Summer 2009

In summer 2009 we had a total of 10 students in the Biogeochemistry REU. Seven came from across the country and were supported by NSF funds. Three additional students participated from Towson University and were supported by other external funds.

Maria Brown Western Washington University, Environmental Toxicology major Mentor: Dr. David Ownby Project: Combined effects of sodium chloride and copper to the amphibian species Hyla chrysoscelis and Rana clamitans. Updates: A manuscript of this work is in preparation for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. Maria is currently working for a commercial laboratory analyzing water and wastewater in Alaska.
Emily Dobbs Transylvania University, Biology major Mentor: Dr. Joel Snodgrass Project: The dependence of salt toxicity on oviposit site selection in the water column for Cope’s gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis). Updates: A manuscript of this work is in preparation for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
Derek Howard Messiah College, Biochemistry major Mentor: Dr. Shannon Stitzel Project: Investigating the behavior of immobilized spiropyrans Updates: Derek is currently working for a commercial laboratory performing protein purification.
Kristen Lazzeri Towson University, Geosciences major Mentor: Dr. Steven Lev Project: Assessing the mobility of brake pad derived copper in an urban soil. Updates: A manuscript of this work is in preparation for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. Kristen started a masters program in Geology at Lehigh University in Fall 2010.
Lisa Prince Juniata College, Environmental Science major Mentor: Dr. Steven Lev Project: Zinc kinetics in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris: using zinc isotopes to determine uptake and elimination rates. Updates: Lisa is currently employed as a conservation assistant at a national park. Lisa is also coauthor on the following publication based on her REU research. Rodgers, DW, SM Lev, JW Snodgrass, LM Prince, RE Casey. 2010. Development of an enriched stable isotope tracer technique to estimate the soil Zn pool available to Lumbricus terrestris (L.) across a salinization gradient. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Accepted.
Elluz Chong Qui Towson University, Environmental Science major Mentor: Dr. Steven Lev Project: Evaluating the effects of roadway-derived Zinc on the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in an urban soil. Updates: Elluz is currently employed in an environmental analytical laboratory.
Victor Roland, II Tennessee State University, Civil Engineering major Mentor: Dr. Ryan Casey Project: Trace metal and phosphorus removal using Imbrium stormwater treatment materials and pervious concrete. Updates: Victor started a masters program in Environmental Engineering at Tennessee State University in Fall 2010.
Camille Sultana Harvey Mudd College, Chemistry major Mentor: Dr. Ryan Casey Project: The effect of increased trace metal concentration on growth and accumulation within periphyton. Updates: Camille is starting a 6 month natural products chemistry internship in Panama in Fall 2010.
Nicholas Tomeo Delaware Valley College, Biology (environmental) major Mentor: Dr. Joy Watts Project: Microbial community changes across a stormwater retention pond. Updates: Nick started a masters program in Biology at St. Joseph’s University in Fall 2010.
Richard Vreeland Towson University, Chemistry major Mentor: Dr. Ryan Casey Project: Impacts of road salt amendment on trace and major element distributions in urban soils. Updates: A manuscript of this work is in preparation for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. Richard started a PhD program in Chemistry at the University of Arizona in Fall 2010.