STEM Annual Report 2014-2015.draft - Middlebury College College STEM... · A theoretical blueprint for improving MLEs. Pages 374–384 in The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2015.

STEMatMiddleburyCollegeAnnualReportfor2014-2015

Introduction

ThefacultyofthemathandsciencedepartmentsandinterdepartmentalprogramshereatMiddleburyCollegearejustifiablyproudofouraccomplishmentsduringthispastyear,asteachers,scholars,andadvocatesfortheSTEM(Science,Technology,Engineering,andMathematics)disciplinestothewidercommunity.Werepresentadiversegroupofdisciplines–includingthelifeandphysicalsciences,mathematics,anddepartmentsthatbridgebothnaturalandsocialdomains–butweareunitedbyasharedcommitmenttoscienceandmathasawayofknowingandasafoundationalcomponenttoaliterate,free,andprogressivesociety.Ourworkduringthispastyear,summarizedbelowaspublications,externalgrantsupport,majorcurricularchanges,studentresearch,andpublicoutreach,exemplifiesboththebreadthanddepthofthiscommitment.Allofthis,ofcourse,isinadditiontoeachmemberofthefaculty’son-goingworkinteachingcourses,advisingandmentoringstudents,andservicebothtothecollegeandourwiderprofessionalcommunities.Byanymeasure,STEMatMiddleburyCollegesets–andachieves–highstandardsineducationandscholarship,andouraccomplishmentsduringthe2014-2015academicyearwerenoexception.

Publications(CY2014)

Abbott,S.(2014).SimonMcBurney’sambitiouspursuitofthepuremathsplay.InterdisciplinaryScienceReviews,39(3),224–237.http://doi.org/10.1179/0308018814Z.00000000086

Allen,D.,&Tenenbaum,K.(2014).AtheoreticalblueprintforimprovingMLEs.Pages374–384inTheHardballTimesBaseballAnnual2015.CreateSpacePublishers.

Backus,V.,Nurok,A.,&theMiddleburyCollegeStudentsofBIOL140.(2014).Long-termpatternsindensityofstreaminvertebratefamiliesinAddisonCountystreams.PosterpresentationforVermontMonitoringCooperativeAnnualMeeting.DavisCenter,UniversityofVermont.

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Beato,M.,&Arndt,J.(2014).Falserecognitionproductionindexesinforwardassociativestrength(FAS)listswiththreecriticalwords.Psicothema,26,457-463.

Bernhardt,H.S.,&Sandwick,R.K.(2014).PurineBiosyntheticIntermediate-ContainingRibose-PhosphatePolymersasEvolutionaryPrecursorstoRNA.JournalofMolecularEvolution,79(3-4),91–104.http://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-014-9640-1

Bockheim,J.G.,&Munroe,J.S.(2014).Organiccarbonpoolsandgenesisofalpinesoilswithpermafrost:Areview.Arctic,Antarctic,andAlpineResearch,46(4),987–1006.http://doi.org/10.1657/1938-4246-46.4.987

Boyd,D.,Patterson,J.,Allen,W.,Bolt,G.,Bonnardeau,M.,Campbell,T.,Campbell,J.,Cejudo,D.,Cook,M.,deMiguel,E.,Ding,C.,Dvorak,S.,Foote,J.,Fried,R.,Hambsch,F.,Kemp,J.,Krajci,T.,Monard,B.,Ogmen,Y.,Rea,R.,Roberts,G.,Skillman,D.,Starkey,D.,Ulowetz,J.,Uthas,H.,&Walker,S.(2014).Acrowd-sourcedlightcurveforSN2014G.TheJournaloftheAmericanAssociationofVariableStarObservers,(402)2,474.

Boyd,D.,Patterson,J.,Allen,W.,Bolt,G.,Bonnardeau,M.,Campbell,T.,Campbell,J.,Cejudo,D.,

Cook,M.,deMiguel,E.,Ding,C.,Dvorak,S.,Foote,J.,Fried,R.,Hambsch,F.,Kemp,J.,Krajci,T.,Monard,B.,Ogmen,Y.,Rea,R.,Roberts,G.,Skillman,D.,Starkey,D.,Ulowetz,J.,Uthas,H.,&Walker,S.(2014).TheasynchronouspolarV1432Aquilaeanditspathbacktosynchronism.Proceedingsforthe33rdAnnualConferenceoftheSocietyforAstronomicalSciences,163.

Brym,Z.,Allen,D.,&Ibáñez,I.2015.Communitycontrolongrowthandsurvivalofanexotic

shrub.BiologicalInvasions,16,2529–2541.

Carbonetto,P.,Cheng,R.,Gyekis,J.P.,Parker,C.C.,Blizard,D.A.,Palmer,A.A.,&Lionikas,A.(2014).DiscoveryandrefinementofmuscleweightQTLsinB6xD2advancedintercrossmice.PhysiologicalGenomics46(16),671-582.

Chakrabarti,A.,Xiong,Y.,Sun,B.,Darrell,T.,Scharstein,D.,Zickler,T.,&Saenko,K.(2014).

Modelingradiometricuncertaintyforvisionwithtone-mappedcolorimages.IEEETransactionsonPatternAnalysisandMachineIntelligence,36(11),2185–2198.http10.1109/TPAMI.2014.2318713

Christman,A.,&Forcier,W.(2014).Maximizingrevenuesforon-linedial-a-ride(Vol.8881).Retrievedfromhttp://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84921340456&partnerID...

Chung,H.,Andrews,C.,&North,C.(2014).Asurveyofsoftwareframeworksforcluster-basedlargehigh-resolutiondisplays.IEEETransactionsonVisualizationandComputerGraphics,20(8),1158–1177.http10.1109/TVCG.2013.272

Cooper,A.S.,Pikhurko,O.,Schmitt,J.R.,&Warrington,G.S.(2014).MartinGardner’sminimumno-3-in-a-lineproblem.AmericanMathematicalMonthly,121(3),213–221.http10.4169/amer.math.monthly.121.03.213

Costanza-Robinson,M.S.(2014).Oil&WaterMix.MiddleburyMagazine,Winter.Coyner,J.,McGuire,J.L.,Parker,C.C.,Ursano,R.R.,Palmer,A.A.,&Johnson,L.R.(2014).Mice

selectivelybredforHighandLowfearbehaviorshowdifferencesinthenumberofpMAPK(p44/42ERK)expressingneuronsinlateralamygdalafollowingPavlovianfearconditioning.NeurobiologyofLearningandMemory112,195-203.

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Daumann,L.J.,Larrabee,J.A.,Ollis,D.,Schenk,G.,&Gahan,L.R.(2014).ImmobilizationoftheenzymeGpdQonmagnetitenanoparticlesfororganophosphatepesticidebioremediation.JournalofInorganicBiochemistry,131,1–7.http10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2013.10.007

Downey,J.S.,Mashburn-Warren,L.,Ayala,E.A.,Senadheera,D.B.,Hendrickson,W.K.,McCall,L.W.,…Spatafora,G.A.,Goodman,S.D.(2014).Invitromanganese-dependentcross-talkbetweenStreptococcusmutansvicKandgcrR:Implicationsforoverlappingstressresponsepathways.PLoSONE,9(12).http10.1371/journal.pone.0115975

Endert,A.,Hossain,M.S.,Ramakrishnan,N.,North,C.,Fiaux,P.,&Andrews,C.(2014).Thehumanistheloop:newdirectionsforvisualanalytics.JournalofIntelligentInformationSystems,43(3),411–435.http10.1007/s10844-014-0304-9

Farsi,C.,Proctor,E.,&Seaton,C.(2014).Gamma-extensionsofthespectrumofanorbifold.TransactionsoftheAmericanMathematicalSociety,366(2014),3881-3905.

Gleiser,M.,andGraham,N.(2014).Transitiontoorderafterhilltopinflation,arXiv:1401.6225,PhysicalReviewD89,083502.

Graham,M.J.,Djorgovski,S.G.,Drake,A.J.,Mahabal,A.A.,Chang,M.,Stern,D.,…Glikman,E.(2014).Anovelvariability-basedmethodforquasarselection:Evidenceforarest-frame~54dcharacteristictime-scale.MonthlyNoticesoftheRoyalAstronomicalSociety,439(1),703–718.http10.1093/mnras/stt2499

Graham,N.(2014).Casimirenergiesofperiodicdielectricgratings.PhysicalReviewA-Atomic,Molecular,andOpticalPhysics,90(3).http10.1103/PhysRevA.90.032507

Graham,N.,Quandt,M.,&Weigel,H.(2014).Casimirenergyoffrequencydependentinteractions.PhysicalReviewD-Particles,Fields,GravitationandCosmology,90(8).http10.1103/PhysRevD.90.085004

Grogan,J.,Landis,R.M.,Free,C.M.,Schulze,M.D.,Lentini,M.,&Ashton,M.S.(2014).Big-leafmahoganySwieteniamacrophyllapopulationdynamicsandimplicationsforsustainablemanagement.JournalofAppliedEcology,51(3),664–674.http10.1111/1365-2664.12210

Grover,T.W.,&West,D.P.,Jr.(2014).BedrockgeologyoftheEastPittston7.5’quadrangle,Maine:MaineGeologicalSurveyMap14-30,Scale=1:24,000.

Horn,C.,Manduca,C.,&Kauchak,D.(2014).LearningalexicalsimplifierusingWikipedia(Vol.2,pp.458–463).Presentedatthe52ndAnnualMeetingoftheAssociationforComputationalLinguistics,ACL2014-ProceedingsoftheConference.Retrievedfromhttp://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84906932883&partnerID...

Jackson,D.,Allen,D.,Perfecto,I.,&Vandermeer,J.(2014).Self-organizationofbackgroundhabitatdeterminesthenatureofpopulationspatialstructure.Oikos,123(6),751–761.http10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00827.x

Johnson,J.E.,West,D.P.,Jr.,Condit,C.B.,&Mahan,K.H.(2014).StrainlocalizationintheSpanishCreekmylonite,NorthernMadisonRange,southwestMontana,U.S.A.RockyMountainGeology,49(2),91–114.

Kazmier,K.,Sharma,S.,Islam,S.M.,Roux,B.,Mchaourab,H.S.,&Wright,E.M.(2014).Conformationalcycleandion-couplingmechanismoftheNa+/hydantointransporter

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Mhp1.ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciencesoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,111(41),14752–14757.http

Kazmier,K.,Sharma,S.,Quick,M.,Islam,S.M.,Roux,B.,Weinstein,H.,…McHaourab,H.S.(2014).Conformationaldynamicsofligand-dependentalternatingaccessinLeuT.NatureStructuralandMolecularBiology,21(5),472–479.http10.1038/nsmb.2816

Kim,J.,Ryan,P.,Klepeis,K.,Gleeson,T.,North,K.,Bean,J.,…Filoon,J.(2014).TectonicevolutionofaPaleozoicthrustfaultinfluencesthehydrogeologyofafracturedrockaquifer,northeasternAppalachianforeland.Geofluids,14(3),266–290.http10.1111/gfl.12076

Kuhn,A.,H.Mayer,H.Hirschmüller,andD.Scharstein.(2014).ATVpriorforhigh-qualitylocalmulti-viewstereoreconstruction.InInternationalConferenceon3DVision(3DV2014),Tokyo,Japan,2014.

Macdonald,F.A.,Ryan-Davis,J.,Coish,R.A.,Crowley,J.L.,&Karabinos,P.(2014).AnewlyidentifiedGondwananterraneinthenorthernAppalachianMountains:ImplicationsfortheTaconicorogenyandclosureoftheIapetusOcean.Geology,42(6),539–542.http10.1130/G35659.1

Majerczyk,C.,Brittnacher,M.,Jacobs,M.,Armour,C.D.,Bunt,R.,Radey,M.,…PeterGreenberg,E.(2014).GlobalanalysisoftheBurkholderiathailandensisquorumsensing-controlledregulon.JournalofBacteriology,196(7),1412–1424.http10.1128/JB.01405-13

Majerczyk,C.D.,Brittnacher,M.J.,Jacobs,M.A.,Armour,C.D.,Radey,M.C.,Bunt,R.,…Greenberg,E.P.(2014).Cross-speciescomparisonoftheBurkholderiapseudomallei,Burkholderiathailandensis,andBurkholderiamalleiquorum-sensingregulons.JournalofBacteriology,196(22),3862–3871.http10.1128/JB.01974-14

McHone,J.G.,HusseyII,A.M.,WestJr.,D.P.,&Bailey,D.G.(2014).TheChristmasCoveDykeofcoastalMaine,USA,andregionalsourcesforEarlyMesozoicfloodbasaltsinnortheasternNorthAmerica.AtlanticGeology,50,66–90.http

Merchant,A.T.,&Spatafora,G.A.(2014).ArolefortheDtxRfamilyofmetalloregulatorsingram-positivepathogenesis.MolecularOralMicrobiology,29(1),1–10.http10.1111/omi.12039

Munroe,J.S.,Attwood,E.C.,O’Keefe,S.S.,&Quackenbush,P.J.M.(2015).EoliandepositioninthealpinezoneoftheUintaMountains,Utah,USA.Catena,124,119–129.http10.1016/j.catena.2014.09.008

Newman,D.J.,&Giddings,L.-A.(2014).Naturalproductsasleadstoantitumordrugs.PhytochemistryReviews,13(1),123–137.http10.1007/s11101-013-9292-6

Parker,C.C.,Carbonetto,P.,Sokoloff,G.,Park,Y.J.,Abney,M.,&Palmer,A.A.(2014).High-resolutiongeneticmappingofcomplextraitsinacombinedanalysisofanF2intercrossandanadvancedintercross.Genetics198(1),103-116.

Parker,C.C.,Chen,H.,Flagel,S.B.,Geurts,A.M.,Richards,J.B.,Robinson,T.E.,SolbergWoods,L.C.,

&Palmer,A.A.(2014).Ratsarethesmartchoice:Rationaleforarenewedfocusonratsinbehavioralgenetics.Neuropharmacology76B,250-258.

Patterson,J.,Oksanen,A.,Monard,B.,Rea,R.,Hambsch,F.,McCormick,J.,Nelson,P.,Kemp,J.,

Allen,W.,Krajci,T.,Lowther,S.,Dvorak,S.,Richards,T.,Myers,G.,&Bolt,G.(2014).ThedeathspiralofTPyxidis.ProceedingsofStellaNovae:PastandFutureDecades,ASP

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ConferenceSeries,490,35.

Prozument,K.,BarrattPark,G.,Shaver,R.G.,Vasiliou,A.K.,Oldham,J.M.,David,D.E.,…Field,R.W.(2014).Chirped-pulsemillimeter-wavespectroscopyfordynamicsandkineticsstudiesofpyrolysisreactions.PhysicalChemistryChemicalPhysics,16(30),15739–15751.http10.1039/c3cp55352c

Qiao,H.,PrasadaRao,H.B.D.,Yang,Y.,Fong,J.H.,Cloutier,J.M.,Deacon,D.C.,…Ward,J.(2014).

AntagonisticrolesofubiquitinligaseHEI10andSUMOligaseRNF212regulatemeioticrecombination.NatureGenetics,46(2),194–199.http10.1038/ng.2858

Ryan,P.C.,(2014).EnvironmentalandLow-TemperatureGeochemistry.Wiley-Blackwell.ISBN:978-1-4051-8612-4.416pages.

Scharstein,D.,Hirschmüller,H.,Kitajima,Y.,Krathwohl,G.,Nesic,N.,Wang,X.,&Westling,P.(2014).High-resolutionstereodatasetswithsubpixel-accurategroundtruth.InGermanConferenceonPatternRecognition(GCPR2014),Münster,Germany,2014.

Shulman,L.M.,&Spritzer,M.D.(2014).Changesinthesexualbehaviorandtestosteronelevelsofmaleratsinresponsetodailyinteractionswithestrusfemales.PhysiologyandBehavior,133,8–13.http10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.05.001

Sinha,S.,Scharstein,D.,andSzeliski,R.Efficienthigh-resolutionstereomatchingusinglocalplanesweeps.(2014).IEEEComputerSocietyConferenceonComputerVisionandPatternRecognition(CVPR2014),Columbus,OH,2014.

Tewksbury,J.J.,Anderson,J.G.T.,Bakker,J.D.,Billo,T.J.,Dunwiddie,P.W.,Groom,M.J.,…Trombulak,S.C.,&Wheeler,T.A.(2014).Naturalhistory’splaceinscienceandsociety.BioScience,64(4),300–310.http10.1093/biosci/biu032

WestJr.,D.P.,AbbottJr.,R.N.,Bandy,B.R.,&Kunk,M.J.(2014).ProtolithprovenanceandthermotectonichistoryofmetamorphicrocksineasternJamaica:Evolutionofatransformplateboundary.BulletinoftheGeologicalSocietyofAmerica,126(3-4),600–614.http10.1130/B30704.1

West,D.P.,Jr.,(2014).BedrockgeologyoftheBrooksWest7.5’quadrangle,Maine:MaineGeologicalSurveyMap14-4,Scale=1:24,000.

Wolfson,R.(2014).EssentialUniversityPhysics,3rdedition,Volumes1&2,PearsonEducation.

ResearchGrants

WillAmidon(Geology)hasreceivedagrantfromtheNationalGeographicSocietyforaprojecttitledFindingEarlyMartianLandscapesinIdaho.Thegoalof

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thisresearchistounderstandtheroleofglacialoutburstfloodsinformingamphitheater-headedcanyonsontheSnakeRiverPlainofIdaho.ThisworkshouldprovideusefulcluestohowsimilarcanyonsformedonthesurfaceofMars.TwoMiddleburyundergraduateswillbeworkingwithWillonthisproject.CatherineCombelles(Biology)hasreceivedaSabbaticalgrantfromtheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture’sNationalInstituteofFoodandAgriculturetosupporther2015-16academicleave.ThegrantwillcoverleavesalaryandexpensesrelatedtoresearchthatshewillconductattheFrenchNationalInstituteforAgriculturalResearch(INRA)inToulouse,France.ThisgrantwillenableCatherinetoacquireadvancedmetabolicapproachesforuseinstudiesonthemicroenvironmentofthedevelopingfollicleincowovaries.JohnEmerson(Mathematics)receivedamodestgrantthroughtheYaleUniversityProvost’sFundforsupportofaprojecttitledAdvancesinStatisticalSoftwareEnvironments,onwhichheisworkingwhileonacademicleavethisyear.Theprojectgrowsoutofaninterestinchangingthewaystatisticsistaught,anditwilldevelopeducationalmaterialsandsupportingillustrationssuitedforguidingstudentsinundergraduatecoursesinusingmodernstatisticalcomputation.GlenErnstrom(BiologyandNeuroscience)ProjectgrantforworkonGeneticAnalysisofNeurotransmitterReleaseinC.elegans.Thegrantprovidesfundingforsummerandacademic-yeareffortfromJune2014-May2015andincludessummerstipendsfortwoundergraduatesummerresearchstudents.EilatGlikman(Physics)wasawardedaCottrellCollegeScienceAwardfromtheResearchCorporationforScienceAdvancementtostudytheco-evolutionofgalaxiesandtheirsupermassiveblackholes.Thegrantsupportssummerresearchstudentstipends,aswellaspurchasingoftelescopetimeandsupportfortraveltotelescopestoconductobservations.Eilatwasalsoawarded26kilosecondsofobservingtimewiththeXMM-NewtonSpaceTelescope,whichdetectsX-raysfromastrophysicalobjects.TheawardwillbeaccompaniedbyagrantfromNASA–GoddardSpaceFlightCenter.GuntramHerb(Geography)wasawardedagranttoparticipateinaNationalEndowmentfortheHumanitiesSummerInstitutetitledOnNativeGrounds:StudiesofNativeAmericanHistoriesandtheLand,whichwassponsoredbytheCommunityCollegeHumanitiesAssociationandwasinresidenceattheLibraryofCongressinWashington,DCforthreeweeksthissummer.ThisinstituteprovidedcollegeanduniversityfacultyparticipantswiththeopportunitytoengageindialoguewithleadingscholarsinNativeAmericanhistoryandscholarship.WhileattheInstitute,GuntramconceptualizedanewresearchprojectonNativeAmericantribesastridetheUS-Canadaborder.

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JeffHowarth(Geography)andacolleagueatUniversityofCalifornia-SantaBarbarahavebeenawardedagrantfromtheNationalScienceFoundation’sIUSEprogram(ImprovementinUndergraduateSTEMEducation)foraninterdisciplinaryprojecttitledMultimediaLearningPrinciplesforDesign-itYourselfOnlineInstructionofGISConcepts.Thetheoreticalgoaloftheprojectistoevaluatethegeneralizabilityofmultimedialearningtheorytothedomainofsolvingspatialproblemswithcomputer-basedgeographicinformationsystems.ThepracticalgoaloftheprojectistoprovideSTEMeducatorswithevidence-basedguidanceforpresentinginstructiononlinethatcanhelpthemdevelopblendedlearningenvironmentsasanalternativetotraditionallectureandlabclassrooms.Atleastthreeundergraduatestudentswillbeinvolvedwiththisproject.MatthewKimble(Psychology)hasbeenawardedaresearchgrantfromtheNationalInstituteofMentalHealththroughNIH’sR15AREAprogram.ThegrantprovidesthreeyearsoffundingtosupportaprojecttitledNeurophysiologicalandBehavioralStudiesofExpectancyBiasinTraumaSurvivors,whichwilluseelectroencephalographyandeyetrackingtechnologytobetterunderstandhowpsychologicaltraumaaffectshowindividualslookattheworld.Theprojectwillinvolvemultiplestudentsthroughthelifeofthegrantasindependentstudystudents,thesisstudents,andsummerandregularsemesterresearchassistants.ThisgrantrepresentsMattKimble'sthirdNIMHfundedprojectinthisresearcharea.AnneKellyKnowles(Geography)hasbeenawardedafellowshipfromtheGuggenheimFoundationforaprojectcalledTellingtheSpatialStoryoftheHolocaust.ThisprojectgrewfromherongoingworkwiththeHolocaustGeographiesCollaborative,aninternationalgroupofgeographersandhistoriansexploringthegeographicaldimensionsoftheHolocaustwithspatialmethods,notablyGIS(geographicinformationsystems).Knowles’newprojectwillincorporatecorpusandcomputationallinguisticsaswellasGIS,video,andmanualmethodsofgeovisualizationtorepresentvictims’experiencesofplaceandtimeduringtheHolocaust.HerresearchwilltakehertoPoland,LancasterUniversityintheUK,Stanford,USC,andUCLA.Tom&PatManley(Geology)havereceivedagrantfromtheLintilhacFoundationforaprojecttitledHigh-ResolutionBottomMappingofLakeChamplain.Thisgrantprovidesfundingtobeginalong-termefforttoupdatethe2005bottombathymetricmapofLakeChamplainusingmultibeamtechnologywhichMiddleburyacquiredwitha2011grantfromtheNationalScienceFoundation.

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Whencompleted,thisnewbottommapwillprovideasignificantincreaseintheresolutionofthelakebottomthatisimportanttotherecreation,researchandmanagementcommunities.JeffMunroe(Geology)hasbeenawardedaFranklinGrantfromtheAmericanPhilosophicalSocietyforaprojecttitledDevelopingaRecordofHoloceneEnvironmentalChangefromanIdahoIceCave.ThegrantwillcoverfieldresearchexpensesforJeffandaMiddleburyundergraduatetocollectsamplesfromtheicecaveaswellastheexpenseofacquiringradiocarbondatesfororganicmatterwithintheicedeposit.Thegoaloftheprojectistodeveloparecordofwintersnowfallandatmosphericdustdepositionspanningthepastseveralcenturies.PeterNelson(Geography)andacolleagueatPointParkUniversityhavereceivedathreeyeargrantfromtheNationalScienceFoundationforaprojecttitledInternationalRuralGentrification;researchteamsfromtheUnitedKingdomandFrancearealsofundedviatheirownrespectivenationalfundingagencies.TheentireprojectispartoftheOpenResearchAreafundingschemeforinternationalsocialscienceresearchthatnowinvolvesagenciesinfourEuropeancountriesaswellastheNSF.Theobjectiveofthismulti-nationalcollaborativeprojectistoundertakethefirstin-depthcross-nationalintegratedcomparativestudyofthetheory,formsanddynamicsofruralgentrificationencompassingFrance,UKandUSA.TheUSteamwillcompileacomprehensivedatabaseofruralgentrificationindicatorsforeachofthethreecountries,andthenidentifyasetofcommunitiesintheUSinwhichtocarryoutindepthcasestudyanalysisfocusingonthedifferentformsofruralgentrificationandthevariousactorsinvolvedintheprocess.ScholarsfromtheUKandFrancewilldosimilarcasestudyanalysesintheirrespectivecountries.InadditiontofundingallthecostsoftheresearchintheUS,thegrantwillalsofundtripstoEuropetomeetwiththeentireresearchteam;thisresearchwillbethefocusofPete’sacademicleavein2015-16.Threeundergraduatestudentswillbeinvolvedinthisresearch.ClarissaParker(PsychologyandNeuroscience)receivedpilotsupportforanewprojecttitledGenome-wideAssociationforEthanolSensitivityintheDOMousePopulation.Thegrantprovidesfundingfor2014summereffortandtraveltopresentapaperataconferenceinUppsala,Sweden.Clarissaalsoappliedforandwasawardedfundstosupportanundergraduatesummerresearchstudent.JohnSchmitt(Mathematics)receivedagrantfromtheNSF-sponsoredInstituteofMathematicsandItsApplications,locatedonthecampusoftheUniversityofMinnesota,toattendaworkshopentitledProbabilisticandExtremalCombinatoricsthisfall.Whiletherehepresentedaposterhighlightinghisworkwithtwocollaborators,onefromtheUniversityofGeorgiaandtheotheraCollegealumnus.

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JohnSchmitt(Mathematics)andcolleaguesfromDartmouthCollege,BardCollege,SmithCollege,St.Michael’sCollege,SUNYAlbany,WesleyanUniversity,andWorcesterPolytechnicInstitutehavereceivedfundingfromtheNationalSecurityAgencyfortwoconferencesthisyearondiscretemathematics.ThefirstwashostedbyMiddleburyCollegeatBreadLoafduringSeptember.Themainpurposesoftheseconferencesaretoenhancethenationalinfrastructureforresearchandeducationindiscretemathematicsbycreatingandstrengtheningaregionalnetworkofinteractingresearchersandtofacilitatethedisseminationofcutting-edgeresearchideas,methodsandresults.An-GayleVasiliou(Chemistry&Biochemistry)receivedagranttosupportresearchintoThermalCompositionofBiomass:MolecularPathwaysforSulfurChemistry.Thegrantprovidesfundingforsummereffortduring2014andincludesfundsfortwosummerresearchstudents.DavidWest(Geology)hasbeenawardedafellowshipfromtheMarionandJasperWhitingFoundationforaprojecttitledExploringIceland’sActiveGeology.ThegrantwillsupporttendaysoffieldinvestigationinIcelandthatwillenrichhisteachingofstructuralgeology,tectonics,andvolcanichazardsinbothintroductoryandupper-levelgeologycourses.TheexperiencewillalsoprovideaspringboardfororganizinganIcelandfieldcourseforstudentsduringMiddleburyCollege’srecentlyestablishedSummerTerm.FrankWinkler(Physics)hasbeenawardedfundingfromtheNASA-fundedSpaceTelescopeScienceInstituteforhisroleinacollaborativeresearchprojectinvolvingresearchersatSTScIandUniversityofToronto.ThisprojectentailsobservationsfromtheHubbleSpaceTelescopeandistitledTobeornottobetheProgenitor:TheQuestionaboutTycho-B.Thegoaloftheobservationsisabetterunderstandingofthestarthatexplodedasasupernovain1572,commonlyknownasTycho'sSupernova,afterthe16th-centuryDanishastronomerTychoBrahewhomadecarefulrecordsofitatthetime.

MajorCurricularDevelopments

DaveAllen(Biology)offeredanewfirst-yearseminarcalledLymeDisease.VickieBackusandAlisonNurok(Biology)establishedtwolong-termresearchforestsoncampusforuseinEcologyandEvolution(BIOL140).RickBuntandJeffByers(Chemistry&Biochemistry)offeredtwoneworganicchemistrycourses(OrganicStructureandReactivityandOrganicSynthesisandSpectroscopy)aspartofarevampedorganicchemistrycurriculumtobetter

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addressclasssize,studentneeds,andthenew,2015MCAT/MedicalSchoolAdmissionsrequirements.JeffByers(Chemistry&Biochemistry)“flipped”theclassroominthenewOrganicChemistrysequence(CHEM203and204)thispastyear.Thisformatinvolvesstudentswatchingvideosofpreviouslyrecordedclassespriortotheirclasstime,freeingclasstimeforactiveproblemsolvinginsmallgroups,ratherthanpassivelycollectingnotesinthestandardlectureformat.HisAdvancedOrganicChemistryclass(CHEM442)createdorsignificantlyupgradedexistingWikipediapagesonorganicchemistrytopicsinlieuofwritingfinalpapers.Thisclasshasbeendoingthisforthelast10years,andmanyfrequentlyaccessedWikipediaentrieshavebeencreated.KimCronise(Psychology)offeredanewcoursetitledMindfulnessandPsychology(co-taughtwithBillWaldron,ReligionDepartment).MikeDash(Psychology)developedanewcoursetitledSensationandPerception.AllisonDiBianca(Psychology)developedandtaughtIntroductoryPsychologyforJuniorsandSeniorsinresponsetoalteredpre-medrequirementsthatnowrecommendacourseinpsychologyforstudentswishingtoapplytomedicalschool.Shealsomodified(fromWinterterm)andtaughtanewcourseonthePsychologyofMorality.EilatGlikman(Physics)introducedanewWinterTermcoursecalledAncientAstronomy,gearedtowardnon-STEMmajors.Thecoursetakesaculturalexaminationofancientculturesandtheirrelationshiptothesky.PeterJohnson(ComputerScience)developedandofferedanewwinter-termcoursecalledCrashCourseinSystemsSecurity.RobertMoeller(Psychology)offeredanewcourseentitledSocialandEmotionalDevelopmentandimplementedanewresearchcomponentutilizingMechanicalTurkwithstudentsinhisseniorseminarHealthPsychology.JeffMunroe(Geology)andPeterRyan(GeologyandEnvironmentalStudies)team-taughtacompletelyredesigned,entirelyfield-basedSoilsandtheEnvironmentcourseinthefallsemesterof2014.ClarissaParker(PsychologyandNeuroscience)offeredanewseniorseminartitledGenes,Brain,andBehavior.EmilyProctor(Mathematics)offeredanewfirst-yearseminartitledTheStoryofGeometry.

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TomRoot(Biology)andGlenErnstrom(BiologyandNeuroscience)offeredarevisedcoursecalledIntroductiontoNeuroscience.TomRoot(Biology)offeredanewcoursecalledNeuralDisorders.MarkSpritzer(Biology)developedanewlaboratoryexerciseforAnimalPhysiology(BIOL370)thatinvolvedcollectingelectrophysiologicalrecordingsfromcrayfishmusclefibersusingnewlyacquiredequipment.Theexperimentgavestudentshands-onexperiencewithelectrophysiologyanddemonstratedsomebasicconceptsthatarecentraltoneurobiology.HealsoofferedanewfirstyearseminarcalledBiologyofAttraction.SteveTrombulak(BiologyandEnvironmentalStudies)offeredanewseminar/projectcoursecalledConservingEndangeredSpecies(co-taughtwithChrisMcGroryKlyza,PoliticalScienceandEnvironmentalStudies)CarlosVélez-Blasini(Psychology)developedanewcourseonSocialPsychology.JeremyWard(Biology)redesignedCellandGenetic(BIOL145)usingasimplebutverydifferentapproachtoscienceeducationwhencomparedtomostintroductorysciencepedagogies.There-designinvolvedacombinationofthe“backwardsplannedcourse”wheretheentirecourselearninggoalsaresetfirstduringplanningandtheconceptthatallstudentsshouldleavethecoursewithanidenticalhighlevelofcompetency.Mostsciencecoursesstratifythecourseparticipantsbygradesinwhatishistoricallyreferredtoasa“weedout”process.Hereasonedthat,attheintroductorylevel,itisinappropriateto“weed”anyoneoutbecausetheassumptionthattheyallcomeinwithsimilareducationalbackgrounds(andhencehaveanequalchanceformtheoutset)islikelytobefalse.Rather,theclasswasre-designedsothatmanystudentswithverydiversebackgroundscouldbesuccessfulbyusingmasteryofmaterialasthemaincriteriaformovingontothenexttopicasopposedtomoretraditionalapproaches,whichwouldmovestudentsonregardlessofevidencethattheydonottrulyunderstandtheprevioustopic.Primarily,thegoalswereaccomplishedbyallowingthestudentstoretakeevaluationsaftercorrectingtheirpreviousworkuntiltheydemonstratedmastery.Formoststudentsthisoccurredafterasecondevaluationandoverallwasaverysuccessfulwaytoincreaselearning.RichardWolfson(Physics)developedtwonewgraduate-levelworkshopcoursesandtaughtthemduringWinterTermattheMiddleburyInstituteofInternationalStudiesatMonterey.HetaughtPower,Plutonium,andProliferationtostudentsinthePrograminNonproliferationandTerrorismStudies,andClimateChange:AssessingtheRiskstostudentsintheInternationalEnvironmentalPolicyProgram.

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HelenYoung(Biology)offeredEcologyandEvolution(BIOL140)inanewwayinthespringof2015,withmanyin-classexams,eachofwhichhadtobecorrectedandcamewithanopportunitytotakeeachexamagain.Thiswasanattempttomakeexamstoolsforlearning,notjusttoassessknowledge.

StudentResearch

NickBachman(Geologymajor)workedwithPeteRyan(GeologyandES)duringtheacademicyearonaseniorthesisthatusedmicron-scalescanningelectronmicroscopyandchemicalanalysistodeterminethemineralogicalsourceofuraniuminabedrockaquiferinnortheastVermont.J.D.Ballard(Physicsmajor)workedwithMichaelE.Durst(Physics)duringtheacademicyearonhisseniorproject,applyingtheMicrosoftKinectsensor’sdepthimagingcapabilitytothemeasurementofinstant3Dprofilesofmicroscopicobjects.ElyseBarnard(Psychologymajor)workedwithMikeDash(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonanindependentprojectwhichfocusedontheroleofslow-waveactivityinregulatingsleepneed.ConnorBentivoglio(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithMikeDash(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonanindependentprojectwhichfocusedoncharacterizingbehavioralstrategiesofratsperformingadual-solutionmazetask.AaronBirnbaum(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(ChemistryandBiochemistry)duringthesummerandacademicyearonhisseniorthesis,whichfocusedontheeffectofglycationoncytochromec’sabilitytoinitiateprogrammedcelldeath.ElizabethNoelleBlose,BiswashGhimire,andJeremyStratton-Smith(PhysicsandMathematicsmajors)workedwithNoahGraham(Physics)onaprojecttowriteageneral-purposesoftwarepackagetocomputeMathieufunctions.WhilethisprojectwasmotivatedbyresearchontheapplicationsofquantummechanicalCasimirforcesinnanotechnology,thesefunctionsalsoariseinavarietyofsituationsinvolvingthereflectionofwavesinellipticalgeometries.Thecompletedpackage,nowpubliclyavailableonline,

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istheonlyonecurrentlyavailablethatiscapableofcomputinginteger-orderMathieufunctionsofboththefirstandsecondkindforcomplexargumentandparameter.StevenBodine(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(ChemistryandBiochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonresearchworktodeterminetheup-regulationofaseriesofenzymesinresponseofE.colitotheraresugarallose.MaddieBruns,AnnaParitsky,andTimothyOgle(Neurosciencemajors)workedwithKimCronise(PsychologyandNeuroscience)duringtheacademicyearonprojectsexploringtheeffectsofmeditationpracticeonEEGbrainactivityandonbehavioralmeasuresofself-referencingandemotionalregulation.CeceliaBurkey(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(ChemistryandBiochemistry)duringthesummerandacademicyearonherseniorthesis,whichfocusedonthecharacterizationofabacterialtranscriptionregulator,AlsR,anditsroleinthemetabolismofararesugar,allose,byaselectgroupofbacteria.LinneaBurnham(HistoryandFrenchdoublemajor)workedonaseniorindependentstudyprojectwithMollyCostanza-Robinson(EnvironmentalStudiesandChemistry)onthechemistry,flavor,andtextureofcheese.ThisindependentworksupportedLinnea’sseniorthesisonthecultureandterroirofFrenchcheesemakingandhersubsequentWatsonFellowshiponartisanalcheesemakinginItaly.NicholasCaminiti(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRickBunt(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringthesummerandacademicyearonaseniorthesisprojectinvestigatingtheimpactofdifferentchiralligandsandaddedbasesontheonthereversibilityandenantioselectivityofpalladium-catalyzed,allylic-aminationreactions.AnnCarpenter(Biologymajor)workedwithTomRoot(BiologyandNSCI)onathesisstudyingageandstablingimpactsuponparasitesinMorganhorses.LydiaCarpenter(Biologymajor)workedwithTomRoot(BiologyandNSCI)onathesisstudyinganthelminticproductsandinternalparasitesburdenindairycows.LukeCarpinello(Economicsmajor)workedwithTomRoot(BiologyandNSCI)onastudyofgametheoryandeconomicdecisionmaking.AndrewCatomeris(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithTomRoot(Biology

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andNSCI)onastudyofreadingcomprehensioninhumansusingtheSpritzmethod.VeraChanandEthanStrayer(BiologyandES/ConservationBiologyjointmajors)workedwithDaveAllen(Biology)duringSummer2014onaforestmappinganddemographyprojectataresearchplotintheEdwinS.GeorgeReserve(Pinckney,MI).Amajoraimofthestudyistodocumentandunderstandoakdeclineinamid-successionalforest.DatafromthisforestcensusarenowincludedintheSmithsonianInstitute'sForestGlobalEarthObservatoriesnetworkofresearchplots(http://www.forestgeo.si.edu/).VeraChan(Biologymajor)workedwithHelenYounginsummerandfallof2015onresearchtodeterminetheeffectsofgrowingbuckwheatonsoilfungalcommunitiesattheMiddleburyCollegeOrganicFarm.CynthiaConnard(Geologymajor)workedwithRayCoish(Geology)duringtheacademicyearonherseniorthesis,whichfocusedonafieldandlaboratorystudytounderstandtheancientplatetectonichistoryofVermont,usingU-Pbagesofzircon-asmall,nearlyindestructiblemineralwhosegrowthinrockschroniclesthemovementoftectonicplates.JohnCorbett(MolecularBiologyandBiochemistrymajor)workedwithGraceSpatafora(Biology)duringthesummerandacademicyearonhisseniorthesis,whichelucidatedtheinteractionbetweenanimportantmetalloregulatoryproteincalledSloRanditsbindingtargetsontheStreptococcusmutanschromosome.JohnusedelectrophoreticmobilityshiftassaystodefineSloRbindingthatisnucleotidesequence-specific.EleanorCrawford(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithTomRoot(BiologyandNSCI)onareviewoftheeffectsofagluten-freedietversustreatment&non-complianceanddepressionSarahCrepps(MolecularBiologyandBiochemistrymajor)workedwithGraceSpatafora(Biology)duringthesummerandacademicyearonherseniorthesis,whichfocusedontheSloRmetalloregulatoranditsinvolvementintheStreptococcusmutansoxidativestressresponse.BrendanCullen,IsabellaStallworthy,andEmmaMcGuirk(Neurosciencemajors)workedwithKimCronise(Psychology)duringtheSummer2014onaprojectfundedbytheAcademicOutreachEnhancementAward(MiddleburyCollege),whichfocusedontheeffectsofmeditationpracticeonstresshormones,competitiveperformanceandcompassionateresponses.BrendanCullen(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithKimCronise(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonhisseniorthesisprojectevaluatingtheeffectsofmeditationexperienceonnarrativeself-conceptandon

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associatedelectroencephalographic(EEG)neuralactivity.WillDaly(MolecularBiologyandBiochemistrymajor)workedwithGraceSpatafora(Biology)duringthesummerandacademicyearonhisseniorthesis,whichappliedaDNaseIfootprintingapproachtorevealthedetailsofaninteractioninvolvinganimportantSloRmetalloregulatoranditsbindingtargetthatispromoterproximaltothesloABClocusontheStreptococcusmutanschromosome.ElaineDellinger(Biochemistrymajor)forherseniorhonorsthesisandJohn(Connor)Stoll(Biochemistrymajor)bothworkedduringsummerandacademictermswithMollyCostanza-Robinson(EnvironmentalStudiesandChemistry)onawastewaterremediationproject,inwhichthechemistrygoverningtheabilityofchemicallymodifiedclaymineralstoactasadsorbentsfororganiccontaminantswasinvestigated.JackDesmarais(MolecularBiologyandBiochemistrymajor),workingwithJeremyWard(Biology)duringFall2014,investigatedthemechanismgoverningtheinteractionofanimportantDNAsynthesisenzyme,DNAPolBetaandthegeneHEI10.Thisrelationshipwillhaveimportantimplicationsfornotonlymeioticandfertilitybiologybutalsoforcancerbiologyaswell.CourtneyDevoid(BiologyandES/ConservationBiologyjointmajor)workedduringFall2014withDaveAllen(Biology)onaseniorresearchproject,begunthepreviousspring,studyingpost-agriculturalforestsuccessiononabandonedpasturesinaLincoln,Vermont,farm.MarinaDiMarco(MolecularBiologyandBiochemistrymajor)workedwithGraceSpataforaduringthesummerandacademicyearonherseniorthesis,whichcenteredondefiningthesitesontheStreptococcusmutansgenometowhichaSloRmetalloregulatoryproteinbinds.Tothisendsheusedachromatinimmunoprecipitation(ChIP)approach.JacobDixon(notdeclared)workedwithRichBunt(Chemistry&Biochemistry)andSallieSheldon(Biology)duringSummerandFall2014onaprojecttostudypolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonsdepositionassociatedwithmotorboattrafficinbaysnearFridayHarbor(WA).TomDobrowandShrerifNada(Mathematicsmajors)wereinvolvedinaUCRF-sponsoredresearchprojectentitle``DistinctPartialSumsinCyclicGroups.”Theprojectispartofon-goingworkofJohnR.Schmitt(Mathematics),whoisseekingtodeveloptoolswithinthepolynomialmethodforproblemsincombinatoricsandgraphtheory.TerriDuncan(Biologymajor)workedwithSallieSheldon(Biology)duringSummerandFall2014onacomparisonofzooplanktoncaughtinverticaland

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horizontaltowsinoligotrophicOntariolakes.RileyEbel(Geologymajor)completedayear-longseniorthesiswithJeffMunroe(Geology)investigatingtheoriginandsignificanceofsubmicron-sizedsedimentthatisprevalentinmanylakesedimentcoresfromtheUintaMountains,Utah.Resultsindicatethatthismaterialformedasaproductoflong-termweatheringinalpinesoils,andwaserodedintothelakesduringaperiodoflandscapeinstabilityassociatedwiththelastdeglaciation.AlyssaFassett-Carman(Biologymajor)workedwithTomRoot(Biology)onastudyofpuzzlelearningintheCaliforniaTwoSpotoctopus.JasonFeinman(Physicsmajor)workedonhisseniorprojectwithRichWolfson(Physics)duringthefallsemester.JasonusedcomputermodelingtocomparetheenergyperformanceofaconventionalVermonthouseversusan“Earthship”housebuiltbyMiddleburyeconomicsprofessorAmitavaBiswas.Feinmanalsoexploredimplicationsofglobalwarmingforenergyuseinbothhouses.EleanorFisk(Psychologymajor)workedwithRobertMoeller(Psychology)inthespringsemesteronaprojectexploringformsandsourcesofsocialsupportamongemergentadults.JadeForsberg(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithMikeDash(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonanindependentprojectthatfocusedoncharacterizingtheeffectsofreducedsynapticstrengthontheneedforsleep.JacobFox(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRickBunt(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonaprojectusing31PNMRtoinvestigatethestructureofthecatalyticintermediatesofpalladium-catalyzed,allylic-aminationreactions.GabyFuentes,ZoeKaslow,KaitlynKuvalanka&SaraRosenband(Psychologymajors)workedwithRobertMoeller(Psychology)duringthefallsemesteronapilotprojectexploringsocialsupportamongemergentadults.EvanGallagher(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithMarciaCollaer(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonhisseniorthesis,whichinvestigatedhowexposuretoanexperimentally-inducedstressoralteredhumanmoraljudgmentsaswellascardiovascularandhormonalresponses.MadisonGoodstein(Chemistrymajor)workedwithRickBunt(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringthesummerandacademicyearonprojectinvestigatingtheimpactofdifferentchiralligandsandaddedbasesontheonthereversibilityandenantioselectivityofpalladium-catalyzed,allylic-amination

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reactions.AndrewGoulet(MolecularBiologyandBiochemistrymajor)continuedhisresearchfromthepreviousspringandworkedwithJeremyWard(Biology/MBB)duringSummerandFall2014todevelopandimplementprotocolsusingantibodiestolocalizetheproteinHEI10,andimportantDNArepairprotein,withinthecellasafunctionofthecellcycle.ToworkonthisprojectAndrewlearnedtocultureseveralhumancancercelllinesincludingbreastandleukemiacancers.IlanaGratch(Psychologymajor)workedwithRobertMoeller(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonaprojectexploringsocialsupportandlifesatisfactionamongyoungadults.IlanaandProf.MoellerpresentedtheirworkinMayattheWesternPsychologicalAssociationConvention.SarahGuth(Biology-ES-ConservationBiologyjointmajor)workedwithHelenYoung(Biology)andTomRoot(Biology)duringthewinterandspringsemestersonherseniorthesistoevaluatetheeffectsofsub-lethallevelsofneonicitinoidsonbumblebeelearning.AdelaHabib(Physicsmajor)completedaseniorthesiswithEilatGlikman(Physics)inwhichsheanalyzedopticalandnear-infraredspectraofdust-reddenedquasarstodeterminethemassesoftheirsupermassiveblackholesandtotalenergyoutput,toquantifytheirgrowthrates.CourtneyHaron(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonseniorresearchworktodeveloptwonewlaboratoryexercisesforCHEM104laboratories.WillHenriques(IndependentScholar)workedwithJeremyWard(Biology)andClarissaParker(PsychologyandNeuroscience)duringSpring2014tobeginanambitiousprojecttocharacterizetheentireexpressedgenomeofthemousehippocampusinoneofthemouselineswecarrycalledAkap9.Akap9mutantanimalshaveseverelyimpairedcellsignalingandcommunicationandappeartohavesignificantcognitivedifficulty.DuringSummer2014,WilltravelledtoSwitzerlandtolearnthebraindissectionandprocessingnecessarytocompletetheproject.LaurenHonican(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithMarkSpritzer(Biology)duringtheacademicyearonherseniorthesisentitledPotentialmemoryrestorativeeffectsofanependyminmimeticinanaged,transgenicmousemodelofAlzheimer’sdisease.SamHorn(MolecularBiologyandBiochemistrymajor)workedwithJeremyWard(Biology)duringFall2014touseasystemcalledyeasttwo-hybridto

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identifyproteinsthatinteractwiththeproteinRNF212.RNF212isessentialformeiosisandlikelyplaysanimportantroleinDNArepair.JackHunsicker(Physicsmajor)completedaseniorprojectwithEilatGlikman(Physics)infall2014inwhichheanalyzedtheenergy-emittingmechanismsinhigh-redshiftquasarswhoselightwasemittedwhentheuniversewasonly15%ofitscurrentage.AsaJulien(Biologymajor)workedwithSallieSheldon(Biology)duringWinterandSpring2015onalgalspeciescompositionundericeinfiveVermontlakes.DrewKreuzman(Neurosciencemajor),MaryThomas(Neurosciencemajor),KayvonSharif(Neurosciencemajor)andStevenKasparek(Psychologymajor)workedwithClarissaParker(PsychologyandNeuroscience)duringtheacademicyearconductingbehavioralandneuralgeneticresearch.SydneyLarkin(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithTomRoot(Biology)onathesisstudyingpolarizedlightandchemosensitivityintheCaliforniaTwoSpotoctopus.DuncanLevear(Mathematicsmajor)workedduringthesummerandtheacademicyearwithDanielScharstein(ComputerScience)onanewversionoftheMiddleburyStereoEvaluation,awidely-usedcomputervisionbenchmarkevaluating3Dreconstructionresultsfromimages.BenjaminMansky(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithClarissaParker(PsychologyandNeuroscience)duringthesummerandacademicyearonhisseniorthesis,whichexaminedvariationinethanolsensitivityintheDiversityOutbredmousepopulationanditsimplicationsforgenome-wideassociationmapping.MackenzieMartin(Psychologymajor)workedwithSuzanneGurland(Psychology)duringtheacademiconherseniorthesis,whichinvestigatedfeedbackasapossiblemechanismfortheeffectsofself-affirmationonstudents’academicperformance.MichaelMartini(MolecularBiology&Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRickBunt(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonaseniorthesisprojectinvestigatingtheeffectofachiralligandchelatesizeonthereversibilityofpalladium-catalyzed,allylic-aminationreactions.AlisonMaxwell(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(ChemistryandBiochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonherseniorthesis,

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whichinvestigatedthepotencyofararesugar,allose,asapotentialinhibitorofcancercellgrowth.EmmaMcGuirk(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithKimCronise(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonherseniorprojectevaluatingtheeffectsofmeditationpracticeoncognitivestrategiesofemotionalcontrol.ColinMcIntyre(Physicsmajor)workedwithMichaelE.Durst(Physics)duringtheacademicyearonhisseniorthesis,inwhichhecreatedalaser-scanningmultiphotonfluorescencemicroscopefromscratch.Hisworkwillallowforcollaborative3Dbiomedicalimagingprojectswithbiologyandneurosciencefacultythissummer.EdgarMeija(Psychologymajor)workedwithRobertMoeller(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonaprojectexploringbenevolentandhostilesexismamongracialandethnicminorities.EdgarandProf.MoellerpresentedtheirworkinMayattheWesternPsychologicalAssociationConvention.CharlotteMichaelcheckandLesliePanella(Neurosciencemajors)bothworkedwithMarkSpritzer(Biology)duringtheacademicyearonNSCI700projects.Theyworkedondifferentaspectsofaprojecttestingtheeffectsofestradiolonstagesofneurogenesisinadultmalerats.LoganMiller(Geologymajor)workedwithRayCoishandDaveWest(bothGeology)duringtheacademicyearonhisseniorthesis,afield-basedstudyofacopperandzincmineraldepositinsoutheasternAlaska.LauraNelson(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithMarkSpritzer(Biology)duringthesummeronmultipleresearchprojects.Herprimaryprojectinvolvedcomparingneurogenesislevelsinwildmeadowvolescapturedduringdifferentseasons.ClaireNishioka(Psychologymajor)workedwithCarlosVélez-Blasini(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonherseniorthesisexaminingtheeffectsofemotionalstatesonthepresenceofownracebiasinemotionrecognition.BrentNixon(Geologymajor)workedwithPeteRyan(GeologyandEnvironmentalStudies)duringtheacademicyearonaseniorthesisthatexaminedthemineralogyandhydrologyofelevatedsodiumsulfateinsurfacewaterineasternMontana.MarcelaOlvera(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonseniorresearch

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work,whichfocusedontheinhibitionofanenzymeinthepurinesynthesispathway.DavidPark(Mathematicsmajor)completedhisseniorthesisinmathematicsunderthedirectionofJohnR.Schmitt(Mathematics).Inhisthesisheinvestigateduseofanalgebraicmethodappliedtoaprobleminfinitegeometry.ZachPerzan(Geologymajor)completedanindependentstudywithJeffMunroe(Geology)duringWinter2015focusedoninterpretingthesedimentaryrecordinthedeepestaccessibleleveloftheWeybridgeCave,Vermont.Resultsindicatethatthesesedimentswashedintothecavefromanice-freesurfaceenvironmentbeforethelastglaciation.RitaPfeiffer(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithTomRoot(Biology)onastudyoftheroleandimplicationsofrhythmicproductioninspeechinchildren.LaurenPincus(Chemistry–Geologydoublemajor)workedwithMollyCostanza-Robinson(EnvironmentalStudiesandChemistry),PeteRyan(GeologyandEnvironmentalStudies),andcollaboratorsinSpainonawintertermprojecttovisualizetheinterlayerexpansionofclaymineralsinresponsetochemicalmodification.Lauren’shigh-resolutiontransmissionelectronmicroscopydataprovidedusefulinsightsintotheuseofengineeredclaysforremediationoforganiccontaminantsfromwastewater.RahulRakshit(Chemistrymajor)completedathesisinthelaboratoryofJeffByers(Chemistry&Biochemistry),attemptingtocarryoutSuzukicouplingreactionsofarene-Chromiumorganometalliccomplexes.Rahulpioneeredtheuseofnewequipmentaimedatrunningmultipleparallelreactions,whichshouldhavealong-termeffectofimprovinglaboratorythroughput.ShannonReinert(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringthesummerandacademicyearonherseniorthesis,whichfocusedonthecharacterizationofcytochromec’sabilitytoactivatedownstreamcaspaseactivityintheprocessofapoptosis.MaryRichardsandJohn(Jack)Kerby-Miller(EnvironmentalStudies–Chemistryjointmajors)workedduringsummerandacademicterms,forJackformingthebasisofhisseniorhonorsthesisinEnvironmentalStudies,whileKristinaConroy(Psychologymajor)(academicyear)andEmilyAuran(EnvironmentalStudies–Chemistryjointmajor)workedonlyduringtheacademicyear,allonanongoingprojectwithMollyCostanza-Robinson(EnvironmentalStudiesandChemistry)todevelopnovelbioindicatorsfordetectingenvironmentalendocrinedisruptioninhumansatthepopulationlevel.

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EthanRoy(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithMarkSpritzer(Biology)duringthesummerandacademicyearonhisseniorthesisentitledEffectsofdihydrotestosteroneonstagesofadultneurogenesisinmalerats.RobShaw(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithMikeDash(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonanindependentprojectthatfocusedontherelationshipsbetweenbrainanatomyandtheformationofdistinctneuronalassemblies.HaydenShea(BiologyandEnvironmentalStudies-ConservationBiologyjointmajor)workedwithSteveTrombulak(BiologyandEnvironmentalStudies)duringtheacademiconherseniorthesis,whichisexploringtheprecisionofhabitatsuitabilitymodelstopredictthedistributionofrareplantsinNewYorkState.DanaSilver(ComputerSciencemajor)workedduringthesummerwithChristopherAndrews(ComputerScience)onMiddGuard,anewvisualanalyticsplatformthatsupportscollaborativeanalytics,specificallytargetingintelligenceanalysis.ChristineSkeffington(Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonseniorresearchworkthatanalyzedthepresenceofaquorumsensorinbacterialcellmedia.StephanieSmith(IndependentScholar)workedwithHelenYoung(Biology)intheFall2014semesteronherthesis:Soilfertilityandtheabundanceofsoilmicroorganismsinconventionalandorganicagriculturalsystems.AlexandraSpencer-Wong(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithTomRoot(Biology)onastudyoftactilediscriminationintheCaliforniaTwoSpotoctopus.IsabellaStallworthy(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithJasonArndt(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearonherindependentseniorresearchprojectexploringtheeffectsofemotionalarousalandvalenceonmemory.NoahStone(Geologymajor)completedanindependentstudywithJeffMunroe(Geology)duringtheFall2014thatinvolvedgeneratingopticallystimulatedluminescenceagesforsamplestheycollectedfromafieldofsanddunesinnortheasternNevada.Resultsindicatethatthedunesformedasrecentlyas100yearsago,raisingthepossibilitythatduneactivationwasrelatedtoupstreamdiversionsofwaterforirrigation.

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EthanStrayer(Biologymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonseniorresearchworkthatcharacterizedtheglycationofhumanhemoglobinbyribose5-phosphate.ChloeSuper(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithMarkSpritzer(Biology)duringthesummerandacademicyearonherseniorthesisentitledEffectoftestosteroneandageonspatialmemoryandBDNFinmalerats.KristenTaft(Physicsmajor)workedonherseniorprojectwithRichWolfson(Physics)duringthefallsemester,studyingthedifferentialresponseofMiddlebury’s143-kWsolarfarmtodirectanddiffusesolarradiation.Sheconfirmedatheoreticalpredictionthatsolarphotovoltaicsystemsshouldactuallybemoreefficient(althoughproducinglessenergy)undercloudyasopposedtoclearconditions.MikaTan(Biologymajor)workedwithSallieSheldon(Biology)andGraceSpatafora(Biology)duringtheacademicyearonametagenomicanalysisofmicrobialbiofilmsthatformonvariousmaterialsinlakesbybiofilms.DominikTaterra(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithClarissaParker(PsychologyandNeuroscience)duringthesummerconductingbehavioralgeneticresearch.WalterTaylor(Neurosciencemajor)workedwithClarissaParker(PsychologyandNeuroscience)duringtheacademicyearonhisseniorthesis,whichexaminedvariationinconditionedfearintheDiversityOutbredmousepopulationanditsimplicationsforgenome-wideassociationmapping.HannahTiberend(Mathematicsmajor)completedherseniorthesisinmathematicsunderthedirectionofJohnR.Schmitt(Mathematics).Inherthesissheinvestigatedthegraphtheoretictopicoflistcoloring,whichincludeduseoftheAlon-TarsiTheorem.DorosiValleFlores(Psychologymajor),JulieGoodfriend(Neurosciencemajor),ErinRea(Neurosciencemajor),andAshleyLeung(Psychologymajor)workedwithJasonArndt(Psychology)duringtheacademicyearasresearchassistantsonprojectsexamininghowtestinginfluencesmemoryanddifferentencodingstrategiesinfluencememoryerrors.HuaijuWangandMarkIsbell(Chemistrymajors)completedtheseswithJeffByers(Chemistry&Biochemistry)onthesynthesisoforganometallicmolecularwires.Theirworkledtothesynthesisofpoorlyconductingpolymers,andfutureworkincorporatingmetalsmayleadtoimprovedconductivity.

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AmandaWerrell(BiologyandEnvironmentalStudies-ConservationBiologyjointmajor)workedwithSteveTrombulak(BiologyandEnvironmentalStudies)duringtheacademiconherseniorthesis,whichfocusedonafieldstudytoquantifythebiasintroducedbytheuseofbirdfeedersonthenumberofindividualsandspeciesofbirdssurveyedduringChristmasBirdCounts.KlaudiaWojciechowska(MolecularBiology&Biochemistrymajor)workedwithRogerSandwick(Chemistry&Biochemistry)duringtheacademicyearonresearchworktoidentifythepotentialofmicroorganismstouptakeandconvertallosetoaphosphorylatedform.

CommunityOutreachActivities

DaveAllen(Biology)offeredathree-classshortcoursetitledTheforestsofVermontandtheirfutureduringtheSpring2015semesteratElderlyServicesInc.College.RickBunt(Chemistry&Biochemistry)workedwiththeAuroraMiddleSchoolonalaboratoryexperimentusingredcabbagetodetecttheacid-basepropertiesofcommonhouseholditems.RayCoish(Geology)taughtacourseentitledVolcanoes:theBloodoftheEarthtoanElderCollegeclassinMiddleburyduringWinter2015andalsogaveapubliclectureonVermontGeology:ATaleofAncientOceansandVolcanoesto75enthusiasticlearnersattheGreenMountainAcademyforLifelongLearninginManchester,VermontinSpring2015.JonathanKemp(ScienceTechnicalSupportServices)managedanoutreachprogramattheastronomicalobservatorythatwelcomedlocalschoolchildren,theCollegecommunity,andthegeneralpublic.HealsoworkedwithandtrainedCollegestudentsandalocalhighschoolstudentaspartoftheastronomicalobservatory'soutreachprogram.EmilyProctor(Mathematics)offeredtwoclassesonGeometryandtheShapeofSpaceatthe2014Governor’sInstituteofMathematicalSciences.TomRoot(Biology)workedwithLisaBernardinoftheVermontBrainBeeto

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provideopportunitiesforNeurosciencemajorstoassistlocalhighschoolstudentslearnbrainfactsandconcepts.JohnR.Schmitt(Mathematics)gavealectureattheGovernor’sInstituteinMathematicalSciences,heldattheUniversityofVermontinsummerof2014.Heintroducedthestudentstoatopicincombinatorialgametheory.SallieSheldon(Biology)taughthighschoolteamsfromVermont,NewYork,Delaware,andPuertoRicohowtosamplestreams,workwithsamples,andanalyzedataaspartoftheVT-EPSCoRprogram.GraceSpatafora(Biology)organizedtwosciencefairsateachoftwolocalmiddleschoolsinSpring2015.StudentprojectswereondisplayduringaScienceFairnightthatshehostedattheCollege'sMcCardellBicentennialGreatHallinMarch2015.ShealsohostedaScienceDayattheMcCardellBicentennialHallinSpring2015forlocal7thgraders.MarkSpritzer(Biology)hostedaone-hourvisitbytheHumanBiologyclassfromMiddleburyUnionHighSchool.StudentsweregivenademonstrationofelectrophysiologyequipmentandatouroftheSpritzerresearchlaboratory.JeremyWardandNancyGraham(Biology)offeredmultipleworkshopsandvisitsforpublicschoolstudentsinAddisonCountyinbiologythroughtheNSFCAREERgrantfundedprogram–TheGeneWagon.

Department/programStatements(submittedbydepartmentchairsandprogramdirectors)

Biology(Dr.JeremyWard,chair)

TherewerefourmajoreventsintheBiologydepartmentthisyear(CY2014)thatstandout:(1)therecruitmentandhiringofDr.JillMikucki,polarecologistandmicrobiologist,(2)hostingofNobellaureate,Dr.MartinChalfie,(3)theannouncementandplanning(byco-headbiologyfacultymemberDr.SusanDeSimone)ofthefirstSTEMPosse,and(4)astronglevelofstudent-facultycollaborativescholarship.Dr.JillMikucki.—Dr.MikuckiisaninternationallyknownpolarmicrobialecologistwhoseworkhasbeenpublishedinexcellentjournalssuchasScienceandNatureandfundedbythe

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NationalScienceFoundationandNASA.Dr.Mikuckidescribesherworkasthestudyofinteractionsbetweenmicrobesandtheirenvironmentandhowtheimpactofmicrobialmetabolismisdetectableonanecosystemscale.Inparticularshefocusesonsub-glacialenvironmentsasa"model"ecosystembecausetheirisolationandrelativelysimplefood-websallowforthestudyofmicrobially-mediatedprocesses,whichcanbedifficulttoidentifyinmorecomplexecosystems.Dr.MikuckiconductedhergraduateworkatMontanaStateUniversityandherpost-doctoralstudiesatHarvardUniversityandDartmouthCollege.ShemostrecentlywasafacultymemberattheUniversityofTennesseewhereshetaughtandworkedcloselywithmanyundergraduatesincludingseveralwhotravelledtoAntarcticawithher.Shewilljoinusthisfall(2015)andbeginteachinganMolecularMicrobialEcologycoursethatbridgesthemoleculargeneticssideofbiologywiththeecologyside.Shewillalsoteachinourgenomicscourseandintroductoryecologyandevolution.WeareverymuchlookingforwardtohavingheratMiddlebury.Dr.MartinChalfie.—Dr.Chalfieistheco-recipientofthe2008NobelPrizeinChemistry,awardedforhisworkdiscoveringandusingthefluorescentproteincalledGFP.Dr.ChalfiewasinvitedbyBiologyfacultymemberDr.Ernstrom(alsofacultyinthePrograminNeuroscience).Dr.Chalfiemetwithmanystudentsduringhisvisitandemphasizedthevalueofpersistenceinlaboratoryworkandappreciationofresultsyouwerenotexpecting.Dr.Chalfiewasawardedanhonorarydegreeatthe2015Commencement.STEMPosse.—InJanuary2014,PresidentRonLiebowitzannouncedthatMiddleburywillhostitsfirstSTEMPOSSEgroupof10urbanstudentsselectedbythePOSSEfoundationfromLosAngeles.MiddleburyBiologyfacultymemberDr.SusanDeSimoneisco-headoftheplanninggroup(withDr.RogerSandwickinMolecularBiologyandBiochemistry)thatisorganizingtheSTEMPOSSEstudent’spre-matriculationvisittoMiddleburyinthesummerof2015.StudentandFacultyScholarship.—Biologystudentsandfacultywereveryproductivecollaborativescholarsin2014.SixstudentswerecollaborativeauthorswiththreeBiologyfacultymembersinpeer-reviewedpublications.Further,inCY2014therewerefiveactiveornewnationallevelgrantsandoneregionallevelgrantwithBiologyfacultyasprincipleinvestigators.Thevalueofthesegrantsdedicatedtostudentindependentworkwasover$200,000.

Chemistry&Biochemistry(Dr.RickBunt,chair)

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Aftermorethantwoyearsofplanningandpreparation,weunveiledourneworganicchemistrycurriculumthisfall.Thefirstsemestercourse,CHEM203,anditsfollow-up,CHEM204,representamajorshifthowweapproachorganicchemistryatMiddlebury.Thischangewasundertakentoaddresschangingmedicalschooladmissionsrequirements,thenewMCAT-2015exam,andtoimproveflowacrossourcurriculumforallstudents,includingourchemistryandbiochemistrymajors.StudentsfromCHEM203cannowcontinuedirectlyontobiochemistry(CHEM322)withouttakingthesecondsemesteroforganicchemistry,whichisnolongerpartofthestandard“premed”track.AsCHEM203,CHEM204,andCHEM322arenowofferedbothfallandspringsemesters,premedicalstudentsandmajorsalikehavemanymoreoptionsforhowtheycompletethecoursesandbalancetheirotheracademicinterests,othermajors/minors,andactivitiessuchasstudyabroad.Tosupportthisnewcurriculumandincreasednumberofcourseofferings(fallandspring)thedepartmenthiredadynamicnewbiochemist,Lesley-AnnGiddings,whostartedinJanuary.OriginallyfromJamaica,Dr.GiddingsgrewupinNewYorkCitybeforegraduatingfromSmithCollege,gettingherPh.D.fromMIT,anddoingapost-docattheNationalCancerInstitute.Weareallveryexcitedthatshehasjoinedusandisgettingherresearchlabupandrunningthissummer.

ComputerScience(Dr.DanielScharstein,chair)

TheDepartmentofComputerSciencehadabusyandproductiveyear,withenrollmentscontinuingtoclimbtonewrecordlevels.Wetaughtmorethan750studentsthisyear-athree-foldincreaseoverthelast4years-andgraduated24seniors.Wewelcomedanewcolleague,PeterJohnson,intoavisitingposition,andhiredourcolleagueChristopherAndrewsintoatenure-trackline.Wealsoexpandedourcurriculumbyofferinganewinterdisciplinarytrackwithscientificcomputationfocustothecomputersciencemajor.SeveralcolleaguescollaboratedonresearchproblemswithMiddleburystudentsduringthesummer,andonepaperco-authoredwith5MiddleburystudentswonthebestpaperawardattheGermanConferenceforPatternRecognition.

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Geography(Dr.PeteNelson,chair)

TheGISTeachingFellowsprogramhasnowcompleteditssecondfullyearunderthedirectionofJeffHowarthandassistedbyBillHegman.Overthepasttwoyears,threePost-DocshavecompletedteachingfellowshipsfromthefieldsofGeographyandArcheology.ThisprogramnowallowsustoservealargernumberofstudentsinourintroductoryGIScourseandexpandtheofferingsofGIScoursesatmoreadvancedlevels.TheDepartmentisexcitedtowelcomeaConservationBiologistandUrbanGeographerasfellowsduringthe2015-16academicyear.TheGeographyDepartmenthasnowbecomeoneofthecore‘hubs’oftheDigitalLiberalArtsinitiativessupportingcolleaguesfromacrosscampushastheyincorporategeo-spatialtechnologiesintotheirteachingandresearchprograms.CaitlinMyersoftheEconomicsdepartmentwillbeoneofthefirstfellowswithanexplicitlygeo-spatialfocusassheseekswaystobetterassesstheeffectsofabortionpolicyondemographicandsocialoutcomesforwomenandchildren.IntheFall2014,JoshuaRoddjoinedourdepartmentforthefirstyearofatwoyearposition.JoshbringsexpertiseinHealthandMedicalGeographytoourcurriculumaswellasregionalexpertiseinAfrica.Josh’spositionnowallowstheDepartmenttoconsistentlyofferourResearchMethodscourse.

Geology(Dr.JeffMunroe,chair)

TheGeologyDepartmentgraduated12studentsinthe2014–15academicyear.Asalways,eachofthesestudentscompletedayear-longseniorthesisontopicsascloseasidentifyingthesourceofuraniuminChamplainValleygroundwater,andasfarawayasinvestigatingthepetrologyofigneousrocksontheBanksPeninsulainNewZealand.LoganMiller’15receivedtheCharlesG.DollawardfromtheVermontGeologicalSocietyforhissenior-thesisworkonavolcanogenicmassivesulfidedepositinsoutheasternAlaska.ZachPerzan’14.5wasoneofjust60studentsnationwideinvitedtopresenthisresearchattheCouncilonUndergraduateResearch“PostersontheHill”eventinWashington,DC.UsingtheDepartment’sLuminescencelaboratory,ZachdeterminedthatsedimentsintheWeybridgeCave,justafewmilesfromMiddlebury,predatethelastglaciation,makingthisoneoftheonlylocationsinNewEnglandwherepre-glacialsedimentsarepreserved.PerhapsthebiggestchangeintheDepartmentwasacquisitionof

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anewInductivelyCoupledArgonPlasma–MassSpectrometer(ICAP-MS)thatwillbeusedforgeochemicalinvestigations.TheICAP-MScanmeasuretraceelementabundancesinrock,soil,andwatersamplesatconcentrationsaslowaspartsperbillion.TheDepartmentalsoacquiredanewX-rayFluorescence(XRF)analyzerformeasuringtheconcentrationsofmajorelementsinpowderedrocksamples.ThetwonewinstrumentswereinstalledinJanuary,2015,andRayCoish,PeteRyan,andJodySmithworkedextensivelythroughthespringsemesterdesigningprotocolsthatwillallowGeologystudents,aswellasstudentsfromotherdepartments,tousetheseanalyzersintheirclassesandresearch.

MolecularBiology&Biochemistry(Dr.RogerSandwick,director)

In2015,theprogramhascontinuedtothrivewithincreasednumbersofmajorsandtheadditionoftwonewfacultymembers,Dr.GlenErnstromoftheBiologyDepartment/NeuroscienceProgramandDr.Lesley-AnnGiddingsoftheDepartmentofChemistry&Biochemistry.TheresearchinterestsofthefacultythatcanbenefitMiddleburystudentsnowrangefromthemolecularactionoftheneuronaltransporterstothechemicalbasisofantibioticsthatderivefrommicrobes.Recentchangesinthecurriculumensurethatgraduatesreceivebreadthinmolecularbiologyandbiochemistryinadditiontoresearchexperiences.

Neuroscience(Dr.TomRoot,director)

TheNeuroscienceProgramchangedsubstantiallythisyear,fromthecurriculum,throughcollaborativeevents,toanewfacultymember.Wesubstantiallyrevisedtheneurosciencemajor,byaddingseveralnewelectivecourses,changingtheintroductorycoursesequence,andmostimportantlyaddingnew“Fundamentals”courses.Thesefundamentalscourses,includetwocompletelynewcourses,designedspecificallyforneurosciencemajors,FundamentalsofCellularandMolecularNeuroscience(NSCI251)andFundamentalsofBehavioralNeuroscience(NSCI252).WealsocreatedanadditionaloptionintheFundamentalsofPhilosophicalNeurosciencerequirement,byaddingRationalityandCognition(PHIL358).

Ourprogramaddedanewfacultymember.Weareexcitedthat,startinginSeptember,AmandaCrockerwillbeournewAssistantProfessorofNeuroscience.Besidesteachinginthefundamentalsofneurosciencecourses,shemayoffercoursesinareaslikesystemsneuroscience,neurogenetics,sleepandcircadianrhythms,themolecularbasisoflearningandmemory,andhumangeneticsandpublicpolicy.

SeveralofourstudentsparticipatedinoutreachtolocalhighschoolsinpreparationfortheBrainBee,othersvolunteeredatclinicsandassistedlivingfacilities,andourrecentgraduatesareenteringpositionsinteaching,

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medicalschool,andresearchinlabs,rangingfrommolecularneurosciencetomindfulness.

Wehadanespeciallysuccessfulseminarseriesthisyear,rangingfromthemulti-mediaprogram“SelfComestoMind”toNobellaureate,Dr.MartinChalfie.Further,expandingourcollaborationswithotherprogramsanddepartments,weco-sponsoredaseriesofseminarsandeventsrangingfromcomputersciencetofilmandmediastudies.

Attheendofthisyear,theNeuroscienceProgramthereforelookssubstantiallydifferentthanprevious.Weareveryexcited,needlesstosay,bythechangesinourcurriculum,faculty,expandedcollaborations,andthegrowthandaccomplishmentsofourstudents.

Physics(Dr.NoahGraham,chair)

InPhysics,newfacultymemberMichaelDurstandhisstudentshaveestablishedanewexperimentallabthatusesinfraredlasersforbiomedicalimaging.Hisresearchusesnonlinearopticsandbiomedicalimagingtolookdeepthroughbiologicaltissuewithoutmakinganincision.Ultrafastpulsedlaserspenetratescatteringsamplesandcreatehighresolutionthree-dimensionalimagesthroughmultiphotonmicroscopy,temporalfocusing,andphotothermalimaging.Observationsofmergingblackholesbysecond-yearprofessorEilatGlikmanandhercollaborators,publishedinNature,werefeaturedintheNewYorkTimes.Duringherpre-tenureleave,AnneGoodsellhascreatedultracoldatomsbylasercooling,amajorexperimentalachievementthatwillformthebasisforavarietyofexperimentstobecarriedoutwithstudentcollaborators.Seniorfacultyhavebeenactiveinteachingandscholarshipaswell.DepartmentChairNoahGrahamandhisstudentshavecalculatedquantum-mechanicalCasimirforcesinapplicationsrelevanttonanotechnology,intheprocessdevelopingnewcomputationaltoolsapplicabletoavarietyofproblemsinphysicsandengineering.NoahisalsoadvisingthethirdyearoftheSTEMinnovationprogram,withstudentsfocusingonapplicationsofinfraredimagingtothediagnosisofhoofdiseaseindairycows.SusanWatsonandherstudentsareusingcarbonnanotubestoinvestigatequantumbits(qubits),thefundamentalbuildingblocksofquantumcomputation.SteveRatcliffhasdevelopedanewfirst-yearseminaronthephysicsofsound,including

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extensivehands-onlabactivities.JeffDunhamhasdevelopedanewcourseoncomputationalphysicsandscientificvisualizationandissupervisingstudentsdevelopinghigh-performancecomputationalprojectsusingmassivelyparallelCPUandGPUprocessors.Finally,RichWolfsonhastaughtaninterdisciplinarycourseonthephysicsofclimatechange,beeninvolvedinanumberofstudentenvironmentalprojectsoncampus,andcreatedanewvideocoursefortheTeachingCompany’sGreatCoursesseries.

Psychology(Dr.MarciaCollaer,chair)

ExternalReviewPreparation.—Asubcommitteeoffourfacultymembers(Collaer,Dash,HoferMcCauley)beganpreparationinJanuary2015forourexternalreview(scheduledforMarch2016).Wemeteverytwoweekstoconsiderstrengthsandweaknessesofourprogram,particularlywithregardtoourfoundationscourses(IntroductiontoPsychology,Statistics,andMethods)andtoconsiderhowourmajorcomparestothatofotherschools.Subsequently,weheldadepartmentretreatinMaytodiscussourfindingswithourfellowfacultyandtoidentifythemajorissuesonwhichwehopeforfeedbackfromtheexternalreviewcommittee.Furtherpreparationiscontinuingthissummer.NewFaculty.—Newtenuretrackfacultymembersfor14-15wereRobMoeller(convertedtotenuretrackafteraone-yeartermpositionin13-14),andMikeDash.ClarissaParkerstartedthesecondyearofhertenuretrackpositionatthecollege,but14-15providedherfirstfullyearofaccesstoherownlaboratoryspace,permittingherresearchprogramtoexpand.Research.—Theadditionofnewfacultyhasdramaticallyexpandedtheresearchopportunitiesforourstudents,asallofthesefacultyareinvolvingmultiplestudentsintheirlabs.Intermsofthespecificfociofournewfaculty:• MikeDash(newTT14-15)studiesthephysiological,behavioral,and

cognitiveconsequencesofspontaneousbrainactivitywithregardstosleep,learningandmemory,andcerebralmetabolism

• ClarissaParker(newTT13-14,butwithherfirstfullAYoflaboratoryaccessin14-15)usestherelativesimplicityofmousemodelstodevelopconcepts,testneurobiologicalhypotheses,andidentifygenesthatunderlietraitswithrelevancetohumanpsychiatricdisorders

• RobMoeller(newTT14-15)focusesonthedevelopmentofhealthbehaviorsamongadolescentsandyoungadultsstudyingrisksandresilienciesassociatedwithsubstanceuse,mentalhealthandsexualbehavior

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CurriculumandTeaching.—ThePsychologydepartmentsolidifieditsinterdepartmentalcontributionsbydesigningand/orofferingnewcoursestocontributetotherecentlyrevisedNeurosciencecurriculum:SensationandPerception(taughtbeginning14-15);Genes,Brain,Behavior(seniorseminar,taughtfirst14-15);andFundamentalsofBehavioralNeuroscience(designed14-15).WeofferedanewcoursejointlywiththeReligionDepartment(taughtfirstin14-15).WecontinuetocontributecriticalcoursestotheConservationPsychologyfocusintheEnvironmentalStudiesProgram,andmultiplecoursestotheEducationStudiesProgram.

InterdisciplinaryInitiatives

DaveAllen(Biology)collaboratedwithartistSarahBryantonaletterpressartistbooktitledFigureStudy(http://mcbaprize.org/bryant/).MollyCostanza-Robinson(EnvironmentalStudiesandChemistry&Biochemistry)andDianeMunroe(EnvironmentalStudies)developedacommunity-basedlaboratoryprojectforInstrumentalAnalysisLaboratory(CHEM311)inwhichchemistrystudentspartneredwiththeAddisonCountyRiverWatchCollaborativetoinvestigateDeadCreekasasourceofphosphorustoOtterCreek.SusanDeSimone(Biology)andRogerSandwick(Chemistry&Biochemistry)developedandrana2-weeksummerimmersionprogramforthenewSTEMPossefromLosAngeles.JimLarrabee(Chemistry&Biochemistry),MezBaker-Medard(EnvironmentalStudies),MollyCostanza-Robinson(EnvironmentalStudiesandChemistry&Biochemistry),andDianeMunroe(EnvironmentalStudies)facilitatedstudentcollaborationacrossdisciplines,allowingCHEM311(InstrumentalAnalysisLaboratory)studentsto“scientificallyconsult”forENVS401(EnvironmentalStudiesSeniorSeminar)byanalyzinglead(Pb)contentinsoils,compost,andcosmeticproducts.JonathanKemp(ScienceTechnicalSupportServices)collaboratedwithTracyWeston(EducationStudies)tobringtelescopesandastronomyintothesciencecurriculumatalocalelementaryschool.

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RobertMoeller(Psychology)participatedintheMovementMattersprogram(ledbyChristalBrownintheDanceDepartment)duringtheWinterTerm.PeteRyan(Geology)andDaveAllen(Biology)collaboratedonapaperthatdemonstratedthatarsenicinbedrockaquifersisinverselyproportionaltometamorphicgrade.JeremyWard(Biology),FrankSwenton(Math),andNoahGraham(Physics)continuedtooffertheSTEMInnovationPrograminSummer2014.ThisiterationofSTEMIPdevelopedaGPS-guidedvesselthatwascapableofsamplingwaterfromLakeChamplaintoassesstoxicbacteriallevelstoaidinwateruserecommendations.