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Alumni 5Q: Dalton Hubble

October 5, 2012 | 5Q, Alumni, Uncategorized | No Comments

[fblike] By: Academy Staff

Q: Can you describe your experience at the Gatton Academy?
A: My experiences at Gatton in 2007-2009 provided me with the opportunity to break out of the sluggish curriculum at my regular school, engage with academically focused peers, and pursue my academic interest more intensely. While at the academy, I was able to explore my STEM interests, take introductory classes at WKU, and perform research in university laboratories. The early start in collegiate technology fields gave me time to explore possible careers in chemical engineering and physics, before I decided that the computer science was right for me.

Q: How have your experiences at the Gatton Academy helped you in your adult life?
A: My work at Gatton enabled me to go from living in rural Kentucky to studying at MIT and gave me a real chance to pursue my passions among the best. I’m now a senior at MIT, majoring in Computer Science and Engineering. I’ve worked at the MIT nuclear reactor and MIT computer science laboratory as an undergraduate researcher and I’ve interned as a software developer at Microsoft.

Q: Since the Academy, what have you been up to?
A: My current studies include operating system design, natural language processing, web development, and distributed systems. I am also a teaching assistant for 6.170 a course on web software development. This year, I’ll be completing my bachelor’s degree and next year, I’ll be staying at MIT for an additional year to pursue my Masters in Computer Science and Engineering with a focus on systems engineering.

Q: What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?
A: In the next ten years, I hope to be closely involved in cutting edge work to develop the future of the internet, mobile and beyond. I also work on several stealth mode projects that I hope to expand and grow.

Q: What was your favorite memory from your time at the Gatton Academy?
A: My favorite memories from the academy were the small things: the eccentric conversations, the casual meals I would have with dorm-mates, and going on late night runs around campus.

We would like to thank Dalton for taking time out of his schedule to be interviewed for this article.

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By Gatton Academy

Gatton Academy Students Contribute to Global STEM Discussions through Summer Experiences

June 15, 2012 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, Students, Summer, WKU | No Comments

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Educational opportunities for students at the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky do not stop when classes let out for the summer.  Two-thirds of recent graduates and students returning for the fall semester will participate in some form of learning through the school’s summer research and internship program.

Highlights of the summer 2012 program include seven participants in Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs, 35 students studying abroad focusing on research and culture, and unique public and private industry partnerships via ten-week research internships in some of the nation’s most premier programs.

The Gatton Academy’s program begins in late November each preceding year with faculty and staff members promoting summer programs.  Students prepare applications as early as the winter break for some of the most competitive STEM-based summer programs available not only to high school students, but undergraduates as well.

Derick Strode, assistant director for academic services at the Gatton Academy, coordinates the school’s research and internship programs.  He explained the variety and depth of these experiences distinguish these students from their peers at both the high school and undergraduate level.

“This summer, our students are pursuing answers to research questions across STEM fields,” Strode said.  “They are active participants in cultures on four continents.  They are in their own hometowns shadowing the doctors and engineers they looked up to as children.  Our summer program encourages students to follow their passions for science, math, and learning, and get a taste of what it means to be a contributing citizen and professional in the broad STEM community.”

One such student is Lydia Brothers, a class of 2012 graduate from Madisonville.  Brothers is interning at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, this summer in missions operations.  She will focus on crew operations and training for the International Space Station (ISS).

“I’m working with the people who create the procedures that the astronauts actually execute,” Brothers explained.  “We ultimately use the procedures to train the astronauts to carry out tasks and experiments while they are on mission.”

Brothers’ internship at NASA is combines features of her coursework at the Gatton Academy in engineering, physics, and computer science.

“In my work, not only do you have to have a good understanding of how all the machinery works but also provide the information in the same format that an astronaut sees it in, which is computer programming,” Brothers said.

Brothers’ first experience at the Marshall Space Flight Center came as a middle school student when she went to space camp.

“I would have never thought that sitting around learning about the ISS that one day I would be working with people on a daily basis who help run it,” she said.  “It’s like a dream come true.”

Strode noted that the success in students’ summer exploits can be drawn directly back to the preparation students receive at WKU.

“Lydia is a perfect example of a student who embraced the rich research opportunities available at WKU and applied hard work to her passions,” Strode said.

Brothers participated in research during the entirety of her two years at the Gatton Academy with WKU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy under the mentorship of Drs. Louis Strolger and Edward Kintzel.  Additionally, she interned in summer 2011 at the University of Tennessee’s Space Institute.  Her research for that experience was recognized by the Siemens Competition.

“Many of the summer research programs that our students apply to accept only five to ten percent of their total applicants,” Strode said.   “In such competitive programs, the Gatton Academy students compete so well for coveted spots because they engage in research that goes far above and beyond their coursework.”

91% of the students who graduated in the Gatton Academy’s class of 2012 had participated in a mentored research project while studying at the school—almost entirely under the tutelage of a WKU faculty member.

“These are students that love to learn.  Whether it’s the middle of the semester or the middle of summer, these are curious students,” Strode said.

Contact: Derick Strode, (270) 745-6565.

A full listing of Gatton Academy students’ summer plans are listed after the jump.

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By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy Students, Alumna Honored in Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Program

April 12, 2012 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, Student Success, Students, WKU | No Comments

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Since 2006, WKU has led the state in recognition by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program. This year, WKU placed among the top producers of Goldwater Scholars in the nation.

Michael Crocker, a second-year student in the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science from Bowling Green,; and Clarice Esch, an agriculture major and Gatton Academy alumna from Somerset, received scholarships to continue original research.

Lukas Missik, also a second-year student in the Gatton Academy from Danville, received an Honorable Mention in the national competition. Charles “Chadd” Coomer, a biology and chemistry double-major from Louisville, was WKU’s third award winner this year.  Universities may nominate up to four students each year.

The students’ success stems from the emphasis placed on undergraduate research at WKU and in the Gatton Academy. Goldwater Scholars are selected based on their academic performance and potential for a research career.

“These students should be commended for demonstrating their future potential effectively through their outstanding research essays and research productivity to date,” said Dr. Kevin Williams, Goldwater faculty representative and associate professor of chemistry.

Each of the students worked closely with their mentors and the Office of Scholar Development to develop cogent applications, submitting numerous drafts over the course of several weeks. “The faculty who have effectively mentored these students in research and the classroom should be applauded for their efforts,” Dr. Williams said.

Established by the U.S. Congress in 1986 to recognize the former senator from Arizona, the scholarship program identifies and honors students who excel in and are pursuing research careers in the sciences, mathematics and engineering. Winners receive $7,500 annually with which they can pay for undergraduate tuition, fees, books and room and board.

WKU is one of 24 institutions where each scholar nominated was recognized by the program. Out of more than 1,100 applicants nationwide, only 282 were selected as scholars and fewer than 200 others received Honorable Mention recognition.

WKU President Gary A. Ransdell commended the students on their willingness to take on ambitious research projects.

“The success these students demonstrate through this recognition shows what can happen when you pair excellent students with a caring, wonderful faculty and the support system available at WKU,” he said. “This is a tribute to their hard work and determination and the guidance and support of their faculty mentors.”

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By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy Students, Alumni Honored at 42nd Annual WKU Student Research Conference

March 26, 2012 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, Students, WKU | No Comments

With 269 presentations, the 42nd annual WKU Student Research Conferencewas the biggest in the event’s history as Saturday’s event at Gary A. Ransdell Hall featured 146 papers, 111 posters/exhibits, six performances/videos and six spotlight presentations.

A total of 184 undergraduate students and 85 graduate students were primary authors this year, and an additional 151 students were co-authors. A total of 154 faculty members served as mentors, providing expert instruction and guidance to student researchers and artists.

Among the undergraduate participants in the conference were 69 Honors College students and 32 students in the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky.  Among the students honored, 9 current Academy students were recognized and 4 alumni saluted for their findings.

Student participants represented 33 departments and programs from all colleges: Agriculture; Architectural and Manufacturing Sciences; Art; Biology; Business; Chemistry; Communication; Communication Disorders; Computer Science; Consumer and Family Sciences; Economics; Educational Administration, Leadership, and Research; Engineering; English; Folk Studies and Anthropology; Gender and Women’s Studies; Geography and Geology; History; Interdisciplinary Studies; Management; Mathematics and Computer Science; Modern Languages; Music; Nursing; Philosophy and Religion; Physics and Astronomy; Political Science; Popular Culture Studies; Psychology; Public Health; Social Work; Sociology; and Theatre and Dance.

Award recipients included the following students noted below (faculty mentor in parenthesis).  Current Gatton Academy students’ names are listed in green.  Academy alumni are marked with an asterisk (*).

Undergraduate Students

  • Jessica Williams, Department of Theatre and Dance; Best Undergraduate Performance in the Humanities, Session 1 (tie) — Rhythm of My Sole (Professor Amanda Clark)
  • Kyle MacDonald, Department of Music; Best Undergraduate Performance in the Humanities, Session 1 (tie) — Olympia, a Musical Composition for Wind Ensemble (Dr. Michael Kallstrom)
  • Victoria Gilkison*, Department of Biology; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 1 – Stable Isotopic Analysis of the Upper Green River in Hart County, Kentucky (Dr. Albert Meier)
  • Leah Frazier*, Department of Biology; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 2 — Stimulation of Cell Migration in Corneal Endothelial Cells (Dr. Ken Crawford)
  • Ashley Coulter, Department of English; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Humanities, Session 3 — Pale in Comparison: Dissent within Alice Walker’s In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens (Dr. Sandra Hughes)
  • Cody Nimmo, Department of Art; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Humanities, Session 4 — Change: Altering How We Perceive an Environment through Sculpture (Professor David Marquez)
  • John “Jack” LeSieur, Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Social Sciences/Services, Session 5 —Cultural Resources at Kyrock, Kentucky: An Initial Assessment (Dr. Darlene Applegate)
  • Brenna Tinsley, Department of Biology; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 6 — The Ecological Roles of Podostemum ceratophyllum and Cladophora in the Habitat and Dietary Preferences of the Riverine Caddisfly Hydropsyche simulans (Dr. Scott Grubbs)
  • Rebecca Crouch, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 7 — Chutes and Ladders with Markov Chains (Dr. Melanie Autin)
  • Shelby Rader*, Department of Geography and Geology; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 8 — Ion Selectivity Studies on Umbite (Dr. Aaron Celestian)
  • Anne Walsh, Department of Art; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Humanities, Session 9 — Call Me Ishmael? The Subject of Jackson Pollock’s Portrait of H.M. (Dr. Guy Jordan)
  • Nathan Bishop, Department of History; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Humanities, Session 10 — Willis v. Walker: Good Faith Alone Is Not the Test (Dr. Patricia Minter)
  • Taylor Sang, Department of English; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Humanities, Session 11 — Crusader for Transparency (Dr. Sandra Hughes)
  • Armando Sanchez, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies; Best Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Paper, Session 12 — Truth and Photography (Dr. Sara Northerner)
  • Shelby Overstreet, Department of Psychology; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Social Sciences/Services, Session 13 — STEM Career Switchers: Why Education? (Dr. Lisa Duffin)
  • Steven Calhoun, Department of Chemistry; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 14 — Synthesis, Structure, and Characterization of Two Polyoxometalate-Photosensitizer Hybrid Materials (Dr. Bangbo Yan)
  • Henry Uradu, Department of Biology; Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 15 — The Winter-Active Dung Beetle Fauna of a Costa Rican Cloud Forest (Dr. Keith Phillips)
  • Jarrod Connally, Department of Economics; Best Undergraduate Business/Interdisciplinary Poster, Session 1 — Managerial Turnover in the English Premiership and the Subsequent Results (Dr. Dennis Wilson)
  • Ann-Alan Callahan, Department of Consumer and Family Sciences; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Humanities, Session 2 — Beading ’til They’re Cured (Ms. Sheila Flener)
  • Jesse Hazel, Department of Art; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Humanities, Session 3 — Humbling (Professor Laurin Notheisen)
  • Wesley Miller, Department of Art; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Humanities, Session 4 — Secular Nativity in Print – Exploring Origin(Professor Laurin Notheisen)
  • Akhil Ghanta, Shane Masuda, and Duncan Wood, Department of Physics and Astronomy; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 5 — Dynamical Field Equations That Couple a Morris-Thorne Wormhole to an Expanding Cosmology (Dr. Keith Andrew)
  • Elizabeth Gatten, Department of Biology; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 6 — Isolation and Characterization of Bacteriophage Magnolia (Dr. Rodney King)
  • Cynthia Tope*, Department of Chemistry; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 7 (tie) — Reactions of the Amino Acid Cysteine with Analogs of the Anticancer Drug Cisplatin (Dr. Kevin Williams)
  • Lori Lovell, Department of Biology; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 7 (tie) — Land Use and E. Coli / Fecal Coliform Violations in the Upper Green Watershed (Dr. Ouida Meier)
  • David Brown, Department of Chemistry; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 8 — Novel Î-Conjugated Organic Macromolecules for Electronic Devices (Dr. Hemali Rathnayake)
  • Andrea Eastes and Erin Walch, Department of Biology; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 9 — Nitric Oxide Synthase 3 Gene Regulation in Pulmonary Myofibroblasts (Dr. Nancy Rice)
  • Charles Coomer, Department of Biology; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 10 — Bacteriophage Classification Via PCR Analysis: An Alternative to Complete Genome Sequencing (Dr. Rodney King)
  • Brittany Crowley, Department of Psychology; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Social Sciences/Services, Session 11 — Examination of Self-Regulation Constructs as Explanatory Variables for Attendance and Performance (Dr. Steven Wininger)
  • Cortney Scott, Department of Agriculture; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Social Sciences/Services, Session 12 — Student Influences to Become an Agriculture Major at Western Kentucky University (Professor Thomas Kingery)
  • Kristin Wallace, Department of Consumer and Family Sciences; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Social Sciences/Services, Session 13 —Sephora: Men: A Pop-up Marketing Concept (Kristina Goff)
  • Caitlin Reyes, Department of Modern Languages; Best Undergraduate Poster in the Social Sciences/Services, Session 14 — Hispanic Outreach in Bowling Green, Kentucky: Defining the Needs of the Hispanic Community(Dr. Sonia Lenk)

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By Corey Alderdice

Academy Alumni Receive Prestigious Astronomy Awards for Research Projects

January 31, 2012 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, WKU | No Comments

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Two students in WKU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy received prestigious awards recently at the American Astronomical Society’s 219thsemiannual meeting in Austin, Texas.

Aaron C. Bell of Scottsville and Andrew Gott of Elizabethtown received Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Awards for their poster presentations at the conference. Often called the Super Bowl of Astronomy, the AAS winter meeting Jan. 8-12 attracted more than 2,700 astrophysicists, educators, students and journalists.

Dr. Louis Strolger, associate professor and Gott’s advisor, said several hundred undergraduate posters are presented at the conference and fewer than 10 Chambliss medals are awarded with the majority going to students from research universities.

Of the seven medals awarded this year, three went to students from Harvard University and two went to WKU, he said. WKU’s Kyle Cook, now a graduate student at Texas A&M, won a Chambliss medal in 2010.

“It is rare for an institution our size to garner one of these prestigious awards, let alone two in one year and three Chambliss awards in the past two years,” said Dr. Steven Gibson, assistant professor and Bell’s advisor.

Bell and Gott said the Chambliss awards validate the quality of WKU’s faculty and students and the high caliber research under way in the department. “These awards bring prestige to WKU and let everyone know that we do have an excellent Department of Physics and Astronomy,” Bell said.

Bell worked with Dr. Gibson on a project titled Dust Infrared Emission in an H2-Forming, Perseus-Arm Cloud. Bell’s interstellar research has focused on the formation of dense clouds of molecular gas that can collapse under their own gravity. Using infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, Bell is examining how small dust particles aid the condensation of molecular hydrogen from less dense atomic gas. This transition is vital to the ongoing formation of new stars and planets in our own galaxy and many others.

Gott worked with Dr. Strolger on a project titled UBVRI Optical Monitoring of Supernova 2011fe in the Pinwheel Galaxy with the 1.3-meter Robotically Controlled Telescope. Gott has been examining data from an exploding star that has been one of the most important supernovae in recent history. Measuring its brightness over time will provide vital information about more distant supernovae being used to measure the expansion history of the universe — the subject of the recent Nobel Prize in physics, in which Dr. Strolger played a role.

Bell and Gott, both seniors and graduates of the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, plan to continue their research at graduate school. And both encourage other students to take advantage of the undergraduate research opportunities in their department and across the WKU campus.

“Students should know that if they’re interested in research, then approach your professors about it because there’s a strong chance they’ll get to work with them on a project,” Bell said.

Two other WKU students also had research presented at the AAS conference.

Jonathan Newton, a senior from Nicholasville, presented a poster onCandidate Sites for Cold H2 Formation in Cold HI Emission and Other Tracers. He has been using a survey with the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico (where he was a summer intern last year) to look for clouds of cold gas that are becoming denser and colder in preparation for forming new stars.

Research by Rebecca Brown, a Gatton Academy student from Nelson County, was featured in a poster titled Observations of 4 Blazars with the Robotically Controlled Telescope in 2011.

Contact: Steven Gibson, (270) 745-3019; or Louis Strolger, (270) 745-6204.

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By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy, WKU Students Present Research at Annual “Posters at the Capitol” Event

January 30, 2012 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, Students, WKU | No Comments

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More than 20 WKU student, five of whom are Gatton Academy students, presented research during the 2012 Posters-at-the-Capitol event Jan. 26 in Frankfort.

  • Aaron Bell, a Scottsville senior and Gatton Academy alumnus, presented “Dust Infrared Emission in an H2-forming, Perseus-Arm Cloud” with faculty mentor Steve Gibson.
  • Jade Boyle, a Glasgow senior, and Ashton Korfhage, a Bowling Green senior, presented “Cultural Design for African Children in Need” with faculty mentors Sheila S. Flener and Travis K. Wilson.
  • Andrea Eastes, a Gatton Academy student from Mayfield, and Lydia Brothers, a Gatton Academy student from Madisonville, presented “ZBLAN Glass: Improving Medical Imaging with Europium Doped HoF3 and SrCl2 Based Storage Phosphors” with faculty mentor Jackie Johnson.
  • Chris Carmichael, a Bowling Green senior, presented “A Novel Layered Metalloporphyrin Material” with faculty mentor Bangbo Yan.
  • Andrea Esterle, a Bowling Green senior, presented “Biosynthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Using Yucca filamentosa Plant Extract” with faculty mentor Shivendra Sahi.
  • Deanna Gipson, an Auburn senior, and Traci Walker, a Campbellsville senior, presented “The Culturally Competent Dental Team” with faculty mentor Barbara Bush.
  • Ryan D. Gourley, a senior from Evansville, Ind., and graduate students Kamal Humagain of Bowling Green and Sean T. Hutchison of Nashville, Tenn., presented “Using Satellite Remote Sensing Data to Describe Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Fire in Nepal” with faculty mentor John All.
  • Sherry R. Helm, an Eastview senior, presented “Analysis of RNA Mediated Antitermination in Erwinia Tasmaniensis Bacteriophage” with faculty mentor Rodney A. King.
  • Kayla Jenkins, a Bowling Green junior, and Chad Jones, a Brandenburg senior, presented “Decoding the Body” with faculty mentor Joseph Evans.
  • Alyssa Nantz, a senior from LaVergne, Tenn., and Mikell Nelson, a Louisville senior, presented “Dental Health Literacy: A Plea for Simplicity” with faculty mentor Rebecca G. Tabor.
  • Dillon Pender, an Elizabethtown senior, and graduate student and Lakshmisri M. Vangala of Bowling Green presented “Environmental Friendly Synthesis, Characterization and Bactericidal Activity of Starch-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles” with faculty mentor Rajalingam Dakshinamurphy.
  • Michael Powers, a Bowling Green senior, presented “Enhanced Nanoporous Minerals for Energy Processes” with faculty mentor Aaron Celestian.
  • Mary Spraggs, a Gatton Academy student from Danville, and Cheyenne Ullrey, a Gatton Academy student from Walton, presented “An Examination of Atmospheric Composition Data from Mammoth Cave National Park” with faculty mentor Matthew J. Nee.
  • Leslie Wilson, a Gatton Academy student from Munfordville, presented “Reactive Group Functionalized Silsequioxane Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Applications: Synthesis, Characterization and Particle Morphology” with faculty mentor Hemali Rathnayake.

Posters-at-the-Capitol is intended to help members of Kentucky’s legislature and the Governor better understand the importance of involving undergraduates in research, scholarly and creative work.

Contact: Blaine Ferrell, (270) 745-8842.

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By Corey Alderdice

Alumna Schrader Selected to Teach English in South Korea

January 20, 2012 | Academics, Alumni, International, News, People, WKU | No Comments

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Sarah Schrader, a double major in Biology and Chemistry and member of the Honors College at WKU, has been selected to teach English in South Korea for a six-month term beginning in February through the Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK) program.

Schrader, the daughter of Michelle and Steven Schrader of Bowling Green, is a graduate of the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky and an active member of the Chinese Flagship Program at WKU. As a participant, she will teach English in after-school programs at rural elementary schools in South Korea.

Sarah Schrader, a student in the Honors College at WKU and graduate of the Gatton Academy, has been selected to teach in English in South Korea.

“For me, the TaLK program represents an exciting opportunity to experience something radically different from anything I have ever done before,” Schrader said. “It promises to be a unique and rewarding combination of cultural immersion and exchange as well as an excellent opportunity to develop professional skills and international connections while helping young Korean students unlock a world of international opportunities for themselves.”

The TaLK Program began in April 2008 under the direction of South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak as a way to ensure access to higher quality educational resources in rural areas of the country. Placing native English speakers in rural communities counterbalances the growth of private education, which is often too costly for parents in these areas. There are more than 500 active participants in the program from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa as of fall 2011.

Dr. Melinda Grimsley-Smith, coordinator of international scholarships for the Office of Scholar Development, works with students who are applying for international scholarships and internships.

“Sarah’s undergraduate career is a wonderful example of where and how far passion and curiosity can take you at WKU,” Grimsley-Smith said. “She has an incredible future in store for her, and we are honored to work with her to reach her goals.”

Schrader, a Goldwater Scholar who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular biology or genetics, works in the lab with Dr. Rodney King, associate professor of biology.

“Sarah is an exceptional student who has earned national recognition for her achievements. Last year, she was awarded a Goldwater scholarship and named a U.S. Presidential Scholar. Sarah continues to seek opportunities to broaden her academic portfolio, and she has embraced WKU’s internationalization mission,” he said. “The TaLK program is wonderful opportunity for her to experience Korean culture and share her gifts and enthusiasm with Korean students who want to become proficient in English.  It is truly exciting to watch Sarah develop into an outstanding scholar. I am very happy for her.”

After returning from South Korea, Schrader will depart for China, where she will fulfill her Capstone Year at Nanjing University and a four-to-six month professional internship in her field of study.

“In our global society, international competency and collaboration are becoming increasingly important in all professions, including the sciences,” she said. “My experiences with the Korean language and culture as a TaLK scholar will greatly expand upon the international foundation I have already built through participation in the Chinese Flagship program and will further propel me on my way to becoming a global professional.”

About the Office of Scholar Development: The Office of Scholar Development is committed to helping students on all WKU campuses and in all majors and degree programs develop the vision, experience and skills to be independent, engaged scholars. OSD welcomes the opportunity to work with students interested in the TaLK Program or other similar opportunities. Call (270) 745-5043 to schedule an appointment with the Office of Scholar Development.

Contact: Audra Jennings, (270) 745-5043.

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By Corey Alderdice

Academy Students, Alumni among WKU Biology Students Contributing Research to National DNA Database

November 4, 2011 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, Students, WKU | No Comments

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Students in the WKU Biology Department’s Genome Discovery and Exploration class have contributed genomic research to the national DNA sequence database.

Students in the class isolate viruses from soil, purify the viral DNA, then sequence and annotate the viral genome. This unique hands-on, inquiry-based program is sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance and is designed to engage new undergraduates in the process of doing scientific research.

Through their efforts in this yearlong research experience, the participating students ultimately contribute new information to the scientific community.

Three newly discovered genomes characterized and annotated by the Genome Discovery and Exploration students were recently released by Genbank, the national DNA sequence database. The type of viruses that were isolated are called bacteriophages; viruses that specifically infect bacterial cells. The students named the newly discovered phages Backyardigan, TiroTheta9 andBarrelRoll.

“The characterization of new viral genomes provides insights into the diversity and evolution of bacteriophages which are the most numerous biological entities on the planet,” said Dr. Rodney King, associate professor of biology.

The WKU students who contributed to the annotation of the viral genomes are as follows (* denotes Gatton Academy student):

  • Bacteriophage Backyardigan  (Released August 2011) — Courtney Howard* of Radcliff; Prasanna Parthasarathy of India; Ejike Anyanwu of Washington, D.C.; Kaitlyn Cole of Lawrenceburg; Karlee Driver of Lafayette, Tenn.; Elizabeth Farnsworth* of Burlington; Benjamin Howard* of Morehead; Brittney Howard* of Radcliff; Jordan Olberding of Oceanside, Calif.; Mackenzie Perkins of Hopkinsville; Heidi Sayre of Lawrenceburg; Tyler Scaff* of LaGrange; Sarah Schrader* of Bowling Green; and Cynthia Tope* of Burlington.
  • Bacteriophage TiroTheta9 (Released August 2011) — Sarah Schrader* of Bowling Green and Prasanna Parthasarathy of India.
  • Bacteriophage BarrelRoll (Released September 2011) — Benjamin Rice* of Somerset; Akhila Bethi of India; Lee Calvert of Albemarle, N.C.; Charles Coomer of Louisville; Andrea Eastes* of Mayfield; Erin Eaton of Crestwood; John Faughn of Bowling Green; Alex Gutierrez* of Mount Washington; Anthony Gutierrez* of Mount Washington; Samantha Hawtrey* of Union; George Jones of Central City; Mackenzie Jones of Campbellsville; Zimple Kurlawala of India; Taylor Leet* of Louisville; Lori Lovell* of Louisville; Kaysi Phillips of Nashville, Tenn.; Lori Shoup of Frankfort; Aaron Stolze* of Somerset; Erin Walch* of Alexandria; Eric Westerman of Sebree; Makka Wheeler* of Guthrie; Spencer Wright of Lexington; and Prasanna Parthasarathy of India.

The complete annotated genomic sequences can be viewed online at   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

Contact: Rodney King, (270) 745-6910.

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By Corey Alderdice

Academy Alumni Co-Author Findings in Journal of Chromatography B

October 24, 2011 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, WKU | No Comments

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Congrats to alumni Camille Turner and Zach Laux on having their research findings they co-authored with faculty at WKU published in the Journal of Chromatography B. This journal publishes papers on developments in separation science relevant to biology and biomedical research including both fundamental advances and applications.

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By Corey Alderdice

[New Year, New Staff] Graduate Assistant, Academy Alum Tyler Clark to Assist with Academic Success

September 20, 2011 | 5Q, Academics, Alumni, News, People, Staff | No Comments

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With the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff. We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team. They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences. Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other. It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy. Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.

Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better. Avatars came up with a few questions that they asked each person. Each Avatar also posed unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.

Interview by Andrea Eastes, Academy Avatar

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am 21 years old and currently pursuing my masters in mathematics. I graduated from the Honors College in May 2010. My thesis, entitled “Counting Locally Convex Topologies on a Totally Ordered Finite Set,” was directed by Dr. Tom Richmond and my second reader was Dr. Dominic Lanphier. I enjoy playing piano, reading, web design, etc. I am also senior editor of the AMS Grad Student Blog. — You can access my CV at http://tylerclark12.com/TylerClarkCV.pdf

2. Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?

Tim Gott offered me the position a bit ago. I met with him to discuss the position and found it a good fit. I will be able to help Gatton students learn and I will be able to do math simultaneously.

3. Are you excited for the coming year?

I am very excited for the upcoming year. I look forward to meeting all of the students and growing with them.

4. What role do you wish to play in the Gatton Academy students’ lives?

I want to be able to help mold students’ student skills to help them become more successful college students.

5. What are you looking forward to this year?

I am looking forward to getting to know the students and seeing them mature academically and emotionally.

6. How did being an Academy student affect you?

The Academy allowed for me to get a head start on college courses. Furthermore, it opened a lot of doors that provided me the opportunity to perform undergraduate research.

7. Do you think that having been through the experience of the Academy will help you to better serve the needs that students may have?

I feel that my experiences in the Academy will allow me to better understand needs of students. This will allow me to guide them to optimal learning.

8. Is there any advice that you’d like to give to students?

Students should take advantage of the resources on campus. Make sure you get involved in research you enjoy with a professor with whom you work well. Research is what will set you apart from other students.


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