Department of Biological Sciences

CURRENT NEWS & EVENTS

Biology Education majors create tree tours at MacArthur Middle School Sanctuary and Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge

CU Biology Education majors Kaci Clippinger and Kelsy Hebert have constructed educational tree tours as part of their senior projects. Clippinger designed a 10 tree tour at the Environmental Education Center at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Hebert’s tree tour features 15 trees at the Nature Sanctuary at MacArthur Middle School.

Cameron’s biology education degree was established in 2007. As a part of the requirements for graduation, candidates are required to design and complete a biology education project.

Dr. Mike Husak receives the Bhattacharya Endowed Lectureship for Excellence in Research Award

Dr. Husak is being honored with this award in recognition of the “strong and prolific undergraduate research program” that he has developed, according to the nominator. Husak’s approach to research “is built around a collaborative learning model in which the students as well as mentors make new discoveries as collaborative learners.” One of his students remarked, “Dr. Husak has been the most influential person during my undergrad education at Cameron University. Since meeting him, I have been doing research every chance I get. He has shown me that I have the ability to pursue my true calling in biology. I went from my freshman year being unsure about what my goals were to my senior year knowing 100 percent that I’m on the right path in my life.”

This award was established in 2008 by Cameron alumnus Sanjit Bhattacharya to advance the quality of research and creative and scholarship activity at Cameron University and in Southwest Oklahoma. Dr. Husak teaches biology, ecology, mammalogy, ornithology and zoology in Cameron's Department of Biology.

Dr. Carla Guthridge receives the University of Choice Award

The “University of Choice” Award recognizes a current staff or faculty member who is making outstanding contributions toward making Cameron the “University of Choice” by providing students a top quality education. Dr. Carla Guthridge, Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, is the 2012-2013 recipient.

Nominations can be made by CU faculty, staff, or students. One nominator noted that Dr. Gurthridge has been influential in several key projects, including the current development of two new degree programs and the construction of teaching laboratories at the CU-Duncan campus. Another nominator - a student - remarked, “I am thankful for Dr. Guthridge’s continual faith in her student’s success and her ability to recognize and develop her students’ strengths that will lead to success. She is an amazing inspiration and gift to those she surrounds.”

Biology students and faculty attend Southwestern Association of Naturalists meeting in Lake Charles, Louisiana

CU Biology students Jared White, Alexandria Lamle, and Jessica White travelled to the annual meeting in April, along with faculty and staff members Mike and Mandy Husak and CU alumnus Diane Landoll.

Jared White presented a poster highlighting his gecko research titled "New county records and comments for southwestern Oklahoma expansion of the Mediterranean house gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus." Dr. Husak and Diane Landoll gave oral presentations titled "Migratory patterns and wintering areas of individual Tyrannus flycatchers breeding in the Great Plains of North America" and "Environmental constraints on extra-pair paternity: linking variable weather conditions to the presence and frequency of extra-pair young in the nests of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers," respectively.

Outstanding students inducted into Honor Society

Juniors who are in the top 7.5% of their class and the top 10% of seniors and graduate students are being inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Congratulations to the new inductees from the Biology Department: William Schlecht, Jetta Trammell, Heesook Alarcon, Rochelle Mayers, Kaci Clippinger, Julie Conatser, Bolanie Adebayo, Oluwatomisin Atolagbe, Rushna Shrestha, Johna Romero, Mary Schiffinger, Sarah Vria.

Student Jared White represents Cameron University at Research Day at the Capitol

OK EPSCoR Research Day at the Capitol is an annual event that is held in the State Capitol. It was created to inform the legislature and the public about the high-quality research being conducted at Oklahoma colleges and universities. Outstanding undergraduate students from Oklahoma's colleges and universities are selected by their institutions to participate in the prestigious program.

This March, Jared White represents Cameron University as he presents a poster on his work documenting range expansion of Mediterranean geckos in southwestern Oklahoma.

President's List

Congratulations to the following students for making the President's List for Fall 2012 by maintaining a 4.0 GPA: Bolanle Adebayo, Oluwasola Adenekan, Tolulope Agbetunsin, Oluwatomisin Atolagbe, Oluwaseun Ayeni, Jasmine Bryant, Sarah Carver, Kaci Clippinger, Bryce Geiger, Kristin Hills, Lorren Jackson, Kylee Johnson, Vanessa Karpe, Jennifer Kinder, Bobbi Loflin, Ramona Martin, Rochelle Mayers, Jeremy McAnerney, Patrick McAnerney, Lauren Nickle, Kathryn Parsley, Madison Potter, Bukola Raji, Bukola Raji, Samantha Ristedt, Philip Schmidt, Rushna Shrestha, Kevin Stieb, Jacie Tarno, and Jacob Williams

Dean's List

Congratulations to the following students for making the Dean's List for Fall 2012 by maintaining a B average: Stella Abu, Shiva Adhikari, Rebecca Aremu, Rachana Baral, Sara Bigelow, Anita Blege, Rebekah Bowers, Temitope Buraimoh, Nicholas Burman, Samantha Campbell, Oluwatosin Dina, Veronica Dominguez, Sarah Downen, Joshua Edwards, Ekanem Ekpenyong, Carlyn Finke, Jenna Frederick, Odie Freeman, Kayla Giroir, Nancy Hazard, Kelsy Hebert, Helen Henry, Cody Jackson, Krysten Jackson, Rosemarie Jones, Alexandria Lamle, Jennifer Lawler, Jeremiah Lo, Cassi Loflin, Leslie Martini, Chelsea McCannell, Cody McLaird, Gabrielle Mitzs, Elena Morita, Ikechukwu Ogbu, Daeheon Oh, Larissa Perry, Andrea Powell, Brittainy Rednose, Chantelle Reynolds, Vernon Romine, Jessica Roy, Anuoluwapo Sanni, Erik Schutz, Kookhwa Song, Dillon Southerland, Ashmita Sthapit, Leilani Sweeney, Sara Thompson, Sue Timmons, Jetta Trammell, Emake Ugiomoh, Charles Webber, Tahnee Whigham, Anna White

Students attend Texas Society of Mammalogists meeting

CU students Bryce Geiger, Alexandria Lamle, Jared White, Mona Bevington, and Jessica Roy attended the annual Texas Society of Mammalogists meeting in Junction, TX, February 15-17, along with faculty Mike Husak, Brandon McDonald, and Matt van Sant.

Bryce Geiger won runner-up for the best overall undergraduate oral presentation for his research on kangaroo rat UV vision.

Darwin Day Celebration February 8

The 11th Annual Cameron Darwin Day celebration featured guest speaker Dr. Mark Fishbein from Oklahoma State University. He presented "From Darwin to Genomes: Milkweeds as a Model System for the Evolution of Plant Defenses." The event, hosted by the Psi Eta Chapter of Beta Beta Beta and the Biology Club, drew a large crowd.

Biology student Bryce Geiger wins best poster award

Cameron biology student Bryce Geiger won the the best poster award for his research on UV communication in kangaroo rats at a recent Oklahoma Academy of Science meeting. CU faculty members Brandon McDonald (biology) and Ramiro Moro (physics) contributed to the research.

Students present research at the Oklahoma Academy of Science Technical meeting at UCO in Edmond.

Several biology students travelled to UCO in Edmond for the Oklahoma Academy of Science meeting, including Bryce Geiger who presented a poster on his Kangaroo Rat retina research, and Jared White who presented a poster on his survey of Mediterranean Geckos in southwestern Oklahoma. Faculty members Drs. Matt van Sant and Mike Husak gave oral presentations.

Faculty is awarded endowed lectureship

Congratulations to Dr. Mike Husak for receiving a $5000 Bobby Gene Vowell Endowed Lectureship. His lectureship funds will allow students to perform research with collaborators from around the world and to appreciate research from a broader perspective.

Faculty attends North American Ornithological Conference

Dr. Mike Husak travelled to Vancouver, Canada, to present research conducted by himself and his student, Alexandria Lamle, on the migratory patterns and nest structure of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.

Faculty attends International Organization of Palaeobotany Conference

Dr. Michael Dunn travelled to Tokyo, Japan, to present his research on seed ferns from the Devonian period.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Biological Sciences Department is to provide high quality instruction to students at the undergraduate level with emphasis on active learning, problem solving, and critical thinking. The department is committed to improve knowledge in various fields of biology through research and scholarly activities and to transfer that knowledge to our students and colleagues. Our vision is to achieve excellence in education through creative use of traditional and innovative instructional methods, technology, and research. The faculty participates in outreach to the state and nation through services to the university community, to public, to governmental and industrial sectors, and to professional societies.