Single copies free The student newspaper at USF St. Petersburg
Feb 8- Feb 14, 2016 | Volume 50 | Issue 20
Largest student film festival comes to USFSP
p. 2
Professor marks 32 years at USFSP
Broncos win! p. 3
Campaigning in the snow
By Jeffrey Zanker Staff Reporter Pamela Muller has the best view of the bay on campus. While working in her office, Muller, 67, looks out her window to see her research field: the water. “I usually see dolphins swimming by,” she said. “I almost get to see them every day.” For 32 years, she has taught oceanography to graduate students in the college of marine sciences located at the USF St. Petersburg campus. “I probably lecture too much and tell too many stories,” she said. After taking classes with Muller, Natasha Mendez, a graduate student in biological oceanography, finds her to be a great mentor on how to succeed in science as a woman. “(Muller) is always looking for ways to keep students engaged and make sure you understand the material,” Mendez said. “Don’t let her age fool you… her energy is just amazing.” She was never one to work behind a desk. She has traveled around the world, met with marine scientists, and dived off coral reefs. What began as an interest in college became a master’s thesis, and ultimately a career for Muller. She spent close to 30 years researching benthic foraminifera – shelled, single-celled amoebas that live on the coral reefs or the ocean floor. Called “star sand” for their shape, forams feed bacteria, perform photosynthesis and act as surrogates for coral reef studies. “They were just one component of a bigger picture,” Muller said. “Forams are a productive part for the reefs.”
Courtesy of Kristina Sonstroem
During the whirlwind 10-day adventure to New Hampshire, two USFSP students posed with a cardboard cutout of Democratic contender Hillary Clinton and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who was campaigning for Clinton. The students got close to several of the candidates, including Donald Trump, who posed for a photo holding up a USF St. Pete T-shirt. For more photos and excerpts from the students blogs, see page 8.
Continued on p. 3 Courtesy of Road to the White House 2016