A special mini-publication specifically for our digital audience Editor’s Letter...................................2 Homecoming 2014...........................7 Grade A Grads...................................8 Unraveling Dyslexia........................10 Where’s the Buzz?..........................14 Table of Contents New Science Building Opening: page 3 October, 2014 MTSU iMagazine Middle Tennessee State University November 2014 | vol. 3 no. 1 University Editor Drew Ruble Contributing Editors Bill Fisher Art Director Kara Hooper Writers Patsy Weiler, Randy Weiler Videographers Darby Campbell, Leigh Harrington, Rob Janson University Photographers J. Intintoli, Andy Heidt Designers Keith Dotson, Micah Lloyd, Sherry Wiser George Special thanks to Bud Fischer, Ginger Freeman, Kristie Hodge, Erin Mullican, Marsha Powers, Lana Seivers, Drew Sieg, Michelle Stepp, John Vile University President Sidney A. McPhee Vice President for University Advancement Joe Bales Vice President for Marketing and Communications Andrew Oppmann MTSU iMagazine is produced periodically. Correspondence should be sent to MTSU Editor Drew Ruble, FAIR 130, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, TN 37132. 0314-0034 / Middle Tennessee State University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Executive Director of Institutional Equity and Compliance, 1301 E. Main Street, CAB 220, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, 615-898-2185. The MTSU Title IX coordinator, designated to monitor and oversee Title IX complaints, may be contacted at Sam Ingram Building, 2269 Middle Tennessee Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN 37132, 615-898-5133, or via this webpage: www.mtsu.edu/titleix/. EDITOR’S LETTER Designed by MTSU Creative and Visual Services.Visit MTSUMagazine.com by Drew RubleA New Catalyst This edition of MTSU iMagazine includes a visual tour through MTSU’s newly minted, $147-million Science Building, which is now open for business and enabling MTSU to take its science and research efforts to the next level. As anyone familiar with the programs and infrastructure at MTSU will attest, the new building is as desperately needed as it is long overdue. And yet, when viewed in the greater context of other changes sweeping across the campus, the state, and beyond— from an evolving University mission to shift- ing funding formulas, to exploding scientific frontiers—the timing couldn’t be better. The new Science Building is critical to the University’s continuing efforts to provide Ten- nessee with graduates ready for the modern workforce. About 80 percent of MTSU stu- dents will take classes in the new building. The building is already helping MTSU create additional science graduates to fill high- technology jobs, prepare more teachers for math and science in K–12 schools, and enhance the economy of our region and state. It has made MTSU more competitive for research projects, science scholarship, and entrepreneurship. MTSU’s enrollment has more than tripled in the last 45 years—with no increase in space for science education—until now. The University’s existing Wiser-Patten Science Hall and Davis Science Building were built in 1932 and 1967, respectively, and have a combined total of nearly 117,000 gross square feet. This new MTSU Science Building provides more than 250,000 gross square feet of teaching, faculty and student research laboratories and collaborative learning spaces. Consistent with MTSU’s rich tradition of teacher training, the new Science Building’s design is grounded in the science of educa- tion. It is designed to make learning and teaching a more productive and compelling experience. It follows ideas put forward by the nation’s top science and technology experts in what works best for effectively teaching these subjects. It includes discovery-based, group learning environments and spaces for informal discussion and collaborative interaction, all vital for promoting an enhanced, 21st-century science education and research community. Speaking of research, lab space in the new building will accommodate MTSU’s needs for many decades. Certain upgrades will be particularly transformative. In chemistry, for instance, modern fume hoods now al- low experiments long prohibited in MTSU’s aging buildings. As a result, the new facility enhances MTSU’s abilities to pursue a solid, focused research agenda and ramp up the University’s profile as a research institution. MTSU grants about 700 degrees in biology, chemistry and related fields each year. That number could increase dramatically now that the new Science Building is in operation. MTSU’s new science building will be the portal by which MTSU enters a new realm of science activity—and competes for the rewards—for the first time in decades. Has it been a long time coming? Definitely. But now, as the fetters are removed, it’s time to get to work. There’s a lot of science to be done! “The new building will be the portal through which MTSU enters a new realm of science activity . . .” cover photo: J. Intintoli From the Ground Up The new Science Building changes the game for research and learning. The brand-new, state-of-the-art, $147-million Science Building opened to students in fall 2014. With more than 250,000 gross square feet for teaching, faculty and student laboratory research, and collaborative learning, the new building is the biggest improvement ever for science education and research at MTSU and for the more than 13,000 students who enroll annually in biology, chemistry, and other science courses. The following pages offer a look inside the new building. Consistent with MTSU’s rich tradition of teacher training, the new Science Building’s design is grounded in the science of education. | 3 | © ROBERT BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY The building is designed to make learning and teaching a more productive and compelling experience. © ROBERT BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY | 4 | The building’s design follows ideas put forward by the nation’s top science and technology experts in what works best for effectively teaching these subjects. © ROBERT BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY | 5 | A Long-Awaited Celebration On October 15, 2014, in the newly named Liz and Creighton Rhea Atrium, a large crowd celebrated the dedication of MTSU’s new Science Building that’s considered vital to the University’s future scientific endeavors. About 300 people joined Gov. Bill Haslam and President Sidney A. McPhee to formally open the building. Haslam led the collection of guest speakers, which included Chancellor John Morgan, Tennessee Board of Regents, state senator Bill Ketron, and respective faculty and student representatives Tammy Melton and Kenneth Ball. “By 2025, at least 55 percent of Tennesseans will need a certificate or degree beyond high school to find a job,” Haslam said. “Attracting and growing jobs in Tennessee is directly tied to education, and if we are not prepared to fill those jobs of the future, they will go somewhere else.” “Graduates with STEM degrees are important to our state’s ability to thrive, and the additional space to train these students provided by this building will help us compete in today’s global economy,” he added. Haslam challenged MTSU to produce highly educated, STEM-trained graduates to continue to attract high-tech jobs for the midstate workforce. While thanking many in the public and private sectors, McPhee reminded the audience that the building had long been a hope and a dream, surviving an economic recession and remaining the state’s number- one capital project in higher education for nearly five years. He praised the governor and legislative leaders, local lawmakers, and elected officials “who advocated our need in every corner of the Capitol until they were heard.” Speaking on behalf of the local legislative delegation as its senior member, Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) recalled the political wrangling needed to move the project forward. “We weren’t going to let any other [building] project get on top of the pipeline,” he said. Faculty member Tammy Melton, who came to MTSU in 1999, praised and thanked faculty members who preceded her and those who joined her in the effort to secure the Science Building. “The building is a magnet,” Melton said. “In the recruitment of new students and new faculty, we no longer need to apologize for existing poor facilities and offer promises of future construction. In 2014, the 21st century has come to MTSU chemistry and biology. The future is here. Now.” Kenneth Ball, a senior general science major from Savannah, Tennessee, thanked everyone who had a hand in the project. “When I stepped in the door, I was blown away,” said Ball, who attended classes in the old buildings starting in 2011. “It’s all directed at us—the students. I don’t think they could’ve made it any better.” | 6 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 Homecoming 2014 Click to experience the sights and sounds of MTSU’s thrilling Homecoming celebration. | 7 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 Armour went from being a beat cop to a combat pilot in three years and became America’s first African American female combat pilot, serving two tours overseas. Armour enrolled at MTSU, joined the Army ROTC program, and, after earning an Exercise Science degree, served three years as a Metro Nashville police officer. Following her father and stepfather’s military path, she became a second lieutenant and pilot in the Marine Corps. Now a noted motivational author and speaker, Armour has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, the Tavis Smiley Show, National Public Radio, and in many publications. Graham’s passion for politics landed her a role in a state senator’s campaign while she was an MTSU student, and then it catapulted her to Washington, D.C. Early in her career, she was writing speeches for the General Services Administration, a job that required security clearance. Later, she worked at the White House for the Bush administration as deputy director of presidential writers. She was one of six speechwriters for a recent Republican National Convention, and she’s now deputy communications director for U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee’s 7th congressional district. Graham, a Nashville resident, received the Maverick PAC 40 under 40 Award in 2013. Alumni Association broadens field of Distinguished Alumni BY RANDY WEILER Alumni bring the University prestige and distinction through outstanding professional careers and loyal support. Since 1960, the MTSU Alumni Association has recognized accomplished alumni with its highest honor: the Distinguished Alumni Award. Younger alumni who are having a positive impact in the world have received the Young Alumni Achievement Award. New this year are True Blue Citations of Distinction in the categories of Achievement in Education (current or retired faculty), Achievement in Education (for accomplishment outside MTSU), Service to the University, and Service to the Community. This year’s honorees include two individuals with strong aviation backgrounds, two lifelong educators, a third whose vision and passion for education has affected thousands of students, and a politically savvy alumna whose talents have taken her all the way to the White House. The six were recognized many times during Homecoming Week on campus in October. Here is a glance at the 2014–15 honorees. Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour (1997) Ashley Elizabeth Graham (2012) Distinguished Alumna Young Alumni Achievement Award continued on page 9 photo: Darby Cam pbell | 8 | MTSU iMagazine Phillips, who lives near Bell Buckle, is Professor Emeritus of Mathematical Sciences and a former department chair, associate dean of the College of Graduate Studies, and interim dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences. He served MTSU from 1990 to 2003 and was active in research, curriculum development, and crucial grant writing that garnered several million dollars. He was a leader in the push for STEM education, and he established the Tennessee STEM Education Center at the University. A colleague said his “illustrious career in education . . . brought distinction to MTSU.” McDonald and his wife, Frances, are avid MTSU supporters, scholarship benefactors, and 1911 Society members who have made a gift to the University through their estate plans. The aerospace maintenance laboratory at the Flight Operations Center at Murfreesboro Airport is named for McDonald, and he serves on the MTSU Foundation board and the Aerospace Department’s advisory board. The McDonalds open their home and personal hangar to aerospace students and faculty for many MTSU functions. Gilbert, a Murfreesboro resident, has been a Murfreesboro City Schools administrator for many years and is now director of schools. Her leadership and knowledge have benefited both city schools and MTSU. She coauthored grants for MTeach, a University effort designed to increase the number and quality of math and science teachers, and encouraged dual enrollment between MTSU and county schools. Her involvement and service include sitting on and chairing many advisory boards and committees—from the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences advisory board to the Band of Blue executive board. Little, who lives in Huntsville, Alabama, has been a part of many service initiatives in Tennessee: running camps for 2,000 students, providing leadership for Tennessee’s statewide service day, and creating a National Park educational program. Tennessee named Little as a delegate to its first Truancy and Dropout Prevention Conference, and he participated in the Mayor’s Summit on Children and Youth in Nashville. He also works with the nonprofit ServeAlabama to support volunteer work. Little’s leadership has guided three institutions to places on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. He is senior associate director of admissions at the University of Alabama–Huntsville. Citations of Distinction (current or retired MTSU faculty) (non-MTSU) Achievement in Education Service to the University Achievement in Education Service to the Community Ray Phillips (1966) Donald McDonald (1963) Linda Gilbert (1972, ’79 and ’91) Matthew Little (2008) AWARDS continued from page 8 | 9 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 Envision standing near the entrance to a walled garden. Inside is a fascinating place where letters and words take root and bloom into meaning. People happily come and go at will through the gate, but not you. No matter how many times you try or how hard you push, it won’t open. It is embarrassing to have others watch you. You feel discouraged. Eventually, a sense of failure takes root, and you walk away. While metaphorical, this is a picture of what those with dyslexia regularly experience when trying to read, write, or spell. Although most of us take it for granted, reading enables us to step outside our own experience, see the world through different eyes, and gain new perspectives that inform our worldview. It isn’t any wonder, then, that a person’s reading ability can prove to be a significant barometer of success in life, whether in academics, a career, or even one’s health. An MTSU center helps students and parents recognize and overcome obstacles posed by a common reading disorder by PATSY WEILER DYSLEXIAYADISXL ESEYLAXDILISDEXY AEALYIXS DXDESAL IYIXYDLEA SAIXELSY D continued on page 11 | 10 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 Dyslexia–which has nothing to do with a child’s intelligence and desire to learn (or even good teaching)–is like the garden wall described above: a barrier to literacy. Failure to clear that barrier can produce negative consequences not just for students but also for society as a whole. Illiteracy often leads to undesirable social outcomes ranging from unemployment to homelessness and poverty. The good news is, students with dyslexia can learn to read, and they can do so through the types of specialized instructional approaches employed at the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia at MTSU. A Model Organization Mention dyslexia and most people have some awareness of the term but no clear understanding of its meaning or its impact. Dyslexia affects 10 to 20 percent of the population. In 1993, the Tennessee General Assembly established the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia, which is part of the MTSU College of Education, to assist K–12 students and their families, teachers, and other professionals grappling with the problem. The work of the center has touched the lives of thousands of people— helping them find new keys to open the gate—in 94 of the state’s 95 counties. Dr. James Herman, the center’s director, is enthusiastic about the work being done. “This is an exciting place,” he says. “We are constantly moving forward. The staff regularly meets to discuss the lat- est research and cutting-edge technology. We are all work- ing to make dyslexia known for what it is and what it isn’t.” What it is, according to the International Dyslexia Association, is “a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin, characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.”Struggling to read hinders vocabulary growth and reading comprehension and can lead to low literacy and poor self-esteem. It’s important to understand that dyslexia is not a disease; it cannot be cured. Nor does it equate to intelligence; many dyslexics function at an aver- age to above-average level. However, when detected early, dyslexia can be successfully ad- dressed with education, train- ing, and patience. An example of someone who refuses to let dyslexia define him is Justin Lowe, 22, an MTSU student from Murfreesboro majoring in anthropology. Lowe’s second-grade teacher at Homer Pittard Campus School recognized his student’s struggle and sent his family to the center for help. “The people at the center helped me realize I should not focus on my weaknesses but rather my strengths,” he says. “I can get the same thing achieved by taking a different route, but the outcome is the same. You learn to think outside of the box.” Lowe remembers being motivated when he learned that celebrated military general George Patton had dyslexia. “It made me realize that if I put my mind to it, I could do anything I wanted and dyslexia was not going to hold me back,” he says. Other well-known Americans who have this disability in- clude Jay Leno, Henry Winkler, Tom Cruise, Cher, and Ander- son Cooper. Most struggled in school and couldn’t read well and were told they were not living up to their potential or, even worse, that they should quit school. Such thoughts make Herman bristle. “Students with dyslexia are always going to struggle, but we can help. It is not scary; it is workable,” he says. “I believe all students can be taught to be successful. There is not one child who cannot be taught to read better.” It’s important to understand that dyslexia is not a disease; it cannot be cured. DYSLEXIA continued from page 10 continued on page 12 | 11 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 TI H N G LS AT L T T E E R RGHIT W A H T TE H O RED R Creating the Template The same passion to help children succeed is the motivation that led Murfreesboro resident Kitty Murfree to lay the foundation on which the center was built. In the mid-1980s, she became keenly aware that the needs of students with dyslexia were not adequately being met in Tennessee. “Dyslexia was a hidden element which families tried to quietly work with at the time,” said Murfree. “Testing was available at Vanderbilt, but after talking with teachers it was evident there was no real place to go for help.” She responded by endowing the Katherine Davis Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies at MTSU in 1988. “Children are my first love. It became evident to me we had a big problem, with few resources,” said Murfree, who has served for years on the board of the Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “I have always been a person that if you have a problem, you go after it.” After a national search, Dr. Diane Sawyer, who was a professor in the Reading and Language Arts Department at Syracuse University, started as the new chairholder and faculty member in January 1990. “Diane did an absolutely magnificent job,” said Murfree. “This is one of the things that put MTSU on the map. It is a great asset. Nobody else in the state had anything else like it.” Reminiscing about the program’s humble beginnings, Sawyer says, “My first ‘office’ was half a dorm room that I shared with a part-time secretary and graduate assistant that actually sat on the heating and air unit located on the wall.” Shortly after arriving, the new chair was asked to testify before the Tennessee State Committee on Education about dyslexia. Later, to help address the challenges she was encountering across the state, she asked the General Assembly to provide funding to establish the center. With the assistance of then–state senator Andy Womack of Murfreesboro (who chaired the Senate Education Committee) the money was appropriated in 1993. In January 1994, the Tennessee Higher Education Commision gave the final stamp of approval for the center to be a permanent part of MTSU. Its first home was at what was then Central Middle School on East Main Street. Sawyer became the first director while maintaining her chair responsibilities. “Dyslexia was often described as the hidden disability,” Sawyer says. “I knew that the detail and complexity of the work we were doing at the time was unique. It gave me an opportunity to do something that previously didn’t exist.” Brick by Brick Another milestone occurred in 2001, when the current 4,300-square-foot building opened on the edge of campus at the corner of Baird Lane and Elrod Street. The brick building doubled the center’s size and was made possible with assistance from the MTSU Foundation and a $1 million grant from the nonprofit Murfreesboro-based Christy-Houston Foundation. After years of groundbreaking research, Sawyer retired from the University in 2010. Struggling to read hinders vocabulary growth and reading comprehension and can lead to low literacy and poor self-esteem. IPRM O A TN T DYSLEXIA continued from page 11 continued on page 13 | 12 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 L T T E E R D EO SN ’T O LN Y IPRM O A TN T FISRT M TT AE R Today, Herman, his talented professional staff, and four graduate assistants continue to expand the center’s vision. An extensive annual calendar of professional development is offered to help educators recognize, evaluate, and provide learning options for dyslexic students. This included the Ron Yoshimoto 40-Hour Orton-Gillingham training in July. In August, Deborah Simmons, a College of Education and Human Development professor at Texas A&M University, was the keynote speaker for the Second Annual Reading Conference. (The 2013 inaugural conference was attended by 250 individuals with four universities represented.) The annual Fox Reading Conference is made possible through an endowment established by the late Tom Fox and his wife Elizabeth. Both parents and teachers can attend the Saturday Dyslexia Success Series Workshops, held monthly except during the summer. Also, the staff can customize specific training programs for educators on- or off-site. A search is ongoing to fill the Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies. For parents who think their child may have dyslexia, Herman suggests they talk with the student’s teacher or principal or call the center and request an assessment. “We are happy to work with all parents and their children. When prior testing has been done by the schools, it gives us a broader base of information to help the student,” Herman says. Once the necessary funding is in place, the director’s plans for the future include • increasing the number of students served, • more specific treatment options, • expansion of accessible online services, and • �broadening the center’s mission to help MTSU students stay in school and graduate. “We care deeply for each student who comes through our doors,” said Herman. “We’re not just going to talk about what we can do, we’re going to do something about it.” Dr. James Herman PH O TO B Y D A R B Y C A M PB EL L Learn more at www.mtsu.edu/dyslexia, or call (615) 494-8880. DYSLEXIA continued from page 12 | 13 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 ccording to a recent National Geographic article, honeybees pollinate a third of the American diet “from nuts to produce—not to mention coffee and cotton.” Sadly, though, the humble honeybee is dying off in staggering numbers. More than half of managed U.S. honeybee colonies have disappeared in the past ten years, the article states—victims of pesticides, fungicides, and viruses, among other factors. A White House report published this past June produced similar findings, stating that honeybees enable the production of at least 90 commercially grown crops in North America, and that globally, 87 of the leading 115 food crops are dependent on animal pollinators. Overall, honeybees contribute more than $15 billion to the economy through their crucial role as pollinators, the White House announcement concluded, also stressing that pollination is integral to U.S. food security. President Barack Obama’s response to these findings was to create a task force to address the issue of rapidly diminishing honeybees and other pollinators. It might be said that Honors student Anna Neal was a step ahead of the White House. Neal and her family have raised bees for several years, but in recent times their beehives have collapsed due to pesticide spraying on properties adjacent to her farm. It led Neal to wonder what other factors could contribute to colony collapse and also to ponder the implications of reduced bee populations in middle Tennessee. Neal began her thesis research this spring analyzing possible cross-transmissions of disease between honeybees and bumblebees. While bumblebees have not received the same international attention as their smaller cousins, they also pollinate lots of plants. Since bumblebees and honeybees often forage for nectar in the same places, competitive interactions during pollination may increase the likelihood that colony collapse disorder (CCD) agents could spread among species. Noting that very few studies had been conducted on these cross-transmissions of disease in Tennessee, Neal identified it as a worthwhile area in which she could complete her Honors thesis. Neal conducted an extensive literature review to determine possible causes of the collapse of honeybee hives and found that many factors can contribute to CCD, ranging from microbial pathogens to parasites to invasive pests and to an increasing reliance on insecticides and pesticides by farmers. Importantly, she also found evidence that suggested these agents could spread to native bumblebees as well. The possibility that honeybees could be spreading pathogens and parasites also piqued Neal’s interest. Partnered with Dr. R. Drew Sieg of the Honors College and two other MTSU biology undergraduates (Chelsey Pennycuff and Gabrielle Armour), she and the team received an Undergraduate Research Experience and Creative Activity (URECA) grant to conduct research to explore whether parasites could take advantage of the competitive foraging behavior of honeybees and bumblebees to infect new hosts and to assess the threat that colony collapse agents pose for bees in middle Tennessee. Where’s the Honors students undertake timely research on the disappearance of honeybees p ho to s b y D arb y C am p b ell BUZZ? continued on page 15 | 14 | MTSU iMagazine October 2014 photo by Andy Heidt Overall, honeybees contribute more than $15 billion to the economy through their crucial role as pollinators. BUZZ continued from page 14 continued on page 16 | 15 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 A Bee for Effort Anna Neal’s research project was also a learning experience for Dr. R. Drew Sieg, who began teaching at MTSU last fall and is the first dedicated faculty member in the University Honors College. Sieg’s area of expertise lies more in chemical interac- tions among marine organisms. However, he is eager to provide new research opportunities for undergraduates and show them the interdisciplinary nature of science, and Neal’s honeybee project more than fit the bill. “The project allows students to receive hands-on experience in field ecology, microbiology, taxonomy, and statistics, while simultaneously improving their critical thinking skills,” Sieg says. “The open-ended nature of the project also illustrates to them that research rarely has a predefined outcome.” Sieg sees the honeybee project as an example of how Honors students can consider their career plans while getting involved in science that can be found in their own backyards. “Anna, Chelsey Pennycuff, and Gabrielle Armour have all expressed a desire to pursue graduate degrees, and an immersive expe- rience like this can really help them assess whether graduate school is the right direction for them,” he says. L to R: Armour and Neal The traps were collected after three days and brought back to the Honors College, where the bees and any parasites were identified and quantified. Researchers also removed the digestive tract from each bee and screened them for internal microparasites. The team visited farms weekly over the course of the summer, allowing them to track changes in parasite loads at different stages in the bees’ life cycle. Neal says the research project “actually turned out to be quite the adventure.” Though she admits the writing and background research required to create a project was a bit tedious, the excitement she felt when she set the first trap more than made up for the paperwork. “Each new bumblebee species found, each time Nosema spores appeared in a slide, and each examined mite was like stumbling upon stashed treasure or receiving an unexpected gift,” she says. Her favorite moment so far? Hands down, Neal says, it was seeing her completed poster for the URECA Summer Celebration. URECA funding allowed the research team to become more invested in the project than if they had been merely volunteering or conducting research as part of a lab course. On a typical day, the team deployed insect traps near honeybee hives at several local farms. They also noted environmental characteristics of each site, such as the species of plants the bees were likely to visit and the density of flowers nearby. continued on page 17 BUZZ continued from page 15 | 16 | MTSU iMagazine October 2014 “Not only does this poster represent seven months of labor but also reveals my favorite finding: middle Tennessee has nine species of bumblebees, not just the previously documented four. One species in particu- lar, Bombus auricomus, was caught most often though experts declared it rare after 1997.” Even with such successes already under her belt, Neal’s adventure continued. She defended her research as an Honors thesis in October. Sieg says that not just Neal and her family but also other local beekeepers are eager to learn what threats exist for their hives so they can employ new strategies to prevent colony collapse disorder. “The farmers that we’ve interacted with are genuinely excited to see young people interested in the process of beekeeping and are keen to simultaneously teach the students about their trade,” he says. “The easy access to local wildflower honey isn’t a bad perk, either.” Beyond White House studies, student research, and agricultural analyses, the disappearance of bees has become an impetus for deeper discourse. In a recent New York Times opinion piece, Mark Winston, a biologist and author of the forthcoming book Bee Time: Lessons From the Hive, wrote: “We can best meet our own needs if we maintain a balance with nature—a balance that is as important to our health and prosperity as it is to the bees . . . Honeybee collapse has much to teach us about how humans can avoid a similar fate, brought on by the increasingly severe environmental perturbations that challenge modern society.” L to R: Neal, Armour, and Sieg It’s A Small World After All The increase in antibiotic-resistant pathogens is causing researchers to look for natural sources to isolate new medicines and drugs. This fall, students in Dr. R. Drew Sieg’s majors and nonmajors Honors biology courses will join the search through the Small World Initiative, a research experience designed in conjunction with Yale University. Collaborators from over 60 universities are crowdsourcing the search for new antibiotics and making it a unifying theme for introductory biology lab experiments. In Dr. Sieg’s class, students will isolate bacteria from local soils, identify them through gene amplification and sequencing, and screen the bacteria and their chemical extracts for inhibitory activity against bacterial strains closely related to common pathogens. Students may or may not isolate the next wonder drug, but either way they will get first-hand experience in the pursuit of scientific discovery. BUZZ continued from page 16 | 17 | MTSU iMagazine November 2014 Learn more at MTSU.edu/apply. Middle Tennessee State University College of Graduate Stud-ies MTSU.edu/apply Hope Scholarship Increase Guaranteed Scholarships for Transfers Finish Line Scholarship At Middle Tennessee State University, graduate IN FOUR and YOU’LL GET MORE. • �We’ll add $500 to your Hope Lottery Scholarship after each of your first two years. • �We’ll guarantee scholarships to transfer students with a 3.0 GPA or better. • �And our Finish Line Scholarship will give you back any tuition increases. We’ll help you graduate in four years. We’re investing in your success. It’s the MTSU Student Success Advantage.