Physical Science Dr. Paul Larson attended the annual meeting of the Great-Plains-Rocky Mountain Division of the Association of American Geographers, held on the campus of Utah State University, Logan, UT (September, 2009). Dr. Hussein Samha and co-authors D. Baumann, B. Clark, and J. Garlick published “Molecular Distribution Behavior of Cyanine Dyes in Aqueous Solution” in the American Journal of Undergraduate Research (2009). Dr. Bruce Howard travelled to the headquarters of Bruker AXS Inc. in Madison, WI this past summer to perform diffraction experiments with protein crystals and microscopic mineral samples in order to evaluate the capabilities of a new single-crystal X-ray diffraction instrument and to assess the practicality of acquiring this system for use in undergraduate research and training at SUU. Dr. Eric Roberts spent seven weeks in Africa this summer conducting geological and paleontological research. His time was divided between investigations of Miocene-aged marine trace fossil assemblages in South Africa, utilization of analytical facilities at Wits University in South Africa for geochemical studies, and a three and a half week long expedition to the Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe to study and excavate a new dinosaur fossil locality. He received word that his Zimbabwe project was awarded a National Geographic Society grant to continue this research in 2010. Additionally, he coauthored two papers in 2009 that were published in Cretaceous Research and Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
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Professor Laura Cotts presented both Star Shows and Moon Shows at Snow Canyon State Park, as well as volunteering for Star Parties at Cedar Breaks National Monument. She also completed an extensive review of a new astronomy lab manual for Pearson Higher Ed Publishing and was invited to be a reviewer for a new intermediate algebra text book for McGraw-Hill Publishing.
Agriculture & Nutrition Science Dean Winward co-published “Phosphorus Source and Surface Band Spacing Effects on Irrigated Alfalfa” in the Soil Science Society of America Journal (2009). Also, he was awarded a “Certificate of Merit” from the USDA for revitalizing the Dixie National Forest: Cedar City District Noxious Weed Program and assisting in the Range NEPA Review for 2010. He hosted the SUU Land, Livestock, Horse and Range Judging Contest for high school FFA Chapters (September 2009). He had over 25 high schools and about 500 students from all over the state compete in the one day competition. Professor Artis Grady published “Dietary Behaviors of Preschool Children in a Culturally Homogenous Rural Community” co-authored by Professor Rea Gubler (Dept of Elementary Education), and Jana Houston (graduate student at University of Southern Nevada College of Pharmacy). She also published “Messages About Breastfeeding: A Content Analysis of Major U.S. Newspapers” coauthored with Dr. Lionel Grady (Dept of Communication) and Holly Michaels (graduate student in dietetics at the University of Utah) in the Journal of the Utah Association of Family & Consumer Science (October 2009).
Dr. Chad L. Gasser presented “Considerations for Developing Replacement Beef Heifers” as part of The Cowman’s Reproduction Workshop hosted by USU Extension and UA Extension in Alton, UT (August 2009). Attendees included beef cattle ranchers from multiple counties of our region including Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. He also accepted an invitation to serve a two-year term as part of the Journal of Animal Science Editorial Board starting in August 2009. Also, with the help of faculty, staff, and students from the SUU Agriculture Program, he hosted the Western Section Academic Quadrathlon Contest for the American Society of Animal Science at SUU in April 2009. Student teams from USU, BYU-Idaho, UW, CSU, NMSU, and OSU traveled to SUU to participate in the contest. The contest consists of an oral group presentation, written exam, laboratory practicum, and quiz bowl. Dr. Cynthia Wright had two book reviews accepted for publication by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. She presented original research on household water storage at the annual meeting of the Society for Nutrition Education. As a result of that presentation, she was invited to present the same research at the opening meeting of the annual seminar series for students and faculty in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science at BYU.
Nursing Professor Donna Lister currently serves as the chairperson for the Clinical Coordination Committee for the Intermountain Southwest Region, which involves all teaching institutions who place students in Intermountain facilities. She also serves on the Utah Organization Nurse Leaders/Academic Leadership