Category: Research

Susan T. Bagley, professor professor emerita of environmental microbiology in the Department of Biological Sciences, has received the Charles Porter Award from the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB).

This award recognizes longtime members for outstanding, sustained service to the society for seven or more years. Bagley has over 35 years’ experience as an environmental microbiologist, working in academia and government on microbial-based treatment of air, waterborne and industrial organic wastes; microbial production of bio-based fuels; and mutagenicity and toxicity of environmental pollutants.

She has received research funding from a wide range of governmental, industrial and foundation sources and has coauthored more than 85 peer-reviewed articles, proceedings and reports. Most of these studies have involved multidisciplinary collaborations with faculty and students. She taught introductory courses in microbiology plus applied and industrial microbiology and microbial physiology for senior undergraduate and graduate students.

Bagley has been a SIMB member since 1997 and has served in a range of positions, including president, editor-in-chief of SIMB News, and chair of the Nominations, Planning, and Annual Meeting and Exposition Program Committees. In addition, she has been a member of the Finance, Publications, and other Annual Meeting and Exposition Program committees.

She is a senior editor and co-chair of the Presidential Committee on Diversity, working to establish a standing SIMB Diversity Committee. She has also chaired numerous Annual Meeting sessions. Outside of SIMB, she serves the American Society for Microbiology as editor-in-chief of the MicrobeLibrary, a member of the Education Board and the Committee on the Status of Women in Microbiology and as coordinator of the new Speakers’ Bureau, encouraging undergraduates to consider careers industrial microbiology and biotechnology.

From Tech Today.

PI Chaoli Wang (CS) is awarded $143,882 for “CAREER: Effective Analysis, Exploration, and Visualization of Big Flow Data to Understand Dynamic Flows” from the National Science Foundation. This is the first year of a potential five-year project totaling $489,245.

Read more at Tech Today.

The Ecosystem Science Center and the Biotechnology Research Center announce award recipients of the Tenth Annual ESC/BRC Student Research Forum held March 19.

Student award winners in the College of Sciences and Arts include:

Graduate Research

$100 Merit Awards

Biotechnology Research Center
Yiping Mao (Bio Sci) for “Overexpression of microRNA-30d increases insulin biosynthesis and protects against high-fat diet induced glucose intolerances,” Advisor Xiaoqing Tang

Mu Yang (Chemistry) for “Disulfide-Bond Scrambling Promotes Amorphous Aggregates in Hen Lysozyme and Bovine Serum Albumin,” Advisor: Ashutosh Tiwari

Ecosystem Science Center
Cameron Goble (Bio Sci) for “Assessment of Fish Communities in Tributary Streams of the Big Manistee,” Advisor: Nancy Auer

Read more at Tech Today.

Vice President for Research Announces Faculty Fellows Selections

The Office of the Vice President for Research has selected the 2014 recipients of the newly implemented Faculty Fellow Program. The first Faculty Fellows for 2014-2015 are: Larry Sutter (MSE), for Sponsored Program Administration, Adrienne Minerick (ChE) for Strategic Planning and Budget, and Yoke Khin Yap (Physics) for Economic Development and Technology Commercialization.

From Tech Today.

A Faculty Fellow in Economic Development and Technology Commercialization will be involved in areas such as IP commercialization and startup support.

Last month the Graduate Student Government sponsored the Graduate Research Colloquium, including posters, oral presentations, and award presentations to the Outstanding Student Scholar, Outstanding Student Leader and Graduate Mentor at the Colloquium banquet.

There were many notables within the College of Sciences and Arts.

Patrick Belling, who is a PhD candidate in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors, Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences, received the Exceptional Graduate Student Leader Award.

Saima Ghazal, who is a PhD candidate in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors, is a Spring 2014 recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship.

Amanda Shaw, who is an MS candidate in Physics, is a Spring 2014 recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award.

Ashim Chakravarty, who is a PhD candidate in Engineering Physics, is a Spring 2014 recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship.

Morton Harwood, a PhD candidate in Biological Sciences, was the 1st Place winner for his oral presentation “The Acute Cardiovascular Responses to Marathon and Ultra-marathon Competition.”

Komal Raja, Biological Sciences, took 2nd Place for the poster “The Role of Toolkit Genes in the Evolution of Complex Wing, Thorax and Abdominal Color Patterns of Drosophila Guttifera.”

Sasha Teymorian, Chemistry, took 3rd Place for the poster “Enhancement of Heterologous Expression Level of Alkaline Phytase in Pichia Pastoris.”

The Graduate School is pleased to announce the students that earned a finishing fellowship for summer 2013. In the College of Sciences and Arts, the recipients were Huan Yang, PhD candidate in Biological Sciences, and Nazmiye Yapici, PhD candidate in Chemistry.

Read more at Tech Today.