Whitney Harris completed an agronomy internship in the summer of 2010.  The internship not only provided her with great experience and a summer salary, but ultimately led to the full time position that Whitney is now beginning after graduating with her bachelors degree in Agricultural Science in December 2011.  Prior to graduation, Whitney recorded a short presentation summarizing lessons learned through her internship.  Click on the image below to view the 5-minute presentation.

Ten $750 scholarships will be awarded by the Missouri Corn Growers Association and Missouri Corn Merchandising Council to graduating high school seniors and college juniors pursuing a career in agronomy or related agriculture field.

Applications are available for download from Missouri Corn Online. Interested students can also call the Missouri Corn office toll free at (800) 827-4181 to request an application. Students must submit an application form, official high school or college transcript and at least one letter of recommendation to the Missouri Corn office by February 10, 2012 to be eligible for this award.

Additional requirements for applicants are as follows:

High school senior applicants must be Missouri residents from a Missouri farm or rural area. They must also plan to attend a two-year or four-year Missouri college or university and major in agronomy or agriculture-related field. The scholarship funds will apply toward the freshman year of college expenses for high school winners.

College applicants must also be Missouri residents from a Missouri farm or rural area, and currently a junior, enrolled in a Missouri four-year college or university majoring in agronomy or agriculture-related field. The scholarship funds will apply toward the senior year of expenses for college winners.

Applications will be reviewed by the Missouri Corn Scholarship Committee and recipients will be notified by mail on or before April 16, 2012. This is the 15^th year Missouri Corn Scholarships have been available. To learn more about Missouri Corn programs, please visit www.mocorn.org.

The application date for mathematics students to apply to the mathbio program has been extended to Friday, January 13, 2012. For more information on available projects, go to mathbio.truman.edu (click on research) or see Pam Ryan in VH2152, or email pjryan@truman.edu.

Brooks Brothers is getting into the holiday spirit with their new advertisement:  cashmere-scarf-wearing-lambs singing “Jingle Bells”.  (Click on the image below for video.)

Wait, did I say “cashmere”?  Doesn’t cashmere come from… GOATS?

Apparently the Pashmina Goat choir was already booked.

Congratulations to the winners in the MAA Texes Hold ‘Em tournament last Friday night.  Patrick Gross (left) was the overall winner and Scott Abbey (right) took second place.

Ever wondered about how smart computers can be?

If you are curious about how to make computers smarter and want to stimulate your own brain during the spring break, we have an exciting opportunity for you.

Monte Carlo algorithms are randomized search algorithms that are creating big advances in Artificial Intelligence. They have produced the first master-level play in Go, and they also give excellent performance in Solitaire and other games. Monte Carlo methods are also being applied to many more practical problems such as robot planning and scheduling and also to environmental problems such as species conservation and sustainability. Monte Carlo methods are naturally parallel, simple to implement, and appear to perform better or comparably to other more complex approaches. There are many open research problems including some fundamental ones such as why and when they work well.

The National Science Foundation and Oregon State University are sponsoring an allexpenses paid short course on Monte Carlo algorithms for undergraduates from US colleges and universities. Students are expected to have some prior experience in programming, but do not need any previous experience in Artificial Intelligence. Students from groups historically under-represented in computer science (women, minorities, first generation to attend college) are particularly encouraged to apply. The
course runs from March 19-23 in the beautiful town of Corvallis. We will provide accommodation, airfare, computer access, high quality interactions, and technical presentations.

If you are interested or have questions, please visit http://www.eecs.orst.edu/mcai.  Applications are due by December 20, 2011.

The Math Association of America is sponsoring a poker night for math and cs majors, minors, and friends. 5pm Friday Dec 2 in the VH commons.

Our last Math Colloquium of the semester will be on Tuesday, December 6, at 3:30 p.m. in VH1224.  Mike Munn from the University of Missouri at Columbia will be here to speak on as well as answer questions about graduate study at Mizzou.  As usual, refreshments will be provided!

ABSTRACT

Informally speaking, Topology is the mathematical study of the idea of “shape”.  One of the basic problems of Topology is to do determine when two objects have essentially the same shape in the sense that one object can be continuously deformed into the other without tearing or puncturing it.  One of the oldest conjectures in Topology is the Poincare conjecture.  According to Wolfram MathWorld, the conjecture roughly says that “the three-sphere is the only type of bounded three-dimensional space possible that contains no holes.”

The Poincare conjecture was one of the Clay Mathematics Institute’s $ 1 million dollar prize problems, and was eventually solved by Perelman in 2003.  In this Colloquium  Professor Munn will give an introductory talk describing the Poincare Conjecure, the idea of the Ricci flow, and Perelman’s proof aimed at undergraduates.  He will also be available to answer questions about graduate study in mathematics at the University of Missouri at Collumbia.

Stock team riders show off their hard work after a successful first show at Missouri State University.

Through all 12 shows during the fall semester, the hunt and stock teams only finished out of the top two twice, including one 3^rd place finish for each team.  Overall the teams finished as the high point team three times (once for the stock team and twice for the hunt team) and reserve high point team seven times (four times for the stock team and three times for the hunt team).  This puts the hunt team in first place overall and the stock team in 3^rd (but only 2 points out of 2^nd) in the team standings for the year so far.  Individual riders Emily Fahey and Elizabeth Miller both won a reserve high point rider awards this fall.  Additionally, seven individuals on the hunt team and four on the stock team have already qualified for their respective regional shows in the spring with several more very close.  The team looks to continue their success at their first show of the spring the last weekend in February and then will compete every weekend but one in March.  –Submitted by Equestrian Team Coach Emily Costello.  Contact her at ecostello@truman.edu. 

In 2004, Joel E. Cohen published an essay in PLoS Biology titled “Mathematics is biology’s next microscope, only better; biology is mathematics’ next physics, only better.” (PLoS Biology 2(12); e439) The essay, as the title suggests, describes the growing importance of mathematical ideas and techniques in modern biology. With advances in technology, biologists are able to collect large and detailed sets of data from the molecular scale to the scale of whole ecosystems. Mathematics, statistics, and computer science provide the tools necessary to organize and analyze these data and place them into a coherent conceptual framework. Conversely, the complexity of biological data spanning large spatial and temporal scales has stimulated the development of mathematical and computational tools needed to address fundamental questions in biology just as physics stimulated progress in mathematics and continues to do so to this day.

Go to: http://mathbio.truman.edu to learn about the mathematical biology research program, colloquia, and the mathematical biology minor. The 2012 Program Applications are due November 30 at 5pm. Please contact Dr. Pam Ryan (pjryan@truman.edu) with questions.

If you love all things outdoors, environmental, ecological, and if you want to learn more about how animals interact and survive in different environments such as high altitudes, deep ocean depths, desert environments, as well as northeast Missouri, take a good look at BIOL 511 – Comparative Animal Physiology taught by Dr. George Schulte in Spring 2012.

MAA will be meeting this Tuesday, November 8 in our usual room VH 1200. We will be discussing final touches to the music video and begin planning the poker tournament. As always, all majors are welcome!

The mathbio website has been updated with information on the 2012 mathbio research projects, and we are now accepting applications from students. Please go to mathbio.truman.edu and click on the research tab for more information on the projects or to download the application form. Applications are due on Wednesday, Nov. 30 by 5 p.m. Email applications or questions to Pam Ryan (pjryan@truman.edu).

The November MASSE meeting is Sunday, November 13 at 6:00pm in VH 1212. We are bringing a panel of teachers who completed Truman’s MAE program. They are able to understand where you are now and give you insight as to what is coming for graduate school and beginning teaching. Bring a friend and any questions you may have about Truman’s MAE or what it’s like as a beginning teacher.

Congratulations go out to Katie Allen (2008 MAE-Mathematics graduate) who has been named the Hazelwood Central High School Teacher of the Year!! We aren’t surprised, but we are proud!

Not to be outdone by the western team, Truman’s hunt seat team started the year off strong, finishing in the top two at their first four competitions.  On October 1 and 2 the hunt team traveled to Bloomington, IL for a show hosted by Illinois State University.  The team finished 1^st of the seven schools represented on Saturday and 2^nd on Sunday.  Megan LaFollette, Ali Abbenhaus, Sara Walker, and Christine Tosie all qualified over the course of the weekend for regionals in the spring.  The following weekend the team traveled to Carbondale, IL for shows hosted by Southern Illinois University- Carbondale.  Two solid days of competition led to back-to-back reserved high point team awards of the 9 teams present leaving the team tied for high point team overall for the year.  Kelly Kohlhagen, Annina McMillina, and Emily Fahey all qualified for regionals.  With her strong rides in Novice Flat, 1^st, and Novice Fences, 2^nd, plus the use of her equine knowledge in the tie breaker, Emily Fahey earned the High Point Rider award for Sunday.  The stock team returns to action October 29 and 30^th in Springfield, Mo while the hunt team’s next show will be November 11 and 12^th near Chicago,IL.

You can view a video of Christine Tosie’s first place Intermediate Fences ride at Carbondale on the Agricultural Science website.

All Sophomores have been assigned academic advisers within the department.  Please check your truview for your assigned adviser.  If you have not been assigned a department adviser please come by VH 2100 so we can get this corrected for you.

Dr. Marty Williams, an Ecologist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana will present a seminar entitled “Insights into weed-related issues in a popular vegetable crop–sweet corn” on Friday, October 7, 2011 at 12:30 in Magruder Hall 1098.  Dr. Williams is a 1993 graduate of the Truman Biology Program.  The seminar is free and open to the public.

Alicia Arredondo (Assistant Dean for Admissions and Recruitment) will be here Friday, 1-3 pm in the lobby of Magruder Hall to recruit for UMKC medical school and graduate programs.

Professor Laura Fielden from Truman’s Biology Department will be conducting an informational session and mathematical biology colloquium on the Professional Science Masters program in Bioinformatics that Truman will begin offering in Fall 2012. The session will be held in VH1224 on Thursday, October 6 at 3:30 p.m.

This past weekend, under clear and sunny skies, the Truman State Equestrian team hosted the very first western show for all of IHSA in the 2011-2012 season.  On Saturday the team, lead by first place rides from team president and senior Agriculture Science major Kaity Strand, and sophomore Leslie Ulm, finished second of the eight teams present.  With her ride, Leslie also qualified herself for regionals in the spring.  On Sunday a strong showing all around lead the team to a three way tie for first place with Black Hawk College (Kewanee, IL) the 2011 3rd place western team in the nation and Missouri State University (Springfield, MO).  All of the Truman-owned and other horses from the area behaved execptionally well and the show ran smoothly due to  plenty of help from the whole team.  The hunt team begins their season this weekend in Bloomington, IL this weekend.

Kaity Strand competes in the Advanced Horsemanship class (photo courtesy of Eric Strand)

The Missouri Pork Association is accepting applications for its 2012 internship program.  Internships are available for spring, summer, and fall of 2012 to students majoring in Agriculture or a related field, who have completed at least four semesters of college.  Application deadline is November 4, 2011.  Information is available in the attached files or can be obtained by contacting Diane Slater, Director of Communications for the Missouri Pork Association, at 573-445-8375 or diane@mopork.com.

Overview Letter

Internship Description and Applications

The School of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Kansas City is hosting an open house on Friday, September 23, for students interested in pursuing a Master’s or Ph.D. degrees in biological sciences. If you have students who may be interested, please encourage them to contact us at sbsgradrecruit@umkc.edu for more information.
Thank you, Barbara Smith, Executive Assistant, Dean’s Office, School of Biological Sciences, UMKC, lachsmithb@umkc.edu

A cool, sunny September afternoon provided the backdrop for the initial staging of “Market on the Mall”.  The market is the brainchild of Agricultural Science majors Garrett Grider and Claire Zimmerman and grew out of their summer internships, which were funded by a Specialty Crop Grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

The goal is to bring a farmer’s market experience to campus so as to make fresh, nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables available to students, faculty, and staff and to make this audience more aware of the Kirksville Kiwanis Farmer’s Market which takes place on the square each Saturday morning.  To publicize the Saturday market, each week the Market on the Mall will feature a different local farmer and their products, in addition to the produce grown at the University Farm.  This week the featured farm was Green Valley Farm, operated by the Salt family.

For upcoming market dates and a listing of local farms to be featured, visit this University calendar posting.

Please add your name and most immediate (or long range) goal to our Alumni data base. We want to know what happens after you leave Truman. Please tell us!! Click the Alumni link to your left.

You are cordially invited to the
Biology Senior Awards
Friday
April 29, 2011
Magruder 1000
12:30 P.M.
Light refreshments will be served

Dr. Chad Montgomery has been named as Educator of the Year for 2011.

Dr. Theodore Morgan, Kansas State University, “The Genetics and Evolution of Thermotolerance in Drosophila” HOST: Dr. Stephen Hudman

Scott Biggerstaff
Jill Hampton
Hazar Khidir
Jessica Kneib
Veronica LaCombe
Kevin Robb
Tanya Sylvester
Aimee Vander Wal
Danielle West
Kevyn Wiskirchen
Yajie Yu
Were all elected into the 2011 class of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious
liberal arts and sciences honorary society. Truman has housed a chapter (Delta of Missouri) since 2000.

Scientists from the University of Zagreb-Croatia visited Truman this summer as part of their tour of the U.S. to gain knowledge of the American agriculture system. Glenn Wehner, professor of animal science, (far left) and Mark Campbell, professor of agriculture, (far right), provided on-campus instruction on several aspects of agriculture research.

Jose Herrera, Prof. of Biology and Chair of the Department of Biology, has had a paper accepted for publication in the journal Microbial Ecology. The title of the article is, ‘Molecular characterization of coprophilous fungal communities reveals sequences related to root-associated fungal endophytes’. The article was co-authored by Ravin Poudel (JR, BIOL) and Hana Khidir (2009, BIOL).

Abdo Alghamdi, Asst. Prof. in AGSC has had a publication accepted in the journal Animal Reproduction Science. The tiel of the article is, ‘Comparative studies on bull and stallion seminal DNase activity and interaction with semen extender and spermatozoa’. Abdo is the first author on the article.

The agriculture industry is not your typical business environment when it comes to finding jobs. Most farms tend to find help via word-of-mouth rather than posting a job description on the latest hot job website. Therefore making connections in the sector you wish to be a part of is something that should be started as soon as possible! One ideal way to begin these connections is through a summer or semester internship within your field.
For example: I was a student in the Summer Experience in Equine Management program at Miner Institute the summer after my Junior year at Truman. At the end of the summer my boss asked me to return after graduation to complete a year-long equine management internship over this last year. While at Miner I was sent to the Winter Driving Conference hosted by the Saratoga Driving Association. At the conference I met Marc Johnson and ended up being invited to spend a week shadowing him and eventually competing with one of his students in the summer. Through my time with Marc I ended up making connections for two different full-time, lasting job opportunities within the equine industry.
Another great opportunity that internships allow for is the experience of what it’s actually like to work in the industry. Unless you grew up on a farm, you may not have ever worked a full-time job in the agricultural specialization that you are aiming for. Completing an internship can offer that missing experience to see if you truly do want to work in the job you have always dreamed of.
The most important thing to remember is that every single person you meet could end up being a connection someday. Be careful before burning bridges with someone no matter how rude they may be to you. Keep a lookout for chances to advance and never let a learning opportunity go by!
-Carrie Ostrowski, Class of 2009

I was a Biology major at Truman all four years. I went into undergrad knowing that I wanted to go to vet school. As such, I planned out my four years to take classes that would help me gain knowledge of the veterinary profession as well as get into vet school. The core classes I was required to take as a Biology major have greatly helped me in vet school, especially genetics, cellular biology, and biochemistry. I also have found the elective agricultural classes of animal reproduction, animal health, and livestock management extremely helpful.
Overall, I feel that the course load of vet school is not more difficult than Truman. Truman did a wonderful job of preparing me for vet school. What makes vet school more intense, however, is the amount of classes that are taken at one time. If I had taken 18 credit hours every semester at Truman (which I did not, I averaged around 14-15 each semester) I believe I would have had to study about as much as I have in vet school. That being said, it is because I challenged myself at Truman and took tough science courses that I felt so prepared for vet school. It is important to have a basic knowledge of science before entering vet school, it sure greatly helped me.
I like that Truman had small class sizes, and because of that I got to know my professors and classmates fairly well. I got one of the best educations available for vet school. Truman has a great pre-veterinary program; if I had to do it all over again, there is no doubt in my mind that I would go to Truman for undergrad.
Erin Pauli

The R. W. Torres Foundation for the Blind of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, Sponsored a summer camp—July 17-25–for blind youth of the Caribbean: Camp Can Do. The program for the camp provided blind and low-vision youth with positive and motivating experiences to enhance personal growth and development through a series of workshops and activities. David Wohlers, professor of chemistry, traveled to Bon Accord, Tobago and conducted a hands-on science experiment demonstrating how blind students can collect and manipulate laboratory data. For many of the students this was the first time they were ever allowed to personally and independently participate in a laboratory experience. Ancil Torres, the camp organizer, wishes to focus the campers on what they can do as blind individuals and not on what they cannot do because they are blind.

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