Science Initiative Advisory Committee (SIAC) Lunch Meeting Friday, October 16, 2009 Noon to 2:30 p.m., AH LLSL Lunch will be provided. An agenda will be sent to all members in advance of the meeting. Members of the SIAC who are unable to attend the meeting at the stated date and time, as well as those who wish to suggest a particular agenda item, are asked to contact Chuck Frydrych at frydrcha@aquinas.edu
Mohler-Thompson Summer Lunchtime Schedule Weekly BYO-Lunches Wednesdays at noon, AH 205.
Science Initiative (SI) Focuses on Albertus Hall Upgrade The SI process began in the spring of 2004 with the intention of supplying equipment, scholarship, and endowment support to the departments in the Natural Science Nursing and Mathematics Division (NSNM). To date, over $600,000 has been raised for the purchase of new science equipment while over $3,500,000 has been contributed to endowments that provide science scholarship support and undergraduate summer research programming. It has been a productive five years. The SI has begun to visualize the next five years in the life of the NSNM Division and its students. An upgrade to Albertus Hall was recognized, early in the process, as a vital necessity. Dedicated in 1959, the building was renovated in 1989 with an office tower added to its west end. Since that time, the building has served the division well but needs revitalizing in order to meet modern performance standards.
Larry Erhardt, a member of the Science Initiative Advisory Committee conducted a walk-through of the facility and subsequently suggested that an outside firm be commissioned to conduct a building analysis. The URS corporation in Grand Rapids was chosen to conduct this analysis and Brian K. Craig, a URS architect, began the creation of a comprehensive time line and project budget. Simultaneously, Mark Custer of Custer Workplace Interiors was asked to design options for the laboratories, classrooms, and the main lecture auditorium of Albertus Hall. We should see the fruits of these labors before summer’s end. At that point in time, a comprehensive plan to meet the facilities needs of the NSNM Division should be in hand, the project’s costs established, and a time-line for the project’s completion determined.
Students and faculty participating in this summer’s Mohler-Thompson Research Scholars Program will meet regularly through the months of June and July to discuss their efforts. Those interested are invited to attend.
BE SURE TO CHECK… for a fuller description of all of the research activities taking place during the summer of 2009 view www.aquinas.edu/research
Spotlight on . . . Dr. Elizabeth Jensen has been in constant motion since her arrival on the Aquinas campus in July of 2003, but this year may be her busiest yet. Not only has she just been selected as chairperson of the Chemistry Department, she was also granted tenure and promoted to the rank of associate professor. This summer marks the sixth time she has mentored student researchers with her recent investigations focused on synthesizing a series of twelve liquid crystal compounds from transition metals and long-chain alkylammonium ligands. James H. Carrow (’10) graduated from Sparta High School in 2001 before serving as a Search and Rescue Swimmer in the U.S. Navy and then earning his associates degree at Grand Rapids Community College. Now a senior majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry, he intends to teach AP biology at the high school level after completing a graduate degree in biology. He is spending this summer as a MohlerThompson researcher under the direction of Dr. Thomas Bahl investigating the mating habits of cockroaches. This Science Initiative Newsletter is distributed in November, March and June
www.aquinas.edu
Volume 1, Issue 3
Science Initiative Advisory Committee Members Co-Chair Robert C. Boguslaski ’62, Ph.D. Co-Chair Thomas Zwier ’76, Ph.D. Director Charles R. Frydrych ’63 Robert Ampulski ’64, Ph.D. David Baumgartner ’79, M.D. Ronald Carlotti ’95, Ph.D. Sandy Cook ’93 Larry Erhardt E. Jane Freer Mark Meijer ’80 Robert Niedzielski ’58, Ph.D. James Resau, Ph.D. Phyllis Saganski ’62 Darrell Thompson ’52 Luis Tomatis, M.D. Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D. Jeroen Wagendorp ’82, Ph.D.
Faculty of Natural Science, Nursing and Mathematics Division Thomas Bahl, Ph.D. Robb Bajema, Ph.D. Kathy Bashore Sheri Bertolone Paul Bieneman, Ph.D. Melissa Bouws Karen Burritt Li-Heng Chen, Ph.D. Yashowanto Ghosh, Ph.D. Sr. Katrina Hartman, O.P. ’64, Ph.D. Jennifer Hess, Ph.D. Elizabeth Jensen, Ph.D. Suzanne Keep Eugene Kozminski ’72 Shari Lewis Sr. Ann Mason, O.P. ’61 Richard McCluskey, Ph.D. Michael McDaniel ’72, Ph.D. Jeffrey McKelvey, Ph.D. Summer Silvieus, Ph.D. Joseph Spencer, Ph.D. Sr. Linda M. Thiel, O.P., Ph.D. Robi Thomas, Ph.D.
May 2009 nursing graduates
Nursing Enrollment Demand Nationwide and Local The annual survey of enrollment trends in nursing education conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing shows interest in nursing careers to be very strong. The latest data, compiled for the 2007-08 academic year, indicates that nursing programs are turning away large numbers of qualified applicants due to a lack of clinical space and a diminishing pool of qualified nursing faculty.1 Over 40,000 qualified students were turned away during this period in addition to nearly 7,000 applicants to master’s and doctoral degree programs.2 The national acceptance rate of nursing applicants was 42.3 percent for the 2007-08 academic year. Of the 190,483 applications received, 122,001 applicants met admission criteria but only 80,616 were accepted.3 The University of Detroit Mercy/Aquinas College/Saint Mary’s Health Care collabora-
tive nursing program is thriving while reflecting the national trends. The program began in the fall of 2000 with eight students, and has grown to approximately 200, with many more waiting for a place in the program. There were 378 applicants this year for the 60 openings in the program. Faculty numbers have increased as well. Seven full-time nursing faculty teach in the program and a current search seeks two additional faculty members. One of the unique aspects of the program is its required cooperative education component. This co-op experience assists the students not only with their technical skills, but also with their ability to critically think and to prioritize. Students are also able to identify different specialty areas that they might like to focus on upon graduation. 1,2,3
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/datarep.htm
Your SI support produces results. View www.aquinas.edu/research
Summer Research in Full Swing A baker’s dozen of Aquinas undergraduates are engaged in summer research activities at four Michigan venues. Joanne Vanderhyde and Alyssa Fleser are working with Dr. Robb Bajema, and Kirsten Mohler-Thompson Scholars and faculty gather for May luncheon. Borek with Dr. Summer Silvieus, at the Pierce- Front Row (l to r): Ember Clark, Nicole Caswell, Jim Carrow, Caylee Fias, Cedar Creek Institute’s (PCCI) biological field Rebecca Hyatt, Dr. Jenn Hess station in Hastings. Students were each Back Row (l to r): Dr. Joe Spencer, Dr. Tom Bahl, Dr. Glenn Barkan, awarded an Undergraduate Research Grant Dr. Rich McCluskey, Dr. Charles Gunnoe for the Environment (URGE) funded by PCCI. Three Aquinas students are participating in the Student Independent Study program of the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids: Christopher Madziar, Emily Popma and Marian Testori. Elliot Sedlecky is participating in Michigan State University’s Undergraduate Summer Research Experience in Plant Genomics in East Lansing. Six Mohler-Thompson Research Scholars are working on the Aquinas campus this summer with faculty mentors from the Natural Science Nursing and Mathematics Division. They are: James Carrow with Dr. Tom Bahl - Biology; Nicole Caswell with Dr. Rich McCluskey - Geography Ember Clark with Dr. Joe Spencer - Mathematics; Caylee Fias with Dr. Katrina Hartman - Chemistry Rebecca Hyatt with Dr. Jenn Hess - Biology; Jullian Russo with Dr. Mike McDaniel - Mathematics
The Science Initiative Newsletter is produced electronically three times a year as a joint effort of the College’s Natural Science, Nursing and Mathematics (NSNM) Division and To find out how you can help the SI by the Advancement Department at Aquinas College (www.aquinas.edu) in Grand Rapids, making a donation, contact Greg Meyer, Michigan. It is distributed to NSNM faculty, advisory committee members, donors associate vice president for advancement, and supportors of the Science Initiative (SI). Send inquiries, e-mail address changes (616) 632-2802, greg.meyer@aquinas.edu. and comments to the editor, Chuck Frydrych ’63, Director of S.I., (616) 632-2173, frydrcha@aquinas.edu.