chemistry

• Jescia Sigh travel & Purchasing Coordinator, eSteS

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Sally J. Gustafson, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Neuroscience optionThesis: Natural Compounds isolated from Wild Alaska Bog Blueberries intervene with Molecular targets in Neuroinflammation. Major Professor: thomas B. Kuhn

Max P. Kullberg, PhD, Biochemistry with an emphasis on Drug Delivery: interdisciplinary ProgramThesis: targeting of her-2 overexpressing Breast tumor Cells with immunoliposomes. Major Professors: Jesse owens Jr. and thomas B. Kuhn

Hayley Christine Stover Lanier, PhD, Biological Sciences: BiologyThesis: Phylogeography, ecogeographic Variation, and evolutionary history of the Collared Pika (ochotona collaris. Major Professor: link e. olson

Dawn Robin Magness, PhD, Biological Sciences: Wildlife BiologyThesis: Managing the National Wildlife refuge System with Climate Change: the interaction of Policy, Perceptions, and ecological Knowledge. Major Professor: Falk huettmann

Colin Michael McGill, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyThesis: Biologically relevant Secondary Metabolites of Vaccinium uliginosum: Bioassay-Directed Natural Products identification of Anti-Neuroinflammatory Agents in the Alaska Bog Blueberry. Major Professor: thomas P. Clausen

Victor S. Mikhailov, PhD, MathematicsThesis: Control and inverse Problems for one Dimensional Systems. Major Professor: Sergei A. Avdonin

Anshul Pandya, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Neuroscience optionThesis: Pharmacology of a Novel Class of Allosteric Modulators for the Alpha4 Beta2 Sub-type of Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine receptors. Major Professor: Marvin K. Schulte

Daniel J. Rinella, PhD, Biological Sciences: BiologyThesis: Marine-derived Nutrients in riverine ecosystems: Developing tools for tracking Movement and Assessing effects in Food Webs on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Major Professor: Mark S. Wipfli

Debasmita Samaddar, PhD, PhysicsThesis: improved Modeling of turbulent transport: From Noise in transport Models to the Parareal Algorithm Applied to Full turbulence Codes. Major Professor: David e. Newman

Todd Sformo, PhD, Biological Sciences: BiologyThesis: overwintering Physiology of Arctic and Subarctic insects from interior Alaska. Major Professors: Brian M. Barnes and John Duman

Kalb Stevenson, PhD, Biological Sciences: ZoologyThesis: the Seasonailty of reproduction, Body Composition, and energy expenditure in Northern red-Backed Voles (Myodes rutilus). Major Professors: ian van tets and Abel Bult-ito

Brentha Thurairajah, PhD, Atmospheric SciencesThesis: role of Waves on the Circulation of the Arctic Middle Atmosphere: rayleigh lidar Measurements and Analysis. Major Professor: richard l. Collins

Elizabeth Veenstra, PhD, geophysicsThesis: Crustal thickness Variation in South Central Alaska: results from Broadband experiment Across the Alaska range. Major Professor: Douglas h. Christensen

extreme Makeover…Biology and Wildlife Style!By Carolyn Chapin, Biology and Wildlife Advising Coordinator

improved resources for faculty, students, and our community can now be found at the new and improved Department of Biology and Wildlife website, www.bw.uaf.

edu. Kristin O’Brien and Ed Debevec led the major overhaul on this project. two of the great new features are the calendar and current news/announcements right on the home page. in addition, there is an expanded and continuously updated listing of grant and scholarship opportunities for both undergraduate students and graduate students as well as research opportunities for undergraduates. Check the “graduates” and

“undergraduates” tabs to locate these. if you have material to add, please contact Dawn Dearinger at dmdearinger@alaska.edu

And in case you missed the other extreme makeover, the Biology and Wildlife Academic Advising Center at 305 Bunnell has resource materials for undergraduate students and faculty advisors. Materials on a wide variety of topics are available: tutoring/study success, financial aid, employment/scholarship/internships, student organizations (the Wildlife Society, UAF Pre-Med Society and Pre-Pharm), pre-professional degrees (pre-med, pre-vet, pre-pharm, pre-dental, etc.), nursing program, current degree worksheets, Fairbanks city/UAF campus maps, MCAt and gre study guides, biology textbook resource area, developmental math prep books and much more. Feel free to stop by or contact Carolyn Chapin at carolyn.chapin@alaska.edu for more information.