From the Co-Directors

Breathing Easier

The pleasure of interacting with people during recent events (e.g. annual Awards Ceremony and Social, research and doctoral thesis defense seminars) has been palpable! We eased our distancing requirements as we entered the spring’s lull in the pandemic and the fine outdoor weather returned.

This issue of OUR DNA references some of these changes as we sincerely hope that the improved conditions continue, allowing us to adopt a “new normal.” The School successfully hosted our Distinguished Alumni, one of whom, Nina Buchmann, made an appearance virtually from Switzerland. The School has had no shortage of awards in the past six months, including from the American Association for the Advancement of Science which announced that three of four inductees at the U were biology faculty. In May, biology’s Erik Jorgensen, Distinguished Professor and HHMI Investigator, was one of two U professors elected into the National Academy of Sciences, and Thure Cerling was awarded The Rosenblatt Prize during commencement, the most prestigious faculty award given at the U.

Speaking of graduation week, during convocation on May 5, Biology graduated 207 undergraduates and fourteen graduate students. One of the barometers of our outstanding graduates is the number completing their degrees with honors this year: twenty-five. Carrying out honors research is difficult at any time, and pandemic-related challenges certainly did not make it any easier. We are proud of these intrepid souls.

In addition to stories about alumni and a youth scientist’s report on her time in The Galapágos Islands, in this issue we feature a new faculty member, plant biologist Heejin Yoo whose research interest is the distinct regulatory mechanisms plants have to attract friends as well as to defend against foes. This molecular biological work has huge implications for agriculture and for feeding a hungry world.

While we welcome Dr. Yoo, we also bid a fond farewell to anatomy professor Mark Nielsen, who over the course of thirtyseven years has taught more than 32,000 students. His unique approach used teaching assistants and mentors, and provided exceptional training to thousands of pre-med students who are now health professionals throughout the Mountain West and beyond. You will all be happy to know that their hands-on learning experience in a full cadaver lab provided a solid foundation for these individuals to provide premium care. We will miss this beloved teacher of anatomy and are honoring him by establishing the Mark T. Nielsen Endowed Scholarship for Anatomy.

As our time as Co-Directors draws to a conclusion, we want to thank you for your interest in and support of the School. We also want to introduce to you our new Director, Fred Adler (inset), who will be taking the reins beginning July 1. Fred enjoys a joint appointment between SBS and the Department of Mathematics, and his research featured in the Fall 2021 edition of OUR DNA employs mathematical modeling to inform a wide spectrum of biological research, including the coronavirus. We know he’ll do a great job!

Thank you for supporting our students and research through your generous donations, including legacy gifts which you can read about on the back cover. We wish you a safe and enjoyable summer.

Neil Vickers, Co-Director

Leslie Sieburth, Co-Director

Fred Adler, incoming Director