College of Science

All College of Science students are encouraged to participate in the third annual COS Student Research Exposition on Friday, November 2, 2007, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. See the announcement for details.

The College of Science will award four undergraduate research fellowships for students in the college. The application deadline is November 16. View the program announcement.

Jason Kruszewski, a graduate student in geochemistry, recently presented his work at the 12th annual symposium on water-rock interaction in China. More information.

Spring 2007 Dean's List: The College of Science has announced the dean's list for Fall 2006. Congratulations to the students who made the list. The dean's lists for Fall 2006, Spring 2006, Fall 2005, Spring 2005, Fall 2004, Spring 2004, Fall 2003, Spring 2003, and Fall 2002 are also available.

The College of Science has announced its student award winners for 2006-2007. Please visit the Student Awards Page for details.

Leah Schwisow, a sophomore biology major from Melba, Idaho, is one of just 30 students from around the country, and the only one from the Pacific Northwest, to be chosen as a volunteer team leader by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games for the 2008 Olympics. More information.

Congratulations to the following College of Science students who have received 2006 Alumni Association Awards for Excellence: Nathan Bialke, a senior in mathematics; Shannon Grant, a senior in mathematics; Mary Oswald, a Ph.D. student in biology; Katherine Quinn, a senior in biology; and Christopher Tockey, a senior in mathematics.

Congratulations to the winners of the second annual College of Science Student Research Exposition: Max Young (mathematics and physics), outstanding undergraduate poster; Holly Paddock (biology), runner up undergraduate poster; Jesse Huso (physics), outstanding graduate poster; and Amit Sharma (physics), runner up graduate poster.

Dr. Nick Natale and Trina Villalobos of the Department of Chemistry won a national ChemLuminary Award from the American Chemical Society at its annual meeting in September.

Linette Watkins, chair of the ACS Committee on Minority Affairs; Trina Villalobos; Nick Natale; and Catherine T. Hunt, ACS president-elect.

Noel Palmer, a Ph.D. student in chemistry working under the direction of Dr. Ray von Wandruszka, was presented with the prestigious Ronald Malcolm Award by the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) at their conference in Karlsruhe, Germany in August 2006. This award is given to the top applicant for an IHSS travel bursary, and takes the form of a certificate and a $1,500 prize. Noel was chosen for the Malcolm Award from among 10 travel grant awardees on the basis of the paper he wrote for the Proceedings volume of the conference, entitled "Reduction of Arsenates by Humic Materials". This was judged to be the best contribution by a graduate student at this year's meeting. He also gave an oral presentation of this title at the conference. More information.

FACULTY AND STAFF NEWS

Dr. Dennis Geist, professor and chair of Geological Sciences, is working on a project studying undersea volcanoes near the Hawaiian Islands. More information.

Dr. Larry Forney and colleagues in the Departments of Biological Sciences, Mathematics, and Statistics have recently published important new research on the health impacts of microbial ecology in the human vagina. More information.

Dr. Mark Nielsen, professor of mathematics, has been appointed associate dean of the College of Science, effective July 16, 2007.

Dr. Scott Wood, associate dean and professor of geochemistry, has been appointed interim dean of the College of Science, effective July 1, 2007.

Congratulations to Dr. Paul Joyce of the Department of Mathematics, this year's winner of the College of Science Distinguished Faculty Award.

Congratulations to Dr. John Byers and Dr. Holly Wichman of the Department of Biological Sciences for winning University of Idaho Faculty Awards for Excellence in Research or Creative Activity. These are the highest awards for faculty presented by the university.

Congratulations to Dr. Eric Delmelle of the Department of Geography and Cynthia Piez of the Department of Mathematics for winning Naval ROTC Faculty Excellence Awards.

Congratulations to the following College of Science faculty members: Dr. David McIlroy, promoted to professor of physics; Dr. Francesca Sammarruca, promoted to professor of physics; and Dr. Eva Top, associate professor of biological sciences, granted tenure.

Dr. Judith Totman Parrish has recently been elected vice president of the Geological Society of America. She will serve one year as vice president, the next year as president, and the following year as past president of the society. More information.

College of Science faculty are participating in two teams that have recently won funding from the university to stimulate interdisciplinary activities:

Dr. Jack Sullivan of the Department of Biological Sciences has been named editor-in-chief of the journal Systematic Biology.

The University of Idaho will host the 2009 Evolution meetings in Moscow. This is the largest annual conference in evolutionary biology, with more than 1,000 attendees expected. The three scholarly societies that gather at the meetings are The Society for the Study of Evolution, The Society for Systematic Biology, and the American Society of Naturalists.

Dr. Bill McClelland of the Department of Geological Sciences was honored as an exceptional reviewer for the GSA Bulletin in the February 2007 issue of GSA Today.

Dr. Judith Totman Parrish has announced that she will step down as dean and return to teaching and research on July 1, 2007. More information.

Dr. Rick Edgeman, professor and chair of statistics, presented a keynote address at the 11th World Congress for Total Quality Management on December 4, 2006, in Wellington, New Zealand.

Congratulations also to the following Science faculty members for winning 2006 Alumni Association Awards for Faculty Excellence: Dr. John Byers, Biological Sciences; Dr. Mark Nielsen, Mathematics; Dr. Barrie Robison, Biological Sciences; and Dr. Eva Top, Biological Sciences.

Dr. Kevin Kelliher of the Department of Biological Sciences has been awarded the prestigious Frank A. Beach Award in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology from the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology. The award recognizes young investigators who show exceptional promise for making significant contributions to the field. Dr. Kelliher’s research centers on hormones and social behavior, specifically how the sense of smell influences social behavior.

Dr. Masahiro Sota, a postdoctoral scientist working with Dr. Eva Top in the Department of Biological Sciences, won the Brian Wilkins Memorial Fund Prize at the Plasmid Biology 2006 conference on September 27. This is the major prize offered by the International Society for Plasmid Biology. First awarded in 2004, its goal is to encourage outstanding scientists at the start of their careers who are already demonstrating an enthusiasm and commitment to the study of plasmids and other mobile genetics elements. The prize consists of $1,000 in support of the winner's scientific career.