Nathan Derstine ’10, a chemical ecologist and physiologist whose research focuses on insect pheromones, was recently recognized for his groundbreaking work on how bees, wasps, and other insects communicate. He received the Early Career Award from the International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE) at its annual meeting held in New Zealand this past August. 

The award recognizes “cutting-edge research in any area of chemical ecology performed by the new generation of scientists” and is open to researchers within 10 years of earning their PhD, according to . It honors Derstine for “his outstanding achievements in advancing our understanding of the plasticity and regulation of chemical signals governing social behavior in insects.”

What is chemical ecology?
Chemical ecology is the study integrating chemistry and biology to examine the chemical interactions among organisms and their environment. It includes signaling processes and communication between individuals, for instance in pheromone responses. ()

“There are so many remarkable and excellent researchers who are equally, if not more, deserving of this award, so I didn’t expect to get it,” Derstine said. “I’ve had the opportunity to work on a wide array of projects with a lot of great mentors, and it feels very affirming to be recognized for all the work I’ve done and put in over the years.”

Along with receiving the award, Derstine was invited to present a plenary lecture on his research at the conference, with all travel, accommodation, and conference fees fully covered. “It was a great trip,” he said. “It was cool to see New Zealand and connect with a different group of chemical ecologists. It’s always rewarding to put a face to the names of the papers you’ve read.”

He arrived back in the U.S. two days before fall classes started at the , where he teaches as a visiting assistant professor of biology. Since moving to the city this summer, he’s been approached by more than one solicitor who’s knocked on his door and offered to spray for bugs. “I always have to tell them that they’re barking up the wrong tree,” he said.

Planting the seeds

Derstine said he’s always been interested in biology, but had never thought of himself as an entomologist or “insect person.” “In retrospect, I realize I may have had a unique background compared to others,” he said.

His parents were beekeepers for as long as he’s been alive—his father Kenton, professor emeritus at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, maintained a few bee hives on the 91����Ƶ Hill back in the day—“so I grew up doing it and never thought of it as anything other than normal,” he said.

While at 91����Ƶ, most of his student research was with Roman Miller, professor emeritus of biology, on how plant hormones affect the development of reproductive organs in mice. He got involved in Professor Matthew Siderhurst’s entomology research and spent two summers as a student at a U.S. Department of Agriculture lab in Hilo, Hawaii, where he worked to identify and develop strategies for managing invasive pests such as the little fire ant. 

“That was the seed of where it all began, through my involvement with Matt,” said Derstine, who remains in close communication with the professor.

He said that 91����Ƶ’s small class sizes, as well as the biology program’s exclusive focus on undergraduate students, helped him form close connections with faculty and allowed him to gain hands-on experience working alongside professors as they conducted research projects. “That’s a big benefit,” he said. “There’s no doubt that there’s a very direct link between my experiences and the network of people I now know, who have helped me not only get a job but also continue to provide mentorship and guidance.”

After graduating from 91����Ƶ with a biology degree in 2010, Derstine worked for two years as a research technician with Siderhurst at the lab in Hawaii before deciding to pursue graduate school. He earned a master of science from Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada) in 2016. From 2017 to 2018, he conducted research on the spotted lanternfly at a USDA lab in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. He earned his PhD in entomology from Pennsylvania State University in 2023. 

He has also studied and contributed to research papers on yellowjackets and bumblebees, fruit-piercing moths, coffee berry borers, coconut rhinoceros beetles, and fruit flies.

Derstine fondly recalled spending long hours at Suter Science Center identifying specimens for an insect collection and late nights in the basement of Sadie Hartzler Library studying with friends. He returned to campus in March 2024 to lead a Suter Science Seminar talk on the “Sociality and Evolution of Reproductive Signals in Bees.”

“I loved my time at 91����Ƶ,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”

From internships in large production facilities and laboratories to fieldwork in Hawaii, nine 91����Ƶ students gave fellow students, professors and the campus community a snapshot of their summer experiences this week.

The fall STEM Student Symposium featured engineering majors speaking about internships, as well as biology, chemistry and environmental sustainability majors sharing about research projects.  Several worked in partnership with 91����Ƶ professors and were funded by the Kauffman-Miller Research Awards and the CT Assist Summer Experiential Learning Program. One student participated in the the prestigious National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates program. 

Jonas Beachy studied water-splitting viability oxides in thermochemical cycling at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Working in Professor Jonathan Scheffe’s Renewable Energy Conversion Laboratory, Beachy explored thermochemical cycling, “a process that uses concentrated thermal energy from the sun to create favorable thermodynamics to ‘split’ water in H₂ and O,” he said. “H₂ can then be processed in hydrogen fuel cells to release energy. I was looking at oxides that would potentially have greater efficiency in producing H₂.”

Beachy appreciated the experience of working in a large university laboratory, “similar to what a graduate school experience would be,” and now feels a bit more ready to take the leap himself. He also enjoyed meeting the other REU participants and exploring Gainesville together.

Beachy is one among many 91����Ƶ students who have been selected for the REU program. The most recent was Jake Myers, then a sophomore, who researched the regional effects of invasive tree species on daily nest survival at University of South Dakota.

More Highlights

Ben Bontrager-Singer spoke about his experience with mechanical engineering of HVAC systems for new construction.

Cameron Byer shared learnings from an internship at VistaShare, a company in Harrisonburg owned by 91����Ƶ alumni.

Erin Clayton and Graciella Odelia spoke about their research with Professor Jeff Copeland on measuring the expression of RNF-11 and Parkin in Parkinson’s Drosophila.

Hannah Giagnocavo worked with Professor Kristopher Schmidt on the pathogenic changes and immune responses in C. elegans.

Cheyenne Suamatae’a-Te’o also worked with Schmidt on a project observing the behaviors of C. elegans when placed on differing bacterial plates.

Luke Wheeler shared highlights from a virtual internship with Engineers in Action (EIA) and an in-person internship at Danone International in Mt. Crawford, Virginia. With EIA, he helped to create training materials on chapter development and compiled lists of resources. As bridge projects are a large contribution of many chapters, he also pulled together instructions on how to make bridge designs, using the Revit program.

While a learning and development intern at Danone, he appreciated the opportunity to learn from upper-level management and contribute to improvements in plant production. Another highlight was seeing “the inner operations of a massive production facility,” he said.

Theo Yoder travelled with Professor Matt Siderhurst and fellow student Nicole Miller to conduct research on controlling agricultural pests. They were based at the Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center.

His research explored the development of protein lures to attract, trap and control Melon Fly populations. This research will be continued in Australia over the next several years with a focus on benzaldehyde and pyrazine, two abundant compounds we found in effective lures.

On the eastern coast of the island of Hawai’i sits the Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, where two students from 91����Ƶ (91����Ƶ) spent part of their summer tracking insects that prey on papaya fields. 

Theo Yoder, who’s majoring in biology and digital media, and Nicole Miller, a chemistry major with a minor in biology, accompanied Professor Matthew Siderhurst to Hawai’i with the assistance of a Kauffman-Miller Research Award. The Kauffman-Miller Research Awards are named for emeritus professors Glenn Kauffman (chemistry) and Roman Miller (biology), and fund opportunities for biology, chemistry, and environmental science students to immerse themselves in research.

Siderhurst has conducted research in Hawai’i, and brought students into the island entomology fold, for 14 years. 

Check out photos from their experience below, contributed by Yoder.

From left: Nicole Miller, Professor Matt Siderhurst, and Theo Yoder gathering materials to track a melon fly in a papaya field with harmonic radar.����

Their research focused on melon flies, oriental fruit flies, and Queensland longhorn beetles. For the melon fly and the beetle, they used harmonic radar to track the insects. works, in layman’s terms, by sending out a signal which is reflected by tagged insects. The second harmonic signal is then picked up by a receiving system.

“The melon flies that we release have a very tiny tracker on them which we attached that allows us to locate them and track their movement in a papaya field,” Yoder said.

Siderhurst tracks a melon fly that was released in a field.

The data collected from the tagged insects helps scientists understand the movement and behavior of these agricultural pests.

“We hope this data will be helpful in building better computer models of fly movement in outbreak areas like California or Florida.” Siderhurst said. “Better models might help us treat for these pests more efficiently and reopen quarantined areas more quickly.”

For the fruit flies, Yoder and Miller synthesized proteins that could be used to lure the bugs away from valuable crops. 

The small city of Hilo, where the research center is located, is on the wet side of the island, although Siderhurst said it was fairly dry during their trip. 

“The city is right on the coast but the land rises to the mountains which are both almost 14,000 ft,” he said.

Both students remarked on the natural beauty and recreation opportunities they got to enjoy while off the clock. 

“I enjoyed meeting other scientists while gaining experience in a lab setting and spending my free time exploring the beautiful Big Island!” Yoder said. “This trip taught me experimental design and critical thinking skills that will be beneficial as I continue my journey into the medical field.”

Miller suggested that, “If you’re ever on the Big Island, I highly suggest cliff jumping at South Point!”

Siderhurst and Miller in the research center, which is operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Research in Hawaii was truly an amazing opportunity,” said Miller. “Not only was I introduced to aspects of different cultures, but I was able to further develop my research skills under the guidance of 91����Ƶ staff while gaining experience in the field and making new connections in the scientific world.”

Siderhurst said that research opportunities such as these allow students “to see how science actually gets done.”

“It is a lot messier and less straightforward compared to what we often present in textbooks, lectures, and labs,” he explained. “Students get to see how social science is by working with colleagues, how much troubleshooting happens, and the various stages of research: planning, data collections and analysis, writing, and the thrill of making new discoveries!”

If you’ve been following developments related to the “murder hornets,” properly known as Asian giant hornets, AND you know anything about 91����Ƶ’s own Professor Matt Siderhurst, you also know it was a matter of time before he was asked to comment.

Well, finally, he got the call. Siderhurst was (the headline alone is awesome):

But maybe you don’t know about either…so we’ll fill you in.

First, murder hornets. These are vicious insects who have recently landed in North America and could wipe out our already beleaguered honey bee population. Scientists recently located and destroyed the first known nest in the United States. This is the short version of the story. .��

How did the scientists find the nest? They trapped a hornet, attached a radio transmitter and tracked it back to the nest.

That’s where our own Professor Siderhurst comes in. According to the Slate article: “His team pioneered the on invasive coconut rhinoceros beetles in Guam.”

It’s called the Judas insect technique, because…well, you get it.

Siderhurst’s team of pioneers included Diego Barahona ‘17 and Katherine Lehman ‘18. Here they are on Guam with a fellow scientist in 2016. The team published their research in Environmental Entomology. Read more here.

Siderhurst is currently working on a number of projects that involve 91����Ƶ undergrads with both foreign and domestic collaborators. While COVID has delayed international travel, four students have been selected to travel to Australia to do research under Siderhurst’s National Science Foundation International Research Experiences for Students grant. These four students have all been engaged in research projects at 91����Ƶ that will dovetail with the work on tephritid fruit flies they will eventually be involved in when traveling down under, Siderhurst says.

91����Ƶ students have been the major contributors behind insect tracking and field trapping studies conducted at locations outside of Virginia, he added. “Our students have fabricated tags for insect tracking to be used in Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Guam, and also synthesized fruit fly lures for a study in Australia.”  

The journal Phytochemistry also recently published results of a three-year collaborative project between students Alexandra Raber and Reuben Peachey-Stoner, Professor Stephen Cessna and Siderhurst on the volatile compounds (pleasant smells, for you non-chemists) released by different species of conifers.

As for his recent media celebrity, Siderhurst was delighted to talk about one of his favorite topics, especially since reporter Asher Jones, on a special fellowship for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, had a unique perspective.

“She had a PhD in entomology,” Siderhurst said. “So that was amazing.”

Feature image credit: 91����Ƶ; Sheri Hartman/Washington State Department of Agriculture

More coverage:

Words of prayer, poetry, thanksgiving and anecdotes both humorous and moving lifted up the life and work of three former faculty members during last week’s Advanced Chemistry Lab dedication ceremony. The renovated lab — where former faculty members Dr. Glenn Kauffman, Dr. Gary Stucky and Robert Yoder worked, taught and mentored in more than 90 years of collective exemplary service — was filled with several generations of family members, grateful alumni, current and former faculty and donors to hear reflections on their powerful legacies.

In the words of Dr. Ed Sandy ‘81, who thanked all three men for helping him to fulfill a childhood dream of becoming a doctor, “the words and deeds of these three mentors, living amongst so many young people like me, created a generation of scientific leaders and their works that have bettered the world around the world. Thank you, Robert Yoder. Thank you, Glenn Kauffman, and thank you, Gary Stucky, for all you have done for so many of us. Your legacy of mentorship continues to inspire us all.”

The lab renovation and dedication was one of the final projects of the larger Suter Science Center transformation, accomplished with nearly $12 million in philanthropic support from more than 600 alumni and donors, said Kirk Shisler ‘83, vice president for advancement, in his welcome. 

A final, larger scale dedication of Phase II or “Suter West,” is being planned for Oct. 17 during Homecoming and Family Weekend.

The event was followed by a reception and a Suter Science Seminar by Dr. Brian Stauffer ‘91, professor of medicine and cardiology at the University of Colorado.

In a short speech, Dr. Glenn Kauffman ‘60, with daughter Keri Kauffman ‘00 and wife Mary Kauffman, paid special tributes: to his former colleagues at 91����Ƶ  and former dean Dr. Lee Snyder for their support in helping to grow the chemistry program and expand research opportunities; to colleagues at James Madison University for collaboration on faculty and student research; and to 91����Ƶ’s chemistry graduates, who have supported the program through their own work and through equipment donations like that of Dr. Shawn Ramer ‘83, who arranged for 91����Ƶ to be gifted an electron microscope from MIT during his postdoctoral at Harvard.

Science, Kauffman concluded, is action and activity: “I have always believed and thought that science is a verb, not a noun, not an encyclopedia of facts and numbers, but then the answering of questions, solving of problems and puzzles and creation of the language that extends our understanding of our planet and its place in the cosmos.”

The family of Robert Yoder represents four generations at the dedication ceremony. Lois Yoder (front), Robert’s wife, is flanked by their daughters Kim Yoder (left) and Karen Dean ’84 (right). Robert’s son Kent is in the far left of the back row with his wife Diane to his left. Behind Karen Dean is her husband Bill. Grandson Justin Yoder was unable to attend; his wife Heather Bauman Yoder ‘04 (left) brought her sons, and Robert’s great-grandsons Judah and Ellis. Robert’s son, Doug, was unable to attend. 

Yoder brought years of expertise (and many stories, remembered Dr. Ed Sandy ‘81) of “that secondary temple, the hospital.” He and other aspiring pre-med students listened avidly “to what it was actually like to be in a clinical lab.”

Janet Harder Stucky, widow of Gary Stucky, with Dr. Ed Sandy ‘81, a special guest who has fond memories of all three professors. Sandy is executive director of Speciality Services Provider Solutions, Blue Ridge region, for Sentara Healthcare, and past president of Sentara RMH Medical Group. 

Sandy’s first experience in the chemistry lab years ago was “a little scary,” he remembered, to the laughter of the crowd. It was Gary Stucky’s class that first caused his boyhood dream of becoming a doctor to begin fading away, but it was the same professor’s invitation to return the next semester and take an even more difficult chemistry class that eventually changed his life.  “I said, yes, I’ll do it. I took that advice…it eventually became the spark to my learning and it changed my trajectory, changed me from biology to chemistry, gave me the desire to work and learn. And it truly gave me my career.”

When Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, now dean of the School of Sciences, Engineering, Art and Nursing, joined the chemistry faculty in 2004, she often was called “the new Glenn.” Kishbaugh heard that metaphor as a way of asking what traditions and values would be carried by the new generation of educators. As much has changed, she says, much of the values of the Kauffman-Yoder-Stucky generation remains. Practical rigor in the classroom and student-led research, she said, is highly valued. “Our students learn to think and act and be scientists.” And the community of care fostered by all three professors, so apparent when Kishbaugh first arrived on campus, lives on as well:  “Students repeatedly say, you listened to me, you believed in me … The emphasis on caring and education for the whole person is just central to who we are.”

Professor Matt Siderhurst, who teaches in the Advanced Chemistry Lab, with Kirk Shisler ‘81 (right), vice president of advancement. Siderhurst is among the many faculty who continue to support the culture of student-led research that Kauffman and his colleagues began. Also present at the dedication was Professor Emeriti Joe Mast and Kenton Brubaker, former chemistry lab hygiene officer John Spicher ‘58, and Professor Emeritus Roman Miller, who is honored each spring, along with Kauffman, when the Kauffman-Miller Research Awards are made to support undergraduate students in summer research projects.

President Susan Schultz Huxman shares remembrances from Dr. Shawn Ramer ‘83, who was unable to attend. Ramer earned a PhD in organic chemistry and did a postdoc at Harvard Medical School after graduating from 91����Ƶ. He served in a variety of roles as senior executive and information technology, science and healthcare and is a member of the President’s Second Century Advisors.

Ramer thanked Glenn Kauffman for creating a nurturing environment that supported his interests and held him to high scholarly standards. “  I am forever grateful for the mentorship, instruction and friendship, which you provided during my time at 91����Ƶ … please know that I think of you frequently and always with much gratitude. I’m delighted to be part of honoring your contributions to 91����Ƶ and the gifts you gave to those of us who had the privilege of being your students.”

Huxman also offered a blessing to the space, beginning her prayer with this invocation:

Here in this space, our Suter Science Center, our faculty and students do not shy away from but readily embrace the wonders of God’s vast kingdom even as they study the laws of nature and what is humanly observable. The distinction of Mennonite education as practiced by 91����Ƶ faculty is Testament to the idea that knowledge is not sufficient.

Practice is not sufficient unless this is connected to a witness grounded in Christ, committed to peace and practiced in community. We thank professors Kauffman, Stucky and Yoder for practicing this rare and beautiful distinctive of Mennonite higher education and I thank all of you for being the great cloud of witnesses that blesses this space in honor of these three devoted and selfless educators. 

The grant will fund the “Tephritid fruit fly Multidisciplinary Australian Research Collaboration for Biosecurity” (T-MARC-BIO) initiative, which is led by 91����Ƶ chemistry Professor Matthew Siderhurst. 

Tephritid fruit flies are “among the most damaging horticultural insect pests worldwide, constituting pest management issues, trade barriers, and invasion threats for Australia, the U.S., and throughout the tropics and subtropics,” according to T-MARC-BIO documents. 

The student research will be aimed at bolstering strategies for monitoring and controlling the invasive fruit fly species in ways that will reduce the negative impacts of pesticide use. 

Growing a globally engaged STEM workforce

The T-MARC-BIO initiative will recruit students, including from underrepresented populations in STEM fields, thereby contributing to the establishment of a more diverse and globally engaged scientific workforce.

In each of the three years, six STEM students selected from 91����Ƶ, James Madison University, Bridgewater College and Blue Ridge Community College will first prepare in a semester-long program. It will include cross-cultural and other trainings led by 91����Ƶ faculty.

They will then travel to Australia for seven weeks in the summer to conduct individual research projects and be immersed in local culture. Finally, they will communicate their research through scientific journals and presentations.

Students who have been advised by Siderhurst since he came to 91����Ƶ 13 years ago have been the lead authors for six publications and provided 11 co-authorships. They have given eight presentations at meetings of the Entomological Society of America, the American Chemical Society, the Virginia Academy of Science and the UMBC Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences. 

Their subsequent pursuits have included graduate studies in biology or chemistry at institutions including Penn State and Duke Universities, attending medical school, earning graduate degrees in health fields, and teaching high school biology.

Cultivating a collective understanding about fruit flies

In what Siderhurst describes as “one of the best things” about the initiative, students will be mentored by Macquarie University (MU) faculty members Phil Taylor and Ian Jamie and Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries senior entomologist Stefano De Faveri. 

MU, a public research university with more than 40,000 students, and the department both participate in the Centre for Fruit Fly Biosecurity Innovation, and will provide access to facilities and equipment.

Their results, collectively, will increase understanding of fruit flies’ metabolism, interactions with smells, and movements in the environment, as well as the development of effective means of controlling the pests.

“Everyone will be working with tephritid fruit flies, but different students will be working in the lab, in the field, on chemistry and biology,” said Siderhurst.

In collaboration with their mentors and overseeing faculty, students will share findings in peer-reviewed publications as well as posters and oral presentations. Their research will be available for use by other researchers, agricultural entities and government regulators.

Australia connections and other research

Siderhurst has long wanted to involve students in his research in Australia. He grew up there, and his other Australia-based research collaborations have attracted over $1.6 million in funding. 

Siderhurst and De Faveri are currently involved in two projects – on the fruit piercing moth and fruit flies in mangoes – in Australia, Virginia and Hawaii. 

Read more about student research experiences with Siderhurst:

• Undergrads publish research on using the ‘Judas technique’ to track pest beetle in Guam
• Siderhurst research team returns to Hawaii for pest projects

But that changed in the last decade, and this summer 91����Ƶ Professor Matthew Siderhurst and two students aimed to beat even “cuppers” – trained coffee tasters – at identifying the borers’ impact on Hawaiian coffee.

Hannah Walker – she graduated in May with majors in biology and environmental sustainability – and Leah Lapp – a biochemistry major who will graduate in two years – were among the five undergraduate students at 91����Ƶ who were awarded Glenn Kauffman and Roman Miller Research Awards of $2,500 each to support their research this summer.

The awards, named for professors emeriti Glenn Kauffman (chemistry) and Roman Miller (biology), are sponsored by donors to the Daniel B. Suter Endowment Fund and the CT Assist Grant Fund. The financial support can be used for student summer research wages, research supplies, and travel and fees to present ongoing or past work at a scientific meeting.

In Hawaii, Walker and Lapp each used a different device to detect the coffee borer damage.

“We’re very interested in the quality control side of this,” Siderhurst said.

The instruments

Walker’s tool was a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, a six-feet long, $200,000 lab bench behemoth they referred to as “the GC mass spec.”

The instrument enabled them “to see what volatiles are coming off damaged roasted coffee beans,” to decipher the chemical fallout of coffee berry borers’ destructive presence, she said. The GC mass spec took a lot of adjustment – “a lot of trial and error,” Siderhurst said – but that “messing around” with equipment aspect of research was “very eye-opening, really cool,” said Walker.

“Thank goodness this man” – she points to Siderhurst – “knows instruments pretty well.”

Lapp helped to establish standard operating procedures for new techniques using an electronic nose, a much less costly device that’s small enough to carry. Once trained, the “e-nose” will be able – “theoretically,” said Lapp – to indicate the degree of damage in masses of beans, say to test bags of coffee on a production line.

But first it had some learning to do, through random “sniffing” of vials filled with coffee beans, each vial containing a different percentage of borer damage.

“We spent a lot of time sorting coffee beans,” said Lapp. “It’s really important that you sort them correctly, because that will change all your results.”

Lab blend

Walker and Leah weren’t only thinking coffee beans, though. The U.S. Department of Agriculture lab where the trio worked is also home to more than 50 other researchers and staff. For another project the duo helped maintain a fruit-piercing moth colony, harvesting leaves three times a week from Wiliwili trees for caterpillar feed and pupation locations.

And once a week they checked a trapline for the subject of another Siderhurst study about longhorn beetles.

It was, Walker said, “a nice variety of being in the lab using different instruments and being out in the field and having to ‘talk story’ [a Hawaiian term for ‘chat’] with people who let us use their property for trapping.”

They also got to know the area, Walker said, which was “cool,” except for the nauseating vog – volcanic fog – from the erupting Kīlauea. The mountain was downwind from the lab, but not always from everywhere else they needed to go.

‘No wrong answers’

Lapp called this summer “an amazing experience” because she learned what it’s like to work not just in a classroom laboratory where “the professor’s leading you towards a certain conclusion,” but in a setting where there are “no wrong answers,” she said.

“It allowed for creativity, and we brainstormed a lot,” she said. “We were always trying to figure out, ‘Okay, what’s next? This failed; why did it fail?’ Or, ‘This worked; how can we use what we learned from this to further our research?’”

Siderhurst said that for researchers like Walker and Lapp, the work is only partially finished at the end of the summer. Once back at 91����Ƶ, they’ll work together to write papers or create posters and presentations about their research.

“It’s fun,” he said.

It must be, because this was Walker’s second summer on the GC mass spec project, and she said she could see such lab research being part of her career or ongoing studies.

In the meantime, she said, “We were kept on our toes.”

Faculty, staff and fellow students nominated the recipients, who were cited for their “significant and verifiable impact” on the university and on student life; for their contributions to developing the institution’s positive image; for substantial contributions to the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County area and beyond; for their high academic and social standing; and their embodiment of 91����Ƶ’s shared values of Christian discipleship, community, service and peacebuilding.

Diego Barahona

Diego earned his degree in biochemistry and environmental sustainability, with minors in biology and chemistry. He is from Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Dr. Matthew Siderhurst, associate professor of chemistry, presented the cords.

I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting Diego in his first year at 91����Ƶ as I was on sabbatical. When I returned, I was looking for new research students and both Tara Kishbaugh and Doug Graber Neufeld told me I needed to talk to Diego. He turned out to be a great fit and it has been a joy to get to know him over the last two years. Together we’ve traveled to Hawaii twice and Guam once on research trips. We’ve hiked through jungle swamps (outfitted with radio trackers), across active lava flows, and over miles of hot dry dunes to reach a secluded green sand beach. He’s spent countless hours working in a fume hood synthesizing small organic molecules, more hours counting flies, and writing research papers. Through all this, I don’t think I’ve ever heard Diego complain about anything.��

Because of his hard work and scientific abilities Diego is a co-author on two peer-reviewed scientific paper and has presented several poster and oral talks about his research both on and off campus.

Diego has been an excellent student here at 91����Ƶ. He is a thoughtful person who has demonstrated a keen interest in learning and new experiences. While excelling as a biochemistry major, he has also found time to earn minors in chemistry, environmental sustainability and honors.

Diego’s interests stretch beyond the classroom and have led him to serve with “gentle presence” as a Ministry Assistant for campus ministries, been an active member of Latino Student Alliance, worked with the Sustainable Food Initiative, and was a tutor for the Academic Success Center. Writing in support of his receiving this honor, Diego was described as the “most courteous person I know.”�� Others said, “His grace, kindness, and compassion for people is admirable,” “always puts others before himself,” and “always friendly and supportive.”�� I echo these comments.

I know I speak for many other 91����Ƶ faculty and staff when I say that you exemplify many of the characteristics we love in our best students and I am very happy to present you with the Cords of Distinction.

Azariah Cox

Azariah Cox earned his degree in photography, with a minor in digital communications. He is from Forest, Virginia.

Brian Simpson, head track and field coach, presented the cords.

If I were told that I could use only one word to describe Azariah Cox, I would use the word tenacious. Azariah, affectionately called A.C. by those who know him, embodies tenacity. I could list his accolades and accomplishments, but that would only serve to describe A.C. the student. I think that a brief story would give you better insight to the type of man he is.

I took over the duties of head coach for 91����Ƶ track and field this past August and�� heard about A.C. prior to transitioning from Wilson, N.C. I am friends with Jason Lewkowicz who coached A.C. during his tenure as the previous head coach and he told me a story about A.C. that gave me insight into the type of young man that I would be dealing with.

When Jason called to congratulate me on getting the job here, he talked to me about the athletes. The first person that he mentioned was A.C. His exact words were “You’re gonna have to watch out for A.C.” I asked Jason if A.C. was a problem child. His response was “No No! Not at all, Coach! He’s just the opposite! He’s one of the greatest kids that you’ll ever meet. He just won’t quit. Even if the kid is hurting, he simply refuses to quit.”

So Jason proceeds to tell me a story about A.C. He had injured himself during a track meet — not a particularly debilitating injury but the type of injury that needed some rest which meant that A.C. needed to skip his race in the 110m high hurdles. Jason told A.C. not to run and to watch the race with him so that they could analyze the race together. A few minutes before the race, Jason begins asking if anyone had seen A.C. After several no’s, Jason finally runs into someone who knew where A.C. was: in lane 5 preparing to run the 110m high hurdle final. After throwing his hands up in frustration, Jason accepted the inevitable and sat down to watch the race. A.C. went on to finish fourth in the race.

As Jason is walking towards A.C. to give him a few choice words about ignoring his order to not run the race, he notices that A.C. has this huge smile on his face. Confused, Jason asks A.C. why he was smiling despite finishing fourth and not medaling. A.C. responded “Coach, I didn’t win, but I helped my teammates. I just put three points towards our team score.” Jason told me that he stood there speechless as A.C. walked off as happy as a kid in a candy store.

A.C. was happy not because of what he had accomplished for himself. He was happy because of what he had accomplished for others. He refused to quit not for any sort of vainglorious achievement. He refused to quit to make those around him better and this truly makes him a distinct and distinguished person.

Azariah, you have impressed me with your academic accomplishments. Graduating from 91����Ƶ was no easy task. Your athletic accomplishments speak for themselves. What has most impressed about you, sir, is your selfless and tireless pursuit to make those around you better. Never lose the grit and determination that has gotten you to where you are. I love you like a son and will always count it an honor to have been your coach.

Hannah Daley

Hannah earned a degree in chemistry with a concentration in environmental sustainability and a minor in mathematics and physics. She is from Lothian, Maryland.

Dr. Laurie Yoder and Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, professors of chemistry, presented the cords.

Imagine a word cloud: lime green and orange text, an edgy font. In large letters, read 91����Ƶ and Hannah. In only slightly smaller text notice campus, community, hockey, guide; and then served, worked, helped, positive, leader, people, impact, and team. Can you see the picture of Hannah emerging? These are the words that her peers and professors have offered in attempts to capture the many ways that Hannah has shaped the 91����Ƶ community.

As a scientist, she is a creative problem-solver who invites others to appreciate the value of science. Hannah’s sought many opportunities to practice science: from an internship with NOAA and NASA, to summer experiences testing for caffeine’s effect on athletic performance or doing geoscience in Michigan, to her many years of studying water quality and stream restoration in Bergton. Hannah has brought her curiosity, a strong work ethic, and optimism to bear on these projects. She has trained others in her protocols and describes her work in an accessible manner, which encourages others to join her in her scientific endeavours. Hannah works in a way that demonstrates keen awareness of the interplay between science and the community. Who else would think to demonstrate the principles of quantum mechanics using sports equipment?

Hannah is warm, welcoming, and encouraging— she builds community wherever she goes.���� Hannah’s passion for community plays out in athletics, as she positively impacted the varsity hockey team both on and off the field;admissions, as she enthusiastically led scheduled and impromptu tours for prospective students; student life, through her work in residence life, campus ministries and intramural athletics; and academics, as she served as a peer tutor and learning assistant in chemistry classes.

Hannah’s deep faith is the foundation of her desire to serve her community at 91����Ƶ and beyond. Through her humility and love for others, she has emerged as a Christ-like servant leader.

So, Hannah, this campus will miss a particular lime green skateboard zipping down the sidewalk. And as you have blessed us repeatedly with your signature line, now we return the same to you: “God Bless.”

Quinn Kathrineberg

Quinn earned a degree in English with secondary licensure (6-12). She is from Salina, Kansas.

Amy Springer Hartsell, assistant undergraduate dean, and Student Government administrative representative, and Dr. Deirdre Longacre Smeltzer, undergraduate dean, presented the award.

Amy Springer Hartsell: Quinn offered an opinion piece to the 91����Ƶ community in the Weather Vane two months after her arrival on campus. Her article was titled, “Transfer Reflection: Identity Crisis Toward Discovery.” As soon as I finished reading, I was composing an email to Quinn and wrote this: “I just finished reading the article you wrote for this week’s Weather Vane and want to commend you for it. Twenty-six years ago, I transferred to 91����Ƶ from Hesston and I experienced a similar transfer process as you described in your article.” I had never met Quinn but hoped I would. Here was a new transfer student who put clear, honest, wise and eloquent words to my own transfer experience – 26 years ago! Quinn ended that piece by writing, “Thanks, 91����Ƶ, for welcoming me into the community since opening weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing how I will be impacted here, and also how I can impact 91����Ƶ.” Well, Quinn, you’ve made a big impact on 91����Ƶ.

Dr. Deirdre Longacre Smeltzer: As a leader, you have exemplified key attributes of effective leadership: you’ve communicated in a clear and positive way; created space for a variety of perspectives; and maintained a non-anxious presence as you navigated difficult decisions. Your commitment to advocating for students and to bringing about positive change in your community is clear – through the leadership roles you’ve held on the Student Government Association, the Student Women’s Association, and the Student Education Association, through your hard work as a writing tutor, and through your musical and service outreach to the broader community. All of these activities have been carried out quietly, with cheerfulness, determination, and a commitment to excellence, but without seeking the spotlight for yourself. You have modeled integrity and grace. And through the many ways you’ve made 91����Ƶ a better place, your true north has shone through: that is, to serve as a voice for those on the margins. We are so glad you chose to continue your journey at 91����Ƶ.

Oksana Kittrell

Oksana earned a degree in psychology and a minor in youth ministry. She is from Big Island, Virginia.

Celeste Thomas, multicultural student services co-director, presented the award.

It is my distinct honor to present this award to Oksana Kittrell, a young woman, who has truly earned it. Oksana has exceeded the criteria for this award in her service and spiritual endeavors. Oksana is not only academically gifted (graduating in three years), but is creative, athletic, musically inclined, a smart leader, possesses a genuine concern for the well-being of others and has one of the most electric smiles that you will ever see.

Not only has her well-served talents benefitted 91����Ƶ, but she has also committed her time and gifts to the greater Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. ��Oksana is a kind, intelligent, honest and genteel young woman.

Oksana is mature beyond her years and possesses a level of responsibility and dependability not rivaled by many. She never settles for mediocrity and has high standards for those with whom she works. She has served as a mentor for a young girl in Harrisonburg, a teaching assistant for developmental psychology, a volunteer for Multicultural and International Student Services, director of the gospel choir, a LEAD lunch coordinator, an intern for University Accord, a leadership team member for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, MLK committee co-chair, and a member of Diversity and Inclusion Committee. In addition, she was the secretary, activities coordinator, and co-president of the Black Student Union. Furthermore, Oksana was instrumental this year in planning and implementing the Town Hall on Race, Civil Rights Tour and the President’s Ball.

Oksana, Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” You have touched the lives of many through all of your hard work, service and dedication. Many persons’ lives changed for the better due to your presence and unselfish dedication, exemplified to the greatest extent during your cross-cultural experience in Egypt where you served the least of your international neighbors. You have the heart of a servant and the fortitude of an extraordinary leader.

Oksana, you live a life that is demonstrative of Luke 12:48, “to whom much is given, much will be required”. You are wonderfully created by God and in the words of your favorite poet Maya Angelou:

Now you understand/Just why my head’s not bowed. / I don’t shout or jump about/ Or have to talk real loud. / When you see me passing, / It ought to make you proud. / I say, / It’s in the click of my heels, / The bend of my hair, / the palm of my hand,/ The need for my care. / ’Cause I’m a woman/ Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.

Oksana, you may not know exactly where God will call you in your vocation, but what is known is that your future is bright and you can do and be anything your heart desires, smiling while you do it. I wish you the many blessings God will provide for you as you matriculate into the dual MA of Divinity/MA of Counseling Program in the fall.

Madison List

Madison earned a degree in religious and intercultural studies. She is from Arlington, Virginia.

Lana Miller, undergraduate campus pastor, presented the award.

Brave, consistent, full of heart, spirit of compassion, resilient, clear devotion to God, present, insightful, wise, inspirational, committed, joyful and faithful – just a few words that come to mind when describing Maddie. Her contagious smile and sparkle in her eyes have encouraged more than one person to persevere, even when the way seemed difficult. I know this encouragement from firsthand experience as Maddie’s life witnessed to me throughout the first four months of my very difficult pregnancy. And this speaks to her character, as she impacts people in profound ways as she lives her life seeking to follow Jesus.

As a first-year student, Maddie joined campus ministries as a Ministry Assistant. (This is not the norm, as most first year students wouldn’t be invited to serve in this kind of leadership role before completing their first semester of college.) She started learning how to care for other people as a MA in orientation, even before she knew what it meant to be a first year student. As an MA, she led weekly Bible studies and devotions, while also praying for, encouraging and supporting those on her hall in their faith formation.

In addition to this role, in her first year, she was part of a student-led group that organized a campus-wide vigil during the Listening Process entitled “Come Unite,” bringing students with opposing views regarding the hiring policy together to worship God. In latter years, Maddie has provided leadership as a Community Advisor and Pastoral Assistant where she has helped plan worship services and retreats, shared her personal story in chapel, wrote devotionals, mentored, supported and encouraged younger students. Not only has she mentored students at 91����Ƶ, but through Intervarsity at James Madison University, has mentored a student who provides leadership to their discipleship team.

Not only has Maddie been involved with learning outside of the classroom, she is deeply invested and contributes greatly to life within the classroom. Nancy Heisey professor in the Bible and Religion Department writes, “Maddie is one of the best student presenters I’ve ever had; she prepares, speaks with authority and clarity, and knows how to round-out a presentation to hold people’s attention.”

While Maddie’s accomplishments are impressive, they are even more impressive in light of the fact that she has done this all of this while suffering from the symptoms of Lyme disease and chronic fatigue syndrome. She isn’t defined by her illness, but rather, she has let the chronic pain she feels be a teacher, helping her to be a more open, vulnerable and sympathetic to others. She has learned to ask for what she needs, recognize her own limitations and also view her limitations as a blessing, in that it has strengthened her reliance on God. Her journey hasn’t been easy, but her perseverance is a witness.

Maddie, the 91����Ƶ community honors you today with the Cords of Distinction and we encourage you to continue service in the church and community as an expression of God’s love and faithfulness. We’ve been blessed to journey with you and thank you for your leadership and presence as a student at 91����Ƶ. May God bless you as you continue to strive to be a blessing to others.�� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Mariah Martin

Mariah earned a degree in nursing. She is from Greencastle, Virginia.

Lisa King, instructor of nursing, presented the award.

As a nurse, it is important to understand that you cannot always fix people or solve their problems. This can be a discouraging thought when entering a field in which your work is to assist others to healing and wholeness. In a reflection that she wrote for MCUSA about her time in Haiti, Mariah Martin said this: Sometimes love is knowing that your action won’t solve the problem, but not letting that stop you from doing what you can.

Mariah has embodied this definition of love throughout her time here at 91����Ƶ. Her awareness of the ongoing work needed to make this world a more just and loving place to exist has not discouraged her but rather motivated her. Mariah has provided leadership for the Coalition on Sexual Violence Prevention and traveled to Haiti working with Midwives to safely welcome new life into this world. She has volunteered her time with the Blue Ridge Legal Services as an interpreter, served as a youth sponsor at Community Mennonite Church and was the coordinator for flash seminars held last Spring. ��When she could have been discouraged by an injury in her last of four seasons of field hockey, Mariah took it as an opportunity to learn new leadership skills. As a teammate and friend put it, “Mariah is positive, caring, and intentional in every situation life confronts her with.”

I could go on to list all of the work Mariah has done around the community and here on campus, but I think it’s most important to hear from Mariah herself about what is behind the wonderful work she does:

“College is a time of self-discovery and exploration. In this journey to find an identity it can be easy to let the world dwindle down to just one’s self in a single moment. Opening up my world to serving others broadens my view and assures that I do not lose perspective. I am a small piece of a vast and beautiful puzzle. By living in the best ways that I can, I add to the tapestry of humanity.”

Macson McGuigan

Macson earned degrees in digital media and environmental sustainability with a concentration on environmental/social sustainability and a minor in photography. He is from Berryville, Virginia.

Dr. Jerry Holsopple, professor of visual and communication arts, presented the award.

In Lithuania, I suggested to the students that their motto should be “embrace the mystery.” Macson came to personify that from discovering lost family connections, to dipping his feet in the Baltic Sea to get the perfect time-lapse, from exploring the old towns to doing handstands in the forest and even mimicking the ballet moves in Tallinn.

Macson does more than embrace the mystery, he demonstrates joie de vivre in most aspects of his life. He fully engages in his creative work with a sample reel featuring Daughter of the Stars, an advocacy video about protecting the Shenandoah Mountain for the Virginia Wilderness Committee; the inauguration gala videos; O2O Keeping Florida Wildlife Connected: The Ocala to Osceola Corridor produced by a select group of students receiving scholarships to the North American Nature Photography summit in Florida; slider tutorials for VACA; documentaries for Common Grounds; and numerous other student films as camera operator, producer or animator.

Night after night during rehearsal and performance of Distant Witness, he manuvered around the stage under a camera as part of the team integrating live video into the award-winning production. He volunteered time or images at the Nature’s Best Awards gala in Washington, DC; 91����Ƶ marketing; Wild Virginia; LCC International University and Campus Activities Council.

Beyond these and other accomplishments, he fully embraces life, people and the natural world. His exuberance is contagious. He likes to sing Rain Down, savor a good kebabia, wade a stream, photograph an owl, or have deep conversations over a cup of tea.

Macson welcomes the big challenges, tries out new gear and techniques, remains sensitive to the subject, works the late nights and completes the production with minutes to spare. His commitment to social change and enthusiasm with meeting unique and amazing people remains constant. Macson ran two half-marathons with me. Like any good running companion he pulls you along toward the finish line, and like everything else he does, he will finish strong. Macson, embrace the mystery that is around you and is yet to come.

Mario Valladares

Mario Valladares earned degrees in business administration, economics and accounting. He is from Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

M. Esther Showalter, multicultural student advisor, presented the award.

It is my distinct honor to present this award to Mario Valladares, a young man who exudes joy and brings life to his surroundings. Mario is a charismatic leader who uses his gifts to connect people and take pleasure in life regardless of the circumstances.

Mario is a vibrant student and proof that you can make time to be a good student and be fully involved in college life. I don’t know how he managed, but he always had a big smile with so much energy and ready to go the extra mile. As a leader for the Latino Student Alliance he was fully committed, helped with the growth of the group and was resourceful in the LSA major events. He often called or texted to say “What do you need? Is there anything else I can do to help?” A good example of that was the banquet. He contacted many musicians so we ended up with more groups than we anticipated and the banquet was beautiful thanks to his many connections. Mario, it is going to be very hard to replace you, especially for our first activity of the year. Who is going to say during the mixer “Shall we dance?” Mario, your cheerful personality will be greatly missed.

Mario, you are one of kind and we have been blessed to have you in our midst these last four years. Faculty, staff, your peers and I are grateful for your lively presence and involvement with student government association, united student organization, being part of the luncheons with the international student organization, and giving your time and insights to the cross-cultural committee and business department committee. Thank you for representing 91����Ƶ at the International Student Leadership Conference. I am especially thankful that you set aside time to go on Wednesday afternoons to Skyline Middle School to spend time with the teenagers and be part of their lives.

Mario, you have impacted our lives and brought humor and delight into our busy schedules. We have been blessed by your warmth and sweet presence. I have no doubt that you will succeed and enjoy the next chapter of your journey.

Elisabeth Wilder������������

Elisabeth earned a degree in social work and a minor in pre-law. She is from Hesston, Kansas.

Dr. Carol Grace Hurst, professor of social work, presented the award.

���󲹰�����𲹰���’s Sonnet 29 begins with a depressed person bemoaning the torment and struggle of life caught “in an outcast state” and fearing that God is deaf to this suffering until a particular person is remembered. Then, the outcast finds hope–“Like to the lark at break of day arising, From sullen earth, Singing hymns at heaven’s gate.” Elisabeth May Wilder came to 91����Ƶ after two years at Hesston where she was awarded Hesston’s Lark of the Year. She describes herself as an idealist, believing that “amidst the suffering, chaos, and violence of this world there can be hope, change, and peace.”

Elisabeth packed her 91����Ƶ years full of thinking deeply, making relationship connections, and becoming a leader in the community. When she lived in Parkwood Apartments during her first year, she could frequently be observed interacting with other residents as they came and went from her spot in the hammock on her porch. Elisabeth made an immediate, substantial and significant contribution as a Student Government Association senator and was elected SGA co-president for 2016-17. Elisabeth walked with others with a leadership vision of working within systems, clubs, and organizations to make them better and more collaborative, facilitating between people and spaces, becoming a bridge-builder between groups and administration.

As an appreciative leader, she recognized others’ contributions so keenly, she would regularly pen thank you notes. She is vocal in her support for LGBTQ people in the church, and blogs for The Mennonite. Elisabeth was on the Social Work is People leadership team, and part��of��the planning team for Take Back the Night. She was a co-leader��of Student Womens’ Association, a member of the Undergraduate Honors Council, and first coordinator of an 91����Ƶ theme house.

Elisabeth also brought her considerable writing, analytic, relational talents and humor and inquiring mind to seeking justice. She is the winner of the Intercollegiate 2016 Francis J. Ryan Undergraduate American Studies Paper Award for a paper titled Caitlyn Jenner, Phyllis Schlafly, and Other Transgender Rights Crusaders. And runner-up in the 2016 C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest with a speech entry titled Make Change, Not Hashtags. She built effective cross-cultural alliances in summer internships in San Pedro Sula, Honduras and Bogotá Columbia. She contributed to a book entitled The Little Book of Restorative Justice: For Kids, and completed her social work practicum furthering immigration justice work with Washington Office on Latin America.

If you find yourself depressed, doubting, downcast, or cynical that your efforts matter, please remember Elisabeth May Wilder. Elisabeth, we want to thank you for walking with us here, thank you for your idealism and your practical engaging make it happen charisma. Thank you for being the Lark at break of day reminding us to sing together and make the world a better place.

��

“Students learn an incredible amount by taking a research project from start to finish,” said Dr. , who co-directs the program with Dr. . “As they enter their final semester here at 91����Ƶ, many are applying to medical school or other professional health schools, and their research projects give them an important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants.”

Since 2013, the MA in Biomedicine program has helped 27 graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research project is an important and distinctive curricular challenge, bringing students together with faculty advisors and community mentors as they develop and conduct original research.

“91����Ƶ’s Biomedicine program provides students with the opportunity to conduct research that is original and hypothesis-driven,” says Stauffer. “This equips each student with a unique niche that they can optimally leverage when applying for professional health schools. Original research opens doors and can make all the difference as a springboard for a student’s future.”

Jessica Morris hopes to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine or earn a PhD in medical scientific research. Milan Sheth is most interested in the field of emergency medicine. The research project offered the opportunity to delve into topics relevant to their career goals.

Morris, a George Mason University graduate, investigated the impact of the Affordable Care Act on Shenandoah Valley residents falling into the “coverage gap” created by Virginia’s limited Medicaid benefits.

She came away with a new knowledge of the objectivity required to conduct research, a healthy skepticism about media coverage of health issues and how that affects patient knowledge.

Sheth, an Ohio State University graduate who is interested in emergency medicine, researched the factors involved in responses of patients undergoing rapid induction of a common anesthetic, ketamine.

His research has specific applications for first responders and other medical personnel, who need identify patients who may be most susceptible to potential adverse effects associated with rapid sequence intubation of ketamine.

He says he’s gained new skills, such as identifying relevant published research and interpreting statistical results, and a new appreciation for the impact of clinical research on patient treatment. “I have a deeper appreciation for researchers and the dedication they put forth towards finding breakthroughs and cures,” he added. “My passion for medicine continues to grow and this project solidified my purpose for entering the healthcare field.”

Student research

A comprehensive list of researchers, their projects and committee members follows:

��Nkem Asianua: “African American’s/African’s Awareness of Their Increased Risk of ACE Inhibitor Induced Angioedema in Ventura County, Ca.” Committee members: Professors Esther Tian and Greta Ann Herin.

Lujain Binyahya: “An Analysis of Patient Experience at Sentara-RMH.” Committee members: Professor Carolyn Stauffer, Steve Nelson.

Sanjay Dick: “Felis Catus and Chronic Renal Disease: A Comparison of Clinical Treatments Found at Rural and Urban Animal Hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania.” Committee members: Professor Tara Kishbaugh and Jennifer Lyle, D.V.M.

Alexandar Hetrick: “Student Influenza Vaccination Rate and Risk of Infectious Disease at 91����Ƶ.” Committee members: Professors Carolyn Stauffer and Jeffrey Copeland.

Jessica Morris: “Reforming Health Care: The Impacts of The Affordable Care Act on the Health Insurance Status of Individuals Residing in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.” Committee members: Professors Kim Brenneman and Jenni Holsinger.

Melody Nyoni: “Examination of STI awareness among transitioning youth in the Valley Youth House (VYH) Program in Allentown, Pa.” Committee members: Professor Kim Brenneman, Elizabeth Allen.

Nikita Patel: “The Value of Time and Patient Satisfaction during Physician-Patient Visits in Central Virginia.” Committee members: Professors Carolyn Stauffer and Ann Hershberger.

��Noor Qureshi: “Mental Health Attitudes in the Dallas Pakistani Community.” Committee members: Professors Jeffrey Copeland and Gregory Koop.

Chanel Sampson: “Possible Risk Factors of Uterine Fibroids Evaluated through a Self-Assessment of Symptom Severity.” Committee members: Professors Greta Ann Herin and Cathy Rittenhouse.

Shanae Scott: “Routine Eye Exams and Awareness of Ocular Disease Associated with Diabetes in Harrisonburg, Va.” Committee members: Professors Esther Tian and Tara Kishbaugh.

Ruchir Shah: “Determining the Link Between Smile Symmetry and Character Perception at 91����Ƶ.” Committee members: Professors Gregory Koop and Ann Hershberger.

Milan Sheth: “Ketamine-induced Changes in Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Pre-hospital Intubated Patients.” Committee members: Professors Daniel Showalter and Matthew Siderhurst.

Benjamin Stern: “Essential Competencies for the Rural American Doctor.“ Committee members: Professor Kim Brenneman and Randall Longenecker, MD.

Harnish, who performed research under the supervision of Professor , studied the “Neuronal Basis for Aging in Drosophila melanogaster.”

Herman won for his presentation of research on the effect of a high salt and high fructose diet on rats (his research was titled “The Effect of a High Salt and High Fructose Diet on the Expression of the NFAT5 Gene in Kidney and Intestine Samples of Sprague-Dawley Rats”). Herman works with Professor in support of her .

Forty projects were presented. Some individuals worked specifically under . Others participated as part of required coursework. Professor ’s alternative energy class, for example, presented a range of research on the topic.

The poster show, which is held in both spring and , provides undergraduates and graduate students with the opportunity to practice presentation skills in an informal setting. Several students have presented research in the campus setting before moving on to .

Professors (biology, biomedicine) and (physics, engineering) headed the judging panel, which also included Professor (biology), Professor (mathematics) and Professor , a biology professor at James Madison University.

In the upperclass division, Kaylee Ferguson and Jared Fernandez, who also studied changes in gene expression related to dietary changes in rats with Halterman, finished in second place. Ferguson is a junior biology major and Fernandez a second-year MA in Biomedicine graduate student.

Third ​place went to Katherine Lehman for her research on Judas beetles. She is a research student with Siderhurst.

In the underclass division, Mason Stoltzfus and Maria Yoder won second place for their general chemistry project on the abilities of English ivy and forsythia to phytoremediate copper.

Phoebe Coffie and Maisie Kirkley won third place for their project on the variation of copper concentrations in contaminated soils between sunflowers and beans.

Both of these projects were for a general chemistry II class taught by Professor .

Quiz show elite win ‘The Romie’

The quiz show team of “Mind AJAR” were the first recipients of “The Romie,” a bobblehead trophy celebrating Professor , for which the annual games are named. Miller retires this spring after 31 years at 91����Ƶ (read about his long and dedicated career .)

Mind AJAR consisted of Robert Propst, Aubrey Shelly, Ayu Yifru and Jonathan Patterson. All teams must include a senior, junior, sophomore and first-year student.

Second place was Stephan Goertzen, Noah Haglund, Hannah Weaver and Hannah Daley.

Third place went to Hannah Chappel-Dick, Tyler Denlinger, Maria Yoder and Kat Lehman.

Honorable mention went to the team of David Nester, Grayson Mast, Derek Harnish and RJ Ocampo.

This nudged the second-year graduate student to more investigation: Was vaping as healthy as manufacturers claimed?

For Fernandez, as well as four master’s in biomedicine candidates at 91����Ƶ who defended their theses on Dec. 5, the research process was much more than the sum of the parts.

“I appreciated applying scientific concepts to real world questions that were medically and socially relevant,” said Fernandez, who has received acceptance letters from two medical schools for next year.

Independent research guided by professors

Professor , Fernandez’s advisor, teaches the summer research methods and the fall data methods courses that guide students through the research project, which is the culmination of the five-semester course of study.

“In the summer, the students develop their topic, go through the Institutional Review Board process, create methods and gather data,” she explained. “In the fall class, we look at data analysis and the writing of the manuscript.”

A committee of three professors from different disciplines guides each student through the rigors of research. “We advise carefully, because this is a big investment of time and energy from the student, and an important learning experience,” Halterman said. “You really don’t know how to do research until you create a project of your own and go through the process. There’s troubleshooting, and navigation of politics of different institutions and organizations, and learning how to work with people.”

The process-oriented, hands-on approach is excellent preparation for careers in biomedicine or for medical school, Halterman says. “Most students don’t have any experience with original hypothesis-driven research and this really makes them stand out when they apply to medical or dental school.”

The research project is the final component of a four-part program that includes coursework, a cross-cultural experience and a practicum experience. Transdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving are used and encouraged as students and faculty engage in a curriculum that integrates the natural and medical sciences with faith and ethics, Halterman says, a unique training that also positions students to be collaborative and holistic investigators.

Fall 2015 Research Projects

Rachel Thomas: “A Data Analysis on Demographic Information of Patients with ADHD at [local medical practice]”

Thomas, who works in healthcare and has a goal of becoming a physician’s assistant, says her interest arose from her own awareness of the high rates of ADHD diagnosis. She analyzed demographical data from an area medical practice to identify correlations between adult ADHS and gender, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. In demographical analyses of childhood ADHD already done by other researchers, ADHD was more frequently observed in Caucasians and in males. The data set included more than 970 patients ranging in age from 18-65+ and confirmed that a diagnosis of adult ADHS was more likely to be seen in Caucasion men than in other populations. Her research will be used to help identify and treat adult patients with ADHD. Committee members: Drs. and

Hannah Bell: “Women’s Awareness of Risk Factors Linked to Breast Cancer in Harrisonburg, Virginia”

Bell conducted a survey in which 60 female respondents self-reported their knowledge about obesity and breast cancer. She found that women in Harrisonburg did not fully understand the risk factors of breast cancer, including the role of postmenopausal obesity. Though the survey only covered a small population, it affirmed the need to raise awareness among the local population about the risk factors. Committee members: Drs. and

Vipul Nayani: ��“The Effect of Collegiate Athletic Training Duration on Athlete Injury Incidence”

Nayani, a 2014 Virginia Tech graduate who plans to become a family physician, developed this project with an interest in “multifactorial” causes and individual proclivities toward injury. He observed a correlation between training time and injury, with evidence suggesting that more than 18 hours of weekly athletic training were 23% more likely to develop athletic injuries than athletes that trained for fewer than 18 hours per week. Committee Members: Drs. and Carolyn Stauffer.

Tareq Yousef: “Cost Analysis of Dental Services Before and After the Implementation of the Affordable Care Act in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area and the Shenandoah Valley Region of Virginia”

Yousef, who has an undergraduate degree from George Washington University in public health, wanted a research topic that integrated current political events with healthcare, and specifically dentistry, his future profession. He studied the effect of the Medical Device Excise Tax, which supports the Affordable Care Act and is levied on device manufacturers, on the cost of oral health services in dental offices and labs. Statistically significant changes in cost of services were reported for all of the lab services as well as some dental procedures. Committee members: Drs. and Roman Miller.

Jared Fernandez: “Carcinogenic Compounds Created by the Vaporization of Electronic Cigarette Liquid: Effects of Variable Voltage within the Modified Electronic Cigarette”

Fernandez’s research, outlined briefly above, hypothesized that there would be positive correlation between the voltage setting of the modified E-cig and the amount of carcinogens within the vapor produced from one modified E-cig design. While no detectable amounts of carcinogens were produced in his data set, Fernandez found that the content of the vapor is significantly different depending on the voltage. Furthermore, increased voltage may increase inflammatory responses in human lungs regardless of flavoring additives due to increased concentrations within inhaled vapors. These findings suggest additional research is required to further characterize E-cig effects on human health. Committee members: Drs. and .

Eight presentations were made by 14 biology, , and students that showcased the breadth and depth of research opportunities available at 91����Ƶ.

The symposium provided an opportunity for students to share their research with an audience of general science majors, said department chair and professor of chemistry . One of the skills of a scientist, she says, is “to be able to present technical terminology and processes in accessible language. It’s great if a scientist can study climate change, for example, but if we can’t explain the results of a climate change study to someone who doesn’t have the background, that doesn’t help us share and discuss our findings.”

The evaluation – led by , professor of chemistry at James Madison University – included three criteria: collection of data, thoroughness of research design and analysis, and clarity and accessibility of the oral presentation.

Second place was awarded to junior Hannah Daley for her presentation about her National Science Foundation-sponsored research, in partnership with two professors at James Madison University, on the effects of caffeine on athletes.

Sophomore Kat Lehman and junior Diego Barahona were awarded third place for their research on utilizing radio-tracking to locate coconut rhinoceros beetles’ breeding sites, which was conducted under the direction of chemistry professor in Guam. Siderhurst has worked for several years on research projects involving the development of attractants for invasive and agriculturally important pests.

Students find their niche in grant-funded studies

Research projects often pair students with professors engaged in long-term studies. The competition winners, Ferguson and Fernandez, were research assistants to Professor , who earned a $100,000 Jeffress Trust grant to study a multi-year investigation into the causes of hypertension. In Ferguson and Fernandez’s project, rats were fed a high fructose, high salt, low salt, and no salt diet and measured the activation of genes involved in disease.

The STEM symposium is also offers students like Hannah Daley and Janaya Sachs, who both earned grants to engage research opportunities off campus, to share what they’ve learned. Sachs explored a new ligand for synthesizing copper, a summer project she engaged in through the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates. She worked at .

The bioorganic copper project is just one of several research opportunities she’s been involved in. Her freshman year, she joined , led by , director of the MA in biomedicine program, and supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She and Hannah Daley are both currently involved in evaluating the effects of hydrofracking on stream and well water, a project under the direction of and Kishbaugh.

Among the research shared, a unique transdisciplinary project was conducted by biology major Samuel Miller and computer science major Alex Bender, advised by Siderhurst and computer science professor . Miller conducted a chemistry project that involved identification and quantification of volatiles released by the noni fruit during ripening that provided a complex data set that was difficult to analyze. Bender and Miller have both used a mathematical technique called Principal Component Analysis to analyze the results in a simpler manner.�� Bender is documenting their methodology for PCA usage, simultaneously evaluating software programs Cluster 3.0 and SPSS for their ability to simplify the data set.

Flavenoids, genetics, mold…

Professor , who teaches courses in genetics, cell biology, microbiology and immunology, advised several research projects. Biology major Chris Miller researched the effect of anthocyanins, richly concentrated plant colorants that may have protective effects, on mouse fetal development when the mice are exposed to a significant amount of alcohol.

Derek Harnish and Eli Wenger presented their research on the neuronal basis of aging in flies. Harnish, a biology major, and Wenger, a biology and biochemistry double major, worked with Copeland on his ongoing project to identify specific types of that have the potential to extend lifespan in flies when the mitochrondrial electron transport chain is disrupted.

Biology majors Viktor Kaltenstein and Seth Suttles teamed up to study mold growth in a vacated section of the Suter Science Center campus using the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI).

Good works in the molecular physiology and biophysics section under the guidance of principal investigator ’86 and postdoctoral fellow Kanchan Gupta. They are synthesizing variants of a toxin found in the venom of the Chinese earth tiger tarantula, and studying how those toxins interact with ion channels. The research aims to provide knowledge about how toxins cause ion channels to close and open, thereby shining light on the channel mechanisms.

Good began his internship in January while on a spring with the (WCSC). When Swartz urged him to think about extending his internship through the summer, Good then applied for and was accepted into the . While this program is competitive, with only about 1,000 applicants accepted from more than 6,300 applications in 2013, NIH scientists select their own interns. Good’s placement through WCSC and his work begun with Swartz in the spring set the stage for his continued research.

Lab work under Harvard-trained neurobiologist

One of Good’s biggest challenges, he says, has been learning about the field of biophysics and the specific biochemical, molecular biological and biophysical techniques used in Swartz’s lab to investigate toxins and ion channels. His principal investigator, Swartz – who double-majored in chemistry and biology at 91����Ƶ and earned his PhD in neurobiology at Harvard University in 1992 – has been working in the field for years, including postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School.

Good explains the basics of his research in layman’s terms: Ion channels are a part of neuron, muscle, and touch sensor cells which can generate electrical signals, allowing cells across the body to communicate. When one ion channel opens, charged ions rush out of the cell, creating an electrical signal. This causes adjacent ion channels to open, making a chain reaction known as the “action potential.”

“The action potential is the fundamental means for communication within our bodies because of the speed at which a signal travels,” explains Good. “For example, if you touch a hot stove, ion channels open in response to this stimulus, sending an electrical signal to your brain. Then your brain sends an electrical signal back to quickly remove your hand.”

The first two months in the lab were arduous, Good says. He’s no stranger to detail-oriented and sometimes frustrating work, having spent the previous summer at North Dakota State University working with a graduate student on biomass carbohydrates. But biophysics is a new field to him.

“There was a lot of failure at the outset,” says Good. “Instruments failed, I made mistakes, and the project did not seem to move forward. Yet the reward was just around the corner.”

Finally, a breakthrough came, and Good progressed from synthesis on to “more interesting experiments.”

“That was also the point when I realized that I wasn’t as bad at lab work as I had begun to imagine,” says Good.

To begin synthesizing the toxin, Good programs instruments to load amino acid cartridges in the proper order, producing an impure toxin in 36 hours. This is just step one of a long process.

“Some mornings, I have experiments that need immediate attention because of their length,” says Good. “For example, one chemical reaction takes four to six hours to complete, followed by a long separation step and freeze-drying, which I set up to run overnight. After work on these days, I’m both physically and mentally exhausted.”

Research guides career exploration

On days that he isn’t tending to chemical reactions or programming lab instruments, Good attends scientific NIH Summer Internship Program presentations, reads literature, plans for future experiments, and writes.

During the spring semester, he tapped into the social side of WCSC, exploring Washington D.C. and spending time at the group house.

“Some of us went to see [singer-songwriter] Andy Grammer, checked out a Wizards game, and rented paddleboats on the Tidal Basin to view the cherry blossoms.”

When his WCSC semester concluded, Good moved into other housing. His internship ends in August, at which point he’ll return to 91����Ƶ for his final year.

In addition to the South Dakota research, Good has worked with chemistry professor to identify noni fruit’s chemical make-up. Adding eight months of research at NIH to his research portfolio has been an invaluable experience, Good says. The internship has given him a better understanding of the process of original research, and piqued his interest in the intersections between chemistry and biology. While Good uses toxins to close ion channels, he is opening doors of possibility as to where a chemistry degree may lead.

The PhD student, in his fourth year of studies, is involved with one of the first projects at The Ohio State University to take advantage of the new platform matching scientists with donors.

To directly connect with the public, many scientists have turned to the social media, but using it effectively is a challenge. Showalter says he is learning as he goes, providing research updates and interesting scientific links on .

But in late October, Showalter had a little fun: “Need a nerdy Halloween costume?” he tweeted, attaching a link to bug-eyed masks. “Why not invasive insect?”

One of those masks caricatured the invasive emerald ash borer, a small winged creature with terrifying destructive powers. Since 2002, when the beetle accidentally arrived in North America via shipping crates from its native Asia, the species has killed an estimated tens of millions of ash trees in the Midwest and threatens to wipe out remaining forests across the continent.

“We stand to lose a multi-billion dollar resource and an essential piece of our forest ecosystem,” Showalter says in a video about his project.

Showalter doesn’t think eradication is a realistic idea for this insect. And despite the countless hours he’s spent researching how to stop its destruction, he still appreciatively calls his iridescent nemesis “a beautiful beetle.”

Instead, he and advisor Enrico Bonello are pinning their efforts on host resistance genetics for long term management of the insect. In Russia, China, and Korea, Asian species of ash tree have developed resistance to the beetle and die at much lower rates.

“The question is why the Asian species of ash tree can defend themselves and why the North American species can’t?” Showalter explains. “Trees produce a variety of chemicals in attempts to defend themselves. Through previous research, we have some idea of the chemistry that is happening, but ultimately the underlying genetics is what is going to be useful to help with breeding.”

Through the research proposed in the crowdfunding campaign, Showalter hopes to find the genetic markers of resistance to the beetle that will allow others to breed hybrid or transgenic North American ash trees. His research has already received partial funding from the , but Showalter says the additional $6,250 he seeks through his pitch on Experiment.com will allow him to make more progress on the genetic sequencing.

Already 40 backers have pledged more than $2,400. The deadline to meet the funding goal is Nov. 20. Like other crowdfunding sites, follows an “all-or-nothing” model: donors are not charged if the funding goal is not met.�� All but eight percent of the donation value is tax-deductible.

While at 91����Ƶ, Showalter was involved in research projects with professors and . As an undergraduate, he co-authored three research papers involving entomology and invasive species – interests which eventually coalesced into his profession.

Besides narrowing his interests and gaining skills that have helped him as a scientist, Showalter also has 91����Ƶ to thank for one more benefit: he also met his wife, Kelly (Smucker) Showalter ’09, at 91����Ƶ. Kelly is currently a second-year medical student at Ohio State.

“You can imagine time is at a premium for both of us,” Showalter said (he made a hasty exit from the lab, clipboard in hand, to talk to 91����Ƶ news). “I have less of it now that I ever did, but it’s exciting to be at the forefront of this project.”