THE ODYSSEYCOLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS • CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNOVolume 6

Fall 2007Message from the DeanNew Appointment: Associate DeanNew Faculty Retired Faculty & StaffCollege Activities and EventsOur SupportersCSM In the NewsFaculty AwardsFaculty ActivitiesStudent Research and Awards2007-2008 Top Dog RecipientUpdate Your InformationAlumni Giving Opportunities

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

Offi ce of the Dean Science II, Room 301 2576 E. San Ramon, M/S ST 90 Fresno, CA 92740-8034 Offi ce: 559.278.3936 Fax: 559.278.7139 www.csufresno.edu/csm

BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Department Offi ce 559.278.2001 Science Building. Room 106 www.csufresno.edu/biology

CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT

Department Offi ce 559.278.2103 Science Building, Room 380 www.csufresno.edu/chemistry

Computer Science DepartmentDepartment Offi ce 559.278.5709

Science II, Room 255 www.csufresno.edu/csci

EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

Department Offi ce 559.278.3086 Science II, Room 114 www.csufresno.edu/geology

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

Department Offi ce 559.278.2992 Peters Building, Room 381 www.csufresno.edu/math

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

Department Offi ce 559.278.2371 McLane Hall, Room 173 http://physics.csufresno.edu

PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Department Offi ce 559.278.2691 Science II, Room 312 http://psych.csufresno.edu

You can now take a trip through the timeline of the universe in the space of three fl ights of stairs at Fresno State. A colorful mural by scientifi c illustrator Laura Cunningham decorates a stairwell in the Science II building, providing students and visitors an intriguing way to view the history of the universe. The mural is the second by Cunningham, who lives in Beatty, Nevada. Her fi rst was a 30-foot vista on an exterior wall on the west side of the Science II. It depicts the western

part of the San Joaquin Valley in the Cretaceous period of geologic history, 70 million years ago, during the age of the dinosaurs. Design and construction of the new mural took four months and was recently completed with lettering to describe each view. The stairway is on the northwest corner of the building. “We can use this as a learning tool to give students an idea of the vastness of the universe and life,” said Kerry Workman-Ford, a lecturer in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. It was Workman-Ford’s idea to use the stairwell for the timeline. The mural starts on the ground fl oor 14 billion years ago with “The Big Bang.” At the fi rst landing is a view of 7 billion years ago and at the second landing is 417 million years ago. As time progresses, the planets appear and plants,

sea and land animals, and humans join the panels. At the top fl oor, the fi nal four-foot section shows the geologic period starting 1.8 million years ago and continuing today with illustrations of the Sierra Nevada, the San Joaquin River, downtown Fresno’s water tower, grapevines, orchards and a jet fl ying overhead.

Colorful mural depicts timeline of the universe

Dr. Alejandro Calderón-Urrea

Nematodes are not our friends, and a Fresno State professor wants to make them commit suicide. The sometimes-microscopic, worm-like organisms suck the life out of tomatoes, grapes, cotton, melons and other crops that are the backbone of the Valley’s economy. Plant developmental geneticist Alejandro Calderon-Urrea is working to genetically engineer plants to make parasitic nematodes kill themselves if they start sucking away. If he succeeds, Calderon-Urrea could produce a scientifi c break through to help preserve crops. The environment might benefi t, too. Calderon-Urrea’s research could provide alternatives to pesticides now used to kill the pests. The Colombian-born Associate Professor -- who received his doctorate from Yale University and has taught at California State University, Fresno, since 1997 -- does his research from a basement lab in a three-story building known as Science One. You might call his lab “nematode central” where it’s all nematodes, almost all the time. “Nematodes inhabit almost every corner of the planet,” Calderon-Urrea said. “All the way from the North Pole to the South Pole to the depths of the oceans.”

Nematodes that infect roots are the most devastating to crops. Root-knot nematodes are true to their name, forming knots that resemble beads on a rosary strand, according to Calderon-

Urrea. Equally damaging are cyst nematodes that leave teardrop-like cysts on roots. By attacking the root system, parasitic nematodes deprive plants of water and nutrients in the soil. Nematodes are not worms. “Evolutionarily speaking, they separated from earthworms very long ago,” Calderon-Urrea said. They range in size from microscopic to 20 centimeters long, and there are even “good” nematodes that eat bacteria and don’t go after crops. In the lab, Calderon-Urrea pulverizes parasitic nematodes that are no wider than a hair to separate the basic components of the cells. He is looking for genes that are in all cells conveying heredity and controlling cell function. But he doesn’t want just any genes. He’s after genes that turn off normal cell development in nematodes, which could lead to death for the pests.

All life forms -- from humans to green algae -- have genes that can kill. Some do a job that’s necessary. Fetuses, for example, develop with webs of membrane between

If a Fresno State Professor succeeds, his work to genetically engineer plants will save valuable crops from devastating nematodes, bringing. . .

DEATH TO PESTS

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

ANNA BRODY AND KERRY WORKMAN-FORD

DR. KAREN CAREY

INTERIM DEAN

THE ODYSSEY PAGE TWO

As many of you already know a signifi cant era has ended for our College with the retirement of our long time Dean, Dr. Kin Ping Wong. Dr. Wong’s contributions to the College of Science and Mathematics brought the seven departments in our College to new heights in terms of research, grant writing, and ensuring we were providing the best education for students in the Central Valley of California. He was instrumental in attracting top notch students, hiring new faculty of the highest caliber, ensuring faculty and students had adequate facilities and the latest in equipment, and

represented us well in all venues. Dr. Wong will continue to be on campus conducting his own research work in the hopes of fi nding cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, blindness, and other diseases. I wish him well in all of his future endeavors and hope he will continue to be a major presence in our College. Having been appointed Interim Dean of the College, I will be relying on Dr. Wong! I would also like to say a special thank you to Dr. Stanley Ziegler and Dr. Raymond Abhold who assisted Dean Wong and I during the past academic year. Dr. Ziegler is now fully retired and Dr. Abhold has taken an Associate Dean’s position in Wisconsin. I wish them both well.

NEW APPOINTMENT ASSOCIATE DEAN

DR. FRAKA HARMSEN

INTERIM ASSOCIATE DEAN

Dr. Frederika (Fraka) Harmsen has been appointed Interim Associate Dean for the College of Science and Mathematics. She has been a faculty member at California State University, Fresno since 1985. Dr. Harmsen received her BSc (Hons) and Ph.D. in Geology from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Before arriving at Fresno State, she completed post-doctoral research at the University of Montana, and spent one year in residence at the Rosenstiel Oceanographic Institute, University of Miami. Dr. Harmsen is an active researcher who has been awarded numerous grants totaling millions of dollars during her tenure at Fresno State. Her research has taken her on expeditions around the world, including two seasons in Antarctica exploring new terrain and unraveling the early history of the TransAntarctic Mountains. She has written papers and presented at numerous conferences over her career. Dr. Harmsen brings extensive campus experience and leadership to the Offi ce of the Dean as well as years of dedicated

With the retirement of Dr. Wong, the University will be searching for a new Dean this coming academic year. The faculty will be engaged in this important activity as the individual selected will lead our College into our Centennial Celebration. Preparations for the Centennial Celebration in 2011 are well underway at the University and the College will be having a number of events honoring faculty, alumni, and students. I would like to welcome Dr. Fraka Harmsen to the Dean’s offi ce. Dr. Harmsen who has been serving as the Chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences will be the Interim Associate Dean of the College for the 2007-2008 academic year. Welcome Fraka! I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our 17 new faculty to the College. Our new faculty come from around the globe and will make substantial contributions to the Central Valley in terms of teaching, research, grant writing, and scholarship. While I am serving in the Interim Dean position one of my goals for the College is to assist faculty members successfuly obtain grants and contracts. During the 2006-2007 academic year, faculty were awarded nearly 2 million dollars in new grants and contracts. I hope we can continue to make the outstanding progress we have to date and I will do all I can to assist them in their efforts. We established several new Centers and a new Laboratory this year including the Central California Autism Center, the Magnetic Resonance Center for Central

California, the Forensic Biotechnology Center and the Human Identifi cation Laboratory. These Centers will provide important opportunities for students as well as members of the community. In addition, the Downing Planetarium Museum is now open with varied interactive exhibits and information about our solar system and universe. Another important goal for our college is to increase our private funding support. As funding for higher education continues to decrease in the State of California, we are increasingly relying on private support to continue our research and scholarly activities. Our Director of Development, Roxanne Hinds and I will be working hard this year to secure funding for the varied activities of the departments in the College, including establishing new scholarships for our students. We hope to have our fi rst interactive “bench” placed at the front of the Science II building this fall, as well as to begin construction on the KP Wong Botanical Garden through an important new pledge from Dr. Tom and Mrs. Cynthia Downing. I am pleased to have been asked to serve as the Interim Dean of the College as we search for a permanent Dean. During my tenure in the position I will do all I can to insure that the College moves forward and faculty and students have the support they need to reach their goals.

service to students within the college. She has served two terms as Chair of Earth and Environmental Sciences (formerly Geology) during a period of

rapid growth, and has chaired and served on numerous university committees. As Assistant to the Dean of the College of Science & Mathematics, she worked on special projects such as the Science Partners building and other science center facilities. Dr. Harmsen has been a leading proponent of Moss Landing Marine Labs, serving on the Governing Board for 22 years, including Chair for two terms. Dr.

Harmsen was also selected as Visiting Scientist in 1989, and currently has a number of graduate students at Moss Landing working on research projects

in the marine sciences. At Fresno State, Dr. Harmsen was instrumental in creating the South Pacifi c Semester, a semester long study abroad program, and has been heavily involved with international programs on campus. She has been active in curriculum development including new science courses for future teachers, and new programs such as the BS in Environmental Sciences. Dr. Harmsen has most recently held positions in the Division of Graduate Studies and the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning and has been active in graduate curriculum, faculty development, and technology. Dr. Harmsen’s broad background in university academia and administration

make her an ideal individual for this position. In her spare time, she is the lead singer and keyboard player for the band Cool Refl ection, enjoys scuba diving, acting, and tennis.

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

NEW FACULTY

FERP’S, RESIGNATIONS, RETIRED FACULTY AND STAFF

Biology: Dr. Ulrike Muller, Assistant ProfessorPh.D.., Marine Biology, University of Groningen, Netherlands; Area of Interest: Biomechanics of animal locamotionChemistry: Dr. Jai-Pil Choi, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Chemistry, University of Texas, Austin; Area of Interest: Analytical Chemistry Dr. Joy Goto, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles; Area of Interest: BiochemistryComputer Science: Dr. Shih-His Liu, Ph.D., Computer and Information Systems, University of Alabama, Brimingham; Area of interest: Language for Evolutionary Algorithums Dr. Yu Cao, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Computer Science, Iowa State University; Area of Interest: Computing and Biomedical Informatics Earth and Environmental Science: Dr. Matheiu Richaud,Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Philosophy in Geosciences, Northern Illinois University; Areas of

Interest: Marine Science Dr. Peter Van de Water, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson; Area of Interest: Climate Change Dr. Chris Pluhar, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Earth Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz; Areas of Interest: Engineering GeologyMathematics: Dr. Lance Burger, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Math Education, Oregon State University; Area of Interest: Mathematics Education Dr. Tamas Forgacs, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Mathematics, University of Illinois (Urbana); Areas of Interest: Interpoltion and Sampling Problems Dr. Carmen Caprau, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Mathematics, University of Iowa; Area of Interest: Low Dimensional Topology Dr. Andrzei Piotrowski, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Mathematics, University of Hawaii; Area of Interest: Functions of a

complex variable. Dr. Oscar Vega, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Mathematics, University of Iowa; Areas of Interest: Finite Geometries and CombinatoricsPhysics: Dr. Gao Yongsheng, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Area of Interest: Experimental High Energy Dr. Pei-Chun Ho, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Physics, University of California, San Diego; Area of Interest: Kondo PhenomenaPsychology: Dr. Hyyon Palmer, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., School Psychology, Indiana State University; Area of Interest: School Psychology Dr. Lara Triona, Assistant ProfessorPh.D., Developmental Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University; Area of Interest: Cognative Development

Biology: Dr. Ray Abhold, Resigned Chemistry: Dr. Barry Gump, Retired Dr. Jose Sy, FERP

Computer Science: Dr. Bo Hatfi eld, ResignedMathematics: Dr. Hussan Nur, Retired Dr. Norman Woo, Retired

Psychology: Dr. Jennifer Austin, ResignedOffi ce of the Dean: Mrs. Thea Beddingfi eld, Retired

PROFESSOR DELIVERED MANDATE FOR CHANGE

DR. KIN-PING WONG

Kin-Ping Wong came to Fresno State in 1983 with a mandate as a new Dean -- to change the College of Science and Mathematics from a place where professors taught students about research done at other universities, to one where students and faculty worked side-by-side on research of their own. It was a bold idea, especially in a state already home to several noted private research universities and the University of California system, which at the time boasted nine campuses fi lled with professors dedicated to research. To make the change, Wong would have to compete with those schools for both faculty and students. Nearly a quarter-century after his arrival at California State University, Fresno, Wong’s visions have taken shape. The man who started as a 41-year-old Dean full of new ideas is now 65 and ready for a change. “Last summer, I presented my research on new ways to treat cancer and other diseases, and I realized that is where I want to focus my energies,” Wong said. “I think I want to spend fi ve years really focusing on these ideas, then I might be ready to really retire.” Wong is no stranger to goals that can take decades to achieve. From his fi rst day as Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, Wong said, it was clear that change would not happen overnight. “In 1983, we had no faculty actively engaged in research,” Wong said. “Today, more than 75% of our professors are engaged in research, and the rest are involved in some other type of scholarly

activity. In 1983, we were strictly a teaching university; today we are making a name for ourselves for both our research and our teaching.” Karen Carey, former Associate Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, has worked with Wong for more than 16 years. Carey said Wong has kept the support of the faculty during his tenure by involving them in his decisions.

“He’s done everything he can to provide the equipment they need to do their research, and he’s shifted the focus to give faculty the time they need to develop research ideas,” Carey said. Andrea Salazar, 20, a senior majoring in psychology at Fresno State, said having access to research has helped prepare her for graduate school and also increased her ability to learn. “It’s one thing to read something in a textbook,” Salazar said. “But once you get into the nitty-gritty of a subject, you understand it tenfold, because you aren’t just reading about it, you are doing it.”

Wong, who sought out and hired nearly all the faculty in the college, said faculty and students are working together on projects ranging from forensic science to biomedical physics. Even Wong works on research, when he has the time. Along with serving as Dean, he is the Executive Director of the Central California Science Center and an Adjunct Professor at the

University of California at San Francisco. He is an active researcher who focuses on cancer therapies but isn’t afraid to branch out into new research fi elds. Recently, Wong said, he bought several bags of almond hulls. He had an idea, he said, to fi nd a better way to convert unused hulls into sugar, which then could be turned into ethanol. Hulls now are disposed of through incineration, which adds to regional air pollution woes. Fresno State teaches the basics such as

chemistry and physics, Wong said, but “we are also willing to take on a lot of new areas, especially those where the community has a need.” Fresno State Provost Jeronima Echeverria said the credit for the research under way in the College of Science and Mathematics belongs to Wong, because he brought the researchers to Fresno. “One of Dean Wong’s greatest contributions to the university has been the hiring of an excellent faculty in science and math,” Echeverria said. “There are many excellent instructors

THE ODYSSEY PAGE THREE

....CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

COLLEGE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

SHERIFF MARGARET MIMS

Sherrif Margaret Mims Guest Speaker at Forensic Science Seminar

Left to Right: Bill Jones, Megan McCullough, Daniel Bacher, Rowena Chu, Sarath Peddu, Rama Devadi, Dr. Alice Wright, and Sharon Sturm.

Fresno State Biotechnology Master’s Program Partners with Pacifi c Ethanol Inc. for Unique Internship

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims was the guest speaker at the Forensic Science Seminar series which was held on February 16, 2007. Mims, who was elected in November 2006, spoke on “Law Enforcement Technology: Where are we now, and where are we going?” in the Science II building, room 109 at California State University, Fresno. The speech was the second in the seminar series sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and FIRE (Forensic Investigation Research and Education), the organization of forensic science students.

Five students in the new biotechnology master’s degree program at California State University, Fresno, completed a unique 150-hour internship this summer, toured Pacifi c Ethanol Inc. in Madera on March 21, 2007 and met with company chairman Bill Jones. The tour kicked off a partnership between Pacifi c Ethanol Inc. and the new biotechnology program in Fresno State’s Biology Department in the College of Science and Mathematics. The two-year Professional Science Master’s Degree in biotechnology, established in the fall of 2005, is the only one of its kind in the central San Joaquin Valley. “It is drawing strong interest locally, nationally, and internationally,” said Dr. Alice Wright, director of the program. The multidisciplinary Master’s program provides training in chemistry, biology, and business and agricultural biotechnology. About half of the 23 enrollees are international students and the program has received inquiries from China and India, and from companies throughout the United States. The program offers students who have varied scientifi c backgrounds opportunities to advance their scientifi c skills and also to acquire the business

knowledge and skills necessary to commercialize emerging technologies or their products. “Hallmarks of the new program are personalized hands-on learning and personal contact with biotechnology practitioners in industries such as Pacifi c Ethanol Inc.,” Wright said. Pacifi c Ethanol Inc. will provide a springboard for students’ internship experiences. A 150-hour internship at

EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT INVITES NASA SCIENTIST

TO SPEAK AT SEMINAR SERIES

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at California State University, Fresno, hosted NASA scientist Kevin R. Grazier on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 as part of the Environmental Sciences Seminar Series. The event, which took a scientist’s look at the Cassini/Huygens Mission, began at 5:15 p.m. in the Smittcamp Alumni House and was open to the public. Grazier holds the duel titles of investigation scientist and science planning engineer for the Cassini/Huygens Mission to Saturn and Titan at

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena. Active in teaching the public about science and space, Grazier teaches classes in basic astronomy, planetary science, cosmology and the search for extraterrestrial life at UCLA and Santa Monica College, serves as the interim director of the John Drescher Planetarium at Santa Monica College and volunteers as a planetarium lecturer at the Griffi th Observatory in Los Angeles. Grazier is also the science advisor

The Professional Master of Science degree, a new Master’s degree program added Fall 2006 at Fresno State, is preparing students for careers in the rapidly growing fi eld of forensic science. The two-year Master’s degree program is the only one of its kind in the central San Joaquin Valley and is drawing strong interest. The multidisciplinary program includes study in natural sciences such as chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics, and in social sciences such as criminology and law.

a biotechnology company is a degree requirement. For more information on the master’s program or about the biotechnology students’ visit to Pacifi c Ethanol Inc., contact Dr. Shirley Kovacs, Director of the Fresno State program, at 559.278-2001.

for the PBS animated educational TV series “The Zula Patrol” and for the SciFi Channel series “Eureka and Battlestar Galactica.”(Copy by University Communications student-intern Megan Jacobsen.)

THE ODYSSEY PAGE FOUR

Science and Mathematics Education Center Summer Programs 2007

It was a busy summer for the Science and Mathematics Education Center (SMEC). Several workshops, institutes and special undergraduate research assistantships as well as

scholarship programs have been conducted.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Modeling Physics Institute: June 18-29 SMEC in collaboration with the Central Valley Science Project (CVSP)

offered a two week-long intensive summer institute entitled “Modeling Physics” targeting primarily middle grade science teachers. The program provided an optional three units of credit (NSci 140T) and helped a number of teachers address new credentialing requirements as part of the No Child Left Behind mandates. The program ran from June 18-29, 2007 and was attended by 30 science teachers from the Central Valley region. Paul Lake, Physics Teacher at Buchanan High School and Jean Pennycook, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Fresno State and a science faculty member in the Fresno Unifi ed School District served as co-instructors. The program also featured a distinguished visitor from Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Kevin Hussey, who was also part of last summer’s institute. Mr. Art Hammon, K-12 Education Specialist at JPL also worked closely with teachers demonstrating the many uses of the NASA resources provided as part of the program. The course focused on key concepts found in middle grade physical science and emphasized the highly acclaimed “modeling” approach developed by Dr. David Hesthenes, Arizona State University Physics Professor.Modeling Chemistry Institute: June 18-29

SMEC, in collaboration with the California Science Project-Teacher Retention Initiative (CSP-TRI)funded by the California Postsecondary Education Council (CPEC), offered selected project participants an exciting two week institute entitled “Extreme Thinking: Modeling Chemistry.” This intensive two week-long program involved exploring some of the most acclaimed and acknowledged research-based strategies for effectively teaching and learning chemistry. The three unit science course focused on key concepts in high school

chemistry from a model-centered perspective. The emphasis was on plans and techniques for helping students to learn concepts in chemistry from the perspective of systematically developed particle models for matter. Instructional strategies included a coherent approach to the role of energy in phase change and chemical change. As part of the course, participants reviewed available literature in chemistry education research and then collaborated in applying the instructional strategies learned in the course to develop engaging activities designed to make highly abstract concepts more concrete for greater understanding. The course was taught by Ms. Brenda Royce, Chemistry Teacher with the University High School and Dr. Dave Frank, Fresno State Professor of Chemistry. The course is part of a 3 year research project under the direction of Dr. James Marshall, Professor in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development and Director of the Central Valley Science Project. The project is geared in part toward a study of those obstacles and challenges faced by science teachers in many school settings that contribute toward teacher attrition. One of the project goals is to provide teachers with outstanding professional development tools for teaching science in the classroom in a way that capitalizes on teacher creativity in using research-based pedagogy. One participant had the following to say about this summer’s experience: “There were many days during the institute that forced me to think about ideas such as energy in a new way; it blew me away and helped me understand reactions better/” Another had this to say: “The modeling method is the best method I’ve encountered to teach science. It takes the students into a lab setting to discern and fl esh out science concepts instead of a more traditional “this is the way it is, now let’s verify it.” Participant evaluation of the program was very positive with many planning on implementation of what they learned in their high school classrooms.

Robert Noyce Scholarship Program SMEC is winding down its four year Noyce Scholars I Program (funded at $500,000) with over sixty-fi ve Noyce Scholars now enrolled in the program. The Noyce Scholars Program, funded by the National Science Foundation, provides substantial scholarship support for outstanding future science and mathematics teachers willing to teach for at least part of their career in high need middle or high schools in the region. Fresno State’s Noyce Scholars program is the fi rst of several CSU-campus based Noyce Scholars programs in California. The current program ended on December 31, 2007. A $500.000 proposal for a phase II of the Noyce Program was funded by the National Science Foundation this fall. The phase two program will provide up to $20,000 in individual scholarship support for qualifi ed candidates.

PST Undergraduate Research Program SMEC continues into its seventh year as a collaborator with the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy’s Preservice Teacher Program (PST). Students are research interns this summer at Pacifi c Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington; Idaho National Laboratory in Boise, Idaho; the University of Chicago’s Argonne National Lab; and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. PST provides highly qualifi ed science or mathematics majors who plan to teach with an opportunity to spend ten weeks as a research intern at one of the U.S. Department of Energy Labs. SMEC has one of the largest contingents of students having successfully completed the prestigious program in the nation with over 60 students having participated since its inception. Noyce Scholars have engaged in

exciting research, ranging from study of the global carbon cycle to the genetic makeup of the fruit fl y. Their work is published as an abstract in the respective lab’s journal. In addition, each PST Research Intern is required to develop an education module for classroom use based upon the research topic in which they have been involved. SMEC anticipates continuing to send students to this exciting internship in future summers. The support received by the research interns is outstanding and returning students have been very positive about their experience and have provided excellent presentations on their summer’s research.

Tulare B.E.S.T project (Bringing Excellent Science to Tulare) SMEC continues to serve as an Institute of Higher Education (I.H.E.) partner with the California Department of Education Mathematics and Science Project (CaMSP) funded program based in Tulare City School District. Several Fresno State science faculty have participated in this program over the past two years as science content experts. Also, several preservice science teachers have participated. The

Central Valley PhysicsTeachers

Valley Chemistry Teachers working on an experiment

Physics experiment measuring distance

THE ODYSSEY PAGE FIVE

COLLEGE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

COLLEGE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS, CONTINUED

SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION CENTER SUMMER PROGRAMS 2007CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

project focuses on the development of outstanding science lessons developed by teams consisting of K-12 teachers, university and community college faculty, and preservice students (future science teachers). The lessons are fi eld tested in school classrooms and then become available as resources for other teachers. The program has just received continuation funding for another 3 years. The Tulare B.E.S.T. summer program ran from July 15-20 with 36 Tulare area teachers as participants. The institute focused on physical, earth, and life science topics linked to state standards and on the application of highly effective pedagogical approaches for teaching these concepts to grade 4-8 students. Dr. David Andrews, SMEC Director, serves as Tulare B.E.S.T’s co-principal investigator and co-director.

Central Valley Math Project (CVMP) summer program: July 23-27 The Central Valley Math Project is part of the second cohort of the California Math and Science Partnerships grant program. The

partnership consists of Sanger Unifi ed School District, Kings Canyon Unifi ed School District, the San Joaquin Valley Math Project, and California State University, Fresno Science and Mathematics Department and Science and Mathematics Education Center. The overall goal of the project is to produce gains in student achievement by increasing teacher content knowledge in mathematics. A one week-long intensive institute will focus on problem solving. The summer program partnered with the mathematics component of the Fresno Unifi ed Mathematics and Science Partnership Project under the leadership of Ms. Jane Wentzel. Dr. Rajee Amarasinghe of the Fresno State Mathematics Department serves as project co-principal investigator and lead instructor for the summer program. Dr. Agnes Tuska, Professor of Mathematics at Fresno State, also serves as a mathematics instructor for the program. Mr. Jeff Brown of Sanger Unifi ed School District serves as Project Director. The San Joaquin Valley Math Project is also a key partner in the program. Jaime Arvizu,

Assistant Director of the Science and Mathematics Education Center coordinated the summer program.

CSU TechCSEE The California State University Technology Center for Science Education Excellence (CSU TechCSEE) located in the Science and Mathematics Education Center continues to develop a Web portal to the MERLOT digital library. The Science Education Community portal will be an outstanding online asset for K-12 science teachers and science teacher educators. This effort has been funded, by the CSU Chancellor’s Offi ce. The Science Education Community Portal can be visited at http://teachingcommons.cdl.edu/sec/. An NSF grant proposal has been submitted for scaling up the project to statewide and national levels. By: Dr. David Andrews

Volcanic Activity as a Signal of Faulting and Uplift in the Sierra Nevada, California

Dr. Keith Putirka and collaborators at UC Santa Barbara (Dr. Cathy Busby, and graduate students) are investigating the timing of both uplift and volcanic activity within the Sierra Nevada, California. Their work involves fi eld studies in the central Sierra, near Sonora Pass (along state highway 108), within the Mono Basin, and along Ebbetts and Carson Passes. The new fi eld and geochemical data suggest a new model that establishes linkages between Sierra Nevada volcanism and uplift. If valid, this new model can be applied globally, to better delimit the timing of range uplift for mountains anywhere, with a clearer understanding of the genesis of volcanic activity. Presently, the rise of the Sierra Nevada has been attributed to the removal of dense rock that lies beneath the granitic crust, a process called “lithosphere delamination.” This process works just like a block of wood, fl oating in water, with a thick metal plate underneath; remove the metal plate (“delamination”) and the wood block rises. The “lithosphere” is analogous to the metal plate, in that it represents highly dense rock that is gravitationally unstable, i.e., it wants to sink, while overlying granitic crust (the “wood”) is less dense, and will rise. Seismic studies show that “lithosphere delamination” beneath the Sierra is nearly certain.

But the timing of delamination is unclear. Moreover, existing models attempt to link volcanic activity in the Sierra Nevada to the initiation of delamination, but geochemical data, both published, and collected here at Fresno State, show that such a delamination-volcanism linkage is highly unlikely. The fi eld data and volcanic age dates instead show that volcanic rocks with high K2O, erupt at the onset of displacement along what are called “transtensional” normal faults, not delamination. Normal faults are those where one block slides vertically downward past another block, by the action of gravity (the other block might also be thought of as “moving up”). These normal faults have been mapped near Sonora Pass, are similar to the normal faults that are still active along the eastern fl ank of the Sierra Nevada, such as caused the 1872 earthquake in Lone Pine, CA, or some of the more recent earthquakes near the ghost town of Bodie, CA. Except our faults at Sonora Pass were active 10 million years ago. Movement along all these faults control range uplift, and our fi eldwork shows that a relatively recent phase of uplift must have began 10 m.y. ago. This interpretation stands in contrast to earlier models that link the onset of delamination to volcanic activity at 3.5 m.y. Our volcanic age dates show a fl are-up of volcanic activity

throughout the Sierra Nevada (not just at Sonora Pass) at 10 m.y.ago, coincident with the onset of these early normal fault displacements at Sonora Pass. We surmise that range front faulting began throughout the Sierra at 10 m.y., and that “delamination” was initiated then, or earlier. Other structural studies suggest that most uplift of the Sierra Nevada occurred later, about 5 m.y. ago; our work suggests that uplift occurred in stages, with the most recent phase beginning with a pulse of uplift at 10 m.y., followed by later, larger episodes at 5 and/or 3.5 m.y.; the later episodes were perhaps triggered by later accelerated phases of delamination, range front faulting, or both. The volcanic history ties into this story in that the eruption of volcanic rocks high in K2O indicates the initiation of faulting (and uplift), not the initiation of lithosphere delamination. We suspect that this link between high K2O volcanism and uplift is applicable on a global scale, and may be used to determine the timing of uplift in mountain ranges anywhere where faults are not well exposed, but where the volcanic rock record is well preserved. (For more detailed information, the reader is referred to: Putirka and Busby (2007) Geology, v. 35, p. 923-926).

THE ODYSSEY PAGE SIX

OUR SUPPORTERS

THE ODYSSEY PAGE SEVEN

The College of Science and mathematics would like to acknowledge the following friends who have provided generous support for various scholarships, teaching grants and other academic activities in the College.

AEva O. Abou-GhorraAce Trophy ShopBeverly J. AchkiAdvanced Dental ConceptsAppl IncorporationApplera CorporationDr. Saeed Attar

BDr. Steven BabaDr. Thomas R. BarfknechtDr. Chrsitopher D. Bencomo, MDDr. Sydney BluestoneMarlene D. BrittonJulie Bryant

CCalifornia Academy of Family PhysiciansDr. Karen CareyWilliam ChanJohn ChesmoreSandra ChesmoreCheveron Childrens’s Hospital of Central CaliforniaCatherine F. ChristensenCommunity Regional Medical CenterDr. William J. Contente, III, DDSDr. Paul Crosbie

DDr. Manuel F. De Santos, DDSDr. John R. DonaldsonDow Agro SciencesDebra S. DuckeringAmy Durham

ERich EdwardsJustin EnnisLinda J. ErwinDr. Graciela Esquivel-Aguilar, MD

FSandra L. FarkasFidelity Charitable Gift FundPamela Fobbs, J.D.Dr. David L. FrankDr. Kenneth Fugelsang

GRobert F. GallupDr. Joseph R. GandlerDr. Emilio E. Garcia, DDSDuane GarrettKenneth Geringer

William K. GieseDr. Lynda G. GrayDr. Patricia Grillione

HDr. Gordon J. HarmstonPriscilla E. HarrisDenise HarrisonMary Lou HendersonLaura N. HendersonRoxanne S. HindsSetsuko S. HirasunaDouglass H. Hubbard

IDr. Sergio D. Ilic, MD

JDebra S. JanzerDana JohnsonDr. Floyd J. Judd

KRuth KahnDr. Kary M. Karahadian, DDSKris M. KarlenDr. Vanvilai KatkanantKaweah Delta District HospitalHon. Debra j. KazanjianJack KazanjianDennis L. KellyCarolyn J. KidderKleinfelderDr. Shirley Kovacs

LNorbert W. LarsenMaurice Le BlanceJames M. Lovette, Jr.Wilbert LoweLarry L. Lung

MDr. Harrison E. Madden

Munajj Madyun John R. Maerzke Dr. Ronald L. Marhenke Lindsey Martin Dr. Barbara J. Mayer Dr. John E. Mazuski, M.D.

N George D. Neves Dr. Kin Ng Dr. Howard Ono Kenneth Otteson Jennifer L. Owens

P Dr. Adriana R. Padilla, MD Jefferey Parham Dr. Eric Person William P. Person Dr. Gabriel Pino, MD Proteus Millie Puma

R Dale Reitz Elizabeth Riley Dr. Larry Riley Dr. Stephen Rodemeyer

S Kenneth D. Schmidt Mr. John Schockley Betty J. Schockley Dr. Fred Schreiber Janet U. Seamount Dr. David L. Slater, MD Michael V. Smith Stuart W. Sorenson Robert L.Starkweather Dr. Jose Sy

T The Gas Company Barbara F. Thomas Dr. Scott Toste Dr. Brian Tsukimura

W Elizabeth White Dr. Steven White

Ryan Williams Dr. Hugh Williamson Wind River

Y Dr. Kent Yamaguchi, MD

Z Carol W. Zellmer Dr. David Zellmer Dr. Michael J. Zender Dr. Daqing Zhang Dr. Stanley Ziegler

CSM IN THE NEWS

THE ODYSSEY PAGE EIGHT

others. Symptoms vary from mild to severe. The disorder is characterized by language delays or other communication problems, poor social skills and repetitive, rigid or other unusual behaviors.Based on a new study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in February that as many as one in 150 children in the United States is autistic or suffers from a closely related disorder, a signifi cantly higher number than previously estimated.There’s debate among researchers about whether the disorder is on the rise or whether the number of children affl icted has ballooned because of an expanded defi nition of autism and greater awareness

and identifi cation, said Susan Snider, autism program manager for the Central Valley Regional Center in Fresno.The regional center is one of 21 throughout the state that coordinates services for children diagnosed with developmental disabilities.Still, Snider said, there’s no dispute that better treatment is needed for children with autism. The central San Joaquin Valley, in particular, lags behind other parts of the state in treatment, said Adams, the Fresno State autism center director.At the Central Valley Regional Center, 1,089 clients -- or 8.9% -- have been diagnosed with autism. Statewide among regional center clients, 35,717 have been diagnosed with autism, or 18.9%.Local autism experts don’t know why the region appears to have a lower rate of autism, said

Sue Coggins, director of health services and intake for the Central Valley Regional Center. However, she said, areas closer to large research universities and centers specializing in the study of autism tend to have larger numbers of children diagnosed with autism.Faculty at Fresno State have been working on opening an autism center for about fi ve years as a way of offering treatment for local families and to provide an on-site facility for research and for students to gain experience in working with autistic children.“It’s something that’s been greatly needed for the central Valley. We’re hoping they can expand,” said Jennifer Eachus, president of

the Fresno/Madera chapter of Families for Effective Autism Treatment.The center has four small therapy rooms where students work one-on-one with autistic children who are 18 months and older. Graduate students in an observation room monitor the therapy sessions using video systems in the therapy rooms. Frequency and length of sessions vary, based on the child.Adams said the key to helping autistic children is “deliberate teaching,” removing distractions while they are trained in basic skills, small steps at a time.“Intensive work by age 3 can yield incredible results,” Adams said.Graduate student Karly Marriott said the center offers

a great learning opportunity as she pursues a thesis on how children with autism learn to speak.Sam Franco, who will be 4 in January, has trouble communicating with others, although it’s unclear whether he has autism, said his mother, Abby Franco, who lives in Raymond, a Madera County foothills community.Twelve hours a week of therapy at the Fresno State center has more than doubled the number of words Sam uses in sentences. He’s now up to eight or 10, Franco said.“It’s made a profound change in him.” Courtesy of the Fresno Bee, Reporter Anne Dudley Ellis.

Bren Howard can now put his shoes on when his mother asks him to, a signifi cant achievement for a 31/2-year-old boy who is autistic and cannot follow instructions easily, talk or even join in playing with other children.His mother, Jodie Howard, credits Fresno State’s new Central California Autism Center with Bren’s advances. She hopes that someday he will be able to communicate, and even go to school.The autism center -- the fi rst of its kind in the central San Joaquin Valley -- opened in August, giving parents of autistic children another option for treatment and broadening local research on the puzzling disorder.“It’s been a tremendous help to us,” said Howard, of Fresno. “The most signifi cant thing I’ve noticed so far is his ability to follow instructions.”Bren attends six-hour sessions at the center every weekday, working one-on-one with students in California State University, Fresno’s behavioral analysis program. The program is part of the psychology department; the center is housed in the Science II building, with room for 10 children. Director Amanda Adams expects it to be full by December.Before starting sessions at Fresno State, Howard said, Bren did not respond to simple instructions: “He’d just kind of look at me, or it wouldn’t register with him. Before, it was like he was an infant all the time.”New research advocates autism diagnosis and therapy for babies as young as a few months old. The American Academy of Pediatrics in October announced a push to have all children screened twice for autism by age 2.The Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism, created by the California Legislature in 2005, calls autism the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the United States.Autism refers to a poorly understood spectrum of behavioral disorders that hinder a child’s ability to interact with

FRESNO STATE HELPS UNLOCK POTENTIAL OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN

PROFESSOR JOHN SUEN NAMED TO EXPERT PANNEL

California State University, Fresno Professor Dr. John Suen, a specialist in hydrogeology, has been appointed to an expert review panel of a national “report card” on the environment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The “Report on the Environment 2007” presents the current status and trends in conditions of air, water, land, human health and ecological systems in the nation. The EPA will use the report’s information in its strategic planning and decision making. Suen is among 21 scientists and physicians who serve on the expert review panel of the Science Advisory Board, which began its work with a public meeting in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. A distinguished researcher and professor at Fresno State since 1990, Suen is also chief of hydrogeology studies at the California Water Institute based at the university. His work includes researching nuclear waste containment for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and analyzing and “fi ngerprinting” water sources in the Sierra Nevada foothills. He has conducted studies for the Central Valley Water Quality Control Board and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation of the California Environmental Protection Agency. “The work is very challenging but rewarding,” said Suen. “The ‘Report on the Environment’ represents a

monumental effort by the EPA. It is planned to be released early next year.”

Suen biosketch: Dr. John Suen has served as Chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and founding program coordinator of the University of California at Riverside-Fresno State joint Bachelor’s of Science degree program in environmental sciences. He received a B.S. with honors from McGill University in Canada, a doctorate in science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California at San Diego. Prior to joining the faculty of Fresno State, he also served as adjunct faculty at

the State University of New York at Stony Brook and California State University, Hayward. Dr. Suen was

a scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, N.Y., where he worked as a technical consultant for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Low-Level Waste Source Term Project. He developed hydrogeologic models for calculation of radioisotope transport in the subsurface. He has published extensively in this fi eld. He was on the research staff of Gulf Oil Canada and Sohio Petroleum Company (now BP America) working on heavy/enhanced oil recovery. Dr. Suen’s current research projects include the study of contaminant hydrology in Central California and hydrology of fractured rocks. His research interest focuses on the application of isotopic data in hydrology, such as studying nitrate contamination in groundwater using nitrogen and oxygen isotopes as a source indicator in agricultural

environments. In past years, Dr. Suen has served in several advisory capacities, including expert ground water panel for the cities of San Francisco and Daly City, the board of directors for the Bay Institute of San Francisco, the Commission on the Urban Agenda of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, and the Kings River Groundwater Basin Committee of the State Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Professor John Suen

FACULTY AWARDS

$4.4 MILLION COLLABORATIVE SCIENCE CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT FUNDED BY NIH

“Developing Biomedical Research Infrastructure for Central California’s Central Valley,” a 5-year Research Infrastructure grant for Minority Institutions (RIMI) was funded by the National Institute of Health. Research faculty from Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology are the core of this grant, which aims to: 1) Build research capacity, 2) Increase the range of biomedical research on health and health disparities, 3) Enhance research facilities to include a proteomic/functional genomics lab, and a molecular and functional imaging lab, and 4) Strengthen faculty research training.

Principal Investigator of this grant is Dr. Jeronima Echeverria, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Co-project Directors are Dr. Krish Krishnan (Associate Professor, Chemistry) and Dr. Lynnette Zelezny (Professor and Chair, Psychology). In addition, Core Leaders are Dr. Alejandro Calderon-Urrea (Associate Professor, Biology) and Dr. Jason Bush (Assistant Professor, Biology). Three collaborative subprojects will be conducted:

1. Dr. Jason Bush (Assistant Professor, Biology) will examine the effects of Central Valley

pesticides on breast epithelial cells in Hispanic/Latino farmworkers.

2. Drs. Krish Krishnan and Alam Hasson (Associate Professors, Chemistry) will conduct a critical evaluation of the inter-relationship between levels of air pollution, viral infection and asthma exacerbations in the California Central Valley.

3. Dr. Amanda Mortimer (Assistant Professor, Psychology) will research cultural differences in marital caregiving interactions in Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Alejandro Calderon-Urea, Dr. Amanda Mortimer, Dr. Krish Krishnan, Provost Jeri Echeverria, Dr. Lynnette Zelezny, Dr. Jason Bush and Dr. Alam Hasson (Left to Right)

THE ODYSSEY PAGE NINE

The Western Psychological Association honored Dr. Robert Levine, Professor of Psychology at Fresno State, with the

2007 Outstanding Teaching Award at the WPA annual conference in Vancouver,

Dr. Robert Levine

Canada on May 4, 2007. WPA is the largest psychological association, encompassing of all fi elds of psychology, for the western region of the United States and Canada. Levine, a Fresno State faculty member since 1974, specializes in social psychology. He is the author of three books. His fi rst, “A Geography of Time” (1997), was the subject of feature stories around the world, including Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine, CNN, the BBC, ABC’s Primetime, and NPR’s All Things Considered and Marketplace. His recent book, “The Power of Persuasion: How We’re Bought and Sold” (2003) has been translated into seven languages. Levine holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, a master’s degree from Florida State

DR. ROBERT LEVINE WINS PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION AWARD

University and a Ph.D. in personality/social psychology from New York University. He has published many articles in professional journals as well as articles in trade periodicals such as Discover, American Demographics, The New York Times, Utne Reader, and American Scientist. At Fresno State, he has served as Chair of the Psychology Department and as Associate Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. He also has served as a visiting Professor at Universidade Federal Fluminense in Niteroi, Brazil, at Sapporo Medical University in Japan, and at Stockholm University in Sweden.

Dr. Jeri Echeverria Names Professor to Top Teaching Honor

Dr. Robert Levine

Dr. Robert Levine selected for top teaching award Dr. Robert Levine, Professor of psychology, was awarded the top teaching honor at California State University,

Fresno. Dr. Jeri Echeverria, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, named Levine as recipient of the 2007 Excellence in Teaching Award. The Provost also honored the following College of Science and Mathematic professors:

• Dr. Doug Singleton, Professor of Physics, for the Distinguished Achievement in Research, Scholarship or Creative Activities Award

• Dr. Michael Botwin, Professor of Psychology and chair of the Academic Senate, for the Faculty Service Award

• Mamta Rawat, Associate Professor of Biology for Promising New Faculty

The awards included stipends of $5,500 for the Excellence in Teaching recipient and $3,000 each to the other awardees.Excellence in Teaching Award: Dr. Robert Levine, Professor of the Department of Psychology, is internationally known for his teaching and scholarship. As a mentor, he encourages student collaboration – nearly all his publications and presentations have student co-authors. Levine is responsible for developing the fi rst courses in his department that emphasized cultural diversity and cross-cultural issues and also was a founder of the psychology honors program. He has

made the classroom the cornerstone of his work and insists that students take an active role in their learning, sending his students into the real world so that they will encounter fi rsthand the concepts they learned in the classroom. Active in helping students network with many professionals he knows, Levine sets high standards for his students and motivates them to succeed by encouraging them to try harder.

Faculty Service Award: Dr. Michael Botwin, Professor of Psychology, Botwin has been very active in the Academic Senate and in the university’s strategic planning process. He has served on the Academic Computer Planning Subcommittee, the Honor Code Committee, the Student Success Task Force and the campus’ BEAMS team. A leader in student service, he has been faculty adviser to Psi Chi, the psychology honor society, and has been a member of the Faculty Mentoring Program.

Distinguished Achievement in Research, Scholarship or Creative Activities: Dr. Doug Singleton, Associate Professor of Physics, has worked tirelessly, and actively researching theoretical physics. His work includes

36 publications in refereed journals, 12 published conference proceedings, presentations at 18 conferences/workshops, several external grants and international collaborations with scientists in Russia, Ukraine,

Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Republic of Georgia, Costa Rica and Poland. As colloquium coordinator, he has hosted national and international speakers, including internationally recognized experts in physics and astronomy.

The Promising New Faculty Award: Dr. Mamta Rawat, Associate Professor in Biology has developed a research program that ranges from bacterial detoxifi cation mechanisms to bioremediation of toxic substances. She has made 35 presentations, 11 of which were national or international.

Dr. Mamta Rawat

Dr. Doug Singleton

DR. MICHAEL BOTWIN

THE ODYSSEY PAGE TEN

FACULTY AWARDS

FACULTY ACTIVITIES

Dr. Saeed Attar, Professor of Chemistry, presented the following research papers.1. “Synthesis of a New Chiral Aminophosphine Ligand for Use in Ru(II)-Catalyzed. Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Aromatic Ketones,”

Dr. Saeed Attar

presented along with graduate student Bao Vue at the 232nd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, 2. San Francisco, CA; September 10, 2006; Division of Organic Chemistry, Abstract No. 216 “Synthesis and Characterization of a New Ruthenium(II) Catalyst for Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Acetophenone Derivatives,” presented along with undergraduate student Gerson UC-Basulto at the 233rd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago; March 25, 2007; Division of Inorganic Chemistry, Abstract No. 381.3. “A new planar chiral ferrocenyl-aminophosphine ligand for Ru(II)-catalyzeasymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone derivatives,” presented along with undergraduate student Felix Perez.

RESEARCH PRESENTATION PROFESSOR ATTENDS HARVARD

MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

DR. LYNNETTE ZELEZNY

Lynnette Zelezny, Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department attended Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts last summer to attend the acclaimed Management Development Program. Nominated and sponsored by Provost Jeronima Echeverria and Dean of Science and Mathematics K. P. Wong, Zelezny represented California State University, Fresno among an international class of 120 delegates to deliberate on advanced topics in leadership, team-building, diversity, fostering innovation and change, institutional vision, values and integrity, fi nancial management, legal issues, and advancement and fundraising.

DEATH TO PESTSCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

fi ngers, but if all goes as planned, genes trigger those membranes to die before birth, according to Calderon-Urrea. Finding the right cells in nematodes is a painstaking process -- and it’s where his research now is focused. “The genes we’re looking for aren’t saying, “Pick me! Pick me!”Calderon-Urrea said. “There are a gazillion possibilities. Imagine going to a Fresno State football game to meet someone you didn’t know, and telling them to wear red so you’d recognize them. Everyone would be in red.” If Calderon-Urrea fi nds the right genes, he hopes to multiply them in the laboratory. Next, he would introduce those genes into crop seeds. When the seeds grow into plants and nematodes latch onto the plants, the pests would be eating material that would cause their cells to die. Calderon-Urrea said he already has had results that show he is on the right track. He has used cell suicide genes found in nonparasitic nematodes, attached them to tobacco plant DNA and discovered that the suicide genes kill the nematodes, but not the plants. Nematode expert Andrea Skantar, a research molecular biologist with the Agricultural Research Service of

the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, said Calderon-Urrea’s research is noteworthy. “I think Alejandro’s research is unique in looking at programmed cell death for this purpose,” Skantar said. But it’s not the only work being done on nematodes. Valerie Williamson, a molecular biologist and nematologist at the University of California at Davis, is doing research involving a gene in tomatoes that provides natural resistance to the pests. In the meantime, Williamson said, it’s important that Calderon-Urrea’s research continues because parasitic nematodes are such a big problem. Published reports put U.S. crop losses annually in the billions of dollars. For years, growers chose methyl bromide as the primary pesticide to kill parasitic nematodes, but the government said it damaged the atmosphere. It’s being phased out. Growers now use other pesticides, but making plants resistant to nematodes would be safer for the environment, said Richard Molinar, a farm adviser for the University of California Cooperative Extension in Fresno. “Nobody would disagree with that, even a pesticide salesman,” Molinar said. Would the suicide genes that kill the nematodes harm people who ate the

genetically-modifi ed crops? Calderon-Urrea said he doesn’t think that would happen, though that question is part of his research. “People have the perception that maybe these genetically-modifi ed plants are harmful,” he said. “But there is a large body of evidence to the contrary.” Some people still worry about the ramifi cations of genetically engineering crops. Joseph Oldaker, a spokesman for the Institute on Biotechnology & the Human Future, a think tank in Chicago, said he wasn’t familiar with Calderon-Urrea’s work. But, he said, there are general concerns about genetically-modifi ed plants. Such plants might displace natural plants, reducing biodiversity and harming the environment, said Oldaker. In addition, techniques used to create the new plants could threaten public safety, Oldaker said. “We don’t know how the genes in the new environment are going to interact with our natural biochemistry in the long term.” Calderon-Urrea knows about the concerns. “These are very sensitive issues,” he said, “and I would be the fi rst one to kiss this work goodbye if it caused any harm to humans, animals or the environment.” Courtesy of the Fresno Bee, Reporter Doug Hoagland.

THE ODYSSEY PAGE ELEVEN

Café Scientifi que: Taking Science to the

Community In May, a small group of people interested in science began to talk about bringing “Café Scientifi que” to the Fresno/Clovis region. Café Scientifi que is based on a movement that began in the United Kingdom to stimulate interest in and discussion of the fi eld of science. Local meetings are held at cafés in the community and incorporate informal presentations and discussions of various scientifi c topics led by experts in the fi eld. The topic for the fi rst meeting was “Cute, cuddly, and dead - so what’s killing sea otters?” The speaker was Dr. Paul Crosbie of the Biology Department at Fresno State. In November, Dr. Kevin Miller gave a talk entitled, “Over my dead body”. Miller teaches Forensic Chemistry at Fresno State. In December, Café Scientifi que moved to Di Cicco’s Restaurant on Clovis Avenue to present Dr. James Farrar’s talk about “Mushrooms, ecology and Santa Claus” Farrar is on the faculty in the College of Agriculture at Fresno State. Meetings are held on the fi rst Monday of every month at 6:30. Lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit the Central Valley Cafe Scientifi que website at www.valleycafesci.org.

STUDENT RESEARCH AND AWARDS

On May 19th, Felix Perez, the 2007 Dean’s Medalist from the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM), received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Fresno State with a perfect 4.0 GPA. He was also awarded with the President’s Medal, the highest honor that University bestows upon an undergraduate student receiving a bachelor’s degree. That is a remarkable accomplishment considering that 4,226 students were eligible to receive that degree this year! A 2003 graduate of Edison High School’s “Computech” program, Felix began his studies as a pre-pharmacy major on the recommendation of a relative who told Felix that it was a good career to pursue due to the number of available jobs. However, Felix is one of those rare students equally gifted in both the theory and practice of Chemistry. Therefore, he soon fi gured out that he would get quite bored as a pharmacist and, instead, concentrated his efforts on getting the most out of what Fresno State Chemistry Department had to offer in terms of courses and research opportunities – and he excelled in both of areas! Course-wise, Felix received an “A” in every course he took at Fresno State! He accomplished this task while working two part-time jobs at food outlets in Fresno to support himself through school during his fi rst two years at Fresno State. Felix is the 4th person in his extended family to earn a B.S. degree and the fi rst to pursue a Ph.D. degree. However, Felix’s background and family responsibilities, which may seem to be a handicap for some people, have not stopped him from having big dreams and setting goals to reach them. All of Felix’s Chemistry professors speak very highly of his maturity, dedication, strong work ethic, intellect, creativity, and enthusiasm. While completing his B.S. degree requirements, Felix also conducted research under the direction of Dr.

Felix R. Perez2007 Dean’s Medalist & President’s Medalist

College of Science & Mathematics – CSU Fresno

Saeed Attar, for the period June 2005 – May 2007. His research project involved the synthesis and characterization of an organometallic catalyst that could be utilized to prepare optically-active alcohols used in the synthesis of chiral pharmaceuticals. Felix has also presented his research at two national meetings of the American Chemical Society (Atlanta, March 2006; Chicago, March 2007). Felix was a recipient of the prestigious Pfi zer Academic Industrial Relations (AIR) Summer Fellowship, which sponsored his research during Summer 2005. Felix’s outstanding work was appreciated by the sponsors of the award at Pfi zer so much that they offered him an on-site internship (at Pfi zer Global R&D, La Jolla, CA) during Summer 2006. At Pfi zer, Felix worked in the “Research Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (R-API)” group under the direction of Dr. Erik Flahive. When asked recently to comment on Felix’s performance at Pfi zer, here is what Dr. Flahive had to say:

“Felix is a stellar example of a student who has a great, natural curiosity and fascination with science. As a result, he is a truly self-motivated researcher and I believe he will develop into a fi rst-rate chemist (and scientist in general) as he progresses through his education years. Many students have this natural affi nity for science, but I think that opportunities to fully develop this inclination into excellent career opportunities are the difference-maker for a lot of students. Internship and research fellowship

opportunities for college students in scientifi c fi elds are essential to foster this development. Clearly, it has made a huge difference for Felix as he arrived at Pfi zer in 2006 at a skill level in laboratory organic chemistry that was well beyond that of the average student his age. As a result, we were able to dive into a high-level research project with minimal training needed, and Felix’s efforts on this project will lead to a scientifi c publication in 2007. During his time at Pfi zer, Felix worked very hard to accomplish the research project goals and often made progress beyond the goals originally set forth. One of his own research ideas became a key extension of the project that will be an integral part of the eventual publication on this work. Felix was also very eager to learn more about techniques and instrumentation that was not directly used in his work and often spent time learning about these in between his project responsibilities. Felix presented an excellent summary of his work at an internal Pfi zer poster session at the end of the summary. Felix was truly a joy to work with throughout his time at Pfi zer and we were very pleased to have provided Felix this internship opportunity.” According to Dr. Attar, Felix is by far the most promising student he has ever worked with as far as a research career in Chemistry is concerned. He has exhibited the highest level of professional dedication, leadership, and commitment to fellow students, and to the Department. I foresee that he will make a signifi cant contribution to the fi eld of Organic Chemistry. Felix is an exemplary person in the sense that he tries to help his fellow students. He is valued and respected by fellow students and faculty alike. In addition to the Pfi zer Fellowship, Felix’s work and accomplishments have been recognized by the following awards: McNair Scholarship (2005-06), LS-AMP Scholarship (2005-06), College of Science and Mathematics “Faculty Sponsored Student Research Award” (2005), Best Science Poster Presentation at the Central California Research Symposium (2006), Downing Scholar Award (2006), and Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Award (2006). Felix’s post-graduation plans include pursuing his Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry at UCLA wherein he has already been accepted along with a considerable fi nancial package. Whatever his future career plans are, Felix will undoubtedly be successful due to the qualities he possesses as a person and as a scientist. We are confi dent that more of his professional accomplishments are on their way and we will hear about them.

By: Dr. Saeed Attar, Professor of Chemistry

President John Welty and Felix Perez

Felix Perez and Dr. Saeed Attar

THE ODYSSEY PAGE TWELVE

STUDENT RESEARCH AND AWARDS

Three California State University, Fresno students received awards at the 21st annual California State University Student Research Competition on May 4-5, 2007 at CSU, Dominguez Hills. A total of 172 students presented their research in 10 different categories, and two Fresno State students were named top presenters in their categories. The competition exhibits research by undergraduate and graduate students from the 23 CSU campuses, said Dr. Thomas McClanahan, associate vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs at Fresno State. Rebecca Headrick of Hanford received fi rst place in the Behavioral and Social Sciences graduate category for her presentation, “No Person Shall Be Forced to Have an Abortion Against His Will: The Case of Epicene Pronouns in Written Discourse.” Headrick received her master’s degree in linguistics this month. Her faculty mentor was Dr. Shigeko Okamoto. Carlos Tristan (Biology Major) received fi rst place in the Biological

and Agricultural Sciences graduate division for his presentation, “Gene Expression Profi le of Transgenic Nicotiana tabacum Plants Expressing Caenorhabditis’ Cell Death Genes.” He also won fi rst place at the Central California Research Symposium. His faculty mentor was Dr. Alejandro Calderón-Urrea. A native of Oxnard, Tristan entered the Ph.D. program at Johns Hopkins University this fall. In the Behavioral and Social Sciences graduate category, David Pyrooz of Gustine received the runner-up award for his presentation, “Risk factors of gang membership: Results from an analysis of self-reported gang members in the Fresno County jail.” Pyrooz received his Master’s degree in Criminology. His faculty mentors were Dr. Jason Kissner and Dr. Barbara Owen. Seven other participants from Fresno State presented at the competition: Sergio Aguilar-Rudametkin, Hazel Hofman, Saben Kane, Takako Kurimoto, Gilberto Lopez, Natalie Powers and Tonantzin Soto.

Eight undergraduate and graduate students are the fi rst to complete the two-year Research Initiative for Scientifi c Enhancement (RISE) program at California State University, Fresno to further their education or career in biomedical/behavioral sciences and research. The eight RISE scholars exemplify the goal of the program:

• Andrea Salazar from Fresno has accepted a job offer at University of California, San Francisco’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, which is where she completed her 2006 summer internship through RISE

• David Sisco of Oakhurst has been accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Hawaii, where he completed his 2006 summer internship

• Sean Thompson of Lemoore plans to attend Fresno State for his Master’s degree

• Gerson Uc-Basulto of Salinas has been accepted into the Ph.D, program at the University of California, Los Angeles

• Natalie Powers of Lancaster will continue her studies through Yale University’s Ph.D. program

• Paula Wright of Haslett, Mich., has been accepted into the doctoral program at the University of California, Davis

• Nicholas Blanchard of Clovis will attend the University of Oregon

• Carlos Tristan of Oxnard will enter the Ph.D. program at Johns Hopkins University

“Most of Fresno State’s second-year RISE Scholars were accepted into more than one Ph.D. program, and had to decide

where they wanted to attend,” said Tracy Klippert, administrative assistant for the program. RISE is designed to enhance the research environment at minority-serving institutions to increase the interest, skills and competitiveness

of biomedical/behavioral students and faculty. Fresno State was selected by the National Institutes of Health in 2005 to receive a four-year $1.3-million

grant to support RISE, which offers $18,000 annual fellowships

to graduate students and $10,000 to undergraduate participants. Each RISE Scholar receives the fellowship for two years. RISE undergraduates must complete their bachelor’s degree after two years, while graduate students must complete their Master's degree within two years. All students must apply to at least one Ph.D. program at the end of their two-year RISE journey. Fresno State’s RISE program provides paid research experiences and paid off-campus summer internships, plus guidance toward doctoral programs and opportunities to meet nationally recognized scientists. Continuing RISE Scholars are Marcel Garcia of Fresno, a psychology graduate student, and Jordan Anderson of Madera and Charles Grove of Visalia, both chemistry undergraduates. Eight participants will be chosen soon for the 2007-09 RISE Scholars program at Fresno State. For more information on the RISE program, contact Tracy Klippert at 559.278.8148.

FRESNO STATE STUDENTS WIN AT RESEARCH COMPETITION

FRESNO STATE RISE STUDENTS ATTEND TOP RESEARCH FACILITIES

David Pyrooz, Rebecca Headrick and Carlos Tristian

Andrea Salazar, RISE Student

Adam B. Hess, Department of Psychology graduate, Instructor in the Department of Criminology, and doctoral candidate in Forensic Clinical Psychology at Alliant International University, Fresno, together with Prof. Matthew J. Sharps and students Marcel Garcia, Joy Ewart, Melissa Griffi th, and Sina Tuy of the Department of Psychology, College of Science and Mathematics, received the award for Best Research Paper (Student) at the annual meeting of the Society for Police and Criminal Psychology (SPCP) in Springfi eld, Massachusetts, September 27, 2007.

The paper, entitled “Visual Allocation in Simple and Complex Crime Scenes,” is a continuation of ongoing work in Sharps’ lab on the application of cognitive science to problems of importance in forensic and criminal justice contexts. This is the third consecutive year that this research group has received an SPCP research award.

AWARD FOR BEST RESEARCH PAPER

ADAM HESS, DR. MATTHEW SHARPS AND MARCEL GARCIA (L-R)

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FRESNO STATE STUDENT HONORED AS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

STUDENT RESEARCH AND AWARDS, CONTINUED

Rebecca T. Asami, a biology student who volunteers for Food Not Bombs, was honored as California State University, Fresno Student Volunteer of the Year during the 39th annual Volunteer of the Year luncheon. The luncheon at TorNino’s was sponsored by the Volunteer Center of Fresno County. There were four fi nalists for the university’s top student volunteer award. Chris Fiorentino, director of the Offi ce of Civic Engagement and Service-Learning, said, “These four fi nalists represent the outstanding work that thousands of Fresno State students perform in the community each year. We’re very happy to honor them and to recognize Rebecca’s exceptional service.” As co-founder of the Fresno chapter of Food Not Bombs, Asami has helped to address issues of hunger and poverty in some of Fresno’s poorest neighborhoods. Asami volunteers on average about

15-20 hours a week and has dedicated nearly every Sunday for the past eight years to Food Not Bombs. She has provided countless dependable, nutritious meals for those in need. She also has recruited

volunteers, which has helped to raise awareness of poverty and hunger issues in the community.

Food Not Bombs, an all-volunteer grassroots political organization with chapters across North America, protests militarism and poverty by serving free vegetarian food to people in need.

In the nomination letter for Asami, Madhusudan Katti, Assistant Professor of Biology at Fresno State, stated that Asami was never compensated for her work and even spent her own money when funds for Food Not Bombs were low. Katti said through Asami’s volunteer work and her biology research, she “demonstrates an extraordinary commitment toward improving human life and our interaction with the environment.” A senior who will graduate in December, Asami has been conducting research on issues of urban ecology. She helps several graduate students with their projects in bird ecology and behavior in urban environments. As the Student Volunteer of

the Year, Asami received a $1,200 scholarship from Fresno State’s Community Service Scholarship Program.

Chris Fiorentino and Rebecca Asami

Joan Otomo-Corgel was extensively involved while at Fresno State before she earned her degree in biology magna cum laude and was selected the Outstanding Graduating Senior. She was active with the rally committee, Biology Club, the Predental Club, and the Little Sisters of Theta Chi. She was also a head cheerleader, Homecoming Queen, and was the Western United States representative in the Miss Cheerleader USA contest in 1971. Joan then graduated from the University of California, Los AngelesSchool of Dentistry, the UCLA School of Public Health, and West Los Angeles VAMC General Practice Residency and Postdoctoral Periodontics Residency. Joan’s involvement in her fi eld is all encompassing. She is the past president of the Western Society of Periodontology, National VA Periodontists, and the UCLA Chapter of OKU. She is a member of the

Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Periodontology, Board of Directors of the California Society of Periodontists, and the UCLA School of Dentistry Board of Counselors. She is also on the California State University, Fresno Board of Visitors. Joan has contributed to more than 60 periodontal journals and texts. Currently, Joan teaches part time at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System Periodontal Residency where she is the chair of postdoctoral research, and the UCLA School of Dentistry. She maintains a private practice in Los Angeles. In her free time, Joan enjoys spending quality family time with her husband, Rich, and their two children, Bucky and Stefanie. She is also close with her mother Elaine and father John. She is a proud supporter of her children and their academic and athletic endeavors.

2007 TOP DOG RECIPIENT:JOAN OTOMO-CORGEL, CLASS OF 1972

Mary Ann Krating, (left in photo) a top graduate student in school psychology, who is conducting research on bullying, received the fi rst John Thomas Memorial scholarship. The John Thomas alumni scholarship was endowed by the Department of Psychology in memory of John Thomas, a beloved alumnus of the CSUF school sychology program and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology, who tragically died of brain cancer last year.

Mary Ann Krating and Diana Thomas

Diana Thomas (John’s wife, right in photo), also an aluma of the CSUF school psychology program, awarded Mary Ann Krating the scholarship at the Department of Psychology’s Student Award Reception last spring at the Smittcamp Alumni House. Mary Ann was also recognized as the fi rst John Thomas Scholar at the recent Top Dog Alumni Awards celebration at the SaveMart Center.

John Thomas Memorial Scholar

THE ODYSSEY PAGE FOURTEEN

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 PROFESSOR DELIVERED MANDATE FOR CHANGE

and researchers in the college, and we have Dean Wong to thank for that.” Wong said adding research faculty has helped Fresno State in several ways. “We recognized the need for research to keep us up-to-date in our fi elds, and also to let students participate in research so they will be better prepared for the future,” Wong said. Wong, a biochemical researcher, also wanted to expand science education to help spark an interest in young students. He envisioned an interactive campus, where every available inch of space in classrooms and hallways was put to use, and where even a bench outside would have a science-related display to help educate those who sat down. Wong has spent more than 20 years looking at ways to starve cancer cells by stopping the growth of new blood

vessels. He has two labs on campus set aside for his use and a team of fellow researchers, including two visiting professors from China. Together, Wong, said, they make progress every day -- just as he changed the college one day at a time. “Research is a dynamic process, where things change all the time,” Wong said. “I’m excited at what has changed during my time here, and equally excited that next year I will be able to focus all of my energy on my research. I’m determined to work very hard for the next fi ve years.” Cancer research Kin-Ping Wong has published numerous articles on his research into cancer treatments. His main areas of research include:

Cancer: studying the use of angiogenesis inhibitors, which prevent the growth of blood vessels, to ultimately starve cancer cells. Alzheimer’s disease: searching for substances that could prevent the formation of plaques in the brain. Blindness: researching the use of angiogenesis inhibitors to stop the progression of diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Cellulosic ethanol: studying the biochemical and enzymatic conversion of agricultural waste byproducts to ethanol.Courtesy of the Fresno Bee, October 29, 2006 Reporter Denny Boyles

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