News University of Northern Colorado

UNC Experience Leads to Mars Mission

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A summer program can be a way to get the kids out of the house during those long days with "nothing to do," or, if you pick the right one, a summer program can help students shape their future careers as doctors, teachers or even an electrical engineer for NASA.

Stuart Spath, program manager of NASA's INSIGHT Mars lander mission, is living proof that the Frontiers of Science Institute at the University of Northern Colorado is the right kind of summer program.

FSI is a six-week summer program for 25-30 high school juniors and seniors who have shown aptitude in STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and math.

Founded in 1959 after the launch of Sputnik, the institute is designed to inspire interest in and develop a better understanding of STEM subjects and related careers. There's also a strong focus on building self-confidence and the ability to choose a direction for future academic and professional pursuits.

Spath described FSI as a true turning point for him in his senior year of high school. He was already sure he wanted to be an engineer, but he said it was FSI that helped him to choose electrical engineering as his preferred focus.

"It was very eye-opening," Spath said. "It gave me a chance to sample various types of engineering coursework and zero-in on electrical engineering."

Spath is an engineer at Lockheed Martin in Denver, where he helps design, develop and build interplanetary spacecraft for NASA. He recently became the program manager for the INSIGHT Mars lander mission, set to launch in 2016. INSIGHT stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport.

The $425 million project will send a rover to Mars to collect data from below the planet's surface that should allow researchers to make strong inferences about Mars's core as well as those of other planets in our solar system, and how they were formed.

Coincidentally, when Spath's daughter, Melani, attended FSI last summer, she worked on a Mars-related project.

"It was actually totally unrelated, before I became program manager for INSIGHT, but the project she worked on was a thruster study for a Mars lander," Spath said.

In a letter to UNC President Kay Norton, Spath said his daughter underwent a visible transformation after her time at FSI, is now "brimming with newfound confidence" and seems "ready and eager to tackle her college career and beyond." Although Melani hasn't yet made any definitive career decisions, Spath said it was good for her to be exposed to so many professional options.

Lori Ball, FSI program administrator, said exposing students to many different educational and career opportunities is one of the primary goals of the Institute. Graduates of the program have gone on to enter a diverse array of careers as teachers, doctors, engineers and even one submarine captain.

The six-week program, which begins June 17, is packed with activities. Each student is enrolled in three classes and one lecture block; this year's subjects include genetics, sustainable energy, a guest lecture on neuroscience and more.

The students attend classes in the mornings and engage in mentored research in the afternoons. In addition to the classwork, there are seminars from professionals, fieldtrips to exciting and educational places, including Premier Labs and the Colorado University Astrophysics Department, and a four-day trip to South Dakota to visit Mount Rushmore, Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave and more.

"We really put a lot into the six weeks," Ball said. "So they're very busy and they learn a lot."

During the program, participants live and dine in UNC's residence halls, an atmosphere that's designed to encourage a spirit of community. Spath said that although FSI is an academic program, one of his favorite parts of the experience was the camaraderie and the friendships he built there, a sentiment he feels would be echoed by many other FSI alumni.

"The friendships just last a lifetime," Spath said. "I still stay in touch with my FSI friends, even 31 years later."

Ball agreed with Spath, saying that the students grow in personal and social ways, as well as academically, and that's what makes the program special.

"This is our 54th summer," Ball said. "So we must be doing something right."

- Jaidree Braddix

Of Note
According to Frontiers of Science's Lori Ball, Stuart and Melani Spath are one of more than a dozen examples of an FIS participant whose child or children subsequently attended the institute. She said in some cases, whole families, including nieces and nephews, have attended over the course of time.

FIS Website: http://mast.unco.edu/programs/fsi/

Chemist Selected as Young Observer Fellow by National Academy of Sciences

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado Associate Professor Robin Macaluso is one of 10 chemists nationwide to be selected a Young Observer Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences.

As a Young Observer Fellow, Macaluso will participate in the 47th International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry General Assembly and 44th World Chemistry Congress on Aug. 8-16 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The selection of Young Observer Fellows is a highly competitive process held biennially. Young Observer Fellows are chosen as a new generation of distinguished researchers who will address international scientific policy issues.

Macaluso also leads a grant-funded project exploring the next generation of efficient lighting, which could result in more affordable, longer-lasting options for light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, in the future. Read More

Macaluso, who earned her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Louisiana State University, has taught at UNC since 2006. Her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of magnetically interesting materials with emphasis on solid-state materials.

UNC Graduate Researcher Who Filmed Acclaimed Documentary Earns Prestigious U.S. Geological Survey Grant

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A graduate student whose work was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary Chasing Ice has earned a $1,500 grant from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Adam LeWinter's proposal to extend a study of the summit vent at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii was one of three projects in the nation selected for the 2013 Kleinman Grant for Volano Research.

LeWinter and UNC Professor Steven Anderson are working with the Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Geological Survey to use LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to study small changes in Kilauea's craters and lava lake, changes that could trigger explosive activity and increases in lava flow that could potentially endanger lives and property.

Before he enrolled at UNC, LeWinter was part of the film crew that placed time-lapse cameras throughout the Arctic region to track multiyear changes in glaciers for the award-winning documentary Chasing Ice.

LeWinter is working on his master's degree in Earth Sciences at UNC.

Graduate Researcher Earns Prestigious U.S. Geological Survey Grant

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Adam LeWinter, a UNC graduate student whose work was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary Chasing Ice, has earned a $1,500 grant from the U.S. Geological Survey. LeWinter's proposal to extend a study of the summit vent at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii was one of three projects in the nation selected for the 2013 Kleinman Grant for Volano Research.

LeWinter is working on his master's degree in Earth Sciences at UNC.

Raising Awareness of Stuttering

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The acclaimed film The King's Speech, and most recently, TV appearances by an American Idol contestant have brought welcome public attention to stuttering, says UNC faculty expert Patty Walton about the speech disorder that "affects a person's entire life" in the one out of every 100 people who experiences it.

"The King's Speech changed the way the world thought of stuttering," said Walton, who specializes in therapy for both children and adults and supervises graduate students working with clients who stutter in UNC's Speech and Audiology Clinic. "The king was portrayed as being so courageous and strong through everything.

"The movie shed light on what true stuttering looks like."

And that ties in with the message Walton wants to get out about stuttering. The condition impacts a person a person's daily routine at school or work (e.g, reluctance to raise a hand to a question in class despite knowing the answer), in social situations (e.g., choosing to be isolated from others) and shapes self-concept.

"No two people stutters alike," Walton said. "It's like a fingerprint and unique to the person. That makes it harder to treat. Therapy needs to be tailored to meet needs of individuals, not just their speech pattern, but also how it affects their lives. Therefore it is important to seek out a speech language pathologist with expertise in stuttering."

Walton says stuttering is often accompanied by tension and feelings of loss of control. Fear and anticipation can occur before moments of stuttering, which can make the stuttering worsen.

Nervousness, stress and lack of intellect as contributors are common myths. So are the beliefs that a child will grow out of it or that there's nothing that can be done to help. Watching American Idol's Lazaro Arbos compelled Walton to contact him and offer encouragement about finding the right speech therapist when he's ready.

"‘Therapy can help, and you don't have to live this way,'" she told him in her message. "I see changes in people every day at the clinic."

About UNC's Clinic

Since 1958, the UNC's Speech and Audiology Clinic has provided diagnostic and rehabilitative services to people with speech, language, hearing and/or balance difficulties. In addressing stuttering, Walton said there are generally three areas of focus: 1) Fluency shaping: helping people who stutter learn how to produce more fluent speech; 2) Modification: teaching people who stutter to do so better and under control;
3) Counseling: To help shape positive attitudes and emotions. More info at: http://www.unco.edu/NHS/asls/Clinic.htm

Online Resource

http://www.stutteringhelp.org

FOX News video featuring Walton

http://kdvr.com/2013/01/23/153301

UNC Scientists Collaborate on Breakthrough Research

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado faculty Stephen Mackessy and Ashis Mukherjee recently discovered that a protein in a venomous snake has potential to be used to develop drugs to treat clotting disorders and heart patients.

Mackessy and Mukherjee isolated the protein Russelobin from the venom of Russell's Viper, a venomous snake native to India. The non-lethal protein has properties that could be used in new cardiovascular drugs.

The paper, published in Biochimica Biophysica Acta, includes some of the work conducted at Mackessy's lab at UNC while Mukherjee, a UNC adjunct faculty member from India's Tezpur University who was a visiting scientist at UNC last year. The article is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304416513000500.

In 2011, Mackessy earned grant funding for research showing promise in creating drugs from snake venoms to treat and limit the spread of breast, colon and skin cancers.

On a related note, Mackessy was also recently invited to present a paper on reptile venoms and toxins to the British Toxicology Society in Solihull, United Kingdom.

Related

Providing Expert Commentary

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

For the third time in recent months, television producers have used University of Northern Colorado science faculty and their research as key elements in three different television programs.

UNC Earth Sciences Professor Steven Anderson's ongoing research at one of the most active volcanoes on the planet will be included in a 12-episode TV series about extreme environments currently in production for the Weather Channel and scheduled to air in 2014.

He and his team's pioneering research were previously featured on a segment of "Volcano Live," a four-part BBC television series that aired throughout Europe last summer.

UNC Biology Professor Stephen Mackessy's research showing that a protein in prairie rattlesnakes' venom has allowed them to adapt and survive in harsh environments was featured in a segment of a program that aired in December on both the Discovery Channel and the Science Channel.

In February, Anderson, an internationally renowned volcanologist, spent 10 hours with the Weather Channel production crew at the active lava flows originating from rifts in the flanks of the Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii. In 1990, a lava flow from the volcano buried the town of Kalapana under nearly 50 feet of lava and extended the coast hundreds of yards.

Anderson and UNC graduate student Adam LeWinter are working with the Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Geological Survey to use LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to study small changes in Kilauea's craters and lava lake, changes that could trigger explosive activity and increases in lava flow that could potentially endanger lives and property.

Anderson was on the other side of the camera during a January visit to collect additional LiDAR topographical data, capturing the accompanying video footage and photographs of the lava lake while its level was near an all-time high.

- UNC News Service

Reminder: Classified Staff Evaluations Due March 31

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

All final evaluations for classified staff are due in the Human Resources office (Carter 2002, Campus Box 54) by March 3l. If you have any questions about evaluations, please contact Sue Stone, 970-351-2631.

UNC Director of Sport and Exercise Science Earns Lifetime Achievement Award

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Southern Sport Management Association has selected David Stotlar, director of the School of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Northern Colorado, as the recipient of the 2013 Sport Management Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award will be presented at the Ninth Annual Southern Sport Management Conference scheduled for April 10-12.

Stotlar has been a professor at UNC for more than 25 years and UNC's Sport Management program was recently ranked no. 5 in the world. He has had more than 90 articles published in professional journals and has written more than 50 textbooks and book chapters in sport marketing and management. During his career, Stotlar has given more than 300 presentations and workshops at national and international professional conferences.

Stotlar has not only been a productive scholar but has also served as a consultant to many multinational corporations and Olympic Committees on sport sponsorship. Previous recipients of this award include: Packianathan Chelladurai, William "Bill" Stier, Janet Parks and William "Bill" Sutton.

UNC Professor Details How Prairie Rattlesnakes Survive in Yellowstone for Discovery Channel

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Research by University of Northern Colorado Professor Stephen Mackessy provides evidence that a protein in their venom has allowed prairie rattlesnakes to adapt and survive in harsh environments, such as those in Yellowstone National Park.

The presence of the venomous North American snake in Yellowstone has been considered a scientific mystery.

"We've long hypothesized that venom has allowed prairie rattlesnakes to expand their behavioral repertoire that's typically been out of reach," Mackessy said.

It typically takes snakes, which are cold blooded, about five days in normal 75-degree temperatures to digest their prey. If the process takes longer, deadly bacteria from the decaying meal can build up and the toxins can kill the snake. Furthermore, digestion typically shuts down below 55 degrees, Mackessy said.

In "unprecedented" experiments in his lab, Mackessy replicated Yellowstone's extreme temperatures in the snake's habitat and took a series of X-rays of prairie rattlesnakes that ingested mice. It took the snake much longer to digest the mouse that had not been injected with venom. Mackessy ended the experiment before it became lethal for the snake. When venom was introduced into the prey before being consumed, X-rays confirmed that digestion was nearly complete after five days.

"One of the major components of prairie rattlesnake venoms is what we call proteolytic enzymes, and these are proteins that chop up other proteins," Mackessy said on the program "X-Ray Yellowstone" for the Discovery Channel series Curiosity, whose producers approached him to conduct the experiments.

The program initially aired on the Discovery Channel last month and was then re-broadcast multiple times on the Science Channel.

"This is an area that encapsulates an interest since I began doing research: what are the venoms doing for the snakes themselves," he said, adding that prairie rattlesnakes make it the farthest north of large-bodied snakes. Their habitats stretch from southern Canada to northern Mexico.

Mackessy, a UNC biology professor internationally known for his research on venomous snakes, has received $1.3 million supporting his research and scholarship since 1991. He has published more than 50 research articles, one book and six book chapters, and has presented at more than 50 local, national and international scientific meetings. During his 21 years at UNC, he's involved nearly 50 undergraduate students in his research, which focuses on how compounds in snake venom can be used in cancer-fighting drugs.

Discovering for Discovery

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado Professor Stephen Mackessy's research showing that a protein in prairie rattlesnakes' venom has allowed them to adapt and survive in harsh environments, such as those in Yellowstone National Park, is featured in a segment of a program on the Discovery Channel.

The presence of the venomous North American snake in Yellowstone has been considered a scientific mystery.

"We've long hypothesized that venom has allowed prairie rattlesnakes to expand their behavioral repertoire that's typically been out of reach," Mackessy said.

The program initially aired on the Discovery Channel last month and was then re-broadcast multiple times on the Science Channel.

On Her Chosen Path

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

When the invitation to attend an inaugural ball in Washington D.C. arrived in her mail, University of Northern Colorado graduate student Amanda Skenadore had to read it twice. "Then I called my internship boss to ask for more information about it," she said.

Skenadore learned that she had been invited to the Jan. 20 American Indian Society Inaugural Ball to thank her for her work as an intern with the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH).

"After the shock wore off, I started screaming and told my sisters and called my mom right away," she said.

It will be a glittering side trip on a career path that Skenadore has kept in determined focus.

Skenadore grew up in Chinle, Ariz., a small town on the Navajo reservation. "I am born for the Towering House people and born into the Red Cheek Clan," she writes in her NCUIH bio.

She attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo., earning her bachelor's degree in exercise science in 2005.

After graduating, she returned to Arizona, working as a health educator and physical activities coordinator for the American Indian population with Scottsdale's Native Health. Two years later, missing Colorado's change of seasons, Skenadore returned to Denver, where she worked for Jefferson County's Head Start program for four years.

While there, she felt she'd need to earn a master's degree to progress in her field. Accepted at schools in Colorado, Kansas and Washington state, she chose to attend the Colorado School of Public Health, a collaborative program among the University of Northern Colorado, the University of Colorado and Colorado State University.

"My main area is community health, and my coursework at the University of Northern Colorado specifically addresses how to approach a community and provide it with health education," she said.

Native American reservations face a high rate of diabetes, as well as the lack of adequate health care, Skenadore said. She hopes to address both problems through her work in community health and would like to eventually return to the Navajo reservation to make a difference for the community.

She also hopes to make a difference at UNC. With fewer than 50 percent of Native American students graduating from high school, and even fewer going on to graduate from college, Skenadore is part of an effort to encourage Native American high school students to graduate and set college as a goal.

"That's part of what I'll be doing with my master's project, telling students you can go to school and you can make a difference," she said. "There aren't enough public health professionals who return to the reservation to help their people. I'm working with Dr. Teresa Sharp and Dr. Liz Gilbert (both in the Community Health program) to help recruit more Native American students."

It wasn't long after Skenadore started her studies at UNC that her former boss in Arizona came across information about an internship with the NCUIH that she thought would be a great opportunity for Skenadore.

The NCUIH, based in Washington, D.C., works to support and develop health care programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives in urban communities.

Skenadore applied, and in February 2011 secured a remote internship with the organization, allowing her to work from Denver. She corresponds with the D.C. offices daily in her role as technical assistance and research center assistant at NCUIH.

When she leaves Thursday for the inauguration festivities, it will be her first time visiting the nation's capital - something she's anticipating in spite of her fear of flying.

She plans to do some sightseeing while she's there, along with going to the ball and attending the inauguration. While she doesn't expect to meet the president at the ball she's attending, Skenadore is excited about the prospect of meeting tribal health leaders and Native Americans within the community health field.

By Monday night, she'll be catching a red-eye back to Colorado. And, with her feet planted firmly back on her chosen path, she'll have a new internship waiting for her to start the next morning at 8 a.m. - this time with the Denver Indian Family Resource Center, working on its Healthy Living Program.

- Debbie Moors, UNC News Service

UNC Professor Featured on Discovery Channel Series

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado Professor Stephen Mackessy appears on the latest episode of Discovery Channel‘s Curiosity series to discuss his research on prairie rattlesnake venom. The episode, "X-Ray Yellowstone," is scheduled to air next on the Discovery Channel at 7 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 30. Check your local listings for channel information for your provider. The segment on Mackessy is toward the end of the 60-minute program. A preview of the episode is available at: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity

'Chasing Ice'

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

UNC graduate student Adam LeWinter was dispatched to the Arctic as part of the team that produced the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Award-winning documentary Chasing Ice. Crews placed time-lapse cameras throughout the region to track multiyear changes in glaciers.

The project, Extreme Ice Survey, led the team to various locations such as Nepal, Greenland, Iceland and Alaska, where they worked for anywhere from days to months, capturing images of the glaciers over time to observe their dramatic changes and reactions to climate change.

LeWinter met the director and founder of Extreme Ice Survey, James Balog, through a friend and immediately became passionate about the project. They filmed for Chasing Ice from 2007-2010, capturing breathtaking footage from the beautiful locations.

LeWinter has also spent time on the ice for Discovery Channel and Nova.

Currently, LeWinter is studying volcanic eruption activity in Hawaii using LiDAR with UNC Professor Steven Anderson. His thesis work is on the Halema'uma'u vent of the Kilauea active lava lake at the base of a crater. Their goal is to characterize and quantify the evolution of the vent over time using LiDAR, a detection system that works on the principle of radar, but uses light from a laser. They have completed two surveys of the vent so far.

- Nicolette Bardos, Sophomore Art and Design major

Applying Knowledge

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Members of the first cohort of a specialized nursing program at UNC are directly applying evidence-based knowledge from the final research projects required to earn their doctorates. And it's their patients who will now benefit.

UNC's online post-master's Doctor of Nursing Practice program enrolled its first students in 2010. Those students recently completed or are in the process of completing clinic-based research projects that have real-life implications.

For the Health of It
Jona Ely's research project is helping her patients quit smoking, and the results could help legitimize the smoking cessation method she's using.

Ely's a registered nurse practitioner at the Kinder Family Clinic in Craig, Colo., the Moffat County seat. When an April report issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment named Moffat County one of the unhealthiest areas in the state - with smoking rates higher than both the state and national averages - she decided to use her research project to do something about it.

She'd heard from ex-smokers that electronic cigarettes - an electrical inhaler that vaporizes a glycerin-based liquid solution into an aerosol mist, simulating the act of smoking - worked better than other smoking cessation methods they'd tried.

And she knew that smoking is often just as much about the psychological and social ritual as it is about the addiction to nicotine.

Plus, they provide nicotine at a lower level than cigarettes, and they don't contain any of the cancer-causing tars and toxins found in tobacco products.

That led her to theorize that e-cigarettes might be a better way to break the smoking habit: They allow would-be quitters to maintain their smoking rituals while they wean themselves off nicotine, which other nicotine-substitution methods such as gum and patches don't do.

Since e-cigarettes are a relatively new product, there's little research on their effectiveness as a smoking cessation method. Ely saw an opportunity to undertake research for her degree that would fill that void, and at the same time, help some people improve their health.

The clinic was more than glad to support her efforts, so Ely developed and successfully defended her research proposal for the DNP program. She spread the word about the study among the clinic's patients and in stories in the local daily newspaper. By the end of August, 40 smokers had enrolled in the six-month study.

There's no cost to participate in the study, but participants pay for their own electronic cigarettes, which have the additional benefit of being less expensive than those containing tobacco.

Ely said she was pleased with the response and is looking forward to seeing if the final results of the study support her contention that e-cigarettes can improve a smoker's chances of successfully becoming an ex-smoker.

The end of the study will also mean Ely will graduate in May, and she had nothing but positive things to say about the DNP program.

"The fact that it's an online program has been wonderful," said Ely, who earned her masters' in Nursing from UNC in 2002 and has been a nurse practitioner for 10 years, "It's very flexible; I wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise."

Simplified Reporting
For her capstone project in the DNP post-master's program, Mary McAfee studied how to reduce the time people struggling with mental health problems are admitted into the hospital after being evaluated.

The idea was to cut down on delays experienced by the at-risk group when supplying information such as medical history — often more than once to more than one person.

With support of her employer, Mountain Crest Behavioral Healthcare Center in Fort Collins, the nurse practitioner helped implement the new program last spring. The result has been simplified reporting that can be shared among health care professionals using a standardized assessment sheet during initial screenings by therapists at Mountain Crest. The form can later be forwarded to hospital staff.

McAfee, who graduated this summer, helped lead the effort to become an early adopter of the business model. She made it the focus of her capstone project because it was something that could serve as a model to "eliminate waste, control costs, maintain quality and help patients" to benefit the entire organization within University of Colorado Health, formerly Poudre Valley Health System.

"I learned a lot that will help me professionally," McAfee said.

Assistant Professor Rhonda Squires, who coordinates the DNP program, said the goal of the capstone is putting research into practice "to make changes that help lots of people."

For more about the DNP program, visit its website.

- UNC News Service

Volcanic Vacations

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

UNC Professor of Earth Sciences Steven Anderson, an internationally renowned volcanologist, shares a first-hand account and photos from his summer "vacation" to a remote part of Russia where the active volcanoes, bears and mosquitoes made for a memorable experience.

He also shared memories and images of his trip in July to an active Hawaiian volcano where he and other researchers faced a different kind of danger.

Russia
I spent nearly three weeks in August on Russia's Kamchatka Peninusla doing research at two active volcanoes with two researchers from the Kamchatkan Volcano Observatory and another from the University of Pittsburgh.

We used thermal cameras to study the amount of heat being put out by these volcanoes cameras and collected samples of the new lava flow. We scheduled the trip so that we could be in the field when a satellite carrying a thermal camera (called ASTER) flew over and imaged the volcanoes. We want to better understand what the satellites are sensitive to and what they can and cannot detect from space so we can assess whether they are providing reliable data that we can use to monitor these remote volcanoes.

We spent one day at Shiveluch volcano and also camped for a week at Kizimen volcano, the most remote volcano in Kamchatka.

This is one of the coolest photos I've ever taken. It's an eruption of Kizimen, and that gray cloud is a pyroclastic flow. It's an avalanche of hot ash, gas and rocks that moves over 100 miles an hour and has internal temperatures of nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. If you get caught in one, it is instant death. Probably the most deadly natural phenomena in all of nature. It stopped about 2 miles from our camp. Unfortunately, my main job was to climb on and sample this part of the volcano. I was not happy about it, but did it as quickly as I could two days later. Scariest, and dumbest, thing I've ever done.

This photo is Kizimen, and the big formation that looks like two giant rock tongues is actually a huge active lava flow that has been moving downhill slowly for the past 18 months or so. You can see our small tents in the grass on the left side of the photo.

This is my Usain Bolt impersonation in front of the helicopter we used to fly over both volcanoes.

Here's the helicopter landing at Kizimen at our campsite, which is covered in fresh volcanic ash.

Here we are sticking our instruments out the bottom of the helicopter as we fly over Kizimen. Scary, but oh so cool.

This is a visitor we had to camp - a 1,000-pound Kamchatkan brown bear. We were above treeline, so could see them from a long way out, which means they could see us too.

Me working with the thermal camera near my tent, and other various cameras at my disposal. Besides the volcano and the bears, the bugs were relentless so I wore a bug suit nonstop for a week. I also had a bad cold and was on antibiotics for an unrelated problem, so I was completely miserable, but yet it was among the coolest trips I've ever done.

- Professor Steven Anderson

Hawaii
In early July, Anderson and UNC graduate student Adam Lewinter met up with other researchers on the island of Hawaii to continue fieldwork started in February on Kilauea volcano, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. The BBC featured Anderson and the team in a series called Volcano Live.

The project involves scanning topography using a laser to image the Halemaumau crater and active lava lake. The results will aid monitoring efforts associated with hazards from the lava lake and further the understanding of how the Kilauea volcano works.

Located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea is visited by millions of tourists each year, making it the most visited attraction in Hawaii. The tourists aren't able to get as close to the crater as researchers are.

Sulfur dioxide-laden gas rises from the crater. The LiDAR (light detection and ranging) laser system being used can penetrate the thick steam and gas so the researchers can see how quickly the level of the lava lake changes and how fast the walls of the crater are eroding. The eroding walls are a danger because when rocks fall into the lava lake, they create large explosions. View video taken in 2011.

The highly toxic gases required the researchers to wear gas masks much of the time while conducting their research.

Among the many images captured by the researchers was this geyser of hot lava exploding when a section of the crater's wall fell into the lava lake.

- UNC News Service

‘Mad Scientist’ Golf Tournament to Support Science Institute at UNC

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Entries are now being accepted for the third annual Mad Scientist Golf Tournament Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Eaton Country Club.

The tournament will have a scramble format with a 9 a.m. shotgun start for a maximum of 23 four-person teams. The entry fee is $100 per golfer ($80 with UNC affiliation and $60 for ECC members) and includes 18 holes of golf, cart, practice balls and lunch and prizes.

Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the University of Northern Colorado's Frontiers of Science Institute, a six-week summer immersion program in science, technology, engineering and math offered for motivated Colorado high school juniors and seniors.

Anyone without a team can register individually and be assigned to a team that needs members.
To register or for more information, visit the FSI website or contact Lori Ball at 970-351-2976.

Individuals or businesses interested in supporting the event through a sponsorship opportunity also can contact Ball.

High School Students’ Research Projects to be On Display July 26 at UNC

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The public is invited to view research projects by a group of high school science students enrolled in the University of Northern Colorado's annual Frontiers of Science Institute.

The student scholars' work will be on display from 10 a.m.-noon and 1:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 26, in the ballrooms at the University Center, intersection of 10th Avenue and 20th Street. Free parking is available in A lot, north of the UC.

Projects that students worked on during the six-week intensive institute included studying the physiological and psychological effects of Aquaciser rehabilitation on cancer survivors following treatment, researching the modification of the 9-anilinoacridine structure in the fight against childhood leukemia, looking at specific compounds in the venom of the sidewinder rattlesnake to be used as an anti-coagulant and assessing the competitive strength of two closely related grasses providing valuable information on performance of clonal vs. non-clonal species to develop natural weed control strategies and optimal yields for economically important crops.

For more about the program, including a list of this year's participants, visit http://www.unco.edu/news/releases.aspx?id=4075.

UNC Chemist Researches the Next Generation of LEDs

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado chemist Robin Macaluso is leading a grant-funded project to explore the next generation of efficient lighting, which could result in more affordable, longer-lasting options for light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, in the future.

Artificial lighting accounts for 10 percent of total energy consumed by the average U.S. household. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates LEDs will reduce lighting energy demands by 25 percent by 2027 - eliminating the need to build 40 new power plants.

Macaluso will study compounds that could open up new possibilities for materials used in LEDs, as part of the two-year, $100,000 grant awarded by the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (acknowledgement is made to the Donors of the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund for support -- or partial support -- of this research.)

Macaluso and her team will analyze an underexplored class of materials known as pyrochlore oxynitrides, a ceramic that's inexpensive to produce and shows promise for use in LEDs. Oxides are currently used in LED lighting, but challenges include getting the right brightness and intended hues. Replacing oxygen with nitrogen in the oxides forms pyrochlore oxynitrides. Combined with other elements, Macaluso hopes that process leads to identifying a new material for building a better bulb.

"This (pyrochlore oxynitrides) is all experimental; no one has done this," Macaluso said. "We want to make more colors and have better control over the colors we make.

"Depending on how much nitrogen we put in, we can control how much energy is being released and therefore the colors (emitted)."

Macaluso will be joined by Oregon State University Professor Mas Subramanian along with UNC undergraduate and graduate students, who will conduct experiments in labs at UNC and Oregon State and national neutron and X-ray scattering facilities.

"In two years, we'll know if we can successfully put nitrogen in material and change its optical properties," Macaluso said. "Then we can fine-tune which materials are best for mass marketing, engineering and for putting in stores, homes and businesses."

32 High School Students Participate in Frontiers of Science at UNC

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Thirty-two motivated, high achieving high school juniors and seniors are participating in the 2012 Frontiers of Science Institute at the University of Northern Colorado through July 27.

Throughout the summer, students study a variety of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in the classroom, laboratory and field. Students can choose to take the course for college credit and after completion of the program are eligible for a scholarship to attend UNC.

Students gain valuable insight into related careers through mentored research, seminars given by academic and industry professionals, and classroom and laboratory work. This year, the program includes outdoor field trips to the Black Hills of South Dakota, visits to various industrial sites and laboratories including Xcel Energy Power Plants, and a guest lecture by Noble Energy.

During the six-week program, students learn to design experiments, collect and analyze data and write a scientific research paper. Each participant will create a poster for display and conduct a formal presentation to discuss their research and findings. Projects will be on display at an open house from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 26, in the Pikes Peak Ballroom at the University Center, intersection of 10th Avenue and 20th Street.

More than 1,600 students from more than 260 Colorado communities and four other states have participated in FSI since its start in 1959. All geographic areas of the state have been represented.

FSI is sponsored by UNC in collaboration with private funding from donors who promote youth science education. Major Donors include the Adolph Coors Foundation, Xcel Energy Foundation, Noble Energy, Frank and Gloria Walsh Science Foundation, Seagate Technology, Mikkelson Education Fund, Bacon Family Foundation, The Tointon Family Foundation, Chesapeake Energy, Newmont Mining Corporation and Suncor Energy, as well as many FSI Alumni.

For more information about FSI, visit its website at http://mast.unco.edu.

Students, their parents, hometowns, high schools and the entities sponsoring the students' participation are:

Jacob Aas, Eric and Heidi Aas, Windsor, Windsor High School, Adolph Coors Foundation Scholar
Adam Bao, Liyuan Bao and Ying Feng, Fremont (Calif.), Mission San Jose High School, Bao Family Scholar
Aspen Binder, Carliss Binder and David Binder, Lakewood, Jefferson County Open School, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Scholar
Erica Birkholz, Matthew and Lori Birkholz, Chandler (Ariz.), Horizon Honors High School, 1981 Alumni Scholar
Meghan Combs, Joe and Connie Sanchez and Suzanne Casias, Pueblo, Pueblo South High School, The Tointon Family Foundation Scholar
Tyler Greenly, Thomas and Julie Greenly, Pagosa Springs, Pagosa Springs High School, Adolph Coors Foundation Scholar
Scarlet Holvenstot, Lynton Moore, Ridgway, Ridgway High School, Morris Family Scholar
Jessamyn Hutchins, Tony and Sandy Hutchins, Evergreen, Jefferson County Open School, Noble Energy Scholar
Akshay Kumar, Ganesh Kumar and Shashi Ganesh, Fort Collins, Ridgeview Classical Schools, FSI Alumni Scholar
Sierra Lear, Kevin and Monna Lear, Fort Collins, Fossil Ridge High School, Xcel Energy Foundation Scholar
Antonia Lin, Jiangfen Zheng, Louisville, Monarch High School, Noble Energy Scholar
Celina Lucero, Benjamin and Rosalba Lucero, Westminster, Standley Lake High School, Suncor Energy Scholar
Paul Marchando, Michael and Lori Marchando, Highlands Ranch, Highlands Ranch High School, Chesapeake Energy Scholar
Orin Miller, Denice Miller, Arvada, Standley Lake High School, Miller Family Scholar
Mitchell Neal, Matt and Lynn Neal, Montrose, Montrose High School, Coutts & Clark Western Foundation Scholar
Chibuikem Nwizu, Chima and Nnenna Nwizu, Greeley, Frontier Academy, Schlessman Family Foundation Scholar
Dylon Patschke, Steve and Denise Patschke, Bennett, Bennett High School, Adolph Coors Foundation Scholar
Chelsey Potter, David and Teresa Potter, Pueblo, School of Engineering and Biomedical Science at Pueblo County High School, Adolph Coors Foundation Scholar
Odysseus Quarles, Barbara Thayer and Leto Quarles, Lafayette, Centaurus High School, Noble Energy Scholar
Aishwarya Ramamurthi, Radhakrishnan Ramamurthi and Vaijayanthy Mahadevan, Aurora, Cherokee Trail High School, Brian Davidson Health Sciences Scholar
Amy Ramirez, Raul Ramirez and Delia Perches, Denver, Sheridan High School, 1979 Alumni Scholar
Carly Ratekin, Les Ratekin and Dianne Schade, Evergreen, Evergreen High School, The Tointon Family Foundation Scholar
Carly Romnes, Carl and Christine Romnes, Dulce (N.M.), Pagosa Springs High School, Adolph Coors Foundation Scholar
Corey Ruggles, Thomas and Lea Ruggles, Eckley, Wray High School, Frank & Gloria Walsh Science Foundation Scholar
Byungchan (Michael) Shin, Hyung and Kyung Shin, Highlands Ranch, Mountain Vista High School, Newmont Mining Corporation Scholar
Sofia Simina, Eugene and Yulia Simon, Aurora, Smoky Hill High School, Xcel Energy Foundation Scholar
Melani Spath, Stu and Pamela Spath, Centennial, Cherry Creek High School, Chesapeake Energy Scholar
Benjamin Spitz, Glenn and Patrice Spitz, Boulder, Boulder High School, Spitz Family Scholar
Gavin Stewart, Blake and Megan Stewart, Loveland, Loveland High School, 1984 Alumni Scholar
Caleb Suresh, George and Brindha Suresh, Centennial, Smoky Hill High School, The Morris Family Scholar
Genysie Van Duren, Aaron and Lis Van Duren, Fleming, Fleming High School, Frank & Gloria Walsh Science Foundation Scholar
Emily Vavra, Larry and Bev Vavra, Burlington, Burlington High School, Adolph Coors Foundation Scholar