By Lisa R. Baldi Dr. Ike Shibley has been on a mission for almost two decades: to make learning more efficient. “When a business executive talks about making a process efficient, the shareholders applaud,” says Shibley. “Yet somehow when a college professor talks about making learning more efficient, critics often respond with jeers.” The assumption seems to be that humans are much more complex than any business process. Yet, counters Shibley, when a scholar examines learning, there is always … [Read more...]
Flip It!
The Formula for a Successful Chemistry Course By Dr. Katie E. Amaral, Associate Professor of Chemistry When I tell people that I teach chemistry, I often get comments about how much they struggled, or that they’re glad somebody likes the subject. A quick poll of most students in beginning chemistry courses echoes these sentiments. The students are usually there because their majors require the course. While some instructors fail to acknowledge this reality, I think any student can be … [Read more...]
Sowing the Seeds of Success
Research Experience + Summer Job = Greener Pastures for Turfgrass Students By Lisa R. Baldi Undergraduate students majoring in Turfgrass Science can begin their education at Penn State Berks in what is referred to as a “2 + 2” program (first two years at Berks, the third and fourth years at University Park or World Campus). At Penn State Berks, Dr. Michael Fidanza, Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, takes not only his teaching and research duties seriously, but also his advising … [Read more...]
On His Turf
Company Establishes New Endowment in Honor of Professor By David C. Delozier, Director of Development and Alumni Relations WITH A RECENT GIFT OF $25,000, Turf Equipment and Supply Company, Inc. has established a new endowment at Penn State Berks in recognition of their long-standing partnership with Dr. Mike Fidanza, a Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences and researcher at the college. This new endowment will support students who are studying turfgrass science with Fidanza. Kevin Monaco, … [Read more...]
Fracking Calculations
Professor and Student Team Up To Investigate Environmental Effects of Fracking By Kristin M. Boyd, Freelance Writer SITTING IN FRONT OF AN OVERSIZED MONITOR, Dr. Lorena Tribe uploads a set of atoms, their sizes, and coor-dinates into a computer visualization program called Molden. Seconds after she presses the “enter” key, a 3-D diagram of molecules that visualizes her calculation pops up on the bright orange screen. She jots down a note, adding another layer to her research of how arsenic … [Read more...]
Youthful Energy
FITT Youth Combats Obesity By Helen A. Hartman, Senior Lecturer in Kinesiology,and Lisa R. Baldi THE SOUNDS OF LAUGHTER AND CHILDREN at play can be heard coming from the Conference Center Wing of the Reading Hospital once a week. These children are participating in FITT Youth—Fun, actIve, healThy, youTh, a joint program of the Reading Health System, Penn State Berks, and Penn State Berks Cooperative Extension. FITT Youth is a coordinated effort for children who have been referred by their … [Read more...]
Putting Some Muscle into Research
Multi-Method Approach to Biomechanics Research By: Dr. Ben Infantolino, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Biomechanics is the study of biological systems using the principles of mechanics. Since muscle is responsible for producing human motion, it is a very relevant topic of study in Biomechanics. Computer models of muscle are critical to our understanding of muscle function and have been purported to be used to direct surgeries that are designed to improve movement for individuals with a … [Read more...]
Environmental Microbiology and Systematics
By: Bertrand D. Eardly, Professor of Biology Most of us don't realize that our planet is dominated by microbes. Recent studies have shown that for every one of our own cells, we carry at least ten bacterial cells. This unseen bacterial community, both on and in our bodies, consists of hundreds of species who are nearly as different from each other as they are from us. Perhaps more amazing is the fact that there appears to be millions more bacterial species elsewhere on our planet, such as in … [Read more...]
How Did We Get Here?
By: Lisa R. Weidman Throughout time, people have asked the question, "How did we get here?" In the inaugural George J. Losoncy Lecture in Physics and Astronomy, Dr. Robert Forrey, Penn State Berks Professor of Physics, addressed that very question from the point of view of a physicist. This event, which was held on March 22, 2012, was the first in what will be an annual lecture series named in honor of Losoncy, a dedicated Penn State employee for seventeen years who was also particularly … [Read more...]
Higher Learning
Martial Arts Program Helps Reading School District Elementary School Children Stretch Their Minds and Bodies By: Lisa R. Weidman Third grade students in the Glenside Elementary School gym are seated on their yoga mats while their parents are waiting with anticipation in the bleachers. Today is the last day of the Yoga and Taekwondo after-school program, and the children will be showcasing what they have learned this spring. Although they may not realize it, they have learned more than … [Read more...]
The Theory of Symmetry
By: Lisa R. Weidman When you enter Dr. Dan Litvin's office, you may think that you just stepped into a Toys “R” Us by all the models and toys that are on display. In reality, these are all teaching aids that he uses in his physics classroom. Litvin is a Distinguished Professor of Physics at Penn State Berks who has received sixteen years of research grant support from the National Science Foundation. His current research interests include symmetry-based predictions of physical properties … [Read more...]
Food Microbiology and Toxicology
By Dr. Hassan Gourama, Associate Professor of Food Science In every society, ensuring that the food supply is safe is essential. However, despite many scientific and technological advances in the area of food production, processing, and preservation, foodborne illnesses around the world, including in the United States, still occur. Just in the United States alone, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that every year, 48 million people (one in six Americans) get sick, 128,000 are … [Read more...]
Beyond Infinity
Daly Studies Black Hole Spins and the Acceleration of the Universe By: Lisa R. Weidman Every galaxy has a collection of black holes– regions that are so dense not even light can escape–and each can have a mass of up to ten or more times that of the Sun. In addition, there is a super-massive black hole embedded in the heart of each galaxy. The mass of the super-massive black hole varies with the mass of the galaxy and can be a few million to several billion times the mass of the Sun. … [Read more...]
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
A Window into the Invisible Atomic World By: Dr. David Aurentz, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Perhaps it could be best described as a comic book superpower–the ability to see the invisible, my field of expertise. This ability to observe what is classically invisible through scientific analysis is critically important. Detecting changes at an atomic level can have huge effects on our understanding of the properties of all sorts of matter, ranging from materials in our homes, products found … [Read more...]
Bringing Science to the Forefront
College Partners with Carpenter Technology and Reading School District to Improve Science Education By: Lisa R. Weidman The importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education has received a lot of media attention in the last few years. In fact, having a well educated and innovative STEM workforce is critical to the economic security and prosperity of the United States. Penn State Berks and Carpenter Technology Corporation have joined forces to improve science … [Read more...]
Speed Saves
Karlinsey's Research in Microfluidics Aims to Quicken the Diagnosis Time for Physicians By: Lisa R. Weidman A patient walks into the physician's office, flips through a couple magazines in the waiting room, undergoes routine checks with the nurse, and waits a little longer until he finally gets to talk to the doctor. The patient has the symptoms, the physician has her suspicions, but no one has the results–at least not yet. Next the patient pays a visit to the lab to have blood drawn, and … [Read more...]
It’s Our “Tern”
The Time is Now to Protect Biodiversity By: Dr. Jennifer M. Arnold, Assistant Professor of Biology The loss of species from threats such as human development, other invasive species, and climate change has been at the forefront of media interest in recent years. The problem is far from trivial: current rates of species extinction are phenomenal, at least 100 times the background rate, and human activities are a major factor driving species loss. For many species, the consequences of their … [Read more...]
Locally Fit
By: Lisa R. Weidman Southeastern Pennsylvania is most known for its rich and productive farmland and its strong presence of highly diversified food manufacturing facilities. This region also contains a high percentage of the state’s population, as well as its colleges and universities. These factors, combined with favorable demographics in the region, place Berks and the surrounding counties in a unique position to become a regional leader in agriculture, food processing, packaging, and … [Read more...]
Understanding the Development of Breast Cancer
By: Dr. Maureen Dunbar, Associate Professor of Biology A perpetual misconception concerning scientific research involves the value of basic research. Trying to understand the normal function of an organ propels much basic biological research yet this type of research may not seem as important as the work done trying to understand how to treat cancerous cells. Lack of fundamental understanding of normal cellular function can impede progress in treating a disease like cancer and is therefore … [Read more...]
Gamburg Explores the Heart of Matter
By: Dr. Robert C. Forrey, Professor of Physics and Lisa R. Weidman "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." -Albert Einstein These words of Albert Einstein provide the foundation of Leonard Gamberg's research efforts, which seek to get to get to the heart of matter–literally. Gamberg, an Associate Professor of Physics at Penn State Berks, conducts research in elementary particle physics of the atomic nucleus–the very "heart of matter." Through his research in … [Read more...]
Green Industry Research Takes Root at College
By: Lisa R. Weidman Penn State’s roots are firmly planted in the field of agriculture, dating back to 1855, when the Farmers’ High School was granted a state charter. In time, the school would evolve into what is known today as The Pennsylvania State University. At Penn State Berks, horticulture has been a key component of the agriculture program since its inception in the late 1980s. While the main focus of the faculty has been teaching, the significant presence of the turfgrass and … [Read more...]