Biological Sciences Blog

Author: Sunny Charpentier

In the News – Charles Kerfoot and Buffalo Reef Stamp Sands

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Charles Kerfoot, Biological Sciences Emeritus Research Professor, and Professor Emerita Carol MacLennan of Social Sciences appeared in a Great Lakes Now episode titled “Reef Rescue and Wild Edibles.” The episode included a segment on Copper Country’s Buffalo Reef — a high-value fish spawning ground in Superior Grand Traverse Bay. Kerfoot and others explained in the segment how threatened the reef is by millions of tons of stamp sands, also known as mine tailings, and summarized what’s been done so far. The Buffalo Reef Task Force put together a long-term multiphase plan of action this year, which was also featured in the Great Lakes Now episode.

Charles Kerfoot in the field near Buffalo Reef.
Charles Kerfoot

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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Undergrad Research – Abe Stone Functional Forest Fungus

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Abe Stone is an undergraduate majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology. He came to Michigan Tech’s Biological Sciences Department, already with a great interest in learning more about and working with fungus. Once he enrolled at MTU, he decided to get involved in undergraduate research and start down his fungus research path.

Abe Stone in forest working with invasive buckthorn and propagated fungus.
Abe Stone in the field.

Through his research, Stone found a way to effectively and practically propagate silver leaf disease—a fungal forest pathogen—and use it as an herbicide to attack the invasive tree species, buckthorn, while sparing native species. Stone has been working with Biological Sciences’ Dr. Erika Hersch-Green to learn more about how plants and fungi interact with each other, as well as advisors in the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES).

To learn more about Abe Stone, how he began this journey, and his work, visit Abe’s “Fungus Among Us…” story—featured on MTU’s Unscripted Research Blog.

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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New Funding – Jill Olin and Stony Brook University Shark Research

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Jill Olin (BioSci/GLRC) is the principal investigator (PI) on a project that has received an $82,917 research and development contract from Stony Brook University.

The title of the project is “Defining foraging hotspots of finfish and sharks in the New York Bight: linking trophic dynamics with spatiotemporal trends in species distributions.”

James Junker (GLRC) is a co-PI on this potential two-year project.

Jill Olin
Jill Olin

Jill Olin is a community ecologist who studies the processes that affect the stability and structure of ecosystems. She studies these issues in freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems because of the diversity and economic importance of species inhabiting these environments; and, toward the fact that they are under threat from anthropogenic influences. Olin uses community assembly, food web, and fisheries theory to explore the following research areas; (1) the intra- and inter-species interactions and trophic structuring of communities within a hierarchical construct; (2) the distribution patterns of organisms and the mechanisms that drive these patterns and; (3) the relative influence of anthropogenic threats and climactic drivers on ecosystem dynamics and resilience. She combines dietary biomarkers techniques with ecological and modeling approaches to explore questions with the overriding aim of providing data for conservation across multiple levels of organization.

Currently Jill teaches courses in Marine Ecology, Ecology and Evolution, and Ecogeochemical Tracer Techniques.

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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2024 Alumni Award Recipient – Danna Kasom

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The Office of Alumni Engagement has announced the recipients being honored with the 2024 Alumni Awards. Amongst the award recipients is Biological Sciences’ alumni, Danna Kasom. Kasom has earned the 2024 Humanitarian Alumni Award, which recognizes volunteer leadership or service that has enriched or improved the lives of others and the welfare of humanity, and whose accomplishments bring honor to their Alma Mater.

Danna Kasom
Danna Kasom

Danna graduated from Michigan Tech’s Biological Sciences program, magna cum laude, in 2014 and now holds a position as a health science specialist at the Department of Veteran Affairs. Before her current position, Kasom had a variety of job experiences, including coaching youth soccer teams for nonprofit organizations, Detroit PAL and DC Scores, writing articles for Girls Soccer Network, and serving on the Detroit Lions Volunteer Energy Team. Danna has served in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps, where she found a passion for identifying patterns across several human experiences.

Learn more about Danna Kasom and her experiences at Michigan Tech, and how they prepared her for her career after college.

These extraordinary alumni will be honored at the 2024 Alumni Awards Ceremony, which will take place during Reunion Weekend on Aug. 2.

Learn more about each award and recipient.

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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In the News – Michigan Tech’s Tick Talk

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MTU’s Tick Talk project was included in a WKAR News story, considering the escalating tick populations in Michigan. Michigan Tech’s Tick Talk project utilizes the power of crowdsourcing tick collection to advance research on tick populations and tick-borne diseases in the Copper Country. 

man walking in woods with dog
Man walking in the woods with his dog in the Copper Country.

Faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students across Michigan Tech departments ranging from Computer Sciences to Biological Sciences are coming together to work on this project and make it successful. Members from our department who are contributing to this project include Dr. Stephen Techtmann (Biological Sciences Associate Professor, Great Lakes Research Center Associate Director), Dr. Aimee Marceau (Research Scientist, Genomic Surveillance Facility Lead), and Trisha Colling (Sequencing Laboratory Scientist).

Dr. Aimee Marceau was previously interviewed in a  WLUC TV6 story about the Tick Talk project, which was featured on our blog.

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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In the News – Trista Vick-Majors Interviewed on ParAqua Podcast

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Trista Vick-Majors (BioSci/GLRC) was interviewed on a science podcast supported by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology, the ParAqua Podcast. The ParAqua Podcast highlights new and interesting research in aquatic and marine ecology. Episode 5 of the ParAqua Podcast, released May 19, focused on Vick-Majors’ research in the polar regions on aquatic ecosystems.

Trista Vick-Majors conducting winter microbial research at MTU's Great Lakes Research Center.
Trista Vick-Majors conducting winter microbial research at MTU’s Great Lakes Research Center.

Trista Vick-Majors is a microbial ecologist who studies the reciprocal relationships between microbial communities and biogeochemical processes in aquatic ecosystems. She is interested in understanding how chemical and physical characteristics interact with microbial communities, and influence or are influenced by microbial metabolism and diversity. Trista’s work is also aimed at understanding energetic constraints on microbial metabolism that could result from seasonal or ecosystem change change, such as the formation of ice-cover. Her field work locales span temperate environments with seasonal ice-cover, where rapid environmental change is affecting ice duration and thickness, and polar environments where ice-cover can be a permanent fixture. Vick-Majors’ research happens at the interface of biogeochemistry and microbial ecology.

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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BioSci Instructors Earn Exceptional Student Evaluation Scores!

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Congratulations to the following 9 instructors from Biological Sciences identified as among only 55 MTU instructors campus-wide that received an exceptional “Average of 7 Dimensions” on student evaluations for Spring Semester 2024!

Casey Huckins, Professor and Chair
Robert Larson, Assistant Professor
Brigitte Morin, Teaching Professor
Jill Olin, Assistant Professor
Gordon Paterson, Assistant Professor (Nominated for the 2024 MTU Distinguished Teaching Award)
Thomas Werner, Professor
Jenna Disser, MS Graduate Student
Alexzandra Markle, PhD Graduate Student
Hunter Roose, MS Graduate Student

Their evaluation scores were in the top 10% of similarly sized sections university-wide, with at least a 50% response rate, and a minimum of five responses. Thank you, instructors, for being such an important part of Biological Sciences’ key role in fulfilling the educational mission of MTU!

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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West Iron County High School Wins 34th Annual Bioathlon!

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To stimulate an interest in biology, the Department of Biological Sciences at Michigan Technological University has sponsored a single-day, hands-on, problem-solving competition known as the Bioathlon each May since 1989. As many as 20 high schools from across the Upper Peninsula have participated in the day-long competition, using their biological skills and knowledge to solve the problems presented to them.

This year, 6 high schools competed in the 2024 Bioathlon: Calumet, Houghton, Dollar Bay, Luther L. Wright, A. D. Johnston, and West Iron County. The event consisted of 3 sub-competitions: a microbiology gram staining and cellular structure competition, an anatomy and physiology dissection competition, and an ecological scavenger hunt and trophic interactions competition.

Prizes and Results

2024 Bioathlon 1st place team West Iron County High School
2024 Bioathlon 1st place team West Iron County High School

Prizes for 2024’s Bioathlon winners included a generous $100 for each member of the 1st place team, $75 for the 2nd place team members, and $50 for those who took 3rd.

West Iron County High School traveled a long way to compete in this year’s Bioathlon, and it was well worth it… West Iron County earned 1st place, Luther L. Wright High School came in 2nd, and A. D. Johnston came in 3rd! Each of the winning teams went home with an award certificate, and all of the participating students and teachers left with their brand new 2024 34th Annual Bioathlon t-shirts, some extra goodies, and bright smiles.

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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In the News – Aimee Marceau and Tick Disease Surveillance

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Aimee Marceau (BioSci) and Kristin Brzeski (CFRES) were featured in a  WLUC TV6 story about Michigan Tech’s Tick Talk project, a crowdsourced tick collection to aid research on tick-borne diseases and tick populations in the Copper Country.

Crowdsourcing Ticks for Disease Surveillance

Tick Talk, the crowdsourcing tick collection project that was conducted at Michigan Tech last year, has returned for a second year. Tick collection has already begun for 2024.

MTU’s Genomic Sequencing Lab wants ticks from you, your family and your pets. The goal of this project is to identify the prevalence of tick-borne illnesses in the Copper Country. Please bring any ticks you find to one of two collection boxes on the Michigan Tech campus:

  • Great Lakes Research Center — First Floor
  • U. J. Noblet Forestry Building — Main Entrance
man walking in woods with dog

Current Results

Results from the community tick submission so far are available on the Tick Talk Dashboard. If you have any questions, please contact lab lead Aimee Marceau at ahmarcea@mtu.edu.

  • 174 blacklegged ticks and four brown dog ticks have been collected.
  • 20% of the blacklegged ticks submitted tested positive for Lyme.

How to Remove and Preserve Ticks

  1. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
  2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause its mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
  3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
  4. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by:
    1. Placing it in a sealed plastic storage bag. Multiple ticks from the same location can be placed in the same bag.
    2. Once the tick is sealed inside the plastic storage bag, bring it to a drop-off point within eight hours or place the bag with the tick in a freezer until dropping it off at Michigan Tech.
  5. Follow the directions at the drop-off site to ensure the tick is properly preserved.

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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Grace Gonzalez – Journey through MTU’s Biological Sciences

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Grace Gonzalez graduated from Michigan Tech’s Medical Laboratory Science program in 2023, but her passions didn’t end with only MLS. During her time at Michigan Tech, Gonzalez delved into her interests in human medicine as well as animal care. She began doing aquatic research with Biological Sciences professors Dr. Casey Huckins and Dr. Jill Olin, started Michigan Tech’s Aquarium Society, and even volunteered at the local wildlife rehab, just to name a few. Now, she is beginning her journey into veterinary medicine at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Read more about Grace’s experiences at Michigan Tech, what inspired her to lead this journey, and those who supported her along the way—including MLS’s Claire Danielson, Sarah LewAllen, and Brigitte Morin—on our Pre-Health Professions blog post From Fish Tanks To White Coats: Grace’s Vet School Journey.

Grace Gonzalez
Grace Gonzalez

About the Biological Sciences Department

Biological scientists at Michigan Technological University help students apply academic concepts to real-world issues: improving healthcare, conserving biodiversity, advancing agriculture, and unlocking the secrets of evolution and genetics. The Biological Sciences Department offers seven undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. Supercharge your biology skills to meet the demands of a technology-driven society at a flagship public research university powered by science, technology, engineering, and math. Graduate with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience needed to solve real-world problems and succeed in academia, research, and tomorrow’s high-tech business landscape.

Questions? Contact us at biology@mtu.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest happenings.

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