GOVERNMENT STUDENTS RECEIVE HANDS-ON INTELLIGENCE TRAINING IN NATION’S CAPITAL
Recent graduates Rebecca Garrett (left) and Courtney McKenzie stand in front of Garrett’s poster at the Virginia Academy of Science annual meeting where they each were awarded a first-place finish.
LIBERTY STUDENTS SHINE AT VIRGINIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ANNUAL MEETING Three students of Liberty University’s Department of Biology and Chemistry earned first-place awards at the Virginia Academy of Science annual meeting at Norfolk State University, May 23-25. Liberty’s participants, all undergraduates, beat out other undergraduate and graduate students from across the state, including The College of William & Mary, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Hampden-Sydney College. Students presented their research through either presentations or poster formats. Recent graduate Courtney McKenzie won Best Student Presentation for microbiology/
molecular biology, and recent graduate Rebecca Garrett won Best Student Poster in the same category. Their research was titled, “Global Characterization of DNA Methylation Patterns in an Alzheimer ’s Disease Model.” Mike Canfarotta, who was a sophomore at the time of competition, won Best Student Poster for biology. His project was titled “Mouse Colonization by Citrobacter rodentium.” “We are extremely proud of these students,” said Dr. David DeWitt, professor and chair of Liberty’s Department of Biology and Chemistry. “The research awards they won attest to the quality of our science programs at Liberty University and the hard work of our students and faculty. Awards like this go a long way to dispel the mistaken notion that Bible-believing Christians can’t do quality science.”
Liberty University students from the Helms School of Government traveled to Washington, D.C., this summer for a unique pilot course, Surveillance and Surveillance Detection, the first of its kind offered at any university. The students spent 12 days (May 28-June 8) in the D.C. area learning the art of surveillance and surveillance detection from retired and former intelligence community personnel. The teaching environment was unconventional, as the students learned from intelligence officers by walking, mapping, and understanding the streets of D.C. to conduct the assignments correctly. Several exercises were performed throughout the day, many independently. The students had two textbooks to read prior to beginning the class, a final exam, a term paper, and professional evaluation of their field activities. The class was taught from such an applicable and practical way that another intelligence agency actually picked up on what the students were doing and started following them around to see their work. Dr. Charles Murphy, who developed the course, said he plans to follow the necessary steps to move the course from a pilot course to become a permanent course, and to offer it again next summer.
Dr. Charles Murphy stands with Liberty students taking his pilot course, ‘Surveillance and Surveillance Detection,’ in Washington, D.C. Mike Canfarotta (right) shares his poster at the Virginia Academy of Science annual meeting. LIBERTY JOURNAL
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