division of sciences Archives - ��ݮӰ��

��ݮӰ�� Receives $166K Grant From NASA To Install Air Quality Sensors

Ana Funduk — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:44:26 +0000

��ݮӰ�� will install sensors that detect weather and pollution patterns as part of a $166,000 grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The sensors will be installed atop the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life on campus.

NASA awarded the five-year grant to ��ݮӰ�� in part because of its federal status as a Hispanic Serving Institution, a school that is committed to equitable outcomes for Hispanic students. The two weather sensors will be installed by NASA this spring, and money from the grant will fund travel expenses and salaries for instructors and student workers. The equipment will be owned and maintained by NASA.

The grant was secured through the joint efforts of Assistant Professor of Chemistry John Randazzo and Director of Sponsored Projects Renee Cox. Only about 10 institutions across the country received the grant, and ��ݮӰ�� is the lone Chicago site.

The environmental data gathered by the sensors will allow NASA researchers to monitor levels of atmospheric compounds such as carbon monoxide, along with particulate matters expelled by cars and factories. The data will also be compared to that acquired by satellites circling the earth to ensure accuracy. ��ݮӰ�� students and professors will have access to that data, which will be transmitted directly into ��ݮӰ��’s classrooms.

“This is a powerful tool because it makes learning real,” Randazzo said. “The students can read the data and know that’s coming from just above their heads.”

Randazzo said the NASA grant was likely to raise ��ݮӰ��’s profile as a research university.

“Building a face-to-face relationship with NASA raises our credibility and increases future prospects,” Randazzo said, adding that a NASA engineer will be speaking on campus in March.

Dr. Randazzo said he and Cox found the grant opportunity on a NASA LISTSERV about a year ago, and although they ignore “99% of them” because they are not applicable, this particular grant struck them both because of ��ݮӰ��’s location and Randazzo’s background in atmospheric science.

The two worked together to apply for the grant, which they learned they’d won late last year. .

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History and Biology Professors Collaborate on Pandemic Curriculum

Ellen Almer — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 19:19:45 +0000

Through the cross-disciplinary lenses of history and science, Professor and Lecturer in History Peter Olfelt and Associate Professor of Biology Drew Rholl, shared their expertise to offer an innovative curriculum teaching ��ݮӰ�� students about pandemics.

Professor Olfelt teaches a hybrid class called Pandemics in History, where he juxtaposes three historical periods in the context of pandemics including the plague pandemics, the 1918 influenza outbreak, and AIDS. Students learn how pandemics have been perceived differently in these historical periods as well as the short-term and long-term effects the diseases have had on our society and culture.

Peter Olfelt, Professor and Lecturer in History

In the sciences, Dr. Rholl teaches about microbes, how they grow, and how they affect the human body in his online course, Advanced Topics in Biology: Pandemics. With a specialized focus on the spread of diseases, the course explores the nature of organisms that cause disease, what different diseases look like, how they can be treated, and how the body is working.

Although the classes are not synchronous, students engage with both the history and science perspectives through shared video presentations. “The courses were designed to leverage the experience of each group so they could build off of each other,” said Dr. Rholl.

Integrated into the curriculum is the biology of the disease and its history. “To really dig into the nature of the disease, where it comes from, how it spreads, and the various strains of it, I find that that has made my classes even better,” said Professor Olfelt.

As a smaller environment, ��ݮӰ��’s close-knit community fosters cross-departmental relationships and collaboration among faculty and students. “Sometimes when we’re siloed in our own fields, we suffer from blind spots, which basically means that as a microbiologist I don’t know what history instructors don’t know. By having a conversation, we can identify those questions and have a much more effective transfer of ideas,” said Dr. Rholl.

Professor Olfelt says students are responding well to the collaborative curriculum, and it has boosted student engagement. “When we’re studying various diseases and looking at newspaper articles or papers, it’s easy to engage the class with how this relates to their own personal experience,” says Professor Olfelt, who’s excited to be teaching at this particular moment in time.

Thanks to the collaboration between Professor Olfelt and Dr. Rholl, these innovative courses are creating additional learning opportunities for students to make connections between the classroom and real-world experiences.

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��ݮӰ�� Receives Grant from National Science Foundation

Ana Funduk — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 20:30:15 +0000

��ݮӰ�� has been awarded a $650,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to expand pathways for more undergraduate students to meet the nation’s need for well-educated scientists, engineers, and technicians.

��ݮӰ�� faculty members Dr. Stephen Ray (principal investigator), and co-principal investigators Dr. Eric Brown, Dr. Elizabeth Gray, and Dr. Sunshine Silver won the grant for their project entitled, Leveraging a STEM-focused Urban Industry Immersion Program to Expand Pathways for Undergraduates into STEM Fields.

“This historic award will be absolutely transformational in the lives of our STEM students,” said ��ݮӰ�� President Mary K. Surridge. “And it represents a tremendous amount of excellent work by our distinguished faculty. This should continue to raise the profile of our outstanding science programs and the overall educational experience at ��ݮӰ��.”

Over five years, this project will fund 20 scholarships for two groups of 10 students who are pursuing baccalaureate degrees in physics/engineering or biology. The project will support science and engineering students as they participate in a new urban-industry experiential immersion program. This program includes undergraduate research, internships, class projects, job skills development, and opportunities for students to learn about careers in industry. Student cohorts will be guided by faculty to foster strong connections with the industry and to help students develop job skills and knowledge about science and engineering-oriented careers.

The interdisciplinary research team is composed of faculty from the Departments of Physics & Engineering, Biology, Psychology, and Chemistry. To win this substantial grant award, the team leveraged the momentum gained from ��ݮӰ��’s recently constructed Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, and the University’s newly implemented Chicago-based curriculum, Catalyst 606__.

ABOUT NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY

��ݮӰ�� is a city-centered, intercultural, and Christian university located in Chicago.

Christopher Childers
Assistant Vice President of University Marketing and Communications
��ݮӰ��
773-244-5750
cchilders@northpark.edu

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Science-minded High Schoolers Offered College-level Courses at ��ݮӰ��’s Summer Science Academy

Ana Funduk — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 14:55:24 +0000

Back by popular demand, ��ݮӰ�� will open its state-of-the-art science facilities to high schoolers who enroll in our Summer Science Academy, June 17–July 11. Now in its fourth year, the Summer Science Academy will offer credit-bearing, university-quality instruction in a supportive, enriching environment.

Some Specifics about :

June 17–July 11 one- and two-week long courses meet either in the morning or afternoon
Course fee $180 per week per course
2-week courses earn ��ݮӰ��徱��
10% early-bird discount registration March 31st
Priority registration and scholarship application April 30
Final registration May 15

“All the experiments were very interesting. I had a lot of fun, along with learning a lot,” said one 2018 student participant.

“These courses are a great opportunity for students to experience science as closely as it could be at a college level but with the added guidance appropriate for high schoolers,” said Dr. Yoojin Choi, the program’s director.

New to Summer Science 2019 is Forensic Chemistry, a perfect opportunity to experience ��ݮӰ��’s Chemistry Instrumentation Laboratory. Students learn the chemistry behind techniques utilized in examining physical evidence from crime scenes. Like all Summer Science courses, Forensic Chemistry will use hands-on, experiential learning.

Students can choose from the following courses:

Human Anatomy Boot Camp: Department of Biology
Fins, Fur, and Feathers: Department of Biology (2 weeks)
Genomes from the Chicago River: Department of Biology (2 weeks)
Forensic Chemistry: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Body Dynamics and Comfort: Division of Health Sciences

��ݮӰ�� started the program so high schoolers could have access to high-quality, engaging science courses, according to Choi. The idea, she said, is to foster in young people a curiosity about science, which eventually leads to their involvement in science-related careers.

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Dean Thuswaldner elected President of the Austrian Studies Association

Ana Funduk — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 14:29:10 +0000

Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dean of Arts and Sciences, was elected President of the Austrian Studies Association, a member institution of the American Council of Learned Societies. Thuswaldner will serve a two-year term as President. The US-based Austrian Studies Association was founded in 1961 to promote the study of Austrian, Austro-Hungarian, and Habsburg culture, literature, history, and politics. The Austrian Studies Association publishes a quarterly scholarly journal, the Journal of Austrian Studies (University of Nebraska Press) and organizes annual conferences. As President, Thuswaldner also serves as the association’s Chief Executive Officer Liaison to and ex-officio Board Member of the American Council of Learned Societies.

More About Dean Thuswaldner

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NPU Senior and NASA Intern Renee Baker Nominated for Seaborg Prize

Ellen Almer — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 22:20:07 +0000

��ݮӰ�� Senior Renee Baker has been nominated for the prestigious Glenn T. Seaborg Science Scholarship, an honor bestowed upon an outstanding natural science major at one of the six colleges recognized by the Swedish Council of America as a Swedish Heritage College. ��ݮӰ�� is recognized as such an institution because of its active connection with modern Scandinavia, via its language studies and academic exchange programs.

“I’m so incredibly honored to be nominated for this scholarship,” said Baker, an environmental science major, of the award named for the famed Swedish chemist.

She’s certainly worthy: while many college kids spend their break on the beach or working a part-time job, Baker was doing test flights with NASA. Last summer, Baker spent two months in California interning with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, tagging along on plane rides, collecting atmospheric data and learning how various instruments worked.

The Carol Stream, Illinois native actually applied for the NASA internship on something of a whim. “I honestly just got an email from [chemistry professor] Dr. Rienstra-Kiracofe, and I applied because, why not?” Baker says. Rienstra-Kiracofe provided a letter of recommendation, and the next thing Baker knew, she was on her way to Irvine, Ca.

In addition to the flying experience, Baker spent several weeks on campus at the University of California, Irvine, where she learned how to use tools to perform remote sensing and took a trip to the Jet Propulsion Lab. At the end of the internship, she and her group presented to a group of NASA employees and fellow students.

Ultimately, Baker, a physics minor, plans to pursue a career in alternative energy and biomimicry engineering, a field of science that seeks sustainable solutions to human-generated problems by copying patterns in nature. For instance, scientists who specialize in biomimicry are testing new plumbing and electric systems that mimic the branch-like structure of trees and leaves, as they may be more efficient than pipes positioned at right angles.

Baker will find out in March if she has won the coveted Seaborg prize, which includes airfare to Sweden, a living stipend, and participation in December’s Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar, a weeklong series of events arranged in connection with Nobel Peace Prize activities.

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Physics and Liberal Arts, An Educational Alchemy: Jonathan Almer C’91

Ana Funduk — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:17:52 +0000

Jonathan Almer, C’91, recently welcomed a 1,800-year-old mummy to his office for the day.

Of course, Almer, a physicist at Argonne National Laboratory, doesn’t have your average desk job. As part of his work there running the Advanced Photon Source (APS)—a highly sophisticated X-Ray machine—he conducted an in-depth examination of the mummy, believed to contain the body of a 5-year-old Egyptian girl.

“We’re hoping our data will help us better understand details of her bone tissue, and her teeth,” said Almer, who majored in physics at ��ݮӰ�� and received his PhD in material sciences from Northwestern University in 1998. “This kind of information will help us enrich the historic context of the mummy as well as the Roman period in Egypt.”

Almer’s expertise with Argonne’s APS allowed him and his partner, Northwestern Prof. Stuart Stock, to peer into the mummy at a high resolution, and “in a non-destructive way,” Almer said.

The mummy is one of only 100 so-called “portrait mummies” in existence. Such mummies feature life-like paintings of the deceased person’s face. This particular mummy is owned by Northwestern University and will be on display for several months in 2018 at the school’s Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. Almer and Stock’s fascinating research was featured in a recent .

Almer credits his ��ݮӰ�� education with sparking his sense of curiosity.

“My physics courses were challenging but sometimes even fun, thanks to Linda McDonald,” said Almer, of the longtime NPU physics professor.

“��ݮӰ�� provided an excellent basis for my career,” Almer said. “The strong overall liberal arts focus at ��ݮӰ�� meant I took a much broader set of courses than most of my colleagues I’ve worked with since.”

Almer also joked, “Such broad-based knowledge helps personal development in a myriad of ways, but also provides practical benefits such as communication skills which, let’s face it, scientists could use more of.”

Well said, even for a scientist.

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