College of Arts and Sciences American University Washington, D.C. Fall 2016 www.american.edu/cas
catalyst AMERICAN UNIVERSITY SCIENCE
A REFLECTION FROM THE STUDENT EDITORS EDITORIAL
The Sciences at American University: A Welcoming and Supportive Community of Students and Professors By Mackenzie Kelley and Aaron Weiner As we reflect on our experiences as science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students, one characteristic of the science programs at American University really stands out: the sense of belonging to a supportive, encouraging community. Some students come to AU with a strong desire to pursue a major in the sciences. Others discover their love of science during their time here. But all of them are deeply enthusiastic about being part of AU’s scientific community. Such a strong sense of community, coupled with the support of dedicated faculty members, helps AU students to find their passion for the sciences and keep it alive for the entire duration of their studies. When Viktor Belay, a first-year student studying physics and applied mathematics, arrived at AU, he had no idea that he wanted to pursue a degree in the sciences. However, after some physics and calculus courses, countless hours spent in his professors' offices, and several evenings at events organized by the science departments, he had no more reservations about choosing the major in which he felt most supported and at home. “The Physics Department is so tight knit,” he said. “Students and faculty often get together for events that help us learn from each other and bond. This closeness has allowed me to form strong relationships with my professors and peers. I know I will have their support for the rest of my time here at AU.” Belay and other science students have formed strong friendships. “Two of my closest friends are science majors and are in my physics and math classes,” he said. “We have had to rely on each other and work as a team to succeed in our classes.” A successful first year is not always easy. As any science student will realize, the course load is demanding. But as Belay found, the science community at AU supports and values students as they explore their level of interest and commitment to the sciences. Linoy Kotler, another first-year student majoring in physics, has always been certain she wanted to major in a scientific discipline. Her main first-year conflict revolved around adjusting to the language and manner in which her area of study was taught in the United States as compared to her home country, Israel. “When I first got here, I had a really hard time,” she said. “I had a strong Israeli accent, and I was insecure about speaking in front of native speakers.” But the welcoming and supportive community helped Kotler to adjust and feel empowered to pursue her dream major. “I have had the same lab professor for both semesters, Dr. Cyndee Finkel,”
Mission Statement A catalyst, as defined by scientists, is a substance that accelerates chemical reactions. Bringing substances together is a fundamental component of a catalyst’s mechanism of action. Similarly, Catalyst magazine is one place where the American University sciences come together to relay exciting developments, promote discourse, and provide inspiration for current, prospective, and past students and faculty members. Editor Stefano Costanzi Associate Professor, Chemistry Department Student Editors Mackenzie Kelley Biochemistry Major, Class of 2019 Aaron Weiner Biology Major, Class of 2017 Designer Nicky Lehming Printer Printing Images, Inc.
(continued on inside back cover)
Please submit letters to the editor to catalyst.au@gmail.com. Catalyst is supported in part through generous donations from alumni and friends of the College of Arts and Sciences. If you wish to make a donation online, go to giving.american.edu. Select Make a Gift and choose the College of Arts and Sciences under Area of Benefit, then fill in the amount of your donation. At the Designation/In honor of window, key in Catalyst magazine. Thank you.
ON THE COVER
Catalyst is published by the College of Arts and Sciences American University 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 www.american.edu/cas/catalyst
(L-R) Lab Director Jonathan Newport, Assistant Profs. Jessica Uscinski, Gregg Harry, and physics major Louis Gitelman stand in front of equipment that allows for testing properties of optics under actual conditions of LIGO detectors.
Message from the Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 New Homes and New Direction for the Sciences at AU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Top Honor to Biology Professor Mark Laubach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 AU’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Intrigue in Excrement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Corsets: Male Desire or Female Agency?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chemistry Chair’s Research to Develop High Performance Catalysts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Public Health Research with National Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 The American University Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sequential Analysis: Uncovering New Statistical Methods To Solve Some of the World’s Biggest Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Introduction to the AU Physics Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Changing the Brain and Watching It Happen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Cuba: From Ridge to Reef. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 At the Intersection of Business and Biology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 AU: The Stem Cell of Pre-Med Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Partnership to Improve Science Education in DC Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Make the Library Your Lab Partner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Science Degrees Offered by American University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back cover
Photo by Jeff Watts
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
Peter Starr, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, American University
The pace of scientific discovery in the 21st century is breathtaking. In just the last year, scientists discovered mountains on Pluto and possible free-flowing water on Mars, made breakthroughs in DNA research using geneediting technology, unearthed fossils in South Africa that could force scientists to rethink human evolution, and measured gravitational ripples in the fabric of spacetime. Faculty and students at American University have played an active role in several of these breakthroughs. AU doctoral student Becca Peixotto was part of the team that excavated the fossils of a new human species, named Homo naledi, which promises to transform our understanding of human origins. Physicist Gregg Harry and his students played an important role in detecting spacetime ripples—first predicted by Albert Einstein more than a hundred years
ago—that will change our understanding of the universe. This spring, the scientific press gave a great deal of attention to biologist Colin Saldanha’s research on how songbirds control inflammation to protect the brain from injury. In addition, neuroscientist Mark Laubach was recently named the university’s 2016 Scholar/Teacher of the Year, in part for his groundbreaking research on the role of the frontal cortex in executive control and decision-making. It is an exciting time to be involved in scientific research at AU! Next year promises more exciting developments for the sciences at American University. The departments of Mathematics and Statistics, Physics, and Computer Science, together with AU’s Game Lab and Center for Innovation in the Capitol, will be moving into the new Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building, which will
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also feature a MakerSpace where students and faculty can transform their ideas and designs into reality. Looking farther ahead, we have begun design of a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary life science building as a new home our programs in biology, chemistry, environmental science, and neuroscience. Along with all these successes, we celebrate the reinvention of Catalyst magazine under the editorship of Stefano Costanzi, professor of chemistry. As it has for over a decade, Catalyst will report on cutting-edge research projects undertaken by AU undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. This issue introduces readers to the growing Department of Physics and its collaborations with the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). This issue introduces a wide range of ongoing projects including an analysis of skeletal remains and corsets, a study of stress hormones in gorilla excrement, and new research on platinum alloy nanocrystals. This issue of Catalyst also provides a glimpse into the busy lives of our pre-med students, into a collaboration between the Professional Science Master’s Program in Biotechnology and the Kogod School of Business, and into the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. It will also introduce you to the many library resources used by students and faculty in STEM fields, including 3-D printers and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies and resources. It is a remarkable time for science and a remarkable time to be doing science at American University!
NEW HOMES AND NEW DIRECTION FOR THE SCIENCES AT AU By Wallis Romzek, Assistant Director of Development, College of Arts and Sciences As finishing touches are put on the Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building, American University gears up for its next challenge: a capital campaign in support of a new home for the life and chemical sciences. The sciences at AU have experienced remarkable growth in the past decade. Nearly 500 students are pursuing majors or minors in the sciences, taking full advantage of the breadth and depth of scientific study here at AU. Ninety faculty members, with a wide variety of research interests, instruct students in pure and applied sciences. Programs are available in traditional scientific disciplines (biology, chemistry, psychology, and computer science), as well as more focused areas, such as audio technology, biostatistics, and behavioral neuroscience. The strength of AU’s science programming is felt beyond science majors. As a part of the general education curriculum, study in the sciences is one pillar of the AU student experience. In fact, AU students who select non-science majors will confront issues deeply rooted in science. Solutions to some of the most pressing issues of today—climate change, clean energy, genetically modified foods, stem cell research, clean water technologies, epidemiology, and nanotechnologies—will incorporate scientific research and study. In some ways, the sciences are the foundation of an AU education. As such, we must invest in facilities that will allow AU faculty and students to do their best work. The Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building, scheduled to be fully open by
Spring 2017, will house the mathematical and physical sciences, including mathematics and statistics, physics, computer science, and the AU Game Lab (a collaboration between the College of Arts and Sciences and AU’s School of Communication). The facility will feature spaces that promote hands-on learning and exploration in the sciences. It will put scientific learning on display through interactive décor and spectator-friendly, collaborative laboratory space. This investment in the mathematical and physical sciences will support current AU students and help to attract and retain quality students and faculty in these disciplines. A campaign for a new sister building for the life and chemical sciences is just beginning. As a home for AU’s biologists, chemists, neuroscientists and environmental scientists, this facility will meet the needs of faculty and students alike, and support the research, experience, and scholarship that makes AU special. By bringing life and chemical science faculty together under one roof, the space will foster collaboration within and across departments, with students and faculty organized around shared laboratory equipment instead of by academic disciplines. Teaching and research labs will be equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, and will be visible to visitors and passersby. The building will also accommodate future growth, thanks to mobile, modular workspaces and equipment intended to attract top faculty and students. External grant funding in the sciences is at its highest in AU’s history. Students are receiving
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hands-on laboratory experience as undergraduates, learning from some of their disciplines’ top scholars. The number of science majors is growing, and quickly. Students and faculty in the sciences are now producing quality work in less-than-quality spaces—just imagine what they can do with the proper resources! The Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building represents such an investment in math, physics, computer science and gaming. The next step in the evolution of the sciences at AU is a new home for biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and environmental science. Will you join us in making this a reality? To learn more about plans for the Life Sciences Building, or to learn how you can get involved, please contact Elizabeth Harless, Assistant Dean for Development of the College of Arts & Sciences, at harless@american.edu or 202-885-5900. To make a gift to the sciences at AU or the Life Science Building fund, please visit American.edu/giving.
TOP HONOR TO BIOLOGY PROFESSOR MARK LAUBACH Photo by Jeff Watts
By Patty Housman, Communications Manager, College of Arts and Sciences
Mark Laubach, associate professor of biology.
Neuroscientist and Associate Biology Professor Mark Laubach is the winner of the 2016 Scholar/Teacher of the Year Award—the university’s highest honor. Laubach, who joined AU’s Department of Biology and the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience in 2014, teaches both graduate and undergraduate students and conducts research through AU’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. "We couldn't be prouder of Mark, and congratulate him wholeheartedly on this award, which recognizes his exemplary accomplishments in the classroom and lab," said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Peter Starr.
Laubach was formerly an associate professor of neurobiology at Yale School of Medicine and an associate fellow at the John B. Pierce Laboratory in New Haven, Connecticut. He focuses his research on the role of the brain's frontal cortex in executive control and decision-making. His laboratory, part of AU’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, uses multi-electrode recordings, optogenetics, chemogenetics, and computational models to study the frontal cortex. Laubach is currently funded by the National Science Foundation to understand neural circuits that allow for performance monitoring (updating plans for action based on past behavioral
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outcomes) and the Klarman Family Foundation to understand neuronal circuits that control food-seeking behavior. In 2013 he received a Top Reviewer award from the Journal of Neuroscience and was named to the editorial board of the journal in 2015. His first PhD student at AU, Linda Amarante, was awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship by the National Science Foundation in March 2016. Laubach launched four new courses at AU. Two courses were primarily developed for undergraduates in AU's new neuroscience major. The first course, The Neuron, covers the cellular mechanisms that underlie information processing in the nervous system. The course uses software to simulate classic, Nobel Prize-winning experiments in neurophysiology. The second course, Computer Science for Neuroscience, teaches undergraduate and graduate students to program in the Python language, how to use leading Python software packages for scientific research, and how to use and program simple electronic circuits using Arduinos. Two other courses were developed primarily for graduate students in the Behavior, Cognitive, and Neuroscience Program at AU. The first, Neural Circuits & Behavior, covers recently developed methods supported by President Obama's BRAIN Initiative. The second, Special Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience, covers the neural basis of learning and decision-making. All four classes are examples of active learning in which students learn basic information about the brain by solving problems that are common in active neuroscience research. "Mark is an excellent researcher, who is well known for the tremendous depth of his knowledge and for the great care and enthusiasm he displays when communicating that knowledge to his students and colleagues,” said Terry Davidson, director of the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. “He is proof that the best scientists can be the best teachers.”
AU’S CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE One might think of neuroscience as a subfield of biology or psychology, considering the cells or neurons in the nervous system that serve as a foundation for the cognitive and behavioral functions the brain performs. But neuroscience is essential for multiple fields—psychology, biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, etc.—to form a common goal or hypothesis. At American University, an active multidisciplinary neuroscience research environment is offered to both faculty and students and made possible through the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. Behavioral neuroscience investigates—at the level of neurons, neurotransmitters, hormones, and brain circuitry—the basic processes that underlie normal and abnormal behavior. Behavioral neuroscience also assesses how normal behavioral function can be disrupted through abnormal processing or dysfunction in the brain. Organized by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Center is a diverse group of more than 42 faculty members from many departments at AU, including biology, chemistry, health studies, mathematics and statistics, and psychology. The Center greatly enhances the educational experience for neuroscience students at AU. Students in laboratories affiliated with Center members have the opportunity to conduct stateof-the-art research on many topics, including the brain circuits that underlie reward, memory, decision-making, language development, and addictions. Students also contribute to basic science discoveries on health-related topics such as brain trauma, drug transport in the central nervous system, depression, obesity, dementia, smoking, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nutrition, and cancer. Integration of
Photo by Anila D'Mello
By Linda M. Amarante, PhD Student, Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience (BCAN)
PhD student Linda M. Amarante in her lab.
these research efforts with that of other Center members who are experts in the cognitive, sensory, and behavioral sciences makes it possible for students to acquire knowledge that spans multiple levels of analysis. Many of these students are working to obtain advanced degrees in AU’s multidisciplinary Behavior, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCaN) PhD program. Other students are working on completing their degrees in AU’s new undergraduate neuroscience major, which had its first graduating class in May 2016. Many studies are performed through the use of core facilities and collaborative research at AU. The Center provides access to core research facilities with equipment for confocal microscopy, optogenetic experiments, as well as
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human intracranial brain stimulation and electroencephalographic (EEG) studies. Several current members of the Center have achieved significant external funding from the National Institutes of Health based in part on their access to these facilities or on other support from the Center. For example, Center members Stefano Costanzi (chemistry), Katie DeCicco-Skinner (biology), David Haaga (psychology), David Kearns (psychology), and Catherine Stoodley (psychology) have each been recent recipients of grants from NIH to support their research. Further, more than 10 other labs involved in the Center have recently published in the past year in top academic journals in their respective subfields. Many Center members have collaborated together on research
projects; there have been 12 collaborative projects involving more than one Center member in the past year. These are the types of collaborative research projects and relationships that the Center strives to promote. Another way the Center is able to support neuroscience research is through hosting workshops and symposiums in neuroscience-related topics and fields. Terry Davidson, professor of psychology and director of the Center, hosted a conference on Childhood Obesity and Cognition in October 2014, and Mark Laubach, professor of biology, hosted the International Meeting on the Computational Properties of the Prefrontal Cortex in May 2015. In April 2017, the Center will host a symposium on sex differences in neuroscience studies. The Center also supports neuroscience research by sponsoring external speakers. In 2015, the Center hosted eight external speakers through a Summer Colloquia and a Special Lectures in Neuroscience Series. These events brought in speakers from the University of Maryland, Brown University, Boston University, the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders. The Summer Colloquia and Special Lectures Series allowed Center members and BCaN students to interact with leading experts in the field and gain insight into cutting-edge research in neuroscience. The Center for Behavioral Neuroscience is a vehicle that helps students and faculty to come together and generate new ideas, methods, and discoveries in a broad range of disciplines. By promoting a uniquely collaborative and multidisciplinary research environment, the Center promises to increase understanding of how behavior and mental processes are influenced by brain and nervous system function and dysfunction. Success in achieving this goal will increase the visibility and impact of behavioral neuroscience and of all the sciences at American University.
THE INTRIGUE IN EXCREMENT By Rebecca Wilken, MS Student, Biology When Kim Kramer says she’s had a crappy day, she means it. Kim is a second year graduate student in AU’s biology department, studying stress hormones and social interaction in captive great apes. A student of College faculty members Colin Saldanha and Christopher Tudge, Kramer extracts the hormone samples for her research from fecal matter of gorillas housed at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoological Park in Washington, DC. Kramer began her time at the zoo in 2012, during an internship at the Great Ape House. Focusing on regurgitation and reingestion, possible correlates of stress behavior in gorillas, she began to learn about how efforts to understand animal behavior could help inform animal caretaking practices and improve animal welfare. Kramer has been learning alongside our primate counterparts ever since. After a trip to Borneo for fieldwork, she decided to return stateside and pursue a master’s degree in biology at American University. “I really love the longer-term connection you get doing captive work,” she says. With the acquisition of a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate research fellowship, she again set out to pursue captive work with the support of several well-known researchers in the AU community. Here at AU, she’s begun an incredible journey toward understanding the stress that captive gorillas experience as a result of common moves from zoo to zoo. The start of Kramer’s work at AU could not have come at a better time. In 2015, the Smithsonian took in a new female gorilla, Calaya, as a part of a recommendation from the Gorilla Species Survival Plan, an organization dedicated to the genetic health and well-being of gorillas,
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especially those housed in US zoos. This introduction gave Kramer the incredible opportunity to study the hormonal stress response of troop members to the introduction of a new individual, immediately before and after Calaya’s arrival. Gorillas in zoos across the United States are often transferred from zoo to zoo to participate in breeding programs designed to maximize genetic diversity in captive gorilla populations. Just as is true for humans, however, moving to a new city (or zoo) can be extremely stressful for a gorilla. In order to minimize this stress, we must first understand it. Though a few research studies have been conducted to examine stress and social behavior in captive gorillas, very few studies have examined behavior and hormone levels in response to the introduction of a gorilla from another zoo. This is where Kramer’s research comes in. She has examined stress hormones and behavior in two groups of gorillas at the National Zoo after the introduction of a new group member. Kim hopes that the results of her studies will help to inform stress-minimization programs already in place at zoos nationwide. So why this talk about poop? Kramer explains that though hormones can be found in blood, saliva, and urine, the hormones you find in solid waste are representative of much longerterm buildup of hormones in the apes’ systems. Thus, examining feces gives you an opportunity to quantitatively, and non-invasively, observe how the apes have been doing over the course of the day, but also what their stress levels have looked like for the past few months. For someone studying stress in response to the introduction of a new individual, this long-term indicator is ideal. To analyze the hormone levels present in the fecal samples she collects at the zoo, Kramer
Photo by Elizabeth Herrelko
The gorilla Baraka with Kim Kramer in the background.
brings her samples back to Saldanha’s lab. On campus, she performs immunoassays. Using antibodies targeted at a specific molecule (cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress, in her case), Kramer is able to detect just how much cortisol is in the fecal samples from individual gorillas, and analyze how these cortisol levels change over the course of months. But after carefully analyzing fecal cortisol data from before Calaya’s arrival, a quarantine period, and after Calaya’s introduction to the one of the two zoo troops, Kramer has come up with some pretty interesting results. Though cortisol levels increased and gradually tapered off in the troop Calaya was introduced to, cortisol levels increased in the troop Calaya
was never introduced to as well. Thus, even though the other troop couldn’t physically access Calaya, they could see, hear, and smell her. Those senses alone were enough to result in increased cortisol levels in the other troop—an effect that lasted for some time. Kim tells us that these results inspire her to think about ways in which zoo enclosures could be redesigned to minimize stress in the gorillas. Perhaps zoos housing more than one troop of gorillas could build enclosures with additional barriers, or house troops in different buildings to help reduce long-term cortisol buildup in captive gorillas. Like a true student of biology, Kramer says her favorite part about research is “creating sense out of madness”—that quest to find a pattern
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in a vast web of information. “You take these complex behaviors that don’t really seem to mean anything, and then when you quantify them you see that they actually tell a story.” Though Kramer’s passion for biology and behavior has fueled her work between the Smithsonian and AU, her long-term goal is to pursue work in science policy. One of the most important ways she can utilize her editing skills and the scientific understanding she’s developed here at American University, she feels, is to communicate the importance of work like that being done in AU’s biology department to further the biological understanding of our world. We hope to hear more about her work as she transitions from her graduate program into the working world.
CORSETS: MALE DESIRE OR FEMALE AGENCY? When most people hear the word corset, they think of something from the past. However, the recent popularity of waist training has brought corsets back to the forefront of fashion, even if they are no longer called corsets. Waist training has been made popular by some celebrities and makes use of waist trainers, otherwise known as corsets, to reduce the size of one’s waist. The use of corsets has long-term effects on the skeleton—it deforms the ribs and spine in an effort to reduce the size of one’s waist. While the skeletal effects of corseting are well known, academics sometimes disagree on how damaging corseting was to women’s health and why women corseted in the past. This question is precisely the topic of American University student Rebecca Gibson’s dissertation work. Gibson’s master’s work, which was recently published in NEXUS: The Canadian Student Journal of Anthropology and has been written about in Forbes magazine, came to some surprising conclusions that contradict some long held assumptions about corsetry. The main point of her early findings is that corseted women actually lived longer than average, despite the well-known skeletal deformation of the ribs and vertebrae as a result of corseting. Thus, she concludes that corseting did not have a significantly negative impact on women’s quantity of life. Gibson also addresses the quality of life for these women. Due to depictions of maids using their feet to get corsets sufficiently tight, many people assume corseting was hugely uncomfortable and painful for those who wore them. An analysis of corsets from the Victoria and Albert Collection shows that corsets were well loved and well used. The amount of strain that would have been put on the garment through tightening the laces
beyond what the body allowed for would result in a shorter lifespan for the garment—a possibility that the material record does not support. The material record also does not support the idea that women wore corsets in an attempt to appeal to men or because the patriarchy told them to do so. Several contemporary sources from England between the 1700s and 1900s reveal that men did not necessarily like the look of women with greatly reduced waists. Combined with contemporary letters written by women that support the wearing of corsets, it becomes clear that women exerted their own agency in deciding to wear corsets. That is not to say that all women liked corsets, or did not realize some of the harm they could cause. Rather, the picture is more complex than the common belief that men were the primary instigators of the corseting of women. It is important not to remove female agency from the decisions women were making about their bodies. This early work has proved there is a greater need to analyze what corseting meant in the past, and how it relates to how women are seen and treated in contemporary society. Gibson’s current dissertation work continues to address these concerns. Her current study involves the analysis of 73 skeletons from the St. Brides Lower Churchyard collection held at the Museum of London and approximately 25 skeletons at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris. These collections span the years 1700 to 1900. This current work follows in the footsteps of her previous research by looking at the circular deformity of ribs caused by corseting, along with the vertical and lateral displacement of vertebral elements to accommodate corseting. Her current research is also making use of technology in a way she
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Photo by Erica Stratton
By Chelsi Slotten, PhD Student, Anthropology
Rebecca Gibson speaking at DC's Martin Luther King Memorial Library.
could not several years ago. Digital 3-D scans of articulated rib cages and individual bones are being taken. These images will contribute to the depth of analysis that can be undertaken and will be included in her dissertation. They will also allow for different more astute morphometric analysis to be undertaken in the future, using advanced computer programs. Gibson completed her data collection at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris this past summer. If you are interested in her work, her full article on her preliminary study on this topic can be viewed online at journals.mcmaster.ca/ nexus/article/view/983/905. NEXUS is an open access journal.
CHEMISTRY CHAIR’S RESEARCH TO DEVELOP
HIGH PERFORMANCE CATALYSTS Shouzhong Zou, who joined American University in August 2015 as a professor and chair of the Chemistry Department, works with his team on catalysis research that addresses current issues relating to the environment and energy. Zou and his team are working on three projects: developing platinum (Pt)-based alloy nanocrystals for fuel cell applications, using these catalysts as gas-sensing materials, and developing catalysts for converting carbon dioxide to organic fuels.
Photograph by Wenyue Li
By Katerina Pappas (BS Journalism, Chemistry minor, ’16)
Platinum Alloy Nanocrystals “My research group has been involved in working with metal nanoparticles, with an eye on the applications to catalysis, especially related to fuel cell reactions,” Zou said. In the past few years, the major focus in Zou’s research has been Pt-based nanocrystals, which are Pt alloys with a second metal. Adding a second metal, which can be most of the first row transition metals, improves the catalytic activity of Pt for oxygen reduction, a fuel cell reaction. “When you mix Pt with a second metal, it improves the catalytic activity by reducing the adsorption energy of oxygen atoms on the catalyst,” said Zou. According to Zou, a disadvantage of a pure Pt catalyst is that the Pt-oxygen bond is too strong. The strong interaction of Pt and oxygen helps to break O2 into two oxygen atoms (O), but if the interaction is too strong, the formed oxygen Shouzhong Zou and postdoctoral fellow Xiaojun Liu working in the laboratory.
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Pd nano-rhombic dodecahedrons (red curve) produce higher oxygen reduction currents than nano-cubes (black curve) in ionic liquids at the same applied voltage, making them a better material for oxygen sensors.
atoms stick on Pt surface and block further O-O bonds from breaking, and the conversion of O to water. By introducing a second component like nickel or cobalt, the Pt-Pt bond shrinks and the oxygen binding to the Pt is decreased. The oxygen reduction reaction will proceed to a completion to form water. The benefit of using a Pt alloy is that the activity is increased, and at the same time, you need less Pt. Zou explained that his research group does more than just mixing this second metal into Pt. “By controlling the nanoparticles shape, we control the surface structure of the catalyst. For example, we found that the Pt3Ni octahedra, on which the surface atoms are hexagonal close-packed, are much more active than the cubes where the surface atoms line up in a square pattern.” By using the same material, but in different shapes and compositions, the activity can be engineered. Compared to commercially available catalysts, one of the PtNi catalysts Zou
created is about 60 times more active than commercial pure Pt catalysts. It is very promising for fuel cell applications. In 2015, Toyota deployed the Toyota Mirai, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in its North America market. If the fuel cell catalysts Zou works on are implemented in these cars, he thinks that the cost can be greatly reduced. “We only need 50 percent of Pt in these catalysts, and the activity is 60 times higher so you can use much less Pt to do the same amount of work,” said Zou. The catalyst is also very stable. Catalysts created by Zou and his team were tested after two years of shelf storage and are still very active, indicating a long shelf life, another promising characteristic of Zou’s catalysts.
Gas Sensors “We are also working on using these catalysts in gas sensors,” said Zou.
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In the fracking and oil industry, natural gasses typically are a byproduct of drilling. Natural gas is transported to homes or power plants through pipelines. A leak in a pipeline can result in an explosion, making leak sensors very important in pipelines. In the oil industry, a commonly used sensor is based on lasers, which are expensive and difficult to maintain. In collaboration with a research group at Oakland University in Michigan, Zou’s group is interested in developing more economically viable sensors to replace those currently used in industry. One method they’re researching is to increase the sensitivity with the help of a catalyst to oxidize methane. In addition to methane, these catalysts could also be used to detect carbon monoxide, formic acid, methanol, formaldehyde, and other compounds that are health hazards.
Converting Carbon Dioxide Back to Organic Fuel According to a study by NASA, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere are higher than they’ve been at any point in the past 400,000 years due to the burning of fossil fuels. There is strong evidence that the elevated CO2 concentration is responsible for the climate change we are experiencing. “As we can see, the fossil fuel industry is not going away soon,” said Zou. “Burning fossil fuels releases a lot of CO2, and if we can convert this CO2 back to organic fuels, such as methanol or formic acid, then we can mitigate this CO2 greenhouse effect.” Zou’s three areas of research all concern ways to harness energy effectively, cheaply and with as little damage to the environment as possible. “What’s the fundamental reason for my research?” said Zou. “Intellectual curiosity and how to use what we learn for the betterment of the society.”
PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH WITH NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS Being a public health student at American University provides the opportunity for unique experiences beyond the classroom, due to the university’s location in the nation’s capital. While riding the Washington, DC, Metro one day, I met an individual in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. After recognizing his uniform and striking up a conversation, I learned that he was the head of the Office of Public Health for the National Park Service. A few months later, I found myself as an epidemiology intern under the guidance of David Wong, the chief epidemiologist for the National Park Service. This experience has led to amazing opportunities for me, but could not have been possible without the advice and guidance of the director of the Public Health Scholars Program, Melissa Hawkins, who became closely involved in the project as I furthered my research through an independent study. American University and Washington, DC, put me in a position to become strongly involved in the most recent epidemiological work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the guidance of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), a leading organization for epidemiologists, maintains an active list of nationally notifiable diseases. The list includes diseases with which most people are familiar, such as Lyme disease or West Nile virus, and diseases that are incredibly feared by the public, such as the Ebola virus or anthrax. When a patient is suspected to have a disease on the list, the healthcare provider is mandated to report it. The data from these cases are then used for a multitude of purposes including surveillance, identification of risk factors, and the allocation of public health resources.
Photo courtesy of Wyatt Bensken
By Wyatt Bensken, BS Student, Public Health 3-Year Scholars Program
Wyatt Bensken, American University Public Health student.
Different health jurisdictions use different methods of data collection, ranging from the traditional pen and paper to a sophisticated computer program. Regardless of the method of data collection, across all platforms there are similar questions, yet differences exist as well, and these differences often make case-reporting challenging at a national level. Recognizing this, the CDC has begun a process of data harmonization (efforts to combine data from multiple sources and formats into a more integrated system) to address some of these discrepancies. While nearly every jurisdiction asks about potential exposures, the level and detail of these questions could vary greatly. Sources of
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exposure for cases can often be linked to their travel history, as made evident with outbreaks such as measles at Disneyland, or hantavirus at Yosemite National Park. The travel history of patients coming down with these diseases would be critical to identifying them as cases involved in the cluster. Additionally, travel history is critical to identifying any individuals who may have been exposed. In 2013 CSTE established the travel history work group to address these very issues. The goal of this work group would be to take a closer look at the current methods of data collection, pilot a new form with a more detailed
approach, and analyze the results to begin to understand how often travel history occurs in case patients. The workgroup had established goals and created a pilot, with a heavy emphasis on travel history and specific exposure related questions. Jurisdictions could elect to participate in up to eight diseases including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, tularemia, West Nile virus, cryptosporidiosis, and giardiasis. When I came on board with the project, they were about halfway through. They had connected with more than 20 health jurisdictions throughout the country and implemented the pilot form. The case reports had been returned, and it was time for data analysis and
interpretation. Many of these case reports were handwritten and faxed, so the first step was to input the information. More than 620 case reports were received, and after an extensive data cleaning process, 609 cases were included. Overall findings indicated that there is a significant amount of travel history among cases, and that not all of the existing forms ask, or are able to collect this type of information, and the level of detail varies across jurisdictions. The importance of this project may seem minimal at first glance, but when we address it from the outside it is incredibly important. This study begins to address the travel history of case patients as well as the data collection
methods being utilized. It is the first study to do so. The question is, what does this mean for the population? This study is hoping to inspire more dedicated research into this field, which would ultimately inform an improved system to collect information and identify clusters of cases that have not been previously discovered. This can lead to early and rapid detection of problematic areas, and with this information the public health community can quickly respond to prevent future cases, thus improving the health and safety of our global community. This research would not have been possible if I had been in any other city, or without the support of the great faculty in the Department of Health Studies.
THE AU CHAPTER OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTING MACHINERY By Alex Niu, BS student, Computer Science Students majoring in Computer Science at American University recently started a very active local chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). ACM is an international professional society; the American University chapter is a tight-knit community of individuals with different interests and skill sets. Students work together, help each other, and celebrate each other’s achievements. Through resume workshops, technical interview training, and speakers from industry, the American University ACM chapter informs students about different jobs and prepares them for the rigorous selection process required by many organizations. The local ACM chapter is one of American University’s most active resources for careers in computer science and other technically focused majors. The chapter has helped cultivate connections with
alumni, local businesses, and American University faculty. Over the past several months, American University’s ACM chapter has hosted 18 events with more than a dozen different industry players. The chapter has hosted speakers from Google, Amazon, IBM, and other thought leaders. The chapter has also given technical training in tools used in the industry. Notably, the activity of American University’s ACM chapter has helped place computer science graduates in positions in high-profile companies and at a number of local industries. This year alone, three new American University Computer Science alumni begin work with Amazon Web Services, while others start internships with Boeing, Microsoft, Symantec, and Google. The department looks forward to the growth of ACM in future years.
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SEQUENTIAL ANALYSIS:
UNCOVERING NEW STATISTICAL METHODS TO SOLVE SOME OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST CHALLENGES Treating cancer and protecting the world against new terrorist threats might seem like a lot to tackle for the average person. But for Professor Michael Baron, a recent addition to American University’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics, these priorities are just a part of his everyday research on sequential analysis and multiple hypothesis testing. Consider the cost of a clinical trial. Currently, clinical trials are expensive, time consuming, and often require testing a large number of subjects in order to be sure that a drug is ready for human consumption. Lowering the number of subjects needed in a trial could save valuable time and resources. More importantly, it could save participants from unknown risks. In order to be sure that a drug will not have an adverse effect on humans, certain statistical standards must be met in the drug’s clinical trials. Such standards are determined (and limited) by currently available statistical methods. But new, more efficient methods that push the boundaries of modern statistics could allow clinicians to determine with statistical certainty, based on fewer subjects, that a drug is safe. In the long term, this would mean more efficient use of resources and potentially life-saving reductions in the amount of time needed to establish a drug’s safety. Lowering the cost of clinical trials may lead to lower cost of treatments, thus reducing the overall cost of health care. Professor Baron’s research is rooted in two statistical techniques: sequential analysis and
Photo courtesy of the ASA
By Laurel MacMillan, MS Student, Statistics
Professor Michael Baron demonstrating a principle of sequential analysis.
multiple hypothesis testing. Sequential analysis is the concept of statistical estimation or decision-making in real time as data is collected, as opposed to retrospectively on a fixed sample size, as is typically done. Multiple hypothesis testing is testing for significance across multiple tests concurrently. While fairly straightforward in isolation, these two methods applied together might decrease the average number of data points needed to make decisions or detect changes while intelligently controlling the allowed error rate. By combining these methods, Baron is working on novel statistical
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approaches to detect significant changes, with huge implications across a range of fields. Baron joined the American University community in the fall of 2014, but has been working on sequential analysis and related applications since the beginning of his career. He began researching change-point analysis, which studies when a significant change has occurred in a dataset, while pursuing his PhD at the University of Maryland before connecting this topic to sequential analysis. While consulting on clinical trials, Baron realized that sequential analysis without a way to handle multiple tests
Photo courtesy of the ASA
Professor Michael Baron with ASA president Marie Davidian.
concurrently would never be clinically useful. In 2009, while attending a workshop on multiple comparison problems, Baron first questioned how multiple testing was studied in relation to sequentially collected data and discovered a diverse range of problems yet to be solved. Seeking solutions to problems of this nature, Baron has drawn on the theories of some of history’s most famed statisticians: Carlo Bonferroni and Sture Holm, who advanced multiple testing theory; as well as Albert Shiryaev, Abraham Wald, and Jacob Wolfowitz, who are considered the fathers of sequential analysis. The history of sequential analysis dates back to the middle of the 20th century, when intelligence analysts began to modify existing statistical theories to solve difficult problems during World War II. Much of this statistical theory focused on the accuracy and speed of machine gun fire and rocket propellants and was classified until after the war. The impact of sequential analysis on clinical trial research and threat detection was realized decades later.
Baron’s current theoretical research at AU has expanded upon Abraham Wald’s work on the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT), while taking into account both Bonferroni and Holm’s theories on correcting for error across multiple hypothesis tests. While it seems like an obvious choice—testing sequentially can control error rates and potentially detect differences sooner than traditional sampling— sequential methods can introduce additional biases into parameter estimation. Implementing sequential methods might also be difficult in practice because they rely on a stopping rule rather than a specific sample size, which could create more uncertainty for clinicians budgeting and planning for clinical trials. One of Baron’s contributions may be showing that these methods are both theoretically sound and clinically practical. But clinical trials are just the tip of the iceberg. Baron also hopes to find ways to analyze data and detect terrorist or biological threats as they are happening, rather than after the fact. A National Science Foundation grant allows Baron to study the application of sequential analysis and multiple hypothesis testing to cyber security. These novel statistical methods will allow computer scientists to pool online data sources concurrently with the goal of detecting significant changes, which may indicate a threat. Biological threat detection is another aim of this impressive body of research; it could facilitate more efficient analysis of online health or epidemiology data to allow for earlier detection of public health crises. Fortunately, Baron is more than capable of handling the gravity of his contributions in serious application areas. With an obvious enthusiasm for statistical theory and an eye for the subtle elegance of these two statistical methods, Baron is helping move the needle to address a diverse and complex range of global challenges.
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INTRODUCTION TO THE AU PHYSICS DEPARTMENT By Maya Kinley-Hanlon, BS Student, Physics If you ask a random student on American University’s campus for directions to the Sports Center Annex building, you will likely be met with a confused face staring back at you. But ask a physics student the same question and he/ she will happily offer directions to the building that “looks like a trailer attached to the back of Bender Arena.” Though the exterior may not be pretty, the inside holds a treasure: the American University Physics Department. There is no one thing that makes this department what it is. All of its pieces together make it remarkable. This is a unique physics department for many reasons, from the research opportunities to the diversity statistics. One sophomore doing research for Associate Professor Gregory Harry recalls that when visiting colleges, she was disappointed to learn that at many schools students aren’t able to participate in research projects until their senior year, if at all. One reason she chose AU was that undergraduates can, and often do, begin research in their first year. While about half of the graduating physics majors go to graduate school, the others take their physics knowledge into fields such as graphic design and film. During the school year and over the summer, the physics department always has several students conducting research in labs such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Science and
Maya Kinley-Hanlon, physics major at American University, explains LIGO during the annual Astronomy on the Mall event.
Technology (NIST), and Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Professor Harry’s LIGO Lab— affectionately known as the Gravity Lab—is a part of a national collaboration. It was the LIGO observatories in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana, that recently made headlines after researchers detected gravitational waves created by the collision of two black holes in space. Harry has been working on gravitational wave detection throughout his academic career, after his interest was first piqued in high school. Like all AU physics professors, he brings his passion to the students and has been an invaluable mentor to many. His lab is one of the many factors that make the AU physics department stand out, despite its relatively small size, with an average of eight undergraduate physics majors graduating per year. Of those, 50 percent are women, compared to only 20 percent of
physics majors nationally. That may be related to another striking figure: while women make up just 14 percent of faculties nationally, 50 percent of AU’s physics faculty is composed of women. But it’s not just the remarkable statistics or nationally recognized labs that make American University Physics stand out. What makes it truly special is the community created by the professors and students alike. If you were to walk through its research-poster lined hallways on an average day, you would see office doors open, revealing professors tapping away at keyboards, solving equations on their whiteboards, or talking with students. Perhaps you’d see Nate Harshman, the head of the department, talking with a prospective student or having an intense discussion with a research assistant, pausing to smile and wave as you walk by. The conference rooms are filled with students discussing
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homework sets, debating complex equations, and holding tutoring office hours. You would see students in every office, talking about work or class, discussing physical theories, or debating who will win the annual chili cook off. Talented physicists with doctorates from the top physics PhD programs choose American for its DC location and the opportunity to interact with students. Like most physics departments, AU’s is academically rigorous, but its small size and supportive community create a unique, encouraging, and engaging community. While the appearance of the building that houses this department will soon change with the new Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building on East Campus in the coming year, the high quality of the department will undoubtedly stay the same. It is a remarkable program where any student even remotely interested in the subject can develop a lifelong passion for physics.
CHANGING THE BRAIN AND WATCHING IT HAPPEN For almost two decades, neuroscientists have been able to examine patterns of activity in the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This technique uses the magnetic signature of oxygen in blood as a proxy for neuronal activity in the brain. FMRI allows us to see activation in the brain as a result of a task constructed in the lab, and to discern which areas of the brain “do” certain things. Until this point, few people have been able to change brain activity in healthy participants. However, recent advances in neuroscience have made it possible to modulate brain activity. Research in Catherine Stoodley’s developmental neuroscience lab at American University is using this technique to modulate specific regions in the brain and examine how activity in whole-brain networks changes as a result. As a doctoral student in Dr. Stoodley’s lab, I have used neuromodulation techniques to transiently alter neuronal activity in the brain and measure changes in brain activity using fMRI. Combining brain modulation with brain imaging is a novel approach to investigating brain function. In particular, our lab uses transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS, a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, which involves running very low levels of electric current through the brain via an electrode placed on the scalp. Our lab is interested in the effects of tDCS on the cerebellum—a part of the brain involved in both motor and cognitive aspects of behavior.
Photo by Linda Amarante
By Anila D’Mello, PhD Student, Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience (BCAN)
Stoodley and D'Mello reviewing neuroimaging data.
When these two techniques (fMRI and tDCS) are combined, we are able to not only modulate brain activity, but also measure how brain activity changes as a result of modulation. We are one of the first labs in the world to combine these two methods to study the role of the cerebellum in cognition. In one current study, we are examining the effects of tDCS to the cerebellum on the organization and connectivity of language networks in the brain. The cerebellum is especially important for predictive language processing—taking in language input and predicting what might come next. Being able to accurately form predictions and change behavior based on feedback is necessary for language-learning early in life and even carrying on conversations. It is thought that without the ability to predict “what comes
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next” when someone is speaking, language processing would be significantly slower and less efficient. In fact, damage to the cerebellum can result in language disturbances including mutism and trouble forming grammatical sentences. Increased cerebellar volumes have been related to better language skills and improved secondlanguage learning abilities. We have applied tDCS to areas of the cerebellum implicated in language. These regions of the cerebellum connect to other language areas in the brain, including those important for speech production, comprehension, and reading. Healthy young adults relaxed in the fMRI scanner while we collected resting-state fMRI data. Resting-state fMRI allows us to tap into what the brain looks like at rest, when no tasks are being performed. This gives us insight into the intrinsic
activity of the brain and how regions in the brain work in concert to form networks. Based on patterns of correlated activity between multiple brain regions, we can measure the degree of connectivity between different regions of the brain. Abnormal patterns of connectivity in resting-state networks are implicated in a variety of disorders, including autism, Alzheimer’s disease, and drug addiction. In this study, we compared resting-state network connectivity in participants who received tDCS with those who did not receive tDCS. We found that neuromodulation of language areas in the cerebellum resulted in increased connectivity in a widespread network of language regions, suggesting enhanced communication between these areas. In particular, we found increased connectivity between language regions important for motor control of speech. These regions are important for producing the movements necessary to speak effectively, and are altered in patients with language disorders. Techniques like tDCS are non-invasive, portable, and relatively inexpensive. Therefore, there is great interest in the potential use of tDCS to improve quality of life in clinical populations. Research into the effects of language network modulation could help people with disturbances of language, or aphasias, which can be caused by stroke or damage to language regions of the brain. Almost 250,000 new people each year in the United States suffer from aphasia, and in two-thirds of these cases, recovery is incomplete. Currently, treatment options are limited to speech therapy. In fact, Dr. Stoodley and the developmental neuroscience lab have recently been awarded a National Institutes of Health grant to study the effects of cerebellar tDCS in aphasia. Our findings that tDCS can modulate language networks will inform future clinical applications of tDCS, and, hopefully in the future, a clinical trial of tDCS for aphasia.
Top: Areas in orange represent the language network and show strong connectivity with language regions of the cerebellum. Middle: tDCS set-up over the right cerebellum. Bottom: Increased functional connectivity between language regions important for motor control of speech (S1=primary somatosensory cortex; M1=primary motor cortex).
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CUBA: FROM RIDGE TO REEF Photo by Larry Engel
By Mackenzie Kelley, BS Student, Biochemistry
AU scholars on Miami Beach before their flight to Havana, Cuba.
Over the 2016 spring break, a group of American University students in their first year of the AU Scholars program travelled from Washington, DC, to Havana, Cuba, with two professors. Their trip was focused on researching the environmental problems facing Cuba as it undergoes major changes in its foreign
policy. In preparation for the trip, the class spent the spring semester studying social, political, and environmental structures in Cuba and creating research projects focusing on various environmental issues. The class hosted guest speakers from the US Department of State and the university’s School of International Service
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to gain perspective of Cuba’s current political and environmental standing. The research focused on Cuba’s agricultural practices and the country’s position in the global food trade market. The food produced in Cuba comes from small-scale farms called “organopónicos.” The students visited both urban and rural organopónicos and talked to managers and farmers. Through student-conducted interviews, the group gained firsthand insight into the way that the United States-Cuban embargo has resulted in Cuban farmers exclusively using organic practices—because fertilizers and modern US agricultural technology are not accessible to them. However, as the demand for food increases, and the relations between the two countries improve, these organic methods will most certainly be affected. The group also traveled to several areas of Cuba including the coasts of Varadero, Las Terrazas, and Las Viñales. In each location, students conducted and filmed interviews with Cubans, asking questions related to their specific research projects. Kiho Kim, professor of environmental science, guided the students in the details of their research, while Larry Engel, associate professor in the AU School of Communications, offered expertise in documenting the research through film. The students presented their research projects at the end of the semester at the AU Scholars research symposium. Final projects included documentaries, an eBook, and a series of short films. If you are interested in the final projects produced by the class, you can visit this website: https://ridgetoreefblog.wordpress.com
AT THE INTERSECTION OF BUSINESS AND BIOLOGY By Pragati Chengappa, MS Student, Biotechnology
Biotechnology faculty, Melissa Bradley (Business) and Kathryn Walters-Conte (Biology), at the launch of the AU Center for Innovation in the Capital.
Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing industries globally. Biotechnology translates the fields of plant science, microbiology, genetics, genomics, and biomedical engineering into practical application. The Professional Science Master’s of Biotechnology at American University is unique because it includes business classes and internship requirements, in addition to core
science courses. This is imperative because the exposure to management, finance, and business, as well as industry experience, puts graduates in a position of success in industry and government agencies. A new and exciting opportunity available to biotechnology and other students is the American University Incubator Program, through the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Initiative.
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The Incubator is a space that promotes creativity and innovation. It was created by AU’s Kogod School of Business. The Incubator gives those with a business idea a platform to further develop their project. It also helps them network and find potential investors. The Incubator is codirected by Kogod Executives in Residence Bill Bellows and Tommy White, with whom students conduct an informational meeting before officially applying. This meeting is generally informal and simply to judge the viability of a product or idea. Afterwards, there is a Proof of Idea form that needs to be filled out, which can be accessed through the American University website. If the idea presented is approved, then the group or individual will present the idea in front of a board, after which a decision will be made within two weeks as to whether or not it is accepted into the Incubator. Megan Nelson, a second year biotechnology graduate student had this to say about her Incubator application process: “Professors Bellows and White have been extremely welcoming during the American Incubator application process. I look forward to working with them and other students within the Incubator to develop my business.” Nelson hopes to launch her business, which involves the use of genetic testing for the rapid diagnosis of diseases through the AU Incubator program. In fact, several biotechnology and biology students like Nelson are already in the process of pitching their ideas to the Incubator. A great thing about the program is that it is open to AU students up to five years after they graduate. So students can potentially work on their ideas and apply to the Incubator any time
AU: THE STEM CELL OF PRE-MED PROGRAMS By Cassidy Hart, President Phi Delta Epsilon, BS Student, Biochemistry
Photo by Ahmed AbdelHameid
between their years here, or five years after they have left. Assistant Biology Professor John Bracht said about the Incubator, “American University biotechnology students can pair their technical knowledge with the tremendous entrepreneurship expertise available through the Incubator. The potent combination of technical and business knowledge allows them to explore many exciting career opportunities.� The Biotechnology 489/689 course is another great resource for students, as it encompasses a lot of important ideals about the nature of the industry, with a focus on technical skills such as how to write and file for a patent, and how to pitch your business ideas to a board. These are great skills for someone at the intersection of biology and business to have, because they could mean the difference between being able to successfully launch your business, or falling flat. The class is essentially a series of guest lectures from people across the spectrum of the biological umbrella, from bioethics lawyers, to academic professors, to FDA or other government-employed scientists. Hearing the diverse backgrounds and paths that all of these professionals have taken to get to their current status is inspiring and intriguing, because it makes one realize that there is a huge array of opportunity in biotechnology, and there are countless ways to succeed in the field. Almost all graduate students in the PSM Biotechnology Program are currently working on ideas that they want to eventually pitch to the Incubator. The Incubator has done a truly great thing for innovative students: it has made a pipeline dream seem attainable. It will be great to witness what the wonderful partnership students of the Kogod School of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences can create.
Alumna Duaa AbdelHameid, attending Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.
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American University’s premedical program, though small, has had great success. One example is Duaa AbdelHameid, an AU alum who graduated in May 2015 as a biology major. Duaa currently attends Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. During her time at American University, Duaa made many lasting impacts, including helping to found the DC Beta chapter of Phi Delta Epsilon (PhiDE), an international medical fraternity with pre-medical chapters at undergraduate universities around the world. PhiDE helps foster an environment where pre-med students can learn and help each other with the goal of creating physicians of integrity. Duaa is one such of these future physicians, and as a first year medical student, she is now on her way to becoming a doctor. When asked about how she was enjoying medical school, Duaa said, “Medical school is probably the most exhilarating, tiring, amazing, and stressful experience of my life so far. It is incredible how much I’m learning and how much I love being here, pursuing what I’ve dreamt about for so long.” I know many of us in the premedical program share this dream. However, the question often floats in our minds: Is this worth it? The countless hours studying, the sleepless nights, the weekends spent with our books? Duaa says, “It is such a rigorous process— you are essentially learning everything you need to know to heal a person after speaking to them for 15 minutes and running a few tests,” and that it is “an intense task, and the academic road to such a position reflects that.” The path ahead may be hard, but Duaa says she “wouldn’t trade this for anything.” Still, for some of us, medical school itself is years off. So how can American University help us with the premedical process? Duaa says, “The location of AU, coupled with the opportunity to create my own path, really benefited me in the long run.” She offers a scientifically appropriate
analogy: “AU is like a stem cell—it can literally ‘grow up’ to be anything—you can make what you want of it.” When asked if she had any advice for us pre-meds, Duaa said we needed to trust the process. It’s a saying we have all heard multiple times, but Duaa says, “The application process is crazy and stressful, but trust it and trust yourself—you will get to where you are meant to be.” She also stresses that we should all enjoy the process. “The most important thing is to make sure you’re enjoying this: pre-med, MCAT, medical school. Enjoy all of it,” she says. “You have to get yourself into a state where these stages are rewarding and fun for you. If you don’t get satisfaction out of learning something amazing about the human body, then reflect on those feelings. This is a long, hard road—if you don’t get
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satisfaction out of learning and getting closer to your goal, this will be miserable for you. I know it’s hard to wrap your head around the concept of enjoying organic chemistry (does anyone remember what nucleophiles are after leaving O chem?) but try and find the cool facts that make you go ‘Ahhhhhh’ and remind yourself of why you’re here. Have faith in yourself—everyone around you is smart in undergrad and in medical school but so are you—be confident and enjoy the ride.” And with that, I’ll leave you with two memorable quotes by Duaa about medical school: “Warning: there are lots of sacrificed hours of sleep, weekends, and Netflix sessions.” “People say medical school is like trying to drink out of a fire hose, and that is the truest thing I’ve heard all year.”
PARTNERSHIP TO IMPROVE SCIENCE EDUCATION IN DC SCHOOLS Photographer. Danielle G. Sodani
By Melissa H. Turner, Program Evaluator, School of Education
Principal Investigator Angela van Doorn advising DC teacher participant in the lab at American University during the summer institute of Learning and Teaching Science with Scientists.
American University science and education faculty and students are working with middle school science teachers across DC to develop and implement student-centered, investigative science curriculum for their classrooms. This work includes developing an intensive professional development relationship with one school in particular, Ideal Academy Public Charter School. The program, named the Learning and Teaching Science with Scientists Institute,
is funded by a Mathematics and Science Partnerships Grant through the DC Office of the State Superintendent for Education (OSSE). Over the summer, 14 teachers participated in a training institute at American University, focusing on laboratory approaches to learning biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental sciences, as well as pedagogy, or how to use student-centered experimentation as a best practice for teaching and learning science. For
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example, if a teacher walks into a classroom and lectures on electricity to 7th graders, they will get a very different reaction than if they have the students work on building their own snap circuits. Of the 14 teachers, 4 work at Ideal, and 10 work at other schools across DC. During the summer, teachers developed and tested lesson plans to teach the science approaches learned in the institute, using the experiential strategies taught in the pedagogy course. While the summer institute is over, work on the project continues. During the fall semester, four AU science students went to the schools across DC to observe teachers implementing lesson plans in their science courses. These lesson plans were developed using the best practices taught this summer, including the “5Es” of science instruction: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. AU’s science students used an observation protocol to help determine whether teachers were using their new skills, and whether these skills were helping students learn. In addition, three AU science students, Nikita Srivastava, Kirk Blackmoore, and Rachel Zayas have been going to Ideal weekly to help 8th grade students with their science fair projects. The school's science fair was held last winter, and Blackmoore and Zayas are evaluating the 8th grade projects. After the school-based fair, AU science students and faculty continue to support the Ideal students whose projects will represent Ideal at a DC-wide middle school science fair. The grant also allowed AU to purchase materials for Ideal, including a weather station
Photo by Jonathan Silberman
and snap circuits. Fifth grade students at Ideal are monitoring the temperature, wind speed and direction, rain, and barometric pressure digitally in their classroom. Some students have used the data for their science fair projects. Jonathan Newport, AU physics lab director, and Srivastana have been working with the 6th and 7th grade students on using the snap circuits. According to Srivastana, students are learning about “basic circuits, resistance, and capacitance. It's been really fun for everyone!” When reflecting on his experiences at Ideal, Blackmoore said, “Working with the budding scientists at Ideal has forced me to improve personally, academically, and socially every single time. The kids are very high-energy and observant, so I need to be ready to help them discover new things and nurture their interests. I have really seen growth in them through the questions they now ask and the way they carry themselves, which is very encouraging. The future is bright in the scientific world.“ The project is allowing AU students and faculty to build strong relationships with staff at Ideal, ultimately helping the school to build and enhance its science curriculum, which should lead to increased student engagement and achievement. “One of the most gratifying moments of the LTSS grant project was when the Ideal Public Charter School teachers told me they had created lab time in their science classes for student centered experiments,” said Nancy Zeller, AU’s recently retired coordinator of science teaching labs and one of the grant managers for the institute. “Students getting excited about snap circuits and observing how bean seeds can germinate on filter paper are the best ways to engage budding young scientists." The project’s funding expires at the end of this school year, but AU hopes to continue its relationship with Ideal in the future.
MAKE THE LIBRARY YOUR LAB PARTNER By Erica Bogese, Library Communications Coordinator Labs are all about seeing how ideas come to life. At the American University Library, we think that knowledge creation is a natural partner with innovation, visualization, and impact. Take a look at the resources we have for making, mapping, teaching, and measuring your research impact— we think you’ll want to make us your lab partner.
Printing your idea in 3-D Three-dimensional (3-D) technology gives students and faculty the ability to bring lectures and presentations to life in a unique way,
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allowing them to form a hands-on connection to the material and ideas. It has the potential to dramatically reshape research presentations and projects. Technology Services at Bender Library offers an Ultimaker 2 3-D printer and a MakerBot Digitizer 3-D scanner for the campus community. These new tools have the ability to print plastic designs from 3-D files that are original creations, downloads from the growing community of 3-D printing enthusiasts, or designs that have been scanned from an existing object.
Staff members at the Technology Services Desk have compiled resources to help users understand, design, download, and format 3-D files for printing. Printing costs are low (base printing fee of $4 plus five cents per gram of material) to reduce the barriers for our users and to optimize the accessibility of this technology. Three-dimensional printing provides opportunities for more dynamic presentations that incorporate physical representations of digital models, allow for “hands-on” experiences with 3-D printed artifacts, and encourage the audience to become more engaged with the speaker and the subject matter.
Supporting your Research and Teaching through Technology The library’s newest lab provides helpful services, new devices, and a comfortable space for members of the AU Community who want to expand their understanding of geospatial research and/or use of instructional technology. Located in Anderson Computing Complex, room B16, this lab features two distinct service zones: the Geospatial Research Lab and the IdeaSpace. The Geospatial Research Lab supports the university’s research and teaching programs that use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies and resources. The lab is building and curating AU’s spatial data collection and providing services in support of robust geospatial research. The lab supports scholars who work in fields not historically associated with geospatial analysis as they explore how geographic visualization can assist them in examining relationships and causalities, uncovering patterns, and making predictions. Meagan Snow, program director for Geospatial Research Support at the library, offers assistance with using lab resources and training on unique and informative data visualization. The lab is a hub for maps, data, and visualization.
The IdeaSpace is an instructional technology training zone,that creates a designated place for faculty classroom technology training. Maintained by AU's Audio Visual (AV) Services group, the IdeaSpace contains classroom mock-up configurations, experimental classroom arrangements, and a collection of new technologies that allow faculty to try devices or practice integrating technology into the classroom. Katie Kassof, instructional technologist and space designer at the library, offers one-on-one faculty training, which is specific to the university's classroom technology. In short, you get the most out of the technology in your classroom with the IdeaSpace. For more information, contact Meagan Snow at msnow@american.edu or 202-885-6409, or contact Katie Kassof at katiek@american.edu or 202-885-2292.
freely available to the public, and remains one of the best options to reach researchers with limited resources. American University provides a repository for faculty scholarship, the Digital Research Archive, which can increase research visibility. For more information, contact Chris Lewis, at clewis@american.edu or 202-885-3257. Communicating Research: While not traditionally included in impact measurements, another potentially important area is public impact. This can take many forms, from an op-ed in a newspaper on a research topic, keeping a professional blog related to research, or creating and publishing videos related to research through venues like YouTube, or citing a publication in Wikipedia. These types of communication introduce research to the public, and to other researchers.
Maximizing Your Research Visibility and Measuring Research Impact
Measuring Research Impact
There are several approaches researchers can take to increase the visibility of their output, including sharing articles through scholarly and social networks, publishing open access scholarship, and communicating their research to non-scholarly audiences. Scholarly and Social Networks: Research is frequently shared through a variety of online communication channels. Increasingly, scholars are also using academic versions of social networks, such as academia.edu, ResearchGate, Mendeley, and SSRN, to keep up with other researchers, discover articles, ask questions, and disseminate their own research. More information about each of these networks, including how to register and main features, are covered in the library’s research guide. Open Access: Open access, or OA, is the publication process that makes research
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The subject of impact, and the best way to measure and demonstrate it, has been debated throughout academia. Historically, citation counts have been the primary indicator of scholarly impact, as well as publishing in prestigious journals, as measured by the journal impact factor. Today, we have more ways to measure journal quality, and we can also measure indicators such as downloads, views, and shares. These methods help understand the attention, engagement and impact of scholarly works. The Library provides a guide to help faculty locate and use metrics. Researchers can also set up an individual consultation for a more personalized introduction to using various tools to measure their own research impact. For more information about any of these topics, or to schedule your own individual consultation, contact Rachel Borchardt, science librarian, at borchard@american.edu or 202-885-3657.
The Sciences at American University: A Welcoming and Supportive Community of Students and Professors (continued from front cover)
she said. “Since I was taught to write reports very differently in Israel, I would go to her office with lots of questions, and she would always take the time to answer and explain everything. She made it clear to me that she cared about my success.” CJ Woloschuck, a junior psychology major, is also very proud of the science community that she found at AU. “We’re a very tight knit community and are very supportive of each other,” she says. “We’re all in each other's classes, and if anyone has a question or problem, we’re very open to helping each other out.” All AU science majors have the opportunity to get deeply involved in hands-on research, by working on the research teams of their professors, or by enrolling in advanced experimental courses. Cassidy Hart, a junior biochemistry major with a minor in mathematics, has been involved in scientific research since her sophomore year. As she recalls, “One of my general
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chemistry professors offered to find someone in the department I could work with.” Having elected her major relatively late, she had only taken one class in the sciences. However, she says, “My professor saw that I was very dedicated and got me a job in a lab, where I have been working for the past two years. They want students to do research.” Hart works in the laboratory of Matthew Hartings, assistant professor of chemistry, who conducts research in the field of inorganic chemistry and nanoparticles. “The nanoparticle project belonged to a graduate student, and when she graduated I took it over,” Hart says. “Research here is so accessible to undergraduates, and the environment is very friendly.” Hart is now excited to take Experimental Biochemistry, a two-semester course that teaches students how to do scientific research by having them design and execute research projects under the supervision of faculty members. All students majoring in
chemistry and biochemistry are required to take this course, hence getting hands-on exposure to scientific research. Notably, many of these students eventually end up being coauthors of peer-reviewed articles published in international scientific journals. Zach Waldron, a physics major, adds to Hart’s sentiment about the exposure to scientific experience at AU. “There is no better way to learn science than to be entirely encapsulated by it.” Currently working at NASA as a heliophysics research assistant involved in space weather forecasts, Waldron recognizes that he would not have aimed as high as he did to get such a position if it had not been for the “overwhelming support of his professors and peers and constant exposure to one of the most genuine groups with higher passions at this school.” We thank faculty members, administrators, and our fellow students for keeping the sciences at American University such a welcoming and supportive community!
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