NATURAL SCIENCE SEMINARS--FALL 2008, SPRING 2009
Warren Wilson College
Jensen Lecture Hall, 4:00 pm 
Schedule - Fall, 2008
  Please send comments to 
Donald Collins (email: dcollins-no spam@warren-wilson.edu)
(remove the "-no spam")

Fall 2008.                               

Note: Presentation dates are needed for Worth Kimmel and Anna Dale

 Aug. 25, 2008
Week 1

4:30

1st Meeting - Schedule Confirmation - Note: this is Triad Day.  Regular 4:00 pm classes meet at 4:30 pm.

 Sep. 1, 2008
 Week 2

4:00

 Asher Wright - The Effect of Acid Rain On Soil Chemistry and the M. sativa - R. legumanisarium Endosymbiosis. Mentor: Dr. Michael Torres.


4:30

 Ronnie Anderson  - Morphological and Genetic Analysis of a Tardigrade from the the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Mentor: Dr. Paul Bartels

 Sep. 8, 2008
week 3 

4:00

 Loren Cardeli - A Weight Gain Comparison between Finishing Hogs on Pasture and in Confinement.  Mentor: Ms Karen Joslin

 

4:30

 Faculty Presentation: Dr. Timothy Meehan - Insect-Mediated Nutrient Flows in Forests of the Future
Sept 11 Special Event
Off Campus Lecture at WNC section of IEEE: SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION:  A Future Worth Creating.  A Presenatation by Automotive Engineer Dave Erb.  Location: Asiana Grand Buffet, Asheville.  E-mail dcollins before Wednesday, 4:30 if you would like transportation.  D. Collins leaves campus at 5:00 pm.  Cost about $9.00 - AYCE.

Sep. 15, 2008
Week 4

4:00

 

4:30

Sep. 22, 2008
Week 5

4:00

 Tessa Currie - Tensile strength of Yucca filamentosa cordage with four pretreatment methods.  Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner

 

4:30

 Lauren Parker - Effects of tea (Camellia sinensis) type and fermentation time on the antioxidant activity of Kombucha beverage.  Mentor: Dr. Victoria Collins

Sep. 29, 2008
Week 6

4:00

 Marianthi Hamizidis - Aggression in Betta Splenden in relation to feeding intervals.  Mentor: Dr. Robert Eckstein.

 

4:30

Oct. 6, 2008
Week 7

4:00

 Emily Holzer - Analysis of two tropane alkaloids in Jimson weed (Datura stromonium) seed present in porcine diet.  Mentor: Dr. John Brock.

 

4:30

 Meg Phillips - Meiofauna as pH Bioindicators in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.   Mentor: Dr. Paul Bartels
Tues, Oct. 7, 2008
 7:00
 Sigma Xi - Mr. Paul Braese, Warren Wilson Facilities Management Director on Sustainable Energy.  Morse 210..

Oct. 13, 2008
Week 8

4:00

 Anna Dale.  Andean Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) hair samples from foraging sites and hair snare stations in southern Ecuador.   Mentors:  Mr. Ty Smucker (Ecuador) and Dr. Lou Weber.

4:30
 Meredith Talbert - A comparison of browse preference indicators in exotic and native forest plants.  Mentors: Dr. David Ellum and Dr. Victoria Collins.

Oct. 20, 2008
Fall Break

 

 Fall Break

Oct. 27, 2008
Week 9

4:00

 Guest Seminar: Dr. William Kwochka, Western Carolina University.  Rotaxanes as Potential Molecular Machines

Nov. 3, 2008
Week 10

4:00

 Stephanie Thompson - Tardigrades and Long-Term Exposure to Specific pH Values.  Mentor: Dr. Paul Bartels

 

4:30

Nov. 10, 2008
Week 11

4:00

 Yu Uchida - Handedness and human pitch perception ability.   Mentor: Dr. Robert Eckstein.

 

4:30

 Jason Carter - Bioethanol Production from Lignocellulosic Substrates using Acid Hydrolysis.  Mentor: Dr. Dean Kahl.
Nov. 13, 2008
 7:00 pm
 Sigma Xi at UNC-Asheville.  Dr. Jeff Wilcox, Environmental Sciences Department, UNC-A.  Ground water sustainability in Western North Carolina.  Collins will leave Spidel at 5:30 pm in time for dinner at UNC-A.  Anyone wanting a ride please pre-arrange with D. Collins.

Nov. 17, 2008
Week 12

4:00

 Jenna Anderson - Using stand reconstruction for assessing dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium vaginatum subsp. Crytoptodum) treatments in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) of northeastern New Mexico.  Mentor: Dr. David Ellum.

 

4:30

 Emily Brigham - Extraction of moss-dwelling microturbellarians.   Mentor: Dr. Paul Bartels

 Friday, Nov. 21,
Week 12:  

 

 Drafts of Theses due to Mentors

Nov. 24, 2008
Week 13

4:00

 Helena French - Microbial Fuel Cells: Creating Electricity from Wastewater.  Mentor: Dr. Jeff Holmes
Week 13
 4:30
 Worth Kimmel - Microsite Characteristics of Morel Mushroom (Morchella sp.) Habitat in Central N.C.  Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner.
Week 13
Thanksgiving Break Nov. 26-Nov.30

Dec. 01, 2008
Week 14  

4:00

 Sarah Windham - Demographic Parameters and Conservation of Turtles in the Warren Wilson Area.   Mentor: Dr. Lou

 

4:30

 Geoffrey Steen - Variables affecting graft success and growth of grafted apple (Malus domestica) and pear (Pyrus sp.).  Mentor: Dr. Michael Torres

Friday, Dec.  5, Week 14: , 2008

4:30

 Final Theses due to Spidel 205.  Two copies plus "Permission to Photocopy".

Dec. 8, 2008
Week 15

4:00

 Charles Biederman - Ethanol Production of Duckweed (Lemnaceae) Biomass By Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation.  Mentors: Dr. Dean C. Kahl and Dr. Mark Brenner.

 

4:30

 Kate Barber -Chorus Barking Durations and External Factors in Kenneled Dogs.  Mentor: Dr. Robert Eckstein

Dec. 15, 2008
Week 16

4:00

 Theses grades due to Collins
Friday Dec. 19
 4:00
 End of semester

Spring, 2009

Week 1
Jan. 19, 2009
Martin Luther King Day - Meet at 4:00 pm for schedule confirmation

Week 2
Jan. 26, 2009
 4:00
 Titles and mentors' names due.  E-mail is OK.
Alex Linares - Behavioral Effects of Valerian (valeriana officinalis) on Kenneled Dogs (canis familiaris).  Mentor: Dr. Bob Eckstein

4:30
 Emily Axtman - Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Ammonia levels in Beaver Lake from nutrient runoff at Asheville North Carolina Country Club Golf Course.  Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner
Week 3
Feb. 02, 2009
 4:00
 Joe Giambruno - Oviposition and herbivory preference of the Painted Lady Butterfly, (Vanessa cardui), on two host-plants.  Mentor: Dr. Robert Eckstein

4:30
Week 4
Feb. 09, 2009
 4:00
 Ashley Conley - Determination of Arsenic Content from Warren Wilson College Apple Orchard Soils.  Mentor: Dr. John Brock.

4:30
 Franklin Stone - Analysis of Imidacliprid in Hemlocks (Tsuga).  Mentor: Dr. Dean Kahl.
Friday, Feb 13
 4:00
 Special Presentation - WWC Chapel - Dr. William Schlesinger - a biogeochemist - will talk on Climate Change: Causes, Impacts and Solutions.  [Can contribute to attendance requirement by submitting a half-page summary to D. Collins]
Week 5
Feb. 16, 2009
 4:00
 Hank Hambright - Allelopathy and Crown Competition for Growing Space in Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) Stands.  Mentor: Dr. David Ellum

4:30
 Annie DuBois - Stage class life history analysis of the tardigrade Thulinius stephaniae.  Mentor: Dr. Paul Bartels
Thursday, Feb. 19
 7:00 pm
 Sigma Xi Presentation - Mars Hill College.  Dr. David J. Butcher, Western Carolina Univ. Phytoremediation of Lead and Arsenic at Barber Orchard, NC.  [See D. Collins for transportation.  Leave WWC at 5:15 pm.  Can contribute to attendance requirement]
Week 6
Feb. 23, 2009
 4:00
 Mandy Monroe - Disorientation effect of amber lights on loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) hatchlings.  Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner

4:30
 Bryan Orvis II - Comparison of antibacterial activity from different Staghorn Sumac(Rhus typhina) tissue extracts.  Mentor: Dr. Michael Torres
Week 7
Mar. 02, 2009
 4:00

4:30
Week 8
Mar. 09, 2009
 4:00
 Jen Donovan - Monoterpenes in Peppermint (Mentha piperita) Co-planted with Wine-cap Stropharia (Stropharia rugoso-annulata).  Mentor: Dr. Dean Kahl

4:30
Sqring Break
Mar. 16, 2009

Week 9
Mar. 23, 2009
 4:00
 Chelsea Maier -  Norepinephrine and epinephrine concentration changes in the blood plasma of the American alligator (Alligator mississipiensis) in response to acute stress.  Mentors: Vicki Collins, Miss Ashley Boggs, U Florida

4:30
Week 10
Mar. 30, 2009
 4:00
 Kyle Fuller - Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne sp.) Survival and Reproduction in Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea) Infected with Type AR542 Fungal Endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum).  Mentor: Dr. Victoria Collins

4:30
 Dan Mckenzie - Trait Perceptions of People with Disability as a Function of Participants Disability Status.  Mentor: Dr. Martha Knight-Oakley
March 31
 7:00 pm
 Sigma Xi at Warren Wilson College.  Dr.Brandie Farriss, Morse 210.  Indigenous People of the Andes
April 3-4
NCAS Meeting at WWC.  Earn attendance credits.  Earn 1 attendance for every 2-15 minute contributed papers.  Watch for schedule.  Send summaries to dcollins.  Maximum of 2 attendance credits.  Deadline April 17.
Week 11
Apr. 06, 2009
 4:00
 Jeffrey McConnaughey - Mentor: Dr. Michael Torres - moved from fall 2008

4:30
 Laura French - Analysis of Cis- and Trans- fatty acids by a combination of Silver Ion Thin Layer Chromatography and Gas Chromatography.  Mentor: Dr. Victoria Collins

6:30 pm
 Lyceum Presentation: Dr. Karyl Swartz - Collaborating with Great Apes: Cognitive Research at Great Ape Trust.  Earn 1 attendance credit for summary sent to dcollins.  Deadline Friday, April 10.  [Deadline for last week's special events summaries is April 10]
Week 12
Apr. 13, 2009
 4:00
 Charles Bauman-Smith - Prevalence of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Warren Wilson College Beef Cattle. Mentor: Dr. Jeff Holmes

4:30
 Jackie Keating - A Potentiometric Evaluation of Groundwater and Surface Water from the Warren Wilson Drainage Basin.  Mentor:  Robert Hastings
Friday April 17, 2009
Senior Theses drafts due to mentors.
Week 13
Apr. 20, 2009
 4:00
 Logan Jensen - Circadian pattern of response to UV radiation in sexually reproducing Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.  Mentor: Dr. Michael Torres.

4:30
 Amy Peddie - Nitrogen and phosphorus removal from swine feces with Pleurotus ostreatus.  Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner.
Apr. 23, 2009
 6:30 pm
 Sigma Xi at UNC-Asheville, Highsmith Center.  Selected students from UNC-A, WWC will present their research.  Kyle Fuller, Chelsea Maier, Meg Phillips, Mandy Monroe from WWC will present their work.  [Last chance for attendance make-up]
Week 14
Apr. 27, 2009
 4:00
 Erica Howe - Evaluating Winter Cover Crops for use in the Warren Wilson College Garden, Swannanoa, North Carolina.  Mentor: Ms. Karen Joslin.

4:30
 Jesse Duff-Woodruff - Intraseasonal changes in breeding success of Piping Plovers on Long Island, New York beaches.  Mentor: Dr. Lou Weber.
Friday, May 01, 2009
 4:30
 Senior Theses final copies (2 copies plus Permission to Photocopy) due at D. Collins' Office (Spidel 205) - 4:30 pm.
Theses should include abstract, acknowledgements, body, and bibliography. 
Week 15
May 04, 2009
 4:00
 Eric Herrera.  Shortnose Sturgeon: Development of a body weight estimate for conservation.  Mentors: Dr. Louise M. Weber and James P. Henne (USFWS).

4:30
 Amy Rowlatt - Electrophoretic Variation of Malate Dehydrogenase in Lysimachia fraseri.  Mentor: Dr. Jeff Holmes.
Week 16
May 11, 2009 		4:00
 Helen Yurchenco - Influenza And Common Cold Contagion Factors On The Warren Wilson Campus.  Mentor: Dr. John Brock.

4:30
 Lyn Rutherford - The Effectiveness of Baits Used in Minnow Traps for Crayfish Capture on the Warren Wilson College Campus.  Mentor: Dr. Mark Brenner.