News University of Northern Colorado

UNC Graduate School to Bestow ‘Century of Scholars’ Awards

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado Graduate School's celebration of 100 years of providing graduate degrees and certificates continues Friday when the school's Century of Scholars Awards will be presented during a reception in the University Center ballrooms.

Graduate School alumni will receive the following awards.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Lydia Ruyle (MA 1972) will be recognized for her significant contributions over several decades as an artist and educator, who in addition to teaching at UNC, has conducted workshops and exhibited her work across the U.S. and internationally.

Raymond Tschillard (MA 1991), director and president of the board of directors of the Poudre Learning Center, will be honored for his lifetime devotion to science education, which has included teaching the subject in grade six through the graduate level.

Service Award
Becky Safarik (MA 1975), assistant city manager for the city of Greeley, will be acknowledged for her record of service and volunteerism for the betterment of the community.

Vernon Brown Ingraham (MA 1974), executive secretary the Scottish Rite Foundation of Colorado, will be honored for his work in providing funding for scholarships for graduate students in UNC's Speech-Language Pathology program.

Research Award
George Sage (MA 1957), UNC professor emeritus of Kinesiology and Sociology, will be recognized for outstanding research achievements in his field that resulted in the publishing of 21 books.

Educator Award
Mark Kolokoff (MA 2010) will be honored for his 26-year exemplary career as an educator in RE-6 schools.

Century of Scholars Award - College of Natural and Health Sciences
George Sage (MA 1957) will be recognized for his nearly 30 years of service to the college as a faculty member, department chair and graduate coordinator.

Century of Scholars Award - College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Elizabeth Kozleski (Ed.D 1985), chair of the Special Education program at the University of Kansas, will be honored for her internationally recognized work in special education teacher education.

Century of Scholars Award - College of Performing and Visual Arts
Lowell Graham (MA 1970), chairman of the music department and director of orchestra activities at the University of Texas-El Paso and former conductor of the United States Air Force Band, will be honored for his long and distinguished career as a musical conductor and his ongoing support of UNC's School of Music.

Other Awards
Susan Hutchinson, UNC professor of Applied Statistics and Research Methods, will be presented with the Friend of the Graduate School Award in recognition of her service to graduate students on campus, and Carl Gerbrandt, professor emeritus of Voice, will be given the Faculty Emeritus Award for his contributions to graduate education while a UNC faculty member.

Tickets for the reception, which begins at 6: 30 p.m. April 5, are sold out.

The Graduate School's 100th anniversary celebration includes the Century of Scholars website at www.unco.edu/grad100, which features a place for alumni and others to share their stories, a detailed history of the Graduate School and a timeline marking 100 years of milestones.

The website is a window through time. More than 100 stories from recent and not-so-recent graduates are already available for reading. They and numerous photos allow visitors to the site to easily compare the experiences of someone who graduated in 1965 to those of someone who graduated as recently as 2011.

In 1914, what was then called Colorado Teachers College awarded its first advanced degrees when three students received master's degrees in teaching. Today, the Graduate School has 2,395 students enrolled and more than 100 programs of study. The school has awarded a total 53,457 graduate degrees.

UNC Celebrating 100 Years of Graduate Education

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado's Graduate School will commemorate 100 years of providing post-baccalaureate education this year and is starting the celebration by asking its alumni to share memories of their experiences as grad students and where they are now on the "Century of Scholars" website.

The website is a window through time, containing a detailed history of the Graduate School, a timeline marking 100 years of milestones, an events calendar and a place for alumni and others to share their stories.

Black and white photos of the Classes of 1913, 1920, 1956 and many others appear throughout the site, and several stories from recent and not-so-recent graduates are already available for reading, allowing visitors to the site to easily compare the experiences of someone who graduated in 1965 to those of someone who graduated as recently as 2011.

In 1913, three students at what was then called Colorado Teachers College received the first master's degrees - in teaching, of course - awarded by the school. Today, the Graduate School has 2395 students enrolled and more than 100 programs of study. The school has awarded a total 53,457 graduate degrees.

UNC Celebrating 100 Years of Graduate Education

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado's Graduate School will commemorate 100 years of providing post-baccalaureate education this year and is starting the celebration by asking its alumni to share their memories of their experiences as grad students or how they've used their degree.

In 1913, what was then called Colorado Teachers College awarded its first advanced degrees when three students received master's degrees in teaching. Today, the Graduate School has 2,395 students enrolled and more than 100 programs of study. The school has awarded a total 53,457 graduate degrees.

To celebrate the achievements and growth in graduate education at UNC, the Graduate School has created the "Century of Scholars" website at http://www.unco.edu/grad/grad100, featuring a detailed history of the Graduate School, a timeline marking 100 years of milestones, an events calendar and a place for alumni and others to share their stories.

The website is a window through time. Black and white photographs of the Classes of 1913, 1920, 1956 and many others appear throughout the site, and several stories from recent and not-so-recent graduates are already available for reading, allowing visitors to the site to easily compare the experiences of someone who graduated in 1965 to those of someone who graduated as recently as 2011.

Graduate School Announces Dean's Awards

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Graduate School this week announced the recipients of the Graduate Dean's awards recognizing superior academic achievement and outstanding research in graduate studies. The winners, who will be honored at Friday's Graduate School commencement ceremony, are:

Citation for Excellence

Yeni Violeta Garcia, Doctor of Philosophy, Biological Education
Jacqueline Johnson, Master of Science, Biological Sciences
Angela Mendoza, Master of Arts, Gerontology
Chandra Powers, Master of Arts, History
Joshua Stewart, Doctor of Philosophy, Educational Psychology

Outstanding Dissertation

Maha AlSuliman, Doctor of Philosophy, Special Education, "The Nature of Implementing Response to Intervention in Fourth Grade"
Joshua Stewart, Doctor of Philosophy, Educational Psychology, "Teaching of Evolution in Public Schools: A Cross-Cultural Examination"

Outstanding Thesis

Emily Folsom, Master of Arts, Speech-Language Pathology, "Guided and Non-Guided Clinical Observation in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Undergraduate Perspectives"
Jacqueline Johnson, Master of Science, Biological Sciences, "Engineering Plants to Aid in the Fight Against Malaria"
Chandra Powers, Master of Arts, History, "Inconspicuous Imperialism: Softening American Power Through Humanitarianism"

'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

UNC Grads Share Stories, Advice

Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

News release about commencement and the class of 2012

Each of the almost 1,300 undergraduate and graduate students who graduated from the University of Northern Colorado during commencement ceremonies May 4-5 has her or his own unique story. Eight of them shared their stories, along with some advice for those who will follow in their footsteps.

Courtney Kranz - Political Science, Business Administration (Finance Emphasis)
Courtney Kranz describes the refugees she works with as resilient people who "manage so well with such grace."

The same could be said for Kranz.

When shoulder injuries that required multiple surgeries derailed her Division I basketball career, Kranz remained active with her team by helping at practices. She became a mentor and advisor, tutoring freshmen as part of the Student-Athlete Academic Success program.

The double major will graduate having been named the Political Science scholar of the year, making the dean's list in the School of Finance and receiving Big Sky all-academic awards.

Kranz left an equal impression as a volunteer.

She traveled on church mission trips to Uganda and, a year before that, Juarez, Mexico, to help build a house for a family there. It was heartbreaking, she said, when violence forced them to leave early with the house unfinished.

For the past year, she's volunteered at the Global Refugee Center, housed at a former elementary school in Greeley. She teaches GED courses and coaches basketball fundamentals during open gym for girls who otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity.

Kranz is deciding between staying at the center and entering graduate school in her home state. She's been accepted to a University of Minnesota development-practice program, which takes an interdisciplinary approach to educate on how to help developing countries.

Advice for freshmen: "Be honest, appreciate what been given to you and look for ways to positively impact the community — UNC offers a lot of ways to do that."

Tara Schoenherr - Human Services
Although Tara Schoenherr initially hesitated when she was encouraged to become a resident assistant in Harrison Hall after her freshman year there, she decided to give it a try and soon realized she'd found her niche - and a career path.

Schoenherr quickly started assuming leadership roles in hall and Residence Hall Association activities, and just as quickly gained a reputation as a ‘go-to" person when an event needed to be organized, a student was looking for someone to talk to or another RA needed advice on how to handle a problem.

Her always-positive attitude, willingness to help and strong work ethic were recognized in 2010-11 when she received RA of the Year awards from both UNC and the Rocky Mountain chapter of the National Association of College and University Residence Halls, and again this year when she was named Senior RA of the Year at UNC and received Housing and Residential Education's Distinguished Service Award.

That track record and a 3.65 GPA helped Schoenherr take the next step in her student services career path. She's been offered a graduate assistantship at the University of Utah, where she'll be director of a residence hall while she pursues a master's degree in Education Leadership and Policy.

Advice for freshmen: "Don't be afraid to take advantage of the opportunities that you're most scared of; you might be surprised at what you find out you're capable of."

Ben Schiffelbein - Political Science, Philosophy
Will Schiffelbein - Political Science
The Schiffelbein brothers have followed similar paths during their careers at UNC but some healthy sibling rivalry has resulted in them leaving their marks in very different ways.

Ben's 18 months younger than Will is, but they'll graduate together because of high school advanced placement credits and heavy course loads that enabled Ben to earn a double-major degree in three years.

In addition to graduating on the same day, they both majored in Political Science, both served as resident assistants, both participated in Student Senate and both held positions with the Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Education program offered by the Center for Peer Education.

Beyond their involvement on campus and their commitment to their studies, both Will and Ben have had a hand in making changes on campus.

In October 2010, Will started UNC's chapter of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. It was officially chartered a year later and is now the largest fraternity on campus. In addition to his involvement with the Center for Peer Education, he served as Student Senate election commissioner this year and was 2011 homecoming king.

Ben, as Student Senate's director of academic affairs in 2011, worked to help change UNC's grade forgiveness policy and improve the policy for awarding grants for students to attend conferences. This year he served as the senate's administrative assistant and also worked part-time at a law firm in Denver.

Will plans to move to Charlotte, N.C. this summer to work at Pi Kappa Phi's national office advising chapters around the county on how to operate more effectively and safely.

Ben will marry a UNC alumna later this month and then pursue a law degree at Georgetown University.

Although the brothers agree that getting involved is important, they have different advice for incoming freshman.

Will's advice: "Don't forget to get involved inside the classroom. It's easy to get involved with everything else and forget that your education is what you are here for."

Ben's advice: "The biggest asset of this university is that it provides an unparalleled forum for discussion. You can talk to your peers and professors about anything; it's important to just talk to people, because that can be a rare opportunity."

Meghan Patrick - Business Administration (Marketing Emphasis)
Meghan Patrick was chosen during her senior year as the first intern for American Greetings nationwide as part of a test program in the Monfort College of Business.

The internship included the opportunity to attend an "Asset-Area Supervisor Training" session in Cleveland over spring break, and she'll present her final intern project to a team of American Greeting executives who will visit the UNC campus May 10.

She's already received a job offer from the company, and after two months of training in San Francisco, she'll work as an area supervisor and run her own territory.

Patrick, a Business Administration major with a marketing emphasis, also was a member of a team chosen as a finalist in this year's Research Excellence Awards at UNC. She and a classmate explored marketing strategies for big pharmaceutical companies in bottom-of-the-pyramid markets and examined the financial viability of those strategies.

"The Monfort College of Business has truly prepared me for my future," she said. "I've already had real world experiences while a student that will help me succeed."

Loana Mason, Special Education (Visual Impairment Emphasis)
As part of her doctoral dissertation, Loana Mason sifted through 40 years of literature and found more than 650 articles pertaining to literacy for individuals with visual impairments.

When this list was narrowed down to include only those studies that provided scientifically-based evidence, 20 articles detailing a variety of interventions remained.

One of the articles contradicted what is believed to be best practice for efficiently using the hands and fingers to read Braille. While most teachers of students with visual impairments instruct Braille readers to use at least the index and middle fingers of both hands, the only recent piece of scientifically-based evidence showed an advantage for the left middle finger.

Mason replicated that study from 1971 to include one- and two-handed reading techniques using all plausible combinations of the index and middle fingers. She worked with 15 participants who were Braille readers attending schools for the blind.

During her study, Mason, who herself has a visual impairment, positioned a video camera underneath a transparent surface and recorded the students' hands as they moved through 10 different passages in Braille that she specially produced on clear paper. She asked them to use their personally preferred method and then nine techniques she randomly assigned.

More than six years after starting the dissertation process, which included 1,200 hours coding data, the results of her dissertation "supported that which we have believed for the last 100 years to be best practice - the two-handed technique."

For her efforts, she earned the Graduate Dean's Citation for Outstanding Dissertation.

An experienced educator, Mason has taught students with visual impairment in K-12 schools and prospective teachers at the university level. She's also served as a Braille literacy project director for the American Printing House for the Blind.

After earning her doctorate (she also holds a master's degree from UNC), she'll become coordinator of the visual impairments program at New Mexico State University.

When embarking on her doctorate, Mason never thought that she would devote six years of her life to Braille literacy, and she downplayed being called a foremost authority on the topic.

"I'd like to think that I have some expertise in the area, but I continue to learn new things every day. That's what I love about what I do."

Zach Bond - Business Administration (Finance Emphasis)
Although some of his classmates might think he's lucky, the fact that Zach Bond's graduating with a job offer in hand was more about discovering a passion, setting a goal and doing what it takes to achieve that goal.

After transferring to UNC from Regis University after his freshman year, Bond realized that his dream job would be to serve as a sports information director for a college or professional team. Since he grew up in Greeley and is a lifelong Bears fan, he approached the Athletics department's sports information staff about learning the ropes.

After working on a volunteer basis for the first 18 months and as a paid student employee for another 18 months, on June 15 he'll transition into a full-time, 10-month paid position as an assistant sports information director.

"I feel fortunate that I'm able to work in something I want to do and that I'm passionate about," Bond said, "But if it doesn't work out, I'll have a degree in Finance to fall back on."

Advice for freshmen: "Get involved with at least one club or internship and really explore what you're passionate about. Even if it's late in your college career, like myself, it will always be better if you're doing something you love."

Mary Birdsall, English
Before she receives her master's degree at UNC's Graduate School commencement ceremony May 4, Mary Birdsall will have the rare opportunity to tell everyone just what she thinks.

That's because she was selected to perform the time-honored tradition of giving the student welcome at the ceremony.

Birdsall, who came to UNC to both get her master's in English and prepare for licensure to teach high school English, was picked from among graduates encouraged by their advisors or professors to submit a paragraph summarizing what they'd say if chosen to give the welcome.

Birdsall said that the basic premise of her message, which struck a chord with the selection committee, had already taken root before the call for submissions.

"The completion of a degree is a natural time to reflect on what you've done and what you're going to do next," Birdsall explained.

Birdsall used a trained writer's skills to turn those reflections into an inspiring message that's sure to resonate not only with the graduates and their friends and family, but also with other members of the university community.

We won't reveal her message's theme, but we will share that one of her reflections is about tutoring an undergraduate student in the UNC Writing Center, an experience that helped her decide to change her plans and teach on the college level.

Advice for future graduates: "Make the difference: Look back and evaluate what you accomplished compared to what you planned."

Editor's Notes

Videotaped highlights and transcriptions of select addresses by students and keynote speakers from UNC's graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies will be available on the UNC website next week.
For more information about UNC's commencement ceremonies, including the keynote speakers and facts and figures about the class of spring 2012, go to http://www.unco.edu/news/releases.aspx?id=3901.

Dissertation Defense & Oral Comprehensive Exam

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The following defense of disseration and oral comprehensive exams is schedule for Feb. 6-15:

Defense of Dissertation

Monday, Feb. 6 - Lu, M. (Educational Studies) 9 a.m., McKee 216, "Using the ‘Learners-as-ethnographers' Approach to Enhance Intercultural Learning Among American College Students Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language Learning," d. Walker, M. Milian, D. Romero, E. Franklin.

Oral Comprehensive Exam

Wednesday, Feb. 8 - Knippenberg, S. (School Psychology) 2 p.m., McKee 201, K. Hak, A. Bardos, E. Clemens, L. Vogel.
Friday, Feb. 10 - Murdock, J. (Music Performance) 1 p.m., Skinner Music Library,
C. Harris, R. Ehle, V. Amendola, D. Kauffman, E. Gregg.
Friday, Feb. 10 - Adkisson, M. (Audiology) 1 p.m., Gunter Hall 1380, D. Meinke, K. Bright, D. Finan.
Wednesday, Feb. 15 - Errthum, T. (Educational Studies) 9 a.m., McKee 282, G. Fertig, M. Williams, M. Cray, M. Smith.

Defenses of Dissertation and Oral Comprehensive Examinations

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Defenses of Dissertation

Friday, June 10 – Chen, C.-K. (Educational Studies)
1 p.m., McKee 213
“Language Education for Indigenous Children in Taiwan"
M. Milian, D. Phillips, D. Walker, D. Romero

Thursday, June 16 – Dreier, A. (Counseling Psychology)
Noon, McKee 282
“Defining and Impact Construct Applicable to Offender Therapists: The Therapist Resilience Theory: Offense-Specific"
M. O’Halloran, S. Wright, M. Athanasiou, T.Funn

Thursday, June 16 – Hawkinson, A. (Biological Education)
11:30 a.m., Ross 0090
“Experimental Infection of Jamaican Fruit Bats (Artibeus jamaicensis) with Tacaribe Virus”
T. Schountz, S. Keenan, R. Adams, S. Pulos

Monday, June 20 – Johnson, K. (Nursing Education)
11 a.m., Gunter 2090
“A Comparison of Levels of Empowerment and Clinical Decision-Making in Senior Bachelor of Science Nursing Students Enrolled in a Curriculum Based on a Caring Nurse Theorist and a Curriculum Not Based on a Caring Nurse Theorist”
C. Roehrs, J. Hayes, M. Valerio, L. Lohr

Tuesday, June 21 – Jensen, B. (Sport and Exercise Science)
1:30 p.m., Gunter 2600
“The Effect of exercise on Cardiac Function and Doxorubicin Accumulation in Left Ventricular Tissue of Rats”R. Hayward, C. Schneider, D. Hydock, P. Burns

Monday, June 27 – Ries, J. (School Psychology)
11 a.m., McKee 282
“Diagnostic Capability of School Psychologists in the Identification of Autism”
K. Kohler-Hak, R. Hess, E. Peterson, S. Hutchinson

Oral Comprehensive Examinations

Wednesday, June 15 – Stanley, M. J. (Nursing Education)
11 a.m., Gunter 3000
J. Hayes, K. Dingley, J. Giddons, R. Silverman

Friday, June 17 – Eriksson, U. J. (Music Performance)
11 a.m., McMillan Room, Skinner Music Library
A. Dahlke, R. Ehle, D. Kauffman, N. Peercy

Wednesday, June 29 – Einhellig, K. (Nursing Education)
9 a.m., Gunter 2090
K. LaSala, L. Clukey, A. Merrill, L. Lohr

Thursday, June 16 – Fiedler, K. (Educational Studies)
9 a.m., McKee 312
M. Opitz, M. Lahman, M. Berg, K. Pugh

The Write Way to Parent

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

During the past 25 years, Lynn Dean, a second-year doctoral student at the University of Northern Colorado, has written more than 500 parenting articles for 100 publications in 40 states around the U.S.

Her stories have been published in books like Chicken Soup for the Father and Daughter Soul and Chicken School for the New Mom’s Soul, and she’s written articles for magazines like ParentLife, Single Parent Family, Rocky Mountain Parent Magazine and others.

Dean is currently working on her doctorate degree in Educational Psychology. She also teaches Human Growth and Development, and Educational Psychology classes for UNC undergrads preparing to become elementary school teachers.

Dean didn’t plan on becoming a prolific writer of articles about parenting. She moved to Colorado after getting married and worked as a budget analyst. After having her first child, though, she decided she wanted to be an at-home mom.

“I got a lot of flack for being an at-home mom from my colleagues, who thought I was a traitor to the cause,” Dean said. “But it wasn’t something I had planned.”

When Dean was pregnant with her second child, she started reading a weekly column titled “Moppet Memos” in a Fort Collins newspapaer. One day the column was replaced with an advertisement looking for someone new to write the column.

Dean and another person were chosen as the new authors of “Moppet Memos;” she co-wrote the column from 1987 to 1996.

“It was nice to have another identity besides being a mom, and I enjoyed writing,” Dean said. “When the column ended, I thought of myself as a writer.”

She began marketing her previously written columns to regional publications around the country, eventually writing for a number of different columns in cities across the U.S. In 1996, Dean wrote to the publisher of Rocky Mountain Parent Magazine and she’s been writing for it ever since.

“As my kids have grown, I’ve become more confident as a parent,” Dean said. “The more I studied my kids, the more I enjoyed writing about being a parent—and I still love to write for parents.”

- Katie Owston

Lynn Dean’s Top 10 Parenting Tips (for kids of all ages)
• Don’t take it personally.
• Trust your instincts.
• Love each kid individually; give each child what they need … life isn’t always fair.
• Don’t be afraid to say no — define the boundaries.
• Let your kids explore, and make mistakes, in a safe environment.
• You are going to embarrass your kids — it’s inevitable!
• There is a reason why certain phrases stand the test of time; it’s OK to say the thing you swore you’d never say.
• As children grow older, your role in their lives will change … and that’s OK.
• You are more than a parent; you are a person, too. Develop your own interests and hobbies early.
• Kiss ‘em while you got ‘em.

Of Note
Although Dean won’t be able to attend UNC Research Day next week - she’s going to Washington, D.C., to present and discuss her research on career exploration and self regulation in high school students - there’ll be plenty of other undergraduate and graduate research presented at the April 7 event that’s become the mainstay of UNC’s Academic Excellence Week.

Both oral and poster presentations will take place in the University Center. Oral presentations are 9 a.m.–4 p.m. and include topics such as "Hybrid Cluture and the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands," "Democracy through Globalization and Mobile Reform" and "Transparent Technology: Using Smartphones to Interview Sensitive Subjects."

Poster presentations last run 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Topics will include "The Social, Economic, and Emotional Burdens of Hoarding," "Rockies Fans’ Perceptions of Game Valuation" and "The Great Recession: Economic Downturn and the Consumer Behavior of Professional Sports Fans."

For the complete list of Research Day’s oral and poster presentations on April 7, visit the Research Day website.

To see a list of other events for Academic Excellence Week, visit
the event’s website.

Mining for Bats

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado doctoral student Mark Hayes recently completed a multi-year study that helps identify attributes of abandoned mines that attract a species of bats in southwest Colorado.

Hayes examined nine years’ worth of data, including conducting fieldwork in the mines, in co-authoring the most thorough article to date on hibernation sites of Townsend’s big-eared bats, a species of conservation concern. The article appears in the current edition of the Journal of Wildlife Management.

The research is being used by wildlife managers to inform them of abandoned sites that should be considered in preserving winter habitats for the species. The research recommends conducting winter surveys of abandoned mines before deciding on closures or reclamations.

“Abandoned mines are dangerous places, and Colorado has been trying to close unsafe sites, but at the same time looking for important bat roosts and saving those sites used by species of conservation concern,” Hayes said.

Townsend’s big-eared bats were found in 33 of the 138 abandoned mines surveyed, with nearly all of the bats hibernating independently. Sites with more than one opening and temperatures near zero-degrees Celsius were more likely to serve as winter homes.

“We haven’t found large groups of Townsend’s big-eared bats hibernating in abandoned mines in southwestern Colorado,” Hayes said. “This is surprising, as we are beginning to wonder if there are any large congregations in Southwestern Colorado and if so, where are they?”

Hayes’ interest in the research piqued after completing his bachelor’s degree in Environmental, Population and Organismic Biology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. That’s when he volunteered with the Colorado Division of Wildlife to conduct bat surveys at abandoned mines — a project that led to meeting his wife, Lea’ Bonewell, who has chronicled his fieldwork through photos, including the one above.

“As I became more and more involved with this project, I realized that there were a lot of unanswered questions about the ecology and conservation of bats in Colorado,” Hayes said.

Hayes’ advisor is Professor Rick Adams, an authority on bats in his own right (see story).

“Perhaps one of the key events that inspired me to become a bat biologist was attending one of Rick’s talks,” Hayes said. “He was funny and very knowledgeable. He helped me realize that bats were extremely important from an ecological perspective.”

- Nate Haas

UNC Researcher Publishes Textbook on ‘Aging Social Policies’

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Robbyn Wacker, assistant vice president for Research, dean of the Graduate School and International Admissions, and professor of Gerontology at the University of Northern Colorado, recently published her second textbook covering worldwide social policies on aging.

The book, "Aging Social Policies: An International Perspective," focuses on the "policy-person link," or how changing policies directly affect the lives of adults over the age of 65 — a growing demographic that's projected to reach 2 billion by 2050.

Co-authored by Karen A. Roberto, professor and director of the Center for Gerontology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Wacker in the book reviews U.S. policy, along with comparisons to select countries, and interviews older adults to provide perspective into their lives.

Wacker previously co-authored "Community Resources for Older Adults: Programs and Services in an Era of Change," and a fourth edition of the text is planned.

Long-Distance Learning

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Even though Saara Schmidt moved to Durango after earning a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from UNC, she’s close to finishing a UNC master’s degree without setting foot in Greeley.

The 2007 graduate with an unusually-spelled first name is able to achieve her goal of earning a master’s degree in Criminal Justice despite living almost 400 miles from the school’s Greeley campus, thanks to UNC Online.

In addition to a variety of individual courses, UNC Online, part of the university’s Extended Studies division, also includes bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. Some are offered completely online; others combine online curriculum with summer on-campus experiences.

Schmidt’s quest for her master’s in Criminal Justice was aided by the fact that UNC offers the only online program of its type in the region. The program was designed for people with full-time jobs, families or other obligations to juggle.

“It’s good for independent learners,” Schmidt said of her online educational experience.

Another reason she jumped at the opportunity to continue her education at UNC is the caliber of faculty.

“The Criminal Justice program is great and the professors are awesome,” she said.

Many of the same faculty who teach on campus deliver most UNC Online courses and programs. These are experts who keep up to date with the latest advances in their fields.

UNC’s online programs and faculty utilize national quality standard for the design and delivery of online courses to ensure that they are following high academic standards equivalent to face-to-face courses.

Through her online program, Schmidt has discovered her passion for working with at-risk youth and as part of her curriculum, she’s working with a juvenile center to evaluate its effectiveness.

"I want to help get them out of the system before they are adults because I believe it is harder for people to get out as adults,” she said.

Schmidt is in her second year of the two-year program and is scheduled to graduate in May 2011. Unlike some of her classmates in the program, she’s planning to attend the commencement ceremony.

Online classes can also be used to catch up on credits or get ahead. UNC’s interim session, which begins Dec. 13, is a good way to do either. A variety of online classes are offered in most departments to help students reach their academic goals.

UNC Online has a new website that compiles all the online coursework offered at UNC. For more information, visit http://unconline.edu.

- Brittany Sarconi

Of Note
The University of Northern Colorado has been offering quality distance education since 1902 and was an early adopter of the online education model, beginning with the offering of its first online program over a decade ago.

UNC Biologists Co-Author Article in Prestigious Science Journal

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Assistant Professor, Grad Student Work with NCAR on New Study that Confirms Plants Absorb Air Pollutants At Greater Rate than Previously Thought

University of Northern Colorado's Chhandak Basu and Brenda Thornton collaborated with colleagues from the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Arizona on a study of the role of plants in absorbing air pollutants.

An article on the multi-disciplinary project, led by NCAR scientist Thomas Karl, was published today in Science Express, the electronic edition of Science, which is known for articles written by Nobel Prize winners.

The work by Basu, assistant professor of Biological Sciences, and Thornton, a second-year graduate student, confirmed the model NCAR used in a global study, which found plants worldwide cleanse pollutants leading to formation of smog at a 36 percent greater rate than previously thought.

Thornton spent countless hours in the lab confirming gene expression patterns in environmentally stressed plants. These plants were stressed with pollutants, ozone and insects (mimicked with wounding). Stressed plants absorb air pollutants, known as oxygenated volatile organic compounds, at a faster rate — a side effect from what's known as atmospheric cleansing.

"The plants absorb and clean up the pollutants, but they get to a point where they need to detoxify, otherwise they will die, so they need to turn on the gene expression," Basu said. "It's almost like the way humans fight infections."

The next phase of Basu's involvement in future collaboration will be to study whether genetically modified plants that are already programmed with the ramped-up absorption gene turned on can be used as a natural way to clean up the environment, especially in heavily polluted areas. He's planning to submit proposals for grants to support the research.

Basu's research focuses on the molecular and genomic aspects of plant stress response due to environmental change. The ultimate goal of his research is the production of genetically engineered, stress-tolerant plants that can increase crop production and potentially ease world hunger and food crises, especially in developing countries.

His research also includes studying a tropical tree that produces a diesel-like fuel. He's working on transferring the genes that produce oleoresin in the copaiba tree to plant and algae with hopes of producing a model for a biodiesel alternative in automobiles.

Thornton earned her bachelor's degree cum laude in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. She previously worked on plant and genetic research projects at St. Jude's Hospital and at the University of Arkansas.

More information: the NCAR Study

A Story of Hope

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Growing up in Bosnia amid war, genocide and poverty in the early 1990s, Vanja Pejic at times wondered if she’d finish elementary school, let alone ever attend college. Today, she’s in her first year of UNC’s doctoral program in School Psychology.

That she’s come as far as she has since she and her family fled their home as war broke out in May 1992 is a tribute to their indomitable spirit, the value they place on education, some good fortune and the kindness of strangers.

Strangers like the soldier at a heavily armed military checkpoint who pretended to know 5-year-old Vanja and her Serb family as they tried to flee their hometown of Zavidovici, north of Sarajevo. The soldier convinced his commanding officer to let the family leave.

The next day they learned that their recently completed home on land the family had owned for generations had been burned to the ground. All they had with them were the few changes of clothes needed for what they thought would be a two-week absence.

Vanja, her parents, her brother and a grandmother and an aunt ended up in the city of Banja Luka, about an hour northwest of Sarajevo. A relative’s friends offered to let them stay with another family of six in a one-room, 14-foot by 20-foot apartment. The apartment felt like a palace when the other family found other housing after a year.

"The entire country was in chaos," Pejic said. "There were no jobs, no electricity, no phones, few places to live and very little food. The Red Cross became our best friends."

"My brother and I would make a candy bar last a month," Pijic said. "Fresh fruit of any kind was a special treat. It would take three hours to eat a banana because you would savor every bite."

Pejic attended a nearby elementary school, where weekly "bomb trainings" taught students what to do when shelling became dangerous. The school would frequently close for a week or longer when fighting made it unsafe to attend.

"To this day I can’t attend a parade because the fire engine sirens bring me right back," Pejic said in reference to the sirens that signaled the need to take shelter from artillery shells or bombs. And I hate listening to fireworks because in my head I hear the sounds of shelling."

After five years, even though their living conditions were improving and hostilities were winding down, Pejic’s parents decided to seek a better life – and better education for their children.

Someone they didn’t know would again help the Pejics. Sponsored by a church of complete strangers, the family was granted political asylum and in November 1997 moved to York, Pa. Vanja was 10.

Pejic said she struggled with adapting to her new life. She didn’t speak English and was from a foreign country few of her classmates had heard of. She felt like an outsider and had no close friends. She learned English, but she rarely talked in school. She spoke to her parents about the possibility of returning to Bosnia.

Then in a seventh-grade social studies class, she gave a report about Bosnia and her life there that opened her peers’ eyes. Word quickly spread throughout the school about her story, and the principal asked her to serve as the keynote speaker at the school’s end-of-the-year awards assembly – a role normally filled by a paid motivational speaker.

"I told my story, but I turned it into a lesson on how we have so much more in life than we realize and that we take for granted," Pejic said. "When I finished, you could hear a pin drop in that gymnasium, except for people crying softly."

But something more profound took place later that day.

"A girl came up to me crying hysterically," Pejic said. "She told me that she had been planning to kill herself that night because of her terrible situation at home and in life but after hearing me speak she realized that her life wasn’t really that bad and that she actually had a lot to live for."

Pejic decided that she had to stop feeling sorry for herself and wishing she could have had a better childhood.

"Hearing her say that made me realize that I was there for the right reason and the right time in Bosnia," Peijic said. "I knew that I needed to take this story and take this experience and its impact and try to help others as much as I possibly could."

Pejic has since told her story of perseverance and not taking what you have for granted during dozens of motivational speeches she’s given at schools and churches, including some in South Africa during a study-abroad experience while earning her bachelor’s degree from Temple University.

Along the way, she realized that becoming a school psychologist would put her in a position to continue to help students, especially those who might feel like outsiders who don’t belong or feel they have much to live for.

- Gary Dutmers

Editor’s Note
Pejic is enjoying yet another "new" life at UNC, where in addition to starting her five-year doctoral program, she’s a graduate assistant in the Center for International Education, where her duties include using her many experiences to organize cross-cultural events for members of the university community.

UNC Graduate Student Competing at World Championship Paint Horse Show

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tara Spencer, a student in the University of Northern Colorado's master's degree program in communication, is competing this week at the 2010 Summer World Championship Paint Horse Show in Fort Worth, Texas.

Spencer will compete in the breakaway roping, working cow horse and reining competitions of the show, which is sponsored by the American Paint Horse Association and also includes competitions such as tie-down roping, team penning and barrel racing. Contestants compete for cash awards, trophy buckles and other prizes.

According to Spencer, her goal is to place in the Top 10 in each of her three specialty events.

Event officials expect more than 600 competitors from 35 states, South America and Australia for the adult division of the competitions.

Spencer, who was born and raised in Loveland, was selected as the 2006 Miss Rodeo Colorado and participated in the 2009 presidential inauguration as a member of the Freedom Riders, a Kersey-based patriotic horseback riding group.

For more information about the World Championship Paint Horse show, visit http://www.aphaworldshow.com/summer/index.aspx.

UNC Scholar Earns National Science Foundation Award

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A University of Northern Colorado student recently was awarded a prestigious graduate research fellowship from the National Science Foundation.

Yeni Violeta García, a second-year UNC graduate student pursuing her doctorate in Biological Education with a minor in Statistics, will receive $40,000 awarded annually for each of the next three years. She's one of about 2,000 students in the country offered the fellowship and the only scholar studying Biology Education. She's the first UNC student to earn the award.

García, a former secondary teacher, will focus on blending her research on stream ecology with interdisciplinary approaches to teaching biology with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning in middle school. Her faculty adviser is Assistant Professor of Biology Richard Jurin.

García earned her bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from California State-Fullerton and master's degree in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles. Born in El Salvador, García is a first-generation college student who has traveled to 29 countries - most recently as part of UNC Professor Lisa Rue's statistics class to South Africa in May to provide survey and assessment tools for a nonprofit agency. She'll travel to Costa Rica later this summer to study and trace water pathways using algae and phytoliths — silica residue left behind by the plants.

García just completed an NSF GK-12 fellowship, alongside Professor of Earth Science Bill Hoyt. As a GK-12 fellow, she worked at the Poudre Learning Center and Dos Rios Elementary School in Greeley and helped teachers develop inquiry-based lesson plans for exploring science.

Also at the Poudre Learning Center, she developed a summer research program for girls ages 10-13 that required them to ask a research question, form a hypothesis and complete the research. This year it's being offered to girls and boys, ages 10-13, beginning June 21. More information, including how to sign up, here.

Research on Noise Catching Attention

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Thea LaBere’s research on the noisy environment in which tree service workers operate is being heard loud and clear.

The graduate student’s study started to gain traction at this year’s City of Greeley Winter Tree Care annual workshop — where a year earlier LaBere’s request for research participants was made — after her faculty research mentor Deanna Meinke presented on her behalf the study’s findings.

Last summer, LaBere measured with specialized equipment the decibel levels of machinery while employees who volunteered for the project used them. The readings from the dosimeter proved that tree service workers are at increased risk for noise induced hearing loss, which is preventable.

Soon after the Greeley presentation, a national trade magazine approached to invite LaBere and Meinke to submit an article to a publication that reaches 28,000 arborists. The article, leaning on the study’s findings that hearing protection should be used when operating chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders, leaf blowers, water trucks, rotochoppers, tractors, brush/weed trimmers — equipment that can exceed permitted exposure levels issued by federal agencies — will be published this summer. A representative involved with the publication who advises on safety and regulatory compliance for the Tree Care Industry Association told LaBere that companies rarely use a dosimeter to measure noise exposure and that her research was the “missing key element” in advocating for employer compliance.

LaBere’s research has implications for anyone who uses such equipment. That means the homeowner who’s using a chainsaw to prune should take notice: exposure without protecting the ears can be hazardous.
LaBere recently took time to answer questions about her research:

Q: How’d you get started with the research?
TL: I got started with the research my first semester in grad school (2007) when I knew I wanted to focus on something that would make a difference in people’s lives. My grandfather has hearing loss from occupational and recreational noise exposure, and I have seen him suffer over the years with communication. I wanted to educate others on the importance of protecting your hearing and what hazardous noise exposure can do to your hearing and how it can detrimentally impact your quality of life.

Q: What surprised you most about the outcome of your research?
TL: That these workers were not educated on hazardous noise levels and the risk of losing their hearing. The workers did not know when they should be wearing their hearing protection (earplugs/earmuffs). As far as the outcome of noise level measurements, this was not surprising to me considering the equipment they are operating on a daily basis.

Q: How did you anticipate results would be received among workers and publications
TL: I didn’t expect that the workers would be as interested in learning about the outcome of their noise exposure as they were. Most of the workers wanted to know how loud their equipment was and what they should do to try and protect themselves and prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). They were genuinely interested in the research. Several of the employers have requested the outcomes from the study as well. We have been invited to submit an article to the “Tree Care Industry Magazine” for summer publication. The Tree Care Industry Association, www.tcia.org, has also linked to the press release on the research at UNC. This will provide an opportunity for tree service workers across the country to learn from our research findings. Ultimately, we have plans to submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed research journal.

Q: What kind of reactions did you receive from workers involved in the study? How about reactions at the winter tree care workshop? Did the information lead to any changes among employers?
TL: Most of the workers were shocked at how much noise they were exposed to on a single day. For instance, one of the highest readings suggested that a single worker received as much as 20 days worth of allowable noise exposure in one single workday. This makes the numbers more real for the workers. When I explained the different sound levels and how long they can be exposed before damage starts to occur, most of them couldn’t believe it.
The participants at the winter tree care workshop were extremely interested in the study results. Most of the attendees recognized that their equipment was “noisy,” just not how dangerous it truly is. There is also an interesting perception among workers in that the “nosiest” piece of equipment is the one they should be concerned about (e.g., chippers) and that other pieces of equipment that are quieter in comparison are of no concern. The workshop was able to highlight the message that most of their equipment emits harmful noise levels and that hearing protection is needed for all exposures, not just the “loudest” ones. The workshop attendees also spent lots of time discussing hearing protection options with Dr. Meinke at an exhibit table where earplugs were provided to attendees and different types of earmuffs were demonstrated, including electronic earmuffs that allow radio-activated speech communication between workers.
Sonie Harris, Au.D. (UNC clinic supervisor) and audiology graduate students also provided hearing testing in the UNC Mobile Audiology Clinic during the workshop. Over 75 persons took advantage of this opportunity which further reinforced the importance of protecting their hearing.

Q: How does the research apply to say a homeowner who’s using a chainsaw to do some pruning? At what point does noise from a chainsaw become unsafe?
TL: The research can apply to homeowners by making them aware that the noise levels of a chainsaw are dangerous and that it is better to take precautionary measures and protect their hearing even if they are only operating the chainsaw intermittently off and on. Through my research I found that chainsaws emit noise levels of between 86-112 dBA. The variability is dependent upon the size of the chainsaw, the operational mode and the proximity of the saw to the ear. For instance, if you bend over to saw a limb, you may be putting your ear closer to the engine and the ear will be exposed to a higher sound level. Occupational regulations and recommendations recognize that any sound over 85 dBA for extended periods of time may be hazardous to your hearing. OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) also prohibits sound levels in excess of 115 dBA since hearing protection may not adequately protect hearing at these extreme levels. Using the guidelines offered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), exposure at 100 dBA is permitted for 15 minutes and is equivalent to an exposure of 8 hours duration at 85 dBA. In the case of the loudest chainsaws at 112 dBA, the allowable exposure time would be 56 seconds. Hardly enough time to do the work without ear protection. At high levels of exposure like these, the use of dual hearing protection (earplug plus an earmuff) is advised.
Homeowners are equally at risk if trimming their own trees, cutting firewood and chipping branches. Some homeowners rent chippers for some major projects. Homeowners that work a noisy job in another industry during the day may be at even greater risk when they add to their overall noise exposure level with off-the-job noise exposure in the evenings or weekends.

Q: How gratifying is to see your research being publicized and possibly leading to changes in practices?
TL: It is really rewarding to know that through my research people are being influenced in a positive way. In some indirect way, I may be increasing a person’s quality of life by preventing individuals from acquiring NIHL by making them aware of how to protect themselves from the dangerous levels of noise that they are exposed to daily at their job. Prevention is key.

Q: What’s next in line for the research?
TL: I am completing a clinical doctorate in audiology, so I will be focused on applying and strengthening my clinical skills while on externship during my last year in the program. I will not be directly involved in any additional research on the topic at this point in time, but hope that other students may become interested in the topic and consider extending the research. Ideally, we would obtain more data from the small, self-employed tree service workers and learn more about any potential barriers to the use of hearing protection among this group. I will certainly integrate this research experience into my clinical practice and would hope that dissemination of the findings will become widespread enough to see that employers are offering hearing loss prevention programs to their workers in the future. I’m sure my research advisor, Dr. Meinke, will engage in additional studies related to the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss as that is her primary research focus.
I will be planning on presenting my research outcomes at the National Hearing Conservation Association annual conference in February of 2011.
Currently I am completing my clinical externships working as an audiology intern at Alpine ENT (“All About Hearing” at both their Fort Collins and Loveland offices). Upon completing this externship in August 2010, I will be placed at Rocky Mountain ENT in Littleton to finish my clinical externships before graduating in May 2011 with my AuD. (Doctor of Audiology degree).
I would like to thank the employers and workers who participated in the study. They were very cooperative in terms of letting me onsite to make the measurements. I learned a lot about the practical aspects of making noise exposure measurements on workers and the value it can add to their workplace safety.

Highlights of the Research

- The research concluded that urban tree service workers are exposed to noise levels that exceed OSHA standards and NIOSH criteria and workers are at risk for occupational noise induced hearing loss (recommend protection at 85 dBA).
- 20 men ages 21-57 years from seven employers participated in the study last summer. Their length of service ranged from one month to 28 years.
- Research found that 95 percent of workers (19) worked in conditions that exceed either OSHA and/or NIOSH limits for on-the-job noise exposure.
- Using a noise dosimeter to measure exposure in working conditions, research showed that ear protection should be used when operating chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders, leaf blowers, water trucks, rotochoppers, tractors, brush/weed trimmers.
- Workers ranked chippers (measured at 112-119 dBA) as emitting the loudest noise. Noise exposures above 115 dBA are not permitted by OSHA. Efforts to control the noise source are needed by equipment manufacturers to reduce the hazard such equipment presents to the operators.
- Eighty percent of the workers routinely wore hearing protection (earplugs, earmuffs or combination earplug/earmuff). Recommendation to wear both earplugs and earmuffs when noise levels exceed 100 dBA (operating leaf blowers, chippers, chainsaws.) is advised.
- Three of the seven employers had components of hearing loss prevention programs, but only one had a comprehensive hearing conservation program as required by OSHA.A comprehensive hearing loss prevention program includes; noise measurement, noise control, hearing protection device fitting and use, worker training, annual hearing testing and the recordkeeping and effectiveness components of each of these components. Employers were most likely to provide earplugs/earmuffs to their workers but not oversee its use or fitting or provide the other necessary program components. It appears that many employers and employees may not be fully aware of the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in this industry and the best ways to prevent it. Many tree services are small, seasonal, self-employed entities that are not required to comply with OSHA. Voluntary hearing loss prevention programs are encouraged for these workers as well.

UNC Spring Commencement Ceremonies, May 7-8

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

About the Spring 2010 Graduation Class
- No. of students graduating: 1,474
- No. of students earning bachelor's degrees: 1,237
- No. of students earning graduate degrees: 237 (182 master's, 17 certificate/specialists, 38 doctorates)
- Age range: Undergrad: 19-57; Grad: 22-60
- Average age: Undergrad: 24; Grad: 33
- Graduate's average GPA: Undergrad: 3.19; Grad: 3.82
- Average number of years to graduation (undergrad): Nine semesters
- Top 5 majors (by degrees awarded)
Undergrad: Interdisciplinary Studies, Business Administration, Psychology, Communication Studies, Sport and Exercise Science, Journalism
Grad: Special Education, Clinical Counseling, Music, School Psychology, Sport and Exercise Science
- International Countries Represented (students earning UNC degrees): Six (Botswana, Germany, Saudia Arabia, South Korea and Taiwan)
- Countries of exchange students (at UNC, graduating from home countries): Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Taiwan
- States Represented: 34 (AK, AZ, CA, CO , CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WY)
- Colorado Counties Represented: 37 (Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, Crowley, Custer, Denver, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Kiowa, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Logan, Mesa, Montrose, Morgan, Otero, Park, Phillips, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Routt, Summit, Teller, Washington, Weld, and Yuma)

Update Friday, May 7: Please note that the undergraduate ceremony will go on as planned outdoors at Nottingham Field. Forecasts are calling for partly cloudy skies with morning temperatures between 40-50 degrees and winds between 6-15 mph. Please plan and dress accordingly. More information on the ceremony.

From April 20 - The University of Northern Colorado will hold ceremonies marking the 120th spring commencement May 7-8 on campus.

The Graduate School ceremony to award about 240 specialist, master's and doctoral degrees will be at 7 p.m. Friday, May 7, in Butler-Hancock Hall, south of the intersection of 14th Avenue and 20th Street. Don Marostica, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade and a former state legislator, will be the featured speaker. He received his master's degree from UNC in 1975.

UNC alumna Marie L. Greenwood will be presented with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. After earning her bachelor's degree in education in 1935, Greenwood embarked on a 30-year teaching career that included being the first African American woman to be given a permanent contract to teach in Denver Public Schools and the first African American assigned to an all-white school in DPS.

On Saturday, May 8, Denver Broncos head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos will address about 1,200 spring and 300 summer graduates during the undergraduate ceremony, 10 a.m. at Nottingham Field, intersection of 17th Avenue and Reservoir Road.

Antonopulos earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in Health and Physical Education from UNC in 1972 and 1973, respectively. He's been head trainer for the Broncos since 1980. Before joining the Broncos, he was the head athletic trainer and a Health, Physical Education and Recreation instructor at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.

Distinguished faculty and student leadership awards will also be presented during the ceremony.

For more information about the ceremonies (including the inclement weather plan for the outdoor undergraduate ceremony):

- Undergraduate

- Graduate

UNC Recognizes Students’ Research Projects

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Winners of the University of Northern Colorado's inaugural Research Excellence Awards, held in conjunction with the school's annual Research Day, have been announced.

Award categories and presentations receiving awards were:

Best Graduate Individual Oral Presentation
Best Overall Presentation
Stephanie Flynn-James
"Potential Therapeutic Use of Transforming Growth Factor-ß for Treatment of Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome"
Discipline: Biological Education
Faculty Mentor: William Schountz

Best Undergraduate Individual Oral Presentation
Sara Baum
"An Analysis of Immigration-Related Depression: Correlations to Acculturation, Stressors, and Utilization Resources"
Discipline: Psychology and Sociology
Faculty Mentor: Kevin Pugh

Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation
Nicole Vincelette
"The Effects of Gentamicin During the in vitro Erythrocytic Life Cycle of the Malarial Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum"
Discipline: Biology, Pre-Health
Faculty Mentor: Susan Keenan

Best Graduate Poster Presentation
Traci Parry
"Effects of Endurance Training on Cardiotoxicity Induced by Combined Treatment with Doxorubicin and Goserelin Acetate"
Discipline: Sport and Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology
Faculty Mentors: Reid Hayward, David Hydock, Carole Schneider

Each of the winners will receive a $200 gift card to Barnes and Noble for use on textbooks or other educational supplies. The grand prize winner will receive her choice of a mini-laptop computer from Bear Logic.

The evaluators for the awards included a wide representation across disciplines: Genie Canales, professor of Hispanic Studies; Becky Freer, instructor in the McNair Scholars Program; Julie Hanks, associate professor for Audiology and Speech-Language Sciences; Stephen Mackessy, professor of Biological Sciences; Thomas Smith, dean of University College and assistant vice president of Undergraduate Studies; and Stephanie Burchett, graduate student.

Research Day was part of Academic Excellence Week, an annual event to celebrate and honor academic excellence throughout the university. AEW is coordinated and sponsored by the Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership in conjunction with various academic programs and offices across the campus.

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Professor Presents Findings from Noise Research

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

UNC Associate Professor Deanna Meinke will share research results (see below) involving noise exposure measurements of tree service workers during the 2010 Greeley Winter Tree Care Workshop, 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at Island Grove Events Center, 421 15th Ave.

Meinke will present results on behalf of Audiology graduate student Thea LaBere, who spent last summer taking noise measurements of tree service workers. LaBere is currently participating in a clinic and can't attend Friday's presentation, which will focus on educating the group about the risks of noise-induced hearing loss, hearing protection and employer responsibilities.

In addition, UNC Audiology students, under the supervision of clinical faculty member Sonie Harris, will provide free hearing tests to attendees. The hearing tests will help detect noise-induced hearing loss and provide an opportunity to educate and intervene as soon as possible.

For more information about the workshop, download the schedule.

Highlights of the Research
- The research concluded that urban tree service workers are exposed to noise levels that exceed OSHA standards and NIOSH criteria and workers are at risk for occupational noise induced hearing loss (recommend protection at 85 dBA).
- 20 men ages 21-57 from seven employers participated in the study last summer. Their length of service ranged from one month to 28 years.
- Research found that 95 percent of workers (19) worked in conditions that exceed either OSHA and/or NIOSH limits for on-the-job noise exposure.
- Using a noise dosimeter to measure exposure in working conditions, research showed that ear protection should be used when operating chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders, leaf blowers, water trucks, rotochoppers, tractors, brush/weed trimmers.
- Workers ranked chippers (measured at 112-119 dBA) as emitting the loudest noise. Noise exposures above 115 dBA are not permitted by OSHA.
- Eighty percent routinely wore hearing protection of earplugs, earmuffs or combination earplug/earmuff. Recommendation to wear both earplugs and earmuffs when dBA is 100 or greater (operating leaf blowers, chippers, chainsaws.)
- Three of the seven employers had components of hearing loss prevention programs, but only one had a comprehensive hearing conservation program as required by OSHA. It appears that many employers and employees may not be fully aware of the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in this industry and the best ways to prevent it.