DISCOVER Extraordinary People, Programs & Projects from the College of Science Live a life of discover y.
sm
A bundle of Desert Plated Lizards (Gerrhosaurus skoogi) from the Skeleton Coast National Park, Namibia, Africa. Dr. Heaton, Associate Professor and Chair of Geography, is one of the few individuals in the world to have ever seen this lizard, let alone study it or hold four at once – two adult males, an adult female and a juvenile male.
University of Nevada, Reno
2
DISCOVER
2009-2010 UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLNESS GUIDE
Dear Friend of Science, Welcome to the 2016 edition of the College of Science magazine, Discover. In this edition you can explore some of the fascinating work done by our students, faculty and staff. As I am prone to proudly say, we have faculty performing research on every continent and their work covers all aspects of science, discovery and its applications. This edition of Discover will give you a taste of Dean Jeff Thompson the breadth of the scientific inquiry College of Science accomplished by the faculty in the College of Science and the impact of their work in Nevada and across the world. I hope you enjoy the articles in this edition and I look forward to seeing you on campus at the Discover Science Lecture Series. I am very proud of our students in the College of Science and want to point out the photographs of the topgraduating students in the College, our Westfall Scholars. They are all extremely talented, and are also committed to bringing positive change to their disciplines and communities. The most outstanding Westfall Scholar is recognized with the Durham Prize. This year's recipient of the Durham Prize was Paige dePolo. Paige was an excellent student with a great attitude, and is currently pursuing her graduate studies at the University of Edinburgh. Another outstanding College of Science student, Brandon Rasmussen, a Geophysics major in the Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering, received a Barry Goldwater Scholarship. Brandon is the only recipient of a Goldwater Scholarship in the State
of Nevada in 2016. The Goldwater scholarship is a nationally competitive award for students majoring in science, engineering and mathematics. Please also look at the article on Chemistry alumna, Anna Kostner. Anna was a Westfall Scholar, Durham Prize awardee, and received a Goldwater Scholarship while in the College of Science. College of Science faculty and staff continue to receive national and international recognition for the quality of their scholarship. Also, the College and University presented their awards for achievement in the Spring Semester. As you can see from the impressive list included on this page, I have reason to be very proud of the faculty and staff in the College. Finally, I want to bring your attention to the article on Dr. Mick Hitchcock. Mick is a great friend of the University and the College of Science and his generosity will support the development of a new interdisciplinary program at the University in Chemical Ecology. Chemical Ecology has the potential to produce new discoveries of chemical substances and to better understand the interactions and dynamics of ecosystems. The philanthropy of our friends and alumni enriches the experiences of our faculty and students and provides the resources necessary for our students, faculty departments and college to excel. I want to thank Mick and all of our donors for supporting the College of Science. Jeff Thompson Dean, College of Science
Live a life of discovery.sm
Fellow of the American Geophysical Union Dr. Scott Tyler Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering National Award in Sciences for Technology from the President of Mexico Dr. Raul Rojas Mathematics and Statistics Department Fulbright Award in support of his sabbatical in Central America Dr. Tom Albright Geography Department Elected, President of the International Association of Geodesy Commission 1: Reference Frames Dr. Geoff Blewitt Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Elected President of the Geological Society of America Jon Price Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Elected to the Nevada Geographic Information Society Board of Directors Jennifer Vulcan Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Recipient of the Freeport McMoRan Career Development Grant from the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Dr. Charles Kocsis Mining and Metallurgical Engineering Department 2016 F. Donald Tibbitts Distinguished Teacher Award Dr. Sarah Cummings Chemistry Department Classified Employee of the Year Award in the College of Science David Kaczorowski Chemistry Department College of Science Outstanding Service Award Dr. Zeb Hogan (Biology Department) and the Nevada Seismology Lab Dr. Donald Mousel and Dr. William Feltner Award for Excellence in Research and/or Creative Activity Dr. Vladimir Pravosudov Biology Department Hyung K. Shin Award for Excellence in Research Dr. Thomas Quint Mathematics and Statistics Department Gene LeMay Award for Excellence in Teaching Dr. Wesley Chalifoux Chemistry Department
DISCOVER
Heaton Awarded Fulbright Grant With dual degrees in geography & biology, Heaton spreads her knowledge in Namibia
J
ill Heaton is a biogeographer who studies threatened and endangered species in arid environments. For 20 years that arid environment was largely the Mojave Desert of southern Nevada and California, and included the iconic and threatened Nevada state reptile – the Mojave Desert Tortoise. However, in 2014 she realized a 20-year dream to expand her work to the deserts of Namibia, Africa. Her research centers on better understanding species population numbers, namely reptiles, and their arid land habitats in order to better inform conservation strategies to reverse population declines. This past year, Heaton was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Specialist Grant where she served as a U.S.-based scholar linked to the Namibia University of Science and Technology. The purpose of the grant was to promote reptile teaching and research capacity building in Namibia. Through a series of four hands-on workshops and field trips, she reached over 100 people – students, professors, game and park wardens, government scientists, conservancy managers and NGO staff.
Shorter grant lengths give Fulbright Specialists greater flexibility to pursue projects that work best with their current academic or professional commitments. This flexibility is crucial because Heaton is an associate professor and Chair of the College of Science Geography department who teaches upper level geography courses during the typical academic year. Just as Heaton’s research informs and benefits conservation agencies around the world, her resident University of Nevada, Reno students also directly benefit from her extensive field experience, expertise in geographic information systems (GIS), and her emphasis on spatial and temporal interactions across complex natural environments. Heaton’s unique integration of biology and geography has driven her success and impact not only on campus, but now across the globe. She is scientifically influential in her creative application of non-invasive research tools
Grossherzog Friedrich Berg, Namibia, outside of the capital Windhoek
Jill Heaton demonstrating how to safely handle a Black Mamba
and techniques such as the use of wildlife detection dogs, and her devotion to studying species in their native, wild environments.
JILL HEATON, PH.D. Geography Department Chair & Associate Professor
DISCOVER
2009-2010 UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLNESS GUIDE
Douglas Boyle Helps Improve Water Management Boyle appointed to Governor Sandoval’s Nevada Drought Forum management for the state. Governor Sandoval described Boyle along with other notable experts as, “some of the best minds in Nevada’s scientific, government and industry sectors to address the [most recent] drought situation and define the path to sustainability.”
D
ouglas Boyle is a watershed hydrologist with over a quarter century of experience in the field of hydrology and water resources. He is also an associate professor in the College of Science’s Geography Department. Boyle’s area of expertise is in the development, implementation, and evaluation of complex computer-based hydrologic models to simulate watershed response to precipitation in the form of rainfall and snowmelt.
DOUGLAS BOYLE, PH.D. Associate Professor & State Climatologist
This past year, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval appointed Boyle to the recently established Nevada Drought Forum, a platform from which Boyle has been effective in helping set the course to improved water
Boyle has served as the Director of the Nevada Water Resources Research Institute and is the Nevada State Climatologist at the Nevada State Climate Office, a public service department in the College of Science. The Climate Office serves the people of Nevada by maintaining descriptions of, reporting on, and providing access to information on the climate in the state, including atmospheric conditions and levels of precipitation. The office collaborates with, advises, and promotes climate data collection, interpretation, and research in conjunction with local, state, and federal agencies and the governor’s office and is responsible for drought planning in the state. Boyle is especially well known for his success utilizing integrated computer-based modeling of hydrologic processes to achieve understanding of the impacts of historic and future climate on water resources in arid and semi-arid environments. He uses paleoclimate information like pluvial lake shore dating and tree ring records as well as global climate model estimates (based on paleo, historic, and future precipitation and temperature estimates), and instrumental groundbased information on which to base his research and recommendations. The College of Science is fortunate to have one of the aptly deemed 'best scientific minds in Nevada' on campus where he can make positive contributions not only to the success of his students, but also to the successful future of his home state.
2009-2010 UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLNESS GUIDE
DISCOVER
Grant Mastick Research Focuses on Brain Development Cell Biology Center for Biomedical Research
C
o-Director of the Neuroscience BS Program, the Integrative Neuroscience Graduate Program, and the Cell Biology Center for Biomedical Research Excellence, in addition to biology professor, Grant Mastick has been enhancing the University's reputation for research excellence for over 18 years. Mastick grew up in Northport, New York, and since has worked his way west across the states. He received BS degrees in biology and chemistry from Alma College in Michigan before attending Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, where he received doctorate degrees in philosophy and biological sciences. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow, research faculty member and developmental neurobiologist at the University of Michigan for five years before coming to the University of Nevada, Reno.
Research areas Mastick is involved in include neuroscience, genetics, cell biology and developmental biology. His work often focuses on not only how the brain works, but how it develops. During production the embryo forms a spatially organized and interconnected array of copious neurons. Mastick and his research group use genetic and molecular methods in mouse and chick embryos to systematically explore and come to understand the functions of specific genes during the development of a brain. It is research like this that improves understanding of molecular therapy in regard to neurological disease and injury, which is why the National Institute of Health is funding this important research. Studying the migration of neurons and their axons through the developing brain is part of Mastick's current research.
Excellence in Neuroscience at Nevada
Mastick’s studies focus on a system of signals that help define and explain the interconnections that guide axons to transfer exact, extensive distances on longitudinal pathways, how cranial nerves grow in definite ways in order to connect to muscles as well as how neuron cell bodies move into specific positions. World-improving medical research stems directly from the College of Science.
GRANT MASTICK, PH.D. Professor, Co-Director of the Neuroscience BS Program, Integrative Neuroscience Graduate Program, & Cell Biology Center for Biomedical Research Excellence
DISCOVER
Steven Wesnousky on the Scene in Nepal Nevada earthquake scientist studies Himalayan earthquake fault Studying the Himalayan Frontal Thrust Fault since 1999, he and two of his doctoral students, Ian Pierce and Steve Angster, spent six days in the area south of Kathmandu immediately following the big quake looking for ground ruptures, following leads from villagers and residents as well as visiting various other sites studied in the past.
O STEVEN WESNOUSKY PH.D. Director of the Center for Neotectonic Studies & Professor of Geology & Seismology
ne of the first scientists to enter Nepal following the April 25, 2015 magnitude 7.8 Gorkha earthquake, University of Nevada, Reno seismologist and professor Steve Wesnousky was on the ground in the Himalayas searching for geological signs of the major quake. Wesnousky, a geoscientist in the College of Science and director of the University’s Center for Neotectonic Studies, studies geologically recent motions of the Earth's crust, particularly those produced by earthquakes, with the goals of understanding the physics of earthquake recurrence, the growth of mountains, and the seismic hazard embodied in these processes.
They saw damaged buildings and areas hit by landslides, and were surprised by the amount of damage, or lack of it. “For a city of four million built out of primarily lightly reinforced masonry to survive an earthquake of this size with fewer than 8,000 deaths was very fortunate,” they reported from Nepal in a daily blog update posted to the University website. “At the same time it is a great tragedy for those who lost their homes or family members.” Returning to the area several times since the initial visit, the geological observations of Wesnousky, with his students and colleagues, have led to the unsettling news that the region is capable of producing earthquakes and damage far greater than observed during the Gorkha earthquake.
Wesnousky has been at the University since 1989, when he began as an associate professor of geology and seismology. In 1995 he became a full professor in the College of Science’s Mackay School of Earth Science and Engineering and the Nevada Seismological Laboratory. A Fulbright Scholar, he has studied earthquakes, faultlines and seismic activity throughout Nevada and parts of South America, California, Pakistan, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, the Solomon Islands, China and India. He has eleven peer-reviewed scientific papers about the Himalayan fault, and more than 100 papers about earthquakes published in his distinguished career. “Steve embodies the quintessential University professor and scientist, conducting a full body of relevant research, successful teaching and community outreach,” Jeff Thompson, dean of the College of Science, said. “He has done a wonderful job with the neotectonics center, informing the body of knowledge on the world’s most hazardous earthquake fault zones.”
DISCOVER
Polymers, Used to Build "New Form of Matter" Using physics to further futuristic global solutions
I
n breakthrough research, Department Chair and R.C. Fuson Professor Ben King and his research team are creating sheets of synthetics as thin as physics can allow – because they are constructed from bonded 2D polymers arranged on a flat plane about as thick as a single molecule. “Another way to think of it – it’s essentially a new form of matter,” King said. “There is nothing that has this type of structure. If a regular polymer can be seen as a chain, this is a tennis net.” King has created Y-shaped polymers that when spread-out, they align with each other to form a flat network of hexagons that are bonded into sheets using UV light. The result is perfectly arranged macro-molecule membranes with many potential – yet mostly untested – possibilities. Similar to graphene, 2DP could have many of the same prospective uses, although using a simpler and more efficient material.
What was commonly thought to hinder the possibilities of graphene was the difficulty in producing mass quantities, a problem solved with this synthetic 2DP. King explained that they are now using the surface of water as a plane to create ever-larger sheets. Graphene – and now 2DP – possibilities could include faster upload and device-charging times, touchscreens that use plastic instead of breakable glass, highpowered supercapacitors likely to make batteries obsolete, even bionic devices that can be attached directly to neurons in order to heal or augment human beings; an aspect that inherently leads to the prospective capability of curing cancers. Because 2DP is constructed like a fine, perfectly symmetrical net with microscopic holes of a predetermined width, it can be designed in such a way as to only let a specific size of molecule through its netting. Presently this molecular separation
King has created new membranes with many potential uses
membrane is being tried in its ability to filter molecules within gases and liquids – specifically with elements such as petroleum and carbon dioxide. The most obvious future implementation is the prospect of purifying sea water, but studies and testing are currently being held in this aspect of research. For the time being, some ideas must remain in the realm of science fiction; but what separates sci-fi from fantasy is the POSSIBLITY of such things existing. And to people like King in the Chemistry Department, the possibilities of science are endless.
BENJAMIN KING, PH.D. Department Chair and R. C. Fuson Professor
DISCOVER
Biologists & Chemists Team Up in Discovery A collaborative effort to forge New Advances in Medicine diversification processes,” Chris Jeffrey, associate professor in the chemistry department, said. “The approach is non-traditional and what started as a discussion between (biology professor) Lee Dyer and me about five years ago, has now grown into a huge collaboration that is far beyond the dreams that we ever had when it started.”
A
LEE DYER, PH.D. Professor, Biology & Director, Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Graduate Program
n Ecuadoran wild pepper species, newly discovered by collaborators in the College of Science, might be home to about 40 to 50 species of insects and provides a wealth of opportunities for studying chemical diversity. And in a proposed new chemical ecology program, plants from the Great Basin take on a whole new, and very important, meaning as scientists find natural products that may have a huge impact on the discovery of new therapeutics. “We have a new take on this endeavor as a general strategy – using ecology to guide our chemical discovery and chemistry to better understand ecological interactions and
The collaboration includes scientists around the world, and in an extremely successful grassroots approach, has included citizen scientists working side-by-side as part of the team conducting hands-on research across the Americas. The National Science Foundation and the Earthwatch Institute have provided most of the support for the program. Dyer and his colleagues, Jeffrey, and Lora Richards from the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Program, aim to develop the University’s internationally recognized expertise in the field of chemical ecology and modern natural products chemistry into the proposed Nevada Center of Chemical Ecology. The center will formalize the University as the premier institution for conducting research at this unique interface between chemistry and biology. The collaborative team regularly travels to Central and South America, where they team with scientists and local parataxonomists for the research on peppers and related rainforest organisms.
DISCOVER “For example, our team of scientists has made nearly 30,000 observations of over 100 black pepper relatives over 20-plus years, and found that the new plant species supports the largest number of specialized caterpillar and predator species recorded in the black pepper family to date,” Dyer said. The team also started recognizing the potential therapeutic value of the compounds in many of the plants they study. They will be looking at plants closer to home with a new project, the “Bioprospecting Biotic Interactions of the Great Basin,” that will be part of the new chemical ecology program. “One of our next major collaborative projects will be focusing on the Great Basin of Nevada,” Dyer said. “We’ll be bioprospecting, looking for things like undiscovered anti-fungals, antibiotics and natural insecticides. The focus on this relatively unexplored region of the world will yield novel natural products with therapeutic and agricultural potential.” The chemical ecology center will utilize the team’s multi-disciplinary expertise to develop an approach that uses macroscale genomic and ecological data and metabolomics approaches to guide the discovery of small molecules with exceptional biological activities. For
example, team member and biochemist Ian Wallace, assistant professor in the College of Agriculture, Biochemistry and Natural Resources conducts anti-microbial screenings for the group. Initial plans for the proposed center focus on the discovery of new anti-fungal compounds and utilize expertise in the area of infectious disease from the National Institutes of Health and other companies and institutions. At this nascent stage of the program, the collaborative effort involves 15 principle investigators from the University and has already resulted in a number of large federal multi-scientist grants that produced high impact papers, and the program has hosted renowned chemists and biologists from around the world. “In the past eight years, we have received more than $10 million combined funding to our University and our partner universities from the National Science Foundation and international funding agencies for specific chemical ecology research projects,” Dyer said. A donation from acclaimed biomedical researcher Mick Hitchcock has invigorated the chemical ecology program and helped steer efforts to formalize the program into the Chemical Ecology Center.
Professor Lee Dyer in the field with students
“With support such as this, our collaborative approach and internationally recognized expertise, the proposed center is poised to make some fantastic scientific discoveries,” Jeff Thompson, dean of the College of Science said. “It’s exciting to see the focus come home to Nevada and the Great Basin as well.”
CHRISTOPHER JEFFREY, PH.D. Associate Professor
DISCOVER
0
Westfall Scholars In honor of the founding Dean of the College of Science, Dr. David P. Westfall, the Westfall Scholar Award for Excellence is given out each year to the student graduating with the highest grade point average from each Department in the College of Science.
Christopher Butcher Physics B.S.
Sabrina Sevilla Neuroscience B.S.
Paige dePolo Geological Engineering BSGE & Geology
Keri Thacker Biology B.S.
Sean Diggins Mining Engineering B.S.
Sarah Martinez Molecular Microbiology & Immunology B.S.
Emily Weissgerber Biology B.S.
Amanda O'Loughlin Chemistry B.S.
Alexandra Wheatley Geography B.S.
Di Xiao Physics B.S.
Brandon Salmon Mathematics B.S.
2009-2010 UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLNESS GUIDE
DISCOVER
Paige dePolo Westfall Scholar & Durham Prize Winner 2016
A
pril 14, 2016 was a day that brought Mackay student Paige dePolo’s approaching post-graduate future into clear focus. It was on this day that not only was dePolo being honored as a 2016 Westfall Scholar at the College of Science’s annual luncheon, but she also spent the morning completing the interview process for this year’s Durham Prize award which would be announced that very day at the luncheon.
because of this dePolo was not sure her conditional acceptance would firm up. Fortunately, at the luncheon that day that question was answered by way of her being announced this year’s Durham prize award, which awards its recipient $5,000. dePolo knew immediately that this award would go towards her being able to attend Edinburgh and join a paleontology research team that would be analyzing and 3D-modeling dinosaur track-ways in Northern England and on the Isle of Skye.
Up until this day, though dePolo had a world of post undergraduate opportunities she could have been contemplating, her sights were set on her first choice; attending graduate school in England at the University of Edinburgh for a Masters in Research in Geology.
dePolo credits her success to date to her undergraduate experience within the Mackay School where she was able to navigate the larger College of Science by way of smaller groups and more personal affiliation with her peers and professors. She was also a stand-out in her close-knit honors program which again provided her ready access to the intellectual community on campus and opportunities to network with academic leadership.
However, unlike U.S. graduate programs that generally have grant funding in place for accepted graduate students, the U.K. is different in that the funding grants are generally designated for equipment rather than students therefore funding isn’t a certainty, and
One such opportunity arose her sophomore year when dePolo collaborated with Professor Paula
Noble on a project for the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History to scan Nevada state fossils of Ichthyosaur specimens using terrestrial LiDAR, Artec 3D light scanners, and photogrammetry technology. dePolo’s future work across the Atlantic will use similar equipment and processes, so she feels well equipped to begin the project and her fieldwork as soon as the term starts in mid-September of this year. dePolo is planning to move to England by mid-August so she has time to acclimate to her new living situation and thoroughly work through any affects of jet lag. Knowing what her next step now is, Paige has turned her immediate attention to saving money and making her relocation preparations. It’s an international adventure unfolding for this gifted and tenacious young woman, and the College of Science awaits updates of Paige dePolo’s exciting take on the college’s inspiring motto—Live a Life of Discovery.
Paige dePolo Geology and Geological Engineering Graduate
DISCOVER
Brandon Rasmussen Double STEM major awarded University's 9th Goldwater Scholarship
U
niversity of Nevada, Reno science student Brandon Rasmussen has been awarded the 2016 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, making him the sole recipient in Nevada. Rasmussen earned the scholarship through motivation, hard work and dedication towards his education at the University.
in the United States Senate. The scholarship is awarded to students pursuing advanced degrees in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields who will then continue their research in these fields. The scholarship awards students $7,500 to be used to help pay for tuition, housing, books and other college expenses.
Rasmussen is an Honors Program student and the ninth Goldwater scholar at the University. He is majoring in geology and geophysics and minoring in mathematics and physics.
“I am set on going to graduate school; in the science world, funding is pretty much everything,” Rasmussen said. “When it comes to getting into good graduate schools, having as many unique qualifications to set you apart is really important.”
During the second semester of his freshman year, Rasmussen took an introduction to physics course and loved it. His love for the course brought about his interest and second major in geophysics. He gained credits through advanced-placement courses he took at Galena high school, giving him a jump start to college which allowed him the ability to have two minors. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986. The scholarship was created to honor Barry Goldwater, who served as a soldier and a statesman for 56 years and 30 years
Rasmussen plans to get a master’s degree in geophysics, and after a few years in the industry, will eventually pursue his ultimate goal: a doctorate degree. Depending on what Rasmussen decides to study, he has his eyes set on graduate school at either Stanford or a few places in Australia. Rasmussen is spending his summer as an intern in Colorado where he will be performing surface wave tomography using data from seismic stations in the Mackenzie Mountain area of Canada. When Rasmussen is not studying or
Goldwater Scholar, Brandon Rasmussen in the field
working on projects, he enjoys playing the drums and hanging out with friends. He enjoys diving, in Fiji, Bonaire and Jamaica. He also enjoys the outdoors, camping, hiking and traveling.
SCIENCEFIT
2016
College of Science
SCIENCEFIT
Held this Past August 21-25
SCIENCEFIT is REQUIRED for all incoming College of Science freshmen — because it works!
— VISIT —
unr.edu/sciencefit
— Live a life of discovery.
sm
G Headet A On Co Start llege!
—
DONOR OPPORTUNITIES – 50% of students –
will need assistance with the course fee
– 33% of students –
will need assistance with lodging
—
What is SCIENCEFIT? SCIENCEFIT (FIT is short for
freshmen intensive transition) is a five-day academic program designed to increase success for incoming college students. The program offers a glimpse into the University’s rigorous academic expectations and college life prior to the start of the semester.
SCIENCEFIT participants will: n n n n n n
Get a jump start on required course content Attend lectures from the faculty who teach first-year courses Take actual exams (without the fear of failing) Get hands-on, interactive experiences Develop and hone critical skills necessary to be successful in college (i.e. time management, note taking, test taking, and reading complex material) Meet faculty, staff and current students in your major
SUPPORT A STUDENT —
SCIENCEFIT Cost Per Participant (1 Credit Course)
Course Fee $250
SCIENCEFIT Lodging
—
$125
SUPPORT THE PROGRAM —
SCIENCEFIT Total Goal Donate online:
$100,000
supportnevada.unr.edu/sciencefit
DISCOVER
Alumna Making Her Mark at Stanford Anna Koster awarded the Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship
A
lumna, Anna Koster is a native of Reno, Nevada, and grew up hiking and skiing in the Sierra Nevada around Lake Tahoe. After graduating from high school, she stayed in Reno to attend UNR where she earned dual degrees in music (piano and composition) and chemistry with a minor in biochemistry. Koster was attracted to the Chemistry PhD program at Stanford by the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of research in the Chemistry Department. Soon after arriving at Stanford in fall 2013, she joined the labs of Professor Justin Du Bois in the Department of Chemistry and Professor Merritt Maduke in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology at the Stanford School of Medicine. University of Nevada, Reno 2013 graduate with a B.S. Chemistry and a B.A. Music.
For the past three years she has divided her time between the two labs, doing a combination of chemical synthesis, molecular biology, and electrophysiology. Koster's research has focused on the study of a class of membrane proteins known as chloride ion channels (CLCs). Most recently, she has begun studying CLC-2, which is the most abundant chloride channel expressed in the brain. Genetic knockouts of CLC-2 display degeneration of white matter and neuronal hyperexcitability, which has been associated with human generalized epilepsy. Despite these observations, the exact
physiological role of the channel is unknown, and there is a severe lack of tools in the molecular toolbox to begin to understand CLC-2 function. Koster's project seeks to fill this void by developing highly selective and potent smallmolecule inhibitors of CLC-2. Because her project spans numerous disciplines from computational chemistry to synthetic chemistry to neuroscience, she has had the opportunity to interact with prominent scientists in diverse fields and has become involved in a variety of organizations on campus that support interdisciplinary research. In her first year of graduate school, she was awarded a two-year fellowship through the Stanford Center for Molecular Analysis and Design (CMAD). The center supports student-driven collaborations across chemistry disciplines and aims to solve broad scientific challenges at the molecular level by pooling the expertise of graduate students in different research areas. More recently, in May 2016, Koster was awarded the Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship (SIGF), which is the most competitive internal fellowship that Stanford awards for research across disciplines, both in the humanities and sciences. This year, the fellowship was awarded to twentyeight graduate students across campus and provides an additional three years of support in the form of full tuition
DISCOVER
Christopher Jeffrey (chemistry advisor), Anna Koster, James Winn (music advisor) at UNR Senior Scholar awards event
and stipend. The SIGF fellowship was also the inaugural fellowship affiliated with the new Stanford ChEM-H program, which is an interdisciplinary institute focused on training graduate students at the interface of Chemistry, Engineering, & Medicine to advance Human Health. Koster has just finished her third year of graduate school and will be continuing research for the next two years. Following
graduation, she will likely do a postdoc and then apply for jobs in academia, a national lab, or the biotech industry. The undergraduate research experiences Koster had at the University of Nevada, Reno gave her a strong foundation to start research in graduate school and have contributed to her successes at Stanford. Koster is incredibly grateful to Professor Chris Jeffrey for welcoming her into his
15
Anna Koster, Stanford University with Hoover tower in the background
research lab and sharing his passion for organic chemistry and the transformative power of scientific research. Many of the faculty members in the College of Science were very generous with their time as mentors to her during her undergraduate career, which undoubtedly helped her grow into an independent scientist and inspired her to pursue a chemistry career.
Anna Koster & President Marc Johnson at an Honors Awards Event
16
DISCOVER
Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D. Launching his own style of philanthropy to redefine research at Nevada
A
cclaimed biomedical researcher Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D. has made a generous pledge to fund the proposed Center for Chemical Ecology at the University of Nevada, Reno. Once established, this center will position the University of Nevada, Reno as a premier institution for research at the unique interface between chemistry and biology, and will facilitate access to large federally funded center grants, shared facility instrumentation grants, and multidisciplinary graduate training grants. “ I am excited to support the proposed Nevada Center for Chemical Ecology, as this endeavor sits at the intersection of chemistry and biology and intrigues my intellect as a biochemist. In addition, it’s not only a great field in which to do research, but it’s also a great place to teach young scientists, since many of the major advances these days are often between disciplines, and learning to collaborate across disciplines builds teamwork.” Hitchcock said. “This funding provides a bridge to a long-term sustainability of the proposed program, and will be contingent on advances made in the early years,” he added. Hitchcock, a senior adviser to bio-pharmaceutical company Gilead, has been a friend to the University for many years. He has worked for more than 30 years in the bio-pharmaceutical industry, where he played a key role in developing ground-breaking HIV drugs.
DISCOVER “Mick is a great friend of the University and College. His generosity has supported the research of many graduate students and faculty at Nevada. I am very grateful that Mick has decided to support our exciting new program in Chemical Ecology" “Mick is a great friend to the University and the College of Science,” said Dean Jeff Thompson. “His generosity has supported the research of many graduate students and faculty at Nevada. I am very grateful that Mick has decided to support our exciting new program in Chemical Ecology.” Hitchcock spent 12 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb prior to joining Gilead. Together with former Bristol colleague John Martin, he developed Viread, approved by the FDA in 2001 as a once-daily pill to treat HIV. Before Viread, a reported 90 percent of AIDS patients had to take as many as a dozen pills throughout the day, suffering side effects including gauntness, anemia and liver damage. Subsequently they developed Atripla, approved in 2006 as the first single-tablet regimen for treatment of HIV that includes the active component of Viread and two other drugs. The ease of use made it a popular choice for physicians and patients. Most recently, the company launched hepatitis C treatments that can essentially cure most patients with few side effects.
In recent years, Mick made a gift to create an endowed chair of biochemistry at the School of Medicine and the University of Nevada, Reno; established the Michael (Mick) J.M. Hitchcock, Ph.D. Fund for Undergraduate Research Opportunities and the Michael (Mick) J.M. Hitchcock, Ph.D. Fund for Graduate Assistants to provide bridge funding to the School of Medicine so that student research could continue uninterrupted despite acrossthe-board federal spending cuts, known as sequestration. Hitchcock also made a gift to purchase analytic testing equipment which allowed the Nevada Newborn Screening to move back in-state from a commercial laboratory in Oregon. He is also a benefactor of the new University of Nevada, Reno proteomics lab, recently rededicated as the Mick Hitchcock, Ph.D. Nevada Proteomics Center, which is expected to have a significant research impact, including for economic development, throughout the entire region.
— Dean Jeff Thompson
The Chemical Ecology Center expertise is the study of chemicals involved in the interaction of living organisms
18
ee n c Fr pe ubli O & he P t to
Discover SCIENCE — LECTURE SERIES —
DISCOVER SCIENCE LECTURE SERIES Past Speakers Include: Michael Waterman Charles Goldman Neil deGrasse Tyson Anna Roosevelt Mary Roach David Dawe Harry Gray Jeff Lieberman Naomi Oreskes Bill Nye The Science Guy Robert Trivers Douglas Smith Michio Kaku
for upcoming speakers and dates visit
unr.edu/dsls
October 13, 2016
November 10, 2016
February 16, 2017
Derrick Pitts
Eric Scerri
Michael Dickinson
Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer and Director of the Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute and also a NASA Solar System Ambassador serves as the “Astrobiology Ambassador” for the NASA/MIRS/UNCF Special Program Corporation’s Astrobiology Partnership Program. He is appointed to the outreach advisory board for the world’s largest telescope, the new Thirty-MeterTelescope at Mauna Kea in Hawaii. He appears regularly in the media as a science content expert including appearances on the “Colbert Report” on Comedy Central and “The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson”. Derrick has hosted award-winning astronomy radio programs for Philadelphia’s two public radio stations and created signature astronomy television programming for PBS.
Eric Scerri works on the historical and philosophical aspects of the Periodic System of the elements as well as examining the extent to which chemical concepts can be explained with physics and quantum mechanics. He was educated at the Universities of London, Cambridge and Southampton. He then taught chemistry for about ten years at several private colleges in London and then at the American University of London. Now a University of California, Los Angeles biochemistry and biology lecturer, his first book on the periodic table was awarded the Newby McCoy prize by the UCLA Chemistry Department and was a Choice Magazine best academic book of the year. His most recent book, “A Tale of Seven Elements” was named among the top 12 science books of the year in 2013 by New Scientist magazine.
Michael Dickinson's research explores the means by which fruit flies accomplish their aerodynamic feats and other behaviors, focusing primarily on the function of the nervous system, biology, engineering, physics, and mathematics. Dickinson's audiences are fascinated by his illumination of the essential aspects of insect behavior, physiology, and evolution. Dickinson is Professor of Biology and Bioengineering at the California Institute of Technology and has won numerous awards, including the Larry Sandler Award from the Genetics Society of America, and the Bartholemew Award for Comparative Physiology from the American Society of Zoologists.
Discover SCIENCE — LECTURE SERIES —
to & O Fre th p e e P en ub lic
DISCOVER SCIENCE LECTURE SERIES Past Speakers Include: March 16, 2017
May 9, 2017
Carolyn Porco
Harry Greene
Milt D. Glick Discover Science Lecture Carolyn Porco is the leader of the imaging science team on the Cassini mission presently in orbit around Saturn, a veteran imaging scientist of the Voyager mission to the outer solar system in the 1980s, and an imaging scientist on the New Horizons mission on its way to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. Carolyn has co-authored over 120 scientific papers on a variety of subjects in astronomy and planetary science and has become a regular public commentator on science, astronomy, planetary exploration, and the intersection of science and religion. Her popular science writings have appeared in such distinguished publications as the London Sunday Times, The New York Times, the Guardian, Astronomy magazine among others.
Harry Greene is an ecologist and evolutionary biologist and Cornell University professor who is widely regarded as the world's leading expert on the biology of snakes. His work has taken him to more than a dozen countries around the world, he’s received numerous awards and has written two popular books on biology and nature. Greene has also championed an exciting and controversial idea about putting big-game back onto the North American continent, called Pleistocene rewilding. He is also a Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow and the Faculty Curator of Herpetology at Cornell. He has had positions at U.C Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania and the California Academy of Sciences.
Please join our students, community members, and faculty as we pack the auditoriums once again this year with our impressive lineup of speakers!
Steven Strogatz Brian Greene Alan Krause Robert Ballard David Kung Paul Wender David Pogue Zeb Hogan Simon Winchester Karl Karstrom David Quammen Paul Alan Cox Bob Williams
for upcoming speakers and dates visit
unr.edu/dsls
College of Science Dean’s Office University of Nevada, Reno/0424 Reno, NV 89557-0424 College of SCIENCE
Advisory Council Ron Bath John Burrows April Carman Ann Carpenter Scott Chadwick Ralph Courtnay Robert Daugherty Chris Deeney Ryan Dotson Stephen Durham Edward Epperson Steve Frank John Gibson Stefanie Givens Stephanie Hansen Mick Hitchcock Bill Honjas Donna Knotek Keith Lee Patrick Lowery Hawley MacLean Gene McClelland Ardythe McCracken Jim Megquier Tina Satterwhite Robert Stachlewitz Jeff Thompson David Westfall David White