Faculty Research in the College of Science Biology Dr. Preston Aldrich 1) Working to resolve molecular genetic variation in the invasive tree Ailanthus altissima using nuetral molecular genetic markers (microsatellites) and for multigene family markers likely to be adaptively significant (DNA fingerprinting). 2) Studying the effects of tropical forest fragmentation on genetic variation that is subject to natural selection. Dr. Laura Gruss Analysis of human gait, with focus on the evolution of human body proportions and locomotor biomechanics. Dr. Laurence Kamin Jurica Tallgrass Prairie Project. Please click here to view photos of the Prairie Project Dr. Cheryl Heinz Studying chemical ecology and behavior relating to the interactions between swallowtail butterflies and their host plants. Dr. Al Martin Research in integration of science and liberal arts. Dr. Robin Rylaarsdam 1) Resistance to antifungal drugs: Fungal infections range from annoying ringworm infections to life-threatening systemic infections in immunocompromised individuals. My lab studies the mechanisms by which fungi gain resistance to our current slate of antifungal drugs. 2)McCune-Albright Syndrome: McCune-Albright Syndrome (MAS) is a complicated genetic disease caused by an activating mutation in the human GNAS1 gene. This gene encodes a protein that is essential for a host of communication events between cells. My lab is undertaking structure-function studies of this protein in hopes of helping to design more effective drugs for these patients. Dr. Lee Ann Smith Studying the effects of ethanol, caffeine and nicotine on fruit flies Dr. Monica Tischler Studying the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in bacteria associated with Canada geese. Dr. Allison Wilson Cellular mechanisms for how exposure to environmental anti-estrogens cause bone loss. Chemistry Dr. Ed Ferroni Synthesis of dihydroxacetone phosphate analogs and the study of the binding of these compounds to rabbit muscle aldolase. Dr. Tim Marin Measuring and modeling the physical and chemical effects of radiation on the cooling water of commercial nuclear reactors. Dr. Cheryl Mascarenhas Making molecules through organic transformations that incorporate the use of environmentally-benign organic catalysts. Dr. John Muntean Methods development in solid and solution-state NMR spectroscopy of nanophase materials. Dr. Niina Ronkainen The development of electrochemical biosensors for clinical, industrial and environmental applications. Dr. E. Michael Winkler Electrophoretic separation and identification of milk proteins. Chromatographic analysis of inorganic ions in commercial teas. Clinical Exercise Physiology Dr. Craig Broeder Preventive nutrition and exercise in obesity and healthy aging. Computer Science Dr. Ralph Meeker High-performance computation using computer clusters, operating system and computer network education, computer laboratory operation and management for computer science education. Mathematics Dr. Tim Comar Low dimensional topology: geometric knot theory and hyperbolic manifolds and Kleinian groups; mathematical biology; pedagogical issues in mathematical biology, mathematics for elementary school teachers, the use of technology in mathematics instruction. Dr. Manu Kaur Local properties of Ternary rings of operators and operator spaces, mathematics pedagogy and cryptography. Dr. Jeremy Nadolski The role of latent variables on model selection accuracy. Dr. Lisa Townsley Algebra, particularly group cohomology. Also using computer algebra systems to enhance mathematics learning at the college level. Dr. Thomas Wangler 1) Mathematical Modeling of the Dynamics of Solid State Laser Systems 2) Using Technology to Increase Pedadgogical Effectiveness Physics Dr. Peter Nelson Physics/Biophysics Developing simple kinetic models of biological processes such as permeation through ion channels. Dr. Philip Schreiner In the field of high energy particle physics, studying (1) neutrino masses and oscillations; and (2) cosmic ray produced muons in the earth's atmosphere. Dr. Andrew Wig Working on novel physical, chemical and biological detection using optical and micromechanical sensors. Click on the faculty name to view their home page for additional information.