John Niedzwiecki (Biology) recently hosted a series of seminars for the zookeepers at The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. The goal of the seminars was to introduce the zookeepers to behavioral research techniques and the basics of experimental design so that they might be able to employ the techniques with the animals they work with at the zoo. The Nashville Zoo is growing and is looking to take on an increasing role in zoo animal research. The zookeepers will be conducting small test projects this spring and summer based on these seminars and hope to soon gear up for larger projects. Dr. Niedzwiecki also uses the zoo animals, with the assistance of their keepers, for research projects in his Animal Behavior Class.
Niedzwiecki Hosts Seminars for Grassmere Zookeepers
Biology Faculty, Students Take Part in BioBlitz
On April 2, Belmont biology professors John Niedzwiecki and Steve Murphree hosted a BioBlitz at the Beaman Park Nature Center. Beaman Park is one of Metro Nashville’s newest and most natural Parks. Bioblitzs are a chance for the public to go off-trail, turn over rocks and logs and identify the organisms living in the park and also look for new species to the park, especially salamanders and frogs. The staff at The Beaman Park Nature Center benefit by getting an inventory of the natural diversity within the park. Belmont students and others from the Nashville community participated. The activity was coordinated by Linnann Welch (’93) , director of both The Beaman Park and Bell’s Bend Nature Centers.
Chemistry Students Participate in Prescription Drug Take-Back Event
On Saturday, April 2, 11 students in Professor Kim Daus’ Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry class participated in a Prescription Drug Take-Back event in Dickson County. The students participating were Taylor Andrew, Caleb Binkley, Mike Boyle, Brandon Ladage, Vihn Mai, Mydoy Nguyen, Marie Sisco, Emily Smothers, Matthew Turner, Jenny Westbrook and Devon Whalley. Daus and the Belmont students worked with Vanderbilt nursing students and Lipscomb pharmacy students in identifying, counting and cataloguing drugs submitted for disposal by the citizens in Dickson County. Over 3,000 controlled substances were collected as well as several thousand non-controlled drugs and over-the-counter medications. Additionally, Belmont students developed a poster and five brochures for the event that examined the effect of the five most common prescription drugs on the environment.
Biology/Pre-Med Student Featured on Local TV News Program
Azad Karim, a biology/pre-ped student at Belmont, was featured on local station Fox17 on March 30 to tell about his volunteer work with the “Best Buddies” program. Karim has been buddies with Matt Moore for several months, and they get together several times a week. Best Buddies is a non-profit organization that pairs people with intellectual or developmental disabilities with non-disabled people in the community. Best Buddies has been around for years worldwide, but only in Tennessee for less than two years. There are currently eight chapters with five more opening up later this year. The goal is for anyone with an intellectual disability to always have a buddy.
Biology Major Published in Tennessean
Laura Muck, a biology major at Belmont, recently had her letter to the editor published in the Tennessean. Her letter was about calculators being a crutch for students.
Students Present at American Chemical Society National Meeting
Alison Moore and Rachel Rigsby (Chemistry), along with nine students, attended the 241st American Chemical Society National Meeting in Anaheim, CA, March 27-31. In addition to attending research talks, poster sessions and workshops, five students presented research posters: Brandon Ladage, Nicole Smith, Loren Brown, Will Proffitt and Vinh Mai. Four students presented the chapter activity poster: Emily Smothers, Grant Anderson, Jenny Westbrook and Ashley Newsome. This year the Belmont University chapter of SMACS (Student Members of the American Chemical Society) received a Commendable Award at the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony.
Giordano Serves as Member of Editorial Advisory Board
Pete Giordano (Psychological Sciences) has accepted an invitation to serve as a member of a guest editorial advisory board for a special issue of PLAT (Psychology Learning and Teaching). PLAT is an international peer-reviewed journal devoted to the sharing of good and innovative learning, teaching and assessment practices. It is published by the Higher Education Academy Psychology Network in the UK. The special issue will focus on cross-cultural issues related to the teaching of psychology.
History Students Participate in Regional Conference
On April 2, Belmont history students Andrew Broadway, Eli Gibbons and Stephanie Downing traveled to Murray, Kentucky to participate in the 2011 Kentucky Regional Phi Alpha Theta conference held at Murray State University. The students are members of Belmont’s Xi-Alpha Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the History Honor Society. Each of the students presented their research to their peers from other universities. Downing’s paper on the U.S. hockey team’s victory at the 1980 Olympics, “February 22, 1980: The Miracle on Ice,” received second prize for best undergraduate paper. Accompanying the students at the conference were Department of History faculty member Dr. Cynthia Bisson, advisor to the XI Alpha Chapter, and Dr. Douglas Bisson, who also chaired a panel.
Lawyer Advocates for Students to Engage in ‘Strategic Whimsy’
Lawyer Bob Goff, the founder and CEO of Restore International who also teaches a law class at Pepperdine University, spoke at Belmont on Wednesday in a convocation co-sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Development and the College of Law.
The nonprofit Restore International exists to address atrocities and injustices committed against children. With a passion for finding ways to restore justice to children and the poorest of the poor, Restore makes a difference on behalf of those who do not otherwise have a voice. Restore has worked with Uganda’s judiciary in bringing to trial over 200 cases, including cases involving children who were languishing in jail without trial. Goff now serves as the Hon. Consul for the Republic of Uganda to the United States.
Though passionate about the work of Restore, Goff is not as enthusiastic about organizations, red tape or anything considered the “typical” way of accomplishing a mission.
“The thing that struck me in college,” Goff said, “was that I wanted to make a difference in the world, and I kept hitting invisible fences.”
Encouraging students with the idea to be “secretly incredible,” Goff challenged attendees to move past the impediments that stand between them and their passion for service in order to get to the “do” part. “Bring your whimsy. If there are tapes playing in your head about what you can’t do, ignore them. You serve a huge God.”
Goff is currently writing a book that is scheduled to release in 2012 on Thomas Nelson Publishers. Click here to view additional photos from Wednesday’s event.
Belmont Launches Mobile Web Site
Starting today, prospective Belmont students will be able to find out more about Belmont University via a more convenient device: their smart phones. The mobile site will automatically load when individuals enter www.belmont.edu – or the mobile address, m.belmont.edu – on an internet capable phone. While the mobile site is primarily targeted to prospective students, it will also be useful for current students, faculty and staff.
Users will be able to view brief information on each academic program, important contact numbers and an interactive campus map as well as connect to Belmont Athletics. This mobile site will be an ongoing project for the Office of University Marketing and Special Initiatives and will continue to grow to be a more robust site in the coming months.
Highlights of the mobile site include:
• Built with the latest mobile technology to work on most modern smart phones
• A Go Here button on the homepage allows users to provide feedback about the site
• The mobile site provides direct links to the University’s social media pages
• Important numbers can be called directly from the site, just by pushing the desired destination
• Users can donate to Development and/or the Bruin Club (Athletics Annual Fund) by clicking the ‘donate’ button
• The site can be added to smart phone home screens for easy access.
