Summer Science Research

by Brittany G., Panther Blogger

As a student at Ferrum College, I get the opportunity to work with the professors and other workers here on campus over the summer doing many different things. I will be a senior in the fall, and this is my first time being offered a summer position to stay on campus in an apartment and work for the school doing research. I am currently working on researching the interaction between an entomopathogenic fungus called Metarhizium and specific insects such as fruit flies, spider mites, thrips, and white flies.  I am helping with all of this research in Garber Hall with Dr. Glen Stevens and several employees from Novozymes, located in Salem, VA.

Image taken with the scanning electron microscope.
Property of Ferrum College.

Currently, the research involves knowing basic handling of the scanning electron microscope, as well as the use of Metarhizium and the insects of interest.  Metarhizium is a fungus that kills insects which are known to thrive on cash crops such as vegetables, citrus fruits, beans, and some flowers.  It targets soil-borne insect larvae as well as infecting the leaf sucking and feeding of the pests to either severely damage or kill them.  At this time, we have worked with five different formulations of Metarhizium and introduced it to fruit flies and spider mites by dipping them in the solutions or by spraying them at Novozymes with a Potter Spray Tower.

Image taken with the scanning electron microscope.
Property of Ferrum College.

After introducing specific pests to the fungus, we have been looking at the spores under the scanning electron microscope. I have learned several techniques for using the microscope from Dr. Michaela Gazdik and Dr. Bob Pohlad over the past few weeks, which have led to several intriguing pictures of these tiny insects with spores of fungus on them. From these pictures, we are focusing on trying to find the rate of germination and clumping of the fungus over a period of time, typically at 2, 24, and 72 hours. 

I have completed four weeks of research so far, and I have learned many new things from conducting my basic research to learning how to handle many different insects and interacting with a very professional company.  It has taught me to always ask questions that I may think of no matter how simple or small they may seem. Although this research has just begun, we still have several weeks left and much still to accomplish with our questions, research abilities, and with the knowledge and funding provided by Novozymes.

Image taken with the scanning electron microscope.
Property of Ferrum College.

If it was not for the hard work that I have put into my schooling thus far, I would not be able to be a part of something so wonderful for the curiosity and questioning within my scientific reasoning.  I am thrilled to be staying on campus with other students who are working on different projects.  I am also excited that I will be allowed the opportunity to possibly publish my name on several things, such as journals and posters that can be presented to the scientific community later this year!

Bones and Bodies

by Blake S., Panther Blogger
 
As I had mentioned in my last blog post, I signed up to participate in the Ferrum College E-Term course titled "The Science of Crime," and WOW, what an experience!  This was by far one of the best college courses I have taken. Each and every day, we were able to implement various tactics and techniques that are used in crime scene television shows such as Forensic Files, CSI, and Bones.  From the analysis of fingerprints to testing unknown drug substances, we were able to reconstruct events that may have occurred at various crime scenes as well as identify suspects of the crime.

Analyzing cranial measurements
to determine an individual's
physical characteristics.

Of the numerous activities and labs that we participated in, the trip to the University of Tennessee's Forensic Anthropology Research Facility was the biggest highlight of the course. At this research facility, we learned how to identify the age, gender, stature, and ancestry of an individual based solely on skeletal remains. We also were privileged with the honor of being able to tour the "Body Farm," which is the area where forensic anthropology college graduate students perform experiments to study changes in human decomposition rates. It was an experience that I will not soon forget!

Our group outside the UT football stadium

The sun sphere in Knoxville, TN

While on this trip, I was also able to bond with and get to know my fellow classmates much better. We were able to spend a lot of time socializing while at restaurants, walking around the campus streets, shopping, and swimming at the hotel pool. I made quite a few new friends, which will make the upcoming year at Ferrum even more enjoyable. I can, without a doubt, say that my Ferrum College E-Term experience was amazing and definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Science of Crime E-Term Course

by Brittany G., Panther Blogger

As a requirement, students at Ferrum College must complete an E-Term course, which is simply one class for three weeks during the month of May.  These E-Terms range from mathematics courses to crime scene photography to study abroad trips to places like Peru.  Some of the classes have the students traveling, which requires a fee, but if the student can pay the fee, these are excellent learning and cultural experiences for every student.  I had the privilege of attending the Science of Crime E-Term this year with Dr. Goff and Professor Minter.

This class was amazing for so many reasons!  Although we had the first and third week of class here on campus, we traveled during the middle week to the University of Tennessee.  We had lectures and labs from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on the first three days, then a day of case work, and a day of lectures, and finally a visit to the "Body Farm," more accurately known as the Anthropology Research Facility.  During the lectures and labs, we were in an intense crash course of forensic anthropology. It was taught by many graduate degree-seeking students and PhDs who were working on their own research but who took the time to help pass on their knowledge.

Over the course of the week, we had crammed so much new information into our heads to use for our case work and presentation. We were taught how to determine the biological profile of skeletons which included the sex, age, stature, and ancestry of the remains, as well as any trauma if it was present. It is amazing that each of those categories can be learned by the structure of the skeleton and marking on the bones!

Did you know that sex can be estimated by the cranium, pelvis, and measurements of long bones, or that ancestry is estimated through cranial measurements?

After learning as much as we possibly could in two and a half days, Wednesday afternoon involved a practical exam where we tested our knowledge to see how well we grasped the concepts. Thankfully, we all did pretty well!  We put everything we learned together through a case work study where we were given a box of skeletal remains and we had to use every technique we could to determine the biological profile before presenting it to many of the instructors who taught the class.  It was a reassuring moment when the entire class really understood how much we learned in just those few days.

Finally, the day we were all waiting for was Friday morning when we completed our last lecture and journeyed to the "Body Farm."  It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see such a facility where their focus is based on body decomposition in different situations as well as animal scavenging.  At maximum capacity for the bodies, they needed to "push" along the decomposition of some bodies, but it was amazing to see the difference in stages of "time since death."  They are currently studying the differences in having a donor body in the shade, in the open, or even buried as if natural burial had occurred.

The one problem with the facility being out in nature is the scavenging from animals like raccoons and rodents. Currently, they are trying different techniques to possibly keep them away from the bodies so they do not have to search yards away for bones that belong to the skeleton. Luckily, there are a few students who are working on the taphonomy, but they will still have some issues with keeping every predator out.

No matter what theories were being tested and despite animals scavenging for bones and muscles, the facility is a prime opportunity to experience what you might be interested in studying.  All of us as a class were so thrilled to be a part of such an elite group that we would take the class again if we could!  E-Term is an opportunity to experience something that most people do not get a chance to do, so I recommend that students try to take whichever one they would be most interested in. 

Who knows, maybe you will be able to go on a trip to Peru or to the Virgin Islands, or maybe even make connections for potential internships or other opportunities after graduation!

My Anatomy & Physiology Practicum

by Brittany G., Panther Blogger

There are so many classes at Ferrum that you can take in order to gain a better knowledge and courage in what you may want to do when you graduate. One of the best classes I have been a part of is a Practicum for Anatomy & Physiology.  It requires you to take the actual class and get referred by the professors to help the next class in the upcoming year. Completing the class the first time and getting enrolled into Practicum served as a teaching aide not only for the professors, but also for me and the new class of students taking the course for the first time.  It helped me gain a confidence in my knowledge of the material that I had learned during my first time taking the class.

In my Practicum for Anatomy & Physiology, I got to help with labs every Tuesday with a wonderful professor and mentor.  There is not much required for the class but to help set up labs and guide the other students to what they should be doing during those few hours.  We came in on a weekend before midterms and finals in order to set up a practical exam that would test what the students had learned so far. This Practicum class also required me to write a one-page paper about what was covered, how the students responded, what could have been better, and what I learned from the experience.  It served as a reflection paper to see what things can be improved for the next year to increase the success of how the labs work and how much more the students can learn. 

Being in a practicum has helped instill in me what I had previously learned in that class, as well as helped me gain more knowledge from what I did not quite pick up on the first time. It allowed me to connect to the students since I knew what the class required, as well as get a better feeling for what it would be like to teach the class on a regular basis. Furthermore, it helped me understand exactly how the students feel when they enter the laboratory or lecture period. If you ever have an opportunity to participate in a practicum, I would recommend that you do it! 

Summer Plans!

by Blake S., Panther Blogger

I can't believe that it's finally here, but my first year at Ferrum College is coming to an end. After reflecting and looking back at the past two semesters and how fast they have gone, I'm beginning to realize just how precious and valuable time really is. This has encouraged me to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way to ensure that each minute is well-spent, allowing me to enjoy and look back at my life later on and have a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment.

Light art from Ferrum College's Digital Photography course

To begin this process, I have applied to various programs and activities to keep me busy throughout this summer. A few of the activities that I will be participating in are the Science of Crime E-Term course, the Microbiology Research Education for Undergraduates program at nearby Virginia Tech, and Resident Assistant training. These events are not only great for providing a fun and enjoyable summer, but also aid in building a strong and unique resume. However, I would not have been introduced to any of these affairs had it not been for the professors here on the Ferrum College campus. This shows just how dedicated the faculty and staff are to helping their students become successful, providing rare opportunities that will be very beneficial and help them stand out among the crowd.

Exploring a mall in
Roanoke with friends

The Science of Crime E-Term is a three-week class experience in which I, along with a great group of friends, will get to learn about the scientific principles behind forensic criminal investigations. A few of the aspects we will be learning about include fingerprint detection and identification, blood analysis, and ink and handwriting analysis. We will also get to take a trip to the University of Tennessee's body farm -- a unique lab that studies the stages of human decomposition and how decomposition is affected by different environments. This is a definite highlight for the summer.

After the E-Term course, I get to attend the Microbiology Research Education for Undergraduates program at Virginia Tech. This is a rare opportunity in which I will be able to perform microbiological research alongside a professional mentor and professor at the university. Throughout the program, I will learn new laboratory techniques, be introduced to new pathogenic bacteria, and make professional presentations about everything I learn over the course of the program. Along with being given this unbelievable and awesome chance to build my resume and make new connections, we are being provided with free housing, meals, and a $5,000 stipend!  What more could one ask for?

Finally, I will get to undergo resident assistant training to prepare for being a resident assistant this upcoming fall semester. For those of you who are going to be students at Ferrum and living in Bassett Hall, there is a good possibility that I will have the honor of learning who you are and help you with any sort of problems you may have. I'm greatly looking forward to this, mainly because I will get to make new friends and act as a mentor for them, helping them to learn the ins and outs of Ferrum College and learn their full potential.

As you can see, it's going to be a very long and eventful summer, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I look forward to letting everyone know how these programs go and what all I learn from them. I hope everyone has a great and relaxing summer, and we hope to see you in the fall!

- Blake

The Corvette Club passing by Ferrum College

Ending the Semester

by Delana S., Panther Blogger

The semester is coming to an end and I have accomplished a lot over the past couple of weeks. For starters, I was inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha -- the National Political Science Honor Society -- and received recognition for best delegation during Model United Nations. I was also recognized as Sophomore of the Year, along with one of my good friends. These three things have shown me that hard work, dedication, and patience pay off in the end. Each of these recognitions and honors surprised me in many ways because it showed me that people really pay attention to the little things that you do on campus, and it is an honor to know that my name was the first one that came to mind.

To add more icing to the cake, I made it into Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, and most importantly, I was accepted to attend the Washington Semester Program at American University. I was specifically accepted into the Peace and Conflict Resolution program at the school, and let me just say that I am very excited to be able to participate in a program such as this one. Within the program, I am able to take classes in which the credits will transfer back to Ferrum and I will be able to participate in an internship. At the same time, I will also have the opportunity to travel abroad, and this is all within one semester!  At first this all seems overwhelming, but for me, it feels just right, especially since I have to do so much on my own and figure out a lot of specifics, such as my classes, my meal plan, and where I am going to live.

My parents are very proud of me because this is a wonderful opportunity to start focusing on what I really want to do for the future and the direction that my life is going. Honestly, my uncle seems like he is more excited for me to attend the program because he lives close to DC and knows exactly where the school is located. He has already told me that as soon as I start getting settled in at the school, he is going to take me out around the city and show me some of the cool places to go up there. I love being at Ferrum with all of my heart, but when an opportunity such as this one presents itself, you have to take it because you don't want to live your life with "what if's...".  The good thing though is that I will be back for spring semester with a lot more knowledge, as well as a few stories.

Ferrum opens a lot of doors for students, and it is up to us to figure out which ones we want to open and which ones we want to leave closed, but you always have to remember that it is always good to pick the one that will benefit you in the future.