Millersville Biology Students are Award Winners At CPUB

On Friday and Saturday April 6th-7th, 2018, Millersville Biology Faculty Drs. Ryan Wagner, Carol Hepfer, John Wallace and Aaron Haines were accompanied by Millersville undergraduate biology students to attend the 49th Annual Meeting of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Biologists at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania.  This year, there were 33 oral presentation and 100 poster presentations from 11 Pennsylvania Universities.  Each university had biology students attend the Annual CPUB meeting to present their research findings.  Below is a picture of those from Millersville University who attended this year’s conference.

Millersville’s CPUB Attendees.  Back from left to right: Dr. Aaron Haines, Edwin Sanchez, Courtland Hess, Katelyn Newcamp, Megan Davies, Jenn Houtz, Dr. John Wallace, Dr. Ryan Wagner, Austin Harrison and Marie Stoltzfus. In Front from left to right: Delaney Costante, Carli Parenti, Rachel Davies, Olivia Rosensteel, Natalie Auman, Sierra Baney, Mireya Lopez-Jimenez, Marisa Macchia, Lindsay Matter and Dr. Carol Ely Hepfer.

 

Presentations by Millersville University Students at the 49th Annual CPUB Meeting

            (Faculty advisors are denoted by *.)

  • Auman, C. Hess, A. Haines*, Do Small Mammals Prey Switch During the Winter? An Evaluation of Invertebrate Prey Availability in the Subfolium Level of the Forest Floor (Second Place for Best Ecology Oral Presentation)

 

  • M. Costante, A. Haines*, C. Parenti, O. Rosensteel, A. Sandercock, G. Smoot, K.Thomas, C. Check, M. Dungan, J. Evans, C. Goulding, M. Hollingsworth, M. Leu, I. Ritrovato, M. Ryan, A.M. Rydberg, T. Treakle, and A. Windley. Temporal analysis of threats impacting federally protected species(Dr. Aaron Haines*)

 

  • J. Davies, A. Haines*, and L. Goodrich. Plausibility of a student-run hawkwatch site at Millersville University. (Dr. Aaron Haines*)

 

  • D. Parenti, O.D. Rosensteel, G.R. Smoot, D.M. Costante, and A.M. Haines*.

Documenting success: recovery of species from the Endangered Species Act (Dr. Aaron Haines)

 

  • D. Baney, M. Lopez Jimenez, and C. Ely Hepfer*. Alternative mRNA processing

leads to the expression of distinct twitchin isoforms in squid muscles with different contractile properties. (Second Place for Best Cell & Molecular Poster)

 

  • J. Stoltzfus, J.D. Stoltzfus*, and C. Ely Hepfer*. Identification of tissue-specific splice-forms encoding the large elastic protein kettin in squid muscles exhibiting diverse contractile properties. 

 

  • E. Davis, B.M. Horton*, and J.R. Wallace* Potential for the Bioaccumulation of Endocrine Disrupting Chemical: An assessment of water, sediment, and aquatic insects. (First Place for Best Ecology Poster)

 

  • J.L. Houtz, J.P. Receveur, M.E. Benbow, J.L. Pechal, B.M. Horton*, and J.R. Wallace* Postmortem succession of the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) gasterointestinal microbiota. (First Place for Best Ecology Poster)

 

  • D. Sanchez, N.A. Olsen, and B. Stevens* A morphometric comparison of two Cancrid crab species: Cancer borealis and C. irratus. (Second Place for Best Ecology Poster)

 

  • M. Constante and J.G.Boal* Behavioral assay to determine sound sensitivities of Fundus heteroclitus. (Dr. Jean Boal)

 

  • A. Newcamp and J.G. Boal* Analysis of internal parasites between wild and captive white-tailed deer in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (Dr. Jean Boal)

Millersville University Biology students also won the Lab Olympics event hosted by Mansfield University.  This would be the third year in a row where Millersville Biology students have come in first place for team competitions at CPUB annual meetings.

All MU students who gave either platform or poster presentations should be commended for their efforts on representing the University and the high caliber of science they conduct with top honors. Some of our students had the added good fortune to earn first or second place awards and a few are represented in the photos below. Of notable mention, Marie Stoltzfus, chosen by the Biology Department as Millersville’s Outstanding Biology Student of the Year, was recognized at the banquet, and, prior to the conference, Jenn Houtz was awarded a CPUB Research Grant.

Next year, Edinboro University will be host the 50th CPUB Annual Meeting.