Science News - 2021 by Penn State Behrend

P E N N S TAT E B E H R E N D S C H O O L O F S C I E N C E

SCIENCENEWS 2021

6 Teaching in the Time of COVID 3 Exciting Summer Planned at LERGREC 8 Investments Boost Life Sciences 10 Pre-Health Programs Booming 12 Gorge Trail Improvements on Track

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Over the past year, the pandemic has had an impact on every segment of society. It compelled all of us to change, adapt, and DR. MARTY KOCIOLEK evolve. This issue of Science News highlights just a few examples of the resilience, creativity, and drive of our students, faculty, and staff to succeed through challenging times. Virtual communication and social distancing transformed how we teach and work in our classrooms, labs, and offices. The technology has always been available to us, but the pandemic made its use essential. We all accepted it, and many fully embraced it. Our School’s faculty tapped into technology in the classroom like they never have before and thought about their approaches to teaching in ways they had not considered in the past. They continued to deliver a high-quality science education, while also making it accessible to students and keeping those students moving forward on their academic journeys.

In Brief CONTINUING EDUCATION, 2021 STYLE PENN STATE BEHREND HAS NEW WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOU. BEHREND TALKS Behrend Talks is a podcast featuring a variety of guests talking about topics key to the growth and success of the Erie region and beyond. The talks are hosted by Chancellor Ralph Ford and cover everything from developing math educators and STEM leaders in the region to Penn State Behrend’s new women’s health initiative with Magee-Womens Research Institute to election security with former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. You can find past episodes at behrendtalks.buzzsprout.com or subscribe to Behrend Talks on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcast, or Google Podcasts.

RISE & SHINE WEBINAR SERIES Development and Alumni Relations is hosting informative webinars featuring Behrend faculty and staff presenting on topics both timely and timeless. The first event in the Rise & Shine series took a look at improvements to Wintergreen Gorge with Dr. Sherri “Sam” Mason, sustainability coordinator. You can see that webinar at behrend.psu.edu/riseandshine, where you’ll also find upcoming webinars. Register in advance to get a link to join any upcoming talk.

ASTRONOMY STAR TALKS Jim Gavio, director of Yahn Planetarium at Penn State Behrend, posts monthly Star Talks at behrend.psu.edu/yahnplanetarium. Gavio guides viewers in looking at the current night sky in the Erie area and also offers special presentations, such as one on SpaceX’s Demo-2 launch and one on the basics of using a telescope.

The past year also served to remind us of the long-term impact of our work as science educators and to strengthen our commitment to preparing our students to make their own impact on the world. I’m proud to know that someday our upcoming graduates will be the newest nurses and doctors on the frontlines of a health crisis, molecular biologists sequencing viral genomes, and ecologists studying the delicate balance between all living organisms and the environment around us. This Science News shares the latest news and updates about just a few of the many people who make the School of Science a special place. I hope you enjoy reading their stories. Stay safe and healthy.

JIM GAVIO, DIRECTOR OF YAHN PLANETARIUM

FACULTY & STAFF NEWS NEW FACULTY The school welcomed new faculty members DR. THOMAS CAMERON, assistant professor of mathematics; DR. JEREMIAH KEYES, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology; DR. ASHLEY RUSSELL, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology; and DR. CATE STILLER, assistant teaching professor of nursing.

HONORS AND AWARDS DR. MICHAEL CAMPBELL was named distinguished professor of biology. Campbell is also the director of the Lake Erie Regional Grape Research and Extension Center, a Penn State research facility in North East.

AN EXCITING SUMMER TO COME AT LERGREC The Lake Erie Regional Grape Research and Extension Center, a Penn State research facility in Erie County’s North East Township, recently announced two exciting developments. First, a new “Undergraduate Experience in Viticulture and Enology: From Vines to Table” will launch this summer with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which have provided funding for a four-year training program for summer interns at LERGREC. The program will be in collaboration with local wineries, Mazza Vineyards, Arundel Cellars, and Presque Isle Wine Cellars, as well as Welch’s. “This internship program will benefit the grape industry in Pennsylvania and give students an opportunity to experience research in viticulture and enology and gain an industry perspective. This is a great partnership between the USDA, Penn State, and the grape industry,” said Dr. Michael Campbell, distinguished professor of biology and director of LERGREC. Second, the center is also establishing a trial of nine new grape varieties to test their fitness for the Lake Erie region and assess their commercial potential. The varieties will be planted by the students in the summer training program. “We will recruit nationally for students,” Campbell said. “They will receive training in viticulture and enology at LERGREC, and also participate in an industry experience via rotation through Arundel Cellars, Mazza Vineyards, Presque Isle Wine Cellars, and Welch’s.”

DR. COURTNEY NAGLE, associate professor of mathematics education, received the Penn State Behrend Council of Fellows Faculty Research Award. NATE CARTER, administrative support assistant, was honored with a “Behrend’s Best” award.

PROMOTIONS DR. TODD COOK has been promoted to associate professor of biology.

SERVICE ANNIVERSARY DR. BRUCE WITTMERSHAUS, associate professor of physics, recently celebrated twenty-five years of teaching at Behrend.

ON THE COVER: DR. LYNNE BEATY, assistant professor of biology, uses a cell-phone head mount to give students learning remotely a first-person view of lab procedures.

In Brief

RETIRING PHYSICS PROFESSOR REVEALS MEANING OF LIFE (KIND OF) Jonathan Hall, associate teaching professor of physics, began “In my general education physics course, I found that his career in a remote area of Borneo where the only “technolif I started with a topic, such as color and light, that ogy” he had access to was in the form of painted plywood students enjoyed, their confidence in their ability to chalk boards and a hand-cranked, mimeograph-like machine. learn physics enabled them to achieve greater success in In December of this past year, he finished his career in educathe course,” he said. “We still did the more challenging tion from home, where he had been teaching dozens of Penn topics, but students did better when I would ease them State Behrend students remotely using online videoconferencinto it later in the course.” ing software and other high-tech tools that were inconceivable Hall said he learned as much as he taught in his physics, three decades ago. Yet Hall, who taught at Behrend for astronomy, and civic and community engagement classes. thirty-two years, said that, technology aside, not much else had “When people would ask me what I taught, I always really changed over those years. told them that I taught young people, not a subject. As “Though the technology available today is very different, teachers, we have the task of preparing our students for the key ingredient for student success has never changed; the the future; content knowledge is often a means by which desire to learn is the most important part,” Hall said. we teach more important lessons about life,” he said. Sometimes that desire can be stamped out quickly in physics Learn more from Hall at BehrendBlog.com class, a subject many students find intimidating. Hall learned to Funding provided though NSF S-STEM program project #1930196 and Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program project #1852624 build students’ confidence first. where you’ll find a full Q&A with him.

“When people would ask me what I taught, I always told them that I taught young people, not a subject. As teachers, we have the task of preparing our students for the future; content knowledge is often a means by which we teach more important lessons about life.” J O N ATHAN HA L L , ASSOCIAT E T EACHIN G PRO FES S O R O F PHYS ICS

Research projects to be undertaken by two Behrend faculty members were chosen to receive funding through Penn State’s Flower Grant program, which aims to support ecology-related research work across the University. Dr. Lynne Beaty, assistant professor of biology, received $2,000 for “Unsolved Mysterysnails.” The project involves genetic analysis (DNA barcoding) of DR. LYNNE BEATY two species of invasive snails in western Pennsylvania that are members of a group collectively known as “mysterysnails.” The Chinese mysterysnail (Cipangopaludina chinensis) and the Japanese mysterysnail (Cipangopaludina japonica) are so similar that it can be difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish one from the other based on shell shape. Grant funds will be used to determine which species of snail is DR. ADAM SIMPSON present on Erie’s Presque Isle. Dr. Adam Simpson, assistant teaching professor of biology, received $3,000 for his project “Development of a nondestructive bioassay for quantifying contaminant metabolism: insight into the toxicological consequences of rapid environmental change.” Simpson aims to understand how environmental change influences susceptibility to man-made contaminants, such as pesticides. He is developing a simple, non-lethal assay

PHOTO BY JUDY GALLAGHER

ECOLOGY RESEARCH FUNDED

“MYSTERYSNAILS”

that enables him to quantify an aquatic organism’s ability to detoxify contaminants. Understanding an individual organism’s physiological profile (i.e., ability to process contaminants) can help identify at-risk populations and predict their vulnerability to current and emerging stressors.

MEET THE NEWEST NOYCE SCHOLARS This year’s Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarships have been awarded to School of Science students Keelia Hering, a junior from North East, and Pierce Bowser, a junior from Jackson Center. Each will be eligible for up to $45,000 in financial aid. Noyce scholarships are available to students pursuing dual majors in Mathematics and Secondary Education in Mathematics; students are eligible for up to two years of funding in exchange for a commitment to teach in a high-needs school district. KEELIA HERING

PIERCE BOWSER

TEACHING IN

THE TIME OF COVID Scientists are creative by nature, so it should come as no surprise that when faced with the challenge of teaching remotely, many of the college’s School of Science faculty found innovative ways to convey concepts they would otherwise have been teaching in person. “It’s been hard for students and faculty members alike,” said Dr. Lynne Beaty, assistant professor of biology. “We’ve all had some struggles, but I like to think that this pandemic has pushed faculty members to be more creative in how we present information.” Beaty is one of several faculty members who experimented with new methods of teaching, some of which, they say, worked so well they plan to continue using them.

THE NO-LAB LAB How do you teach a hands-on laboratory class when students are spread out across the country without access to a lab? “I tried to create various lab experiences using photos and videos to emulate what students would see and do if they were completing the lab in person, but my most successful attempt was a lab in which I used my cell phone strapped to my forehead with the video camera recording while I completed the lab,” Beaty said. A $17 head mount, into which her cell phone fit, outfitted with a Velcro loop on an elastic headband, allowed Beaty the use of both of her hands and gave students a first-person point of view. “The students could see my hands completing the tasks that they would have been doing during the lab in the manner in which they would have done it,” she said, “rather than just watching me do it from a device propped up nearby.” Beaty also found a way to structure a remote laboratory activity as a game, which she said was a hit with students. “Using a predator-prey simulation online, students had to adjust predator

and prey population parameters to try to get stable population cycles for 1,000 simulation time steps,” she said. “Regular population cycles were challenging to obtain, which frustrated some students, but turning anything into a game makes it more fun.”

LECTURING LESSONS LEARNED Dr. Jay Amicangelo, professor of chemistry, has been teaching in a traditional faceto-face manner since he started at Behrend in 2002, and it DR. JAY AMICANGELO never occurred to him to record his lectures—until the pandemic required him to evaluate how he could best cover material in a remote environment. “I started pre-recording my lectures ahead of time and then using class time to go over assigned problems, answer questions, and so forth,” he said. Amicangelo found that recorded lectures were particularly helpful in upper-level courses such as CHEM 450 Physical Chemistry Thermodynamics. “I have always used the whiteboard to present material because it is a highly mathematical class,” Amicangelo said. “I would often feel rushed in a given class to get to a certain point in my lecture notes, but now, I have them watch the lecture in advance, then I can use the face-to-face class session to emphasize important points of the material.” Amicangelo said this approach to teaching, referred to as ”flipping” the

classroom, is a concept he had heard about but had never had the time to try. The pandemic provided the impetus. “Once I explored it, I liked it, and I plan to continue using this method,” he said. “I think students will really benefit from the extra opportunity to understand and explore the material in class rather than just listening to me lecture.” What’s more, recorded lectures made available to students give them a library of reference material. Beaty broke it down even further. She recorded mini-lectures, three- to ten-minute presentations on specific topics, so that students could easily review a concept or something they missed in class. “Yes, they took a little extra time to record, but the benefits to my students far outweighed the cost to me,” Beaty said. “They could go back and review a relevant mini-lecture, rather than navigate a fifty- to seventy-minute recording to find the information they needed.”

QUESTIONS ASKED AND EASILY ANSWERED Last year, Natalie Waddell-Rutter, a lecturer in Biology, attended an online convention where participants used Discord, a smartphone/PC application that NATALIE WADDELL-RUTTER allows users to chat via video, voice, or text in real time. She said the live chat and commentary that occurred during an awards ceremony at the convention made it highly

“We’ve all had some struggles, but I like to think that this pandemic has pushed faculty members to be more creative in how we present information.” DR. LYNNE BEATY

enjoyable, and it gave her the idea to use Discord in her own class. Although she was teaching in person, Waddell-Rutter found it challenging to ask and answer questions in her sixty-student GEOG 30N: Environment and Society in a Changing World class. “I like to ask students questions during class, but it’s very hard to hear responses from anyone beyond the first few rows, especially now that we are masked, which further muffles voices,” Waddell-Rutter said. “I thought Discord might be a way to facilitate some in-class discussion, especially since many students bring their laptops to class to follow along with the slides.” She created a few chat rooms, such as “in class discussion” and “random questions,” and brought in her laptop, which she kept next to the computer that she was using to lecture. “It worked really well,” she said. “If I asked a question, I would just wait for the students’ responses to start coming in and then read them off. I would also monitor the in-class discussion thread in case someone had a question during a lecture.” She also used Discord to stream her lectures on a voice channel for those who couldn’t make it to class, and for office hours, answering questions via chat box or starting a video window if students had more in-depth questions that required visuals.

Dr. Lynne Beaty, assistant professor of biology, experimented with the best way to teach a lab remotely. She found that using a cell-phone head mount gave students the best perspective, giving them a firstperson view of Beaty’s hands as she went through the steps of the lab, mimicking what they would see if they were doing the lab themselves.

NEW FACULTY MEMBERS, NEW MINOR BOOST LIFE SCIENCES AT BEHREND

DR. ASHLEY RUSSELL

A new minor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a new teaching lab in the Otto Behrend Science Building have expanded research and student opportunities at Penn State Behrend for the study of life sciences, including genetics. The new resources also advance Penn State Behrend’s $26 million partnership with Magee-Womens Research Institute of Erie— a women’s health initiative that will bring locally focused clinical medical trials to the region. Two faculty members have been hired to further that effort. “It’s extremely important that our students who are pursuing the life sciences be fluent in the language of genetics and molecular science,” said Dr. Ivor Knight, associate dean for research and graduate studies. “The career options in these fields are expanding at a tremendous pace, and that’s only going to accelerate in the years ahead.” The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology minor is a 33-credit program that includes coursework in general biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular biology. A required lab course introduces basic research techniques and instrumentation.

Much of that work will be conducted in a new advanced molecular biology teaching lab, a 720-square-foot space that will be used to study DNA, RNA, and proteins. Students will learn fundamental research procedures, including western-blot testing, which identifies specific proteins as they are extracted from cells. A second lab in the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center will be used to conduct translational research for the MWRI-Erie partnership. That space will include cell-culture and advanced microscopy labs. To support that research, and to strengthen the life-sciences curriculum, Penn State Behrend has hired two new faculty members: Dr. Ashley Russell and Dr. Jeremiah Keyes. Russell, an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, studies extracellular vesicles, which allow cells to

“It’s extremely important that our students who are pursuing the life sciences be fluent in the language of genetics and molecular science. The career options in these fields are expanding at a tremendous pace.” DR. IVOR KNIGHT, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES

communicate with one another. She also studies the effects of chronic stress during pregnancy. “Research has shown that when women who are pregnant experience very high levels of stress, that can lead to adverse outcomes in regard to both the development of the fetus and the well-being of the mother,” she said. “We know these things happen, but we don’t know exactly why. We’re looking at different measures to identify specific biomolecules that might be up- or down-regulated during pregnancy in response to chronic stress. “If we can identify women at higher risk of developing stress-related complications, we might be able to intervene to help them better manage stress during pregnancy and reduce those negative effects,” she said. Russell, an Erie native and a 2012 graduate of Penn State Behrend, previously worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Keyes, an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, studies the complex signaling networks that control a cell’s response to stimuli. He previously worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of California at San Diego. His research has focused on extracellular signal-related kinase, or ERK, a signaling pathway that is hyperactivated in 90 percent of all human cancers. DR. JEREMIAH KEYES Previous attempts to inhibit the ERK pathway have led to resistant cancers and devastating side effects, including the paradoxical development of melanoma, due to the pathway’s ubiquitous role in physiological processes. “If we can better understand how ERK is regulated,” Keyes said, “we can develop more specific therapeutics that target the ERK pathway in the context of cancer without inhibiting ERK in its role in normal physiology.” “Dr. Russell and Dr. Keyes will help set the direction for MWRI-Erie,” Knight said. “Their research could, over time, become the framework for broader medical studies, including clinical trials. “Without the MWRI-Erie partnership and the resources that the Erie community is investing to support it, we likely would not have been able to recruit them from top medical research universities.”

To learn more about the new Biochemistry and Molecular Biology minor, visit behrend.psu.edu/science.

The COVID-19 pandemic upended a lot of traditional learning methods and disrupted hands-on opportunities, but perhaps no group of students at Behrend was in a more unusual position than upper-level Nursing students, like this group who were photographed in a nursing lab at Behrend before the pandemic.

NURSING UNDER PRESSURE COVID-19 upended traditional learning methods and disrupted hands-on experiences, but perhaps no group of Behrend students found themselves in a more unusual position than upper-level Nursing students. Their skills were in great demand and yet they were still trying to cross the finish line. “Obviously, nurses are in high demand right now so there are a lot of jobs available and incentives to work, but as a student, it has been challenging to find opportunities to do job shadowing, clinicals, practicums, and more,” said Kaitlynn Rorer, a senior Nursing major. “We are desperately wanted when we graduate in a few months, but not so much as students hanging around trying to learn.” Despite the challenges, Rorer said Behrend Nursing faculty members have worked hard to place students in clinical settings. Rorer was able to get experience in a local hospital as an aide on the surgical floor, then did an externship as a nurse aide in the mother/baby postpartum unit. “I love working in maternity and newborn nursing, whether it’s labor and delivery, postpartum, or even the newborn intensive care unit,” Rorer said. “I like the educational aspect of caring for those patients.” Fortunately, she will be able to continue working there. She recently accepted an offer for a nursing position once she graduates in May. Rorer’s clinical experiences confirmed her career choice. “I learned that what I do makes a big difference in my patients’ lives,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to be able to help, especially in these unprecedented times.” One thing she said she learned, without question, in the past year is the importance of being flexible and staying calm, valuable skills for a future nurse. “Academics have been harder this year,” Rorer said. “I missed seeing our faculty members and my fellow students in person, having close relationships with them and doing homework together, but the instructors did a great job with online instruction and keeping us all on track.”

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CAREERS IN THE

HEALTH FIELDS START HERE You may not think of Behrend as a training ground for future physicians, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, physician assistants, even veterinarians, but the School of Science has a pre-health program that is strong and growing—and receiving rave reviews from students. In the past four years, more than fifty students have completed their undergraduate work and moved on to professional schools in the health sciences. Some of these students shaved off a year of their undergraduate studies by taking advantage of the college’s accelerated 3+4 program with affiliated institutions including Ohio State University, the University of Buffalo, and

KAYLA ESHBAUGH Finishing final year at Behrend as a 3+4 student, accepted at Ohio State University’s College of Optometry Career goal—to be an optometrist. A visit with her grandfather inspired Kayla Eshbaugh to pursue a career in optometry. “While we were visiting, half of his vision went black,” she said. “At the optometrist’s office, we learned that it was because his retina was detaching in his left eye. He was scheduled for immediate laser surgery, which was successful in restoring his vision. That experience spurred my interest in optometry.” Job shadowing and a part-time job as a technician at an optometry office confirmed her chosen profession.

JACOB OSLOSKY Finishing final year at Behrend as a 3+4 student, accepted at LECOM Career goal—primary care physician practicing in an underserved or medically disadvantaged area. Unlike many in the health-care fields, Jacob Oslosky didn’t feel “called” to be a doctor. For him, the realization came more quietly, confirmed after several job shadowing experiences. Drawn in by friendly faculty and staff members and students, he saw Behrend as a way to have the best of both worlds, enjoying the benefits of a large university with the perks of a small-college experience. “I ultimately chose Behrend because I knew I would be able

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Erie. Science News reached out to several pre-health students, some in their final year at Behrend and some in their early years of health profession education, to find out why they chose Behrend and what advice they have for students interested in a career in health sciences.

Family also played a role in her college choice. “We’re a Penn State family,” she said, “Both of my parents went to Penn State. A search for accelerated programs led me to Behrend. I visited and felt as though I’d have opportunities at Behrend that I wouldn’t elsewhere, including leadership roles in clubs and the chance to do research and volunteer work.” Proof of a choice well made, Eshbaugh said, was in the Optometry Admission Test (OAT). “The way Behrend’s program was laid out helped prepare me for the OAT. I had just covered much of the content in my classes.” Faculty members, including associate professors of biology Dr. Beth Potter and Dr. Todd Cook, who also serves as coordinator of the pre-health programs, prepared her not just for the test, but for admission into optometry school. “They helped me practice for my admissions interview, asking me mock questions that helped me be more comfortable and prepared for the actual interview.”

to have close relationships with faculty and the chance to do research work,” he said. A Biology major at Behrend, Oslosky said he was surprised at how interdisciplinary the content is. “You have to understand chemistry and the other science disciplines in order to effectively comprehend concepts in biology,” Oslosky said. Wrapping up his final year at Behrend, Oslosky said he feels well-prepared for medical school. “The faculty members involved in pre-health programs are knowledgeable, realistic, and helpful, often suggesting opportunities to students when they know it will help them become a more competitive applicant to medical school or play a meaningful role in their career journey,” he said. “My experience in the pre-health program has been phenomenal; it is very well-organized, and students get support before they even know they need it.”

TAYLOR HIBBARD In her first year in the physician assistant studies program at Mercyhurst University, where she received a full scholarship from the National Health Service Corps Career plans—to work as a physician assistant in primary care. Not only is Taylor Hibbard attending a two-year master’s degree program in physician assistant studies for free, but the National Health Service Corps Scholarship that she received also helps pay for school supplies and living expenses. In exchange, Hibbard is committed to working in a medically underserved community for two years after her graduation.

DEVIN HILL In her first year at George Washington University’s School of Medicine Career plans—to be a surgeon. Still deciding on a specialty, but top interests are pediatric, orthopedic, or trauma surgery. In her high school anatomy class, Devin Hill observed an open-heart surgery that led to her current career path. “I was fascinated by the surgeon’s skill and confidence,” Hill said. “I was intrigued by the human body—how it looked, the deformities that may occur, and the ability our bodies have to heal.” She went on to shadow more than thirty physicians in specialties ranging from infectious diseases to pediatric urology, sampling many of the careers a medical degree had to offer.

MORGAN SHIELDS In her second year at Michigan State’s College of Veterinary Medicine Career plans—to be a veterinarian specializing in either large animal surgery or small animal orthopedic surgery. Like many youngsters, Morgan Shields loved animals and wanted to be a veterinarian. By the time she was in high school, though, Shields had decided she didn’t want to go to school for eight more years. At Behrend, she bounced around among a few majors until she decided to take a couple of years off to figure things out. During that time, she worked as a veterinary technician in her hometown of North East, where she found herself longing

“I considered many of the medical professions, but ultimately chose to pursue physician assistant school,” she said. “I’ll start in primary care but may choose to specialize later, possibly in dermatology, surgery, or pulmonary critical care.” Like the other pre-health alumni, she felt ready to take the next step in her medical career. “Behrend prepared me for the rigorous learning of P.A. school, which my professors say is like ‘drinking from a fire hose,’” she said. “I am still able to recall lectures from my junior year at Behrend that have helped me a lot.” Her advice for current Behrend students? “Get involved in extracurricular activities and clubs,” she said. “Not only were they fun, but they helped me secure shadowing experiences and letters of recommendation for grad school.”

“I want to be a surgeon because it is a combination of lifelong scientific learning and the ability to serve others, save lives, and alleviate pain,” Hill said. Almost a year into medical school, she said she has a true appreciation for the phrase, “Medicine is a lifestyle.” “For the next three-and-one-half years of medical school and five years of residency, and decades of being an attending physician, I will be eating, sleeping, and breathing medicine.” Medical school, Hill said, is big league. “On a scale of difficulty from one to ten, undergraduate school is about a two and medical school is more than a ten.” Hill said Behrend helped prepare her for the challenge. “The professors care about you like their own children,” she said. “They want you to succeed and will give you advice and resources you need. When I started medical school, I remember thinking ‘I am so thankful that Dr. Potter told me to take immunology!’ I felt very prepared to enter medical school.”

to do more advanced problem-solving. Her boss, Gerald Ramsdell, D.V.M., encouraged Shields to return to school. “I woke up one day and knew I was going back,” she said. “From there, it took a lot of discipline and determination, and the support of my husband, my family, Dr. Ramsdell, my adviser Dr. Cook, and my other professors at Behrend who helped me bring my GPA up quickly so I could apply to veterinary schools.” “I received a high-quality education at Behrend,” Shields said. “I was 100 percent ready for veterinary school. Some of the best courses I took were Comparative Anatomy, Mammalian Physiology, and Immunology. I was surprised by how prepared I was compared to others in my class.” Shields is quick to caution that it’s not an easy path. “I would advise that anyone considering vet school be absolutely sure that it is what you want to do,” she said. “It’s a tough road and very competitive. But, it’s rewarding, too.”

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College School of Science 1 Prischak Building 4205 College Drive Erie, PA 16563-0203

Gorge Trail Improvements on Track This past fall, Penn State Behrend formally opened the renovated trail system in Wintergreen Gorge, a Natural Heritage Area on and adjacent to the Behrend campus, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event, which was limited in attendance due to the pandemic, marked the completion of a $690,000 project, intended to reduce erosion in the gorge while improving public access to the property, which is now ADA-accessible for the first time. Funding for the project, which began in 2013, was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the Erie County Department of Planning and Community Development, and Penn State. The improvements include a 165-foot boardwalk, which extends the primary trail over a wetland area. The structure will encourage visitors to remain on

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COMPLETION OF PHASE 1 CELEBRATED WITH VIRTUAL DEDICATION A Sept. 18 ribbon-cutting officially opened the improved trail system at Penn State Behrend’s Wintergreen Gorge. Chancellor Ralph Ford, third from left, was joined by Harborcreek Township Supervisor Tim May, State Sen. Dan Laughlin and Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper.

the trail, which is the spine of a 14-mile network of pathways that include informal “shortcuts,” which have accelerated erosion in the gorge. The primary trail has been topped with a compacted aggregate, making it accessible to visitors in wheelchairs and those with strollers. The project also

created a new trailhead at Cooper Road, where a parking area now offers space for seventeen vehicles. Behrend has secured $380,000 in funding for the next phase of work, which will begin in the fall of 2021 to extend the aggregate-topped path to Trout Run.

Science News is published annually and provided free to alumni and friends of the Penn State Behrend School of Science by the Office of Strategic Communications, William V. Gonda, wvg2@psu.edu, senior director. Editor: Heather Cass, hjc13@psu.edu. Designer: Martha Ansley Campbell, mac30@psu.edu. This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. U.Ed. EBO 21-186 All the photos in this publication were taken prior to January 2020, were self-submitted, and/or were taken with high social distancing measures in place.