2024 BGE Newsletter

From the Department Head, Dr. Gretchen Potts

Dear Biology, Geology and Environmental Science Alumni, Students and Friends!

Welcome to the latest edition of our departmental newsletter—a special platform where we celebrate accomplishments and keep you informed about what’s happening within our programs. This newsletter aims to strengthen our connections by bringing a piece of the campus to you, wherever in the world you might be. In this edition, we cover various updates from the classroom, our faculty and our students. This year has brought changes to the University landscape with the widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, a portion of

this introduction was generated using UT Verse, a chat-based generative AI that is protected by internal systems. To learn more, visit Explore UT Verse.

You will also find stories about current students who have a passion for science and fellow alums who are making strides in their respective fields. Your journey with us didn’t end at graduation—it simply entered a new phase. We value your insights, experiences and contributions; they enrich our community immensely. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any news or stories that you’d like us to feature in future editions. We appreciate your support of programs through our gift funds. We would like to keep in touch with all of you, so please update your information using our online alumni information form.

There is something in this newsletter for everyone. We encourage you to read through it at your leisure. Thank you for continuing to be an integral part of the UTC BGE family.

With Warmest Regards,

Dr. Gretchen Potts Department Head Dept. of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science

Dr. Tucker with a group of faculty and students in the departmental boat on the Tennessee River.

Semester Highlights

Dr. Jose Barbosa’s Urban Garden

As has become the custom of our departmental newsletters, we like to highlight some of the important work our faculty members. This year, we’re highlighting Dr. Jose Barbosa and the BGE Teaching and Learning Garden. Dr. Barbosa has worked diligently to set up a functioning garden that he uses with his Urban Gardening courses, BIOL 1140 and BIOL 4370. These courses are taught every semester and open to any UTC student regardless of their major. They provide excellent opportunities for active, experiential learning. Students learn basic skills they can use for plant production and protection (food crops and ornamentals) and techniques about composting recyclable organic waste products. All activities of the courses are spread between two field plots: a larger plot of 636 square-meters, just to the south of Holt Hall, and a smaller plot of 120 square-meters, behind the

Challenger Center. In addition, the greenhouse outside of Holt Hall is fully dedicated to supporting activities of the urban gardening courses and the garden.

Students in these courses provide a great service to the community, particularly to the CHATT Foundation, formerly the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. Most of the harvests from the garden are donated to the CHATT Foundation, which allows our students to experience first-hand the gift of helping others in need. They deliver freshly harvested produce allowing them to interact with the people they are helping. Short-term, urban gardening taught through these courses has the potential to alleviate food insecurity, improving nutritional and mental health of those directly involved. In the long term, urban gardening can provide an additional source of income and decrease or eliminate chronic food availability problems in our area and beyond. The BGE Department is proud to have such a dynamic faculty member

like Dr. Barbosa, who is not only teaching our students how to run an urban garden but also playing a critical role in helping urban dwellers who might not have reliable sources of fresh produce. This year, Dr. Barbosa was recognized with the 2024 University of Tennessee National Alumni Association (UTNAA) Outstanding Teacher Award.

Students working in the Teaching and Learning Garden.

Fresh produce is delivered to the CHATT Foundation, formerly the Chattanooga Community Kitchen.

Dr. Barbosa working in the greenhouse outside Holt Hall.

Teaching Highlights

Dr. DeAnna Beasley and Professor Monica Miles, project-based activities in Ecology labs

In an exciting development in several of our Ecology labs, both Dr. Beasley and Professor Miles have developed new project-based activities to enhance learning outcomes. Dr. Beasley’s ecology lab students are studying the ecological function of urban green infrastructure, stormwater management and native plant

biodiversity using the Warner Park’s bioretention gardens. The bioretention gardens have over 100 native plant species managed by the Natural Resource Division of the Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors. Since 2021, BGE students have compared decomposition processes inside and outside the gardens and studied changes in plant biodiversity. In addition to learning about practical ecological tools for urban landscape management, students can hear from professionals about their career paths and the importance of stormwater management in urban areas.

In Professor Miles’s ecology lab, students have been learning to apply Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to help map invasive plant species at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center at the foot of Lookout Mountain. Since fall 2023, the students have visited several locations on Reflection Riding’s property to map occurrence of winter honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, Chinese privet and winter creeper. They applied GIS software to create heat maps of invasive species occurrence and designate management priority zones for removal. In addition to gaining practical skills in ecological sampling, students also learn about invasive species management, speak with professionals about future careers and potential internships and see how their work is having real impacts in the community.

Students of Dr. DeAnna Beasley working on their ecology lab research project.

Students working on field ecology with Professor Monica Miles at the Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center near campus.

Professor Miles working with two of her students in the ecology lab.

Student Profiles

Dakota Bell, Undergraduate in Geology

Dakota Bell is an undergraduate student in our Geology Program. Dakota’s senior research project is titled “The Mineral Resource Potential of a Corundum-Bearing Ultramafic Sequence in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, Clay County, North Carolina.” Dakota’s work has been well received, leading to an IperionX Minerals and Metals Diversity Scholarship. IperionX is involved with sustainable titanium production, producing titanium with little to no carbon emissions. Dakota’s plans are to secure a job in the field of geology in Chattanooga, Knoxville or Nashville. Long-term, Dakota would like to obtain a position in the mineral and ore exploration industry. Dakota has specific interests and skills in field mapping, metamorphic and igneous petrology, structural geology, and mineralogy. While a student here at UTC, Dakota has enjoyed going on field trips and conducting field work with fellow students and professors.

Amber Newbille, Undergraduate in Geology

Amber Newbille came to UTC after earning an associate degree from Chattanooga State Community College. In her brief time here at UTC, she has participated in many undergraduate projects, letting her explore her interests in geology and research. Amber presented posters of two of these projects at the 2023 Geologic Society of America Connects meeting. The first project was with Dr. Amy Brock-Hon. This field-based project involved using geomorphological and geophysical techniques to map and characterize one of several large sandstone depressions along the Cumberland Plateau. The second project was guided by Dr. Ashley ManningBerg and conducted entirely in the lab. Their research involved formulating artificial seawater that mimicked the chemistry of Precambrian oceans. They then attempted to precipitate a silica gel out of that mixture to understand Proterozoic silicification processes. This process is related to the formation of some of the earliest microfossils on Earth. After many trials and errors, abiotic silica gels were successfully created in the lab.

Recently, Amber was selected by the geology faculty for the Outstanding Senior Award in Geology. She considers herself lucky to be a part of the department and the opportunities that she has had through the relationship. As a firstgeneration, adult college student, Amber had her share of hardships pursuing this degree, but she now feels prepared for what lies ahead. After graduation, Amber plans to enroll in a graduate program to study volcanology and planetary geology. We look forward to seeing what else the future holds for Amber.

Bliss Murphy, Undergraduate in Environmental Science

BGE is fortunate to count Bliss Murphy as a member of the department. As a current Environmental Science undergraduate student, Bliss contributes to various aspects of BGE, the University and our local and regional community. As an incoming freshman in fall 2022, Bliss became involved and engaged right away, participating with the Sustainable Mocs Residential Learning Community (RLC), joining the UTC Wildlife-Zoology Club and beginning an animal care internship at the Chattanooga Zoo. Now, as a sophomore, Bliss serves as the Sustainable Mocs Programming Assistant, connecting student-residents to opportunities in the department and on campus. They have also been promoted to Keeper Apprentice at the Chattanooga Zoo, specializing with the zoo’s Hellbender Conservation Program. Bliss has now taken their involvement in the UTC Wildlife-Zoology Club one step further, serving as treasurer for the club. In this role, they manage the club’s financing to ensure sufficient funding for events like the Southeastern Wildlife Society Student Conclave. Bliss is also getting involved in research within the department. They will be working with Dr. Brad Reynolds to study and analyze literature related to amphibian diversity in the Smoky Mountains: both how this diversity came to be and how we can conserve it moving forward.

BGE student Dakota Bell at one of her study sites.

Amber Newbille ready for graduation!

Bliss Murphy helping out at the Chattanooga Zoo.

Graduate Student Profile

Cole White, Graduate Student in Environmental Science

Cole White is currently in the last semester of his master’s degree here at UTC. He graduated from UTC with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science in 2022. While a student at UTC, Cole has been able to accomplish and achieve many things. Since sophomore

year as an undergraduate student, he has been a research assistant for BGE faculty, studying microplastics, specifically looking at how to reliably count and measure microplastic abundances in small, southeastern streams. Throughout this research, he had the opportunity

to work with several BGE professors including Dr. Mark Schorr, Dr. Stephanie DeVries and Dr. Ashley ManningBerg. Outside of UTC, Cole has been involved in many different positions including working at the Moccasin Bend Wastewater Treatment Facility as a laboratory analyst, testing water quality. He has worked at the Tennessee Aquarium as an Animal Husbandry Intern working with various species. In addition, Cole has an entrepreneurial side, stemming from his establishment of an aquarium maintenance business his junior year of high school. He’s been an active member of Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity (Zeta Upsilon chapter) on campus, serving as the community chair for two years. Cole was the president of the UTC Karate Club, a member of the UTC Wildlife Zoology Club, a member of the Geologic Society of America and a member of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, Iota Beta chapter. He is currently a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) for ESC 1500 and BIOL 1110 labs. As a GTA the past two years, Cole has taught 11 classes and more than 250 students. His graduate research represents a continuation of the research he started at UTC as an undergraduate, focused on microplastic abundances and the most reliable quantification methods to extract microplastics from aqueous samples. To date on this project, Cole has collected samples from 19 different sites within the Chattanooga area across four watersheds. He expects to graduate in summer of 2024. His long-term goals include earning a Ph.D., with hopes of continuing to teach and conduct research related to water quality. We wish Cole the best of luck as he moves on to new challenges.

Cole White at one of his local stream sample sites.

Alumni Updates

Dr. Kathleen Carroll, MS ESC ‘15

Dr. Kathleen Carroll earned her master’s degree in environmental science at UTC in 2015. Working with Dr. Hayes, Dr. Carroll’s graduate research examined how social relations influence reproductive success in the Chilean rodent, Octodon degus.

Since then, Dr. Carroll’s journey has been exciting and successful. Dr. Carroll worked as a laboratory manager, completed a Ph.D. in ecology and environmental science at Montana State University and worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Wisconsin and western Canada. Her productive research program and forward-thinking ideas about diversity and inclusion have made Dr. Carroll a rising star in environmental science. In fall 2024, Dr. Carroll will begin a tenure-track assistant professor position in applied quantitative ecology at the University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Carroll’s research program intersects conservation ecology, behavioral ecology and human ecology. Her current research addresses questions of conservation concern to indigenous communities in western Canada, such as understanding how forestry practices influence species important to people in these communities. Consequently, her work is impactful to both basic and applied science.

The UTC graduate environmental science program played an important role in Dr. Carroll’s professional development. While at UTC, Dr. Carroll developed numerous skills critical to success in academia, including grant writing, application of modern statistical methods to ecological research and teaching. Always aware of the importance of institutions like UTC, Dr. Carroll’s advice to current UTC students is

Dr. Carrie Ross Crabtree, MS ESC ‘08

Dr. Carrie Ross Crabtree completed her master’s degree in environmental science in May 2008. Her thesis project was titled, “Electrical current generation and organic matter degradation in bacterial batteries metabolizing raw sewage.”

After leaving UTC, Dr. Carrie Ross Crabtree continued her education at the University of Georgia. She earned a Ph.D. from UGA in 2012, linking her background in bioremediation gained at UTC with animal science, leading to dissertation research on anaerobic digesters of animal wastes. After graduation from UGA, Dr. Carrie Ross

Crabtree became a professor at Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, teaching courses in biology and environmental science. She was married in 2014.

She left ABAC in 2016 to work at the Georgia Department of Agriculture - Laboratory Division as their Quality Assurance Director. She now serves as the Director for the Laboratory Division.

to “take advantage of helpful and friendly atmosphere created by the graduate students and faculty.”

We are thrilled that Dr. Carroll is an alum of our department!

Dr. Crabtree while a student in Dr. Spratt’s lab at UTC. Her bacterial battery setup is in the background.

Dr. Carroll holding a hellbender in Tennessee (photo credit: Iwo Gross)

Faculty News

New Faculty

Dr. Jennifer Taylor

Dr. Jennifer Taylor is a structural geologist and thermochronologist who joined the faculty in fall 2023 to teach petrology, structural geology, geodynamics and field methods. Her research is focused on processes related to ductile deformation of quartzite and on using thermochronological dating to interpret tectonic and erosional events through the lens of landscape evolution. This spring, Dr. Taylor taught petrology and was excited to help students master the use of a petrographic microscope. Petrology students were tasked with investigating and reconstructing the geologic histories of “mystery rocks” and produced “true crime” podcasts detailing their investigations. Dr. Taylor is passionate about developing creative and innovative teaching and outreach activities and is excited to continue teaching and learning new things in the semesters to come!

Dr. Ritu Sharma joined the BGE Department in August 2023 as a visiting assistant professor of biology. She has a Ph.D. in molecular biology a postdoctoral research experience in biological sciences from the University of Delaware. During her postdoctoral period, Dr. Sharma investigated the signaling mechanism of ASK1(Apoptosis signal regulating kinase1) activation in human platelets under conditions of oxidative stress. At UTC, Dr. Sharma integrates biological information with clinical concepts during course delivery which helps students make a connection between healthy and diseased body states. She also feels that apart from conventional syllabi topics, showing short videos on recent advances in science helps to engage students. Dr. Sharma believes that active discussion during the lecture is helpful for successful learning outcomes. Besides teaching, Dr. Sharma is also working on a research collaboration with a fellow biology faculty. Dr. Sharma believes that successful teaching demands knowledge and an art to deliver it effectively.

Professor Caitlin Jarvis joined BGE as a visiting lecture in fall 2023. She was born and lived in Chattanooga until moving to Knoxville to earn her bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries management. After graduation, she spent a few summers at various sea turtle internships tagging turtles and monitoring nests. Afterward, she led a racoon monitoring project in Davie, FL.

During the beginning of COVID, Professor Jarvis worked at an apiary near Chattanooga. While that position was not permanent, it did spark an interest in beekeeping and pollinators. Professor Jarvis followed this interest by researching honeybee diseases in Hamilton County under Dr. DeAnna Beasley. The apiaries were all from citizens. While working on her master’s degree in environmental science at UTC, Professor Jarvis served as a graduate teaching assistant for biology labs. She also worked at the Humane Educational Society, and may have brought home a few of the resident cats! When Professor Jarvis started teaching, she thought that would be something she only did while earning her graduate degree. As it turns out, not long after graduation, she now oversees current graduate teaching assistants and faculty teaching the same biology labs. Professor Jarvis is now working on incorporating new videos and online learning into labs to support learning outcomes. She is also finding new lab materials and raising some of the live specimens. Stop by her office to see some Porcellio, planarians, and even a scorpion.

Dr. Ritu Sharma

Professor Caitlin Jarvis

Dr. Taylor near one of her field research sites.

Faculty News

Transitions

During the summer of 2023, two of BGE’s assistant professors left UTC to pursue new opportunities. Both Dr. Stephanie DeVries (GEOL) and Dr. Fernando Alda (BIOL) decided to continue their careers

Connect with us

BGE Social Media

We are always interested in hearing back from our past students, especially regarding your path after graduating and hearing about new endeavors. If you have had a life changing event (gotten married, had a baby, etc.), or obtained a long-sought “best job ever,” please let us know. We will share your news with fellow alumni and friends in future newsletters. You can visit our website and fill out the Alumni Update Form by scanning the QR code.

The department is also working to stay in tune with all our alumni and friends through new means. This newsletter is one avenue we take to do this. However, we understand the need to stay current with the many avenues for communication on social media. We have a strong presence on social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram. Whether you’re a recent graduate wanting to stay connected to job opportunities, a current undergraduate looking to connect to a student organization or a high school student wanting to learn more about our programs and student activities, we have created a space for you to get news and ideas! We love hearing from our followers and hope

elsewhere. Dr. DeVries is a hydrogeologist with the state of North Carolina, working in the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area as a NCDEQ/Water Resources/ Groundwater Manager. Dr. Alda returned

to Spain to work as a tenured scientist at the Spanish National Research Council. We miss both Dr. DeVries and Dr. Alda and wish them well in their new endeavors.

you will share news and questions with us! Check out our channels below:

DEPARTMENT LEVEL

BGE Department: News across the BGE department and fields of biology, geology and environmental science

Instagram: @bgedepartment

Facebook: Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science at UTC

Geology: News from our geology division with job announcements for alumni

Instagram: @geologyutc

Facebook: UTC Geology

Environmental Science: News from our environmental science division

Instagram: @utchattanoogaesc

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

EDGE: A sustainability and environmental awareness group

Instagram: @utcedge

Facebook: EDGE

Geology Club: Promoting interest in geology through hosting lectures, field trips and other activities

Instagram: @utc_geology

Tribeta: BGE Honor Society

Instagram: @utc.tribeta

UTC Pre-Dental Society:

Instagram: @utcpredent

UTC Pre-Medical Society: Instagram: @utcpremed

UTC Pre-Veterinary Society

Instagram: @utc_prevent

Wildlife Zoology Club: Advancing the science and practice of wildlife and wildlife conservation

Instagram: @wildlifezoologyclub

Facebook: UTC Wildlife and Zoology Club

Women in Natural Sciences (WINS): Focusing on female representation in biology, geology, physics, environmental science and chemistry

Instagram: @utcwins

Facebook: UTC Women in Natural Sciences

Call for Donations

Our Students Need Your Support

We greatly appreciate the support that you, our alumni and friends, have given us in the past and would appreciate any new support you might be able to give this year. Gifts to the department may be addressed to one of three funds that our department has set up. The first is our traditional Gift fund, which is used to fill holes in our budget. To make a gift to this fund please earmark your donation to the

“BIOL/ESC Gift Fund or the GEOL Gift Fund”.

Last year we established two new giftgiving funds, one to memorialize our dear departed colleague Dr. Mark Schorr. Gifts to the “Dr. Mark Schorr Memorial Fund for Graduate Students” will help support our environmental science graduate students. The second gift fund set up last year is

the “BGE Teaching Enhancement Fund,” which we hope will help faculty expand our teaching capacity and implement new developments in our different disciplines.

We hope that if you would like to financially help the BGE Department, you would consider a gift to one of these three funds.