Science Initiative Newsletter :: Summer 2010

Summer 2010

Aquinas college

Science Initiative Newsletter Volume 2 Issue 3 SCIENCE INTIATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Student Summer Research Issue

Co-Chairs Robert C. Boguslaski ‘62, Ph.D. Thomas Zwier ‘76, Ph.D. Robert Ampulski ‘64, Ph.D. David Baumgartner ‘79, M.D. Ronald Carlotti ‘95, Ph.D. Sandy Cook ‘93 Larry Erhardt, Sr. ‘53 E. Jane Freer ‘74 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.

NATURAL SCIENCE, NURSING AND MATHEMATICS DIVISION FACULTY 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 ‘89 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.

2010 Mohler-Thompson Scholars and Faculty Pictured l. to r.: (back) Nate Poirier, Andrew Howard, Dr. Thomas Bahl, Dr. Elizabeth Jensen, Dr. Joseph Spencer (front) Dr. Jennifer Hess, Genny Kendall, Lauren Cichon, Tayler Spellis Not Pictured: Dr. Michael McDaniel

Science Initiative Executive Director Retires Having served as Executive Director of the Science Initiative for the past seven years, Chuck Frydrych ‘63 is retiring.

The former professor received his Master’s degree in physics from Western Michigan University and returned to teach at Aquinas, where he taught physics, BASIC programming, photography and astronomy for 40 years.

His colleagues consider him a Renaissance man who studied many things and reportedly spent hours surfing the internet. www.aquinas.edu/science

As a faculty member, Chuck chaired the Academic Assembly (several times) and was instrumental in the effort to obtain the Baldwin Observatory.

During his tenure as Executive Director, Chuck ably led the campaign to establish an endowment for student research, scholarships and equipment upgrades. To date, the Science Initiative has raised nearly $3.5 million toward that effort.

The Science Initiative now turns its attention to raising funds to renovate Albertus Hall. Chuck’s leadership will be missed as we launch the next phase.

Summer 2010 Mohler-Thompson Research Lauren Cichon – “Synthesis and Characterization of Ionic Liquid Crystal Compounds” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Jensen)

Liquid crystals are materials with structures intermediate between crystalline solids and isotropic liquids. They find use in electronic devices such as digital displays. This project involves synthesizing a series of compounds that are expected to have liquid crystalline phase transitions at relatively low temperatures. The compounds are composed of an organic ligand with one or two long carbon tails, a transition metal ion, and a halide ion (chloride or bromide ion). These compounds will be characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry, among other techniques.

Andrew Howard – “Purifying and Characterizing Recombinant IdeZ and Associated Mutant Constructs and their Interaction with Cystatin C.” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Hess) The goal of this project is to study the cleaving effects of the streptococcal enzyme, IdeZ, on human IgG, one type of antibody in the human immune system. Dr. Hess and Andrew are also exploring the relationship between this enzyme’s ability, and the ability of other mutant IdeZ enzymes made in the lab previously, to cleave IgG in the presence of cystatin c, a cysteine protease inhibitor, which has been shown to enhance enzymatic activity in previous studies.

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Genny Kendall – “Possible Recognition of Nest (Colony) Mates in the American Cockroach: Evidence for Memory in a Social Insect.”

(Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Bahl) It has long been known that group-living insects such as ants and honeybees can recognize members of the same colony. However, the data is scant on other types of insects which are many times found in groups or colonies. This project investigates whether the American cockroach shows a preference for colony mates and if this preference may be influenced by sex.

Nate Poirier – Hyperbolic Versions of Classic Euclidean Constructions. (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael McDaniel. Nate is pictured with AQ Provost Dr. Chad Gunnoe) Alhazen’s billiard construction was proved to be impossible in Euclidean geometry with compass and straightedge.

Dr. McDaniel and Nate have been exploring the hyperbolic construction options.

Tayler Spellis – “K-Step Domination in Select Families of Graphs.” (Faculty Mentor: Dr. Joseph Spencer)

For more information, contact: Greg Meyer, VP for Advancement (616) 632-2802 greg.meyer@aquinas.edu

The Science Initiative Newsletter is distributed electronically and in print three times per year.

Send inquiries, email or US Mail address changes, and comments to Cindy Dorman, (616) 632-2836 or dormacyn@aquinas.edu. Back issues can be found at www.aquinas.edu/science/newsletter.