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James Madison University - Madison - The Magazine of James Madison University - Spring 08 - Index

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an important role in the
area’s ecology. during their
three-week research period,
Hodges and degrazia collected
70 samples from wetland
surface water.
geology and environmental
science professor steve
Baedke, who directed the
research, says this year’s team
of students worked better
together in the field than any
others. Baedke is used to success
at the gsa. Last year,
two of his students — Joe
Bell and sean Porse — won a
similar award.
Baedke said the geology
department’s commitment
to undergraduate research is
a contributing factor to the
students’ success. “it reflects
the ethic of the department
for students to do meaningful
research,” he says. “if this was
not important to JMU, we
wouldn’t have the time and
money spent on this project.”
For a third consecutive
year, the U.s. geological
survey supplied grant money
to cover travel expenses, lab
equipment and hourly wages
for the students.
Baedke also noted the
students received valuable
mentoring from distinguished
specialists with 20 to 40 years
experience. The specialists,
including some from the indiana
geological survey at both
indiana University and north
dakota state University,
offered advice on conducting
field research and the significance
of results.
‘It reflects the
ethics of the
department
for students to
do meaningful
research.’
— Steve Baedke,
Geology and environmental
science professor
10 Madison Magazine
[In Memoriam]
Former professors remembered
William Callahan
Philosophy and religion
professor and department
head William edward
Callahan died oct. 19 in
salem, Va., and is buried
in sheffield, ala. He was
a member of Theta alpha
Kappa national Honor
society for religious and theological studies.
JMU’s philosophy and religion department is
a charter-founding chapter that first inducted
student members in 1977. Before coming to
JMU, Callahan taught at Union University
in Jackson, Tenn., and Wallace state College
in Hanceville, ala. He earned degrees
from Florence state College, new orleans
Baptist Theological seminary and american
University. a Baptist minister, he preached in
churches in alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Tennessee and Virginia.
JMU reaffirms
commitment
to undergraduate
research
Beginning in fall 2008,
more than 20 freshmen
will have an opportunity
to do authentic research in
a yearlong course in phage
genomics. students will earn
one credit each semester for
the work that will involve isolating
bacterial viruses (phages)
from soil, preparing viral dna
for sequencing, and annotating
and comparing the sequenced
genome. Partial funding and
equipment for the course is
being provided by the Howard
Hughes Medical institute,
which chose JMU as one of 12
universities around the country
to launch the science education
alliance. The goal is to
immerse students in scientific
processes and equip them with
critical thinking and communication
skills necessary for
successful research careers.
[Outstanding Teacher]
Virginia science
teachers honor
Kolvoord
ISAT professor is science
educator of the year
Bob Kolvoord,
professor of
integrated
science and technology,
received the
2007 outstanding
science educator
for Virginia award
from the Virginia
association of science
Teachers. He
was recognized for helping
Virginia science teachers use
technology in their classrooms
to help students learn
about science and technology.
Kolvoord, who joined the
JMU faculty in 1996, is chair
of the JMU task force on science,
technology, engineering
and mathematics education.
He has a joint appointment
majorie Christiansen
Professor emerita of home
economics Marjorie Christiansen
died on nov. 22
in albuquerque, n.M. a
licensed nutritional consultant,
she also served as
a science instructor at the
Regina school of nursing
in albuquerque. she earned degrees in nutrition
education from the University of new
Mexico and Utah state University. a member
of the Madison Founders society, Christiansen
and her late husband, Ted, established
the Minnie Christiansen and Margaret Miner
endowed scholarship at Madison in 1973 in
honor of their mothers. Christiansen was a
member of the american dietetic association
and Phi Kappa Phi and was a past president
of the Virginia dietetic association and the
albuquerque district dietetic association.
Bob Kolvoord,
2007 Outstanding
Science Educator.
with the College of education
in the educational technology
master’s program. Kolvoord
teaches in the isaT programs,
the applied gis portion of
the geography program, the
idLs science core and in the
isaT graduate program.
He has an active program
working with K-12
teachers in the
use of geospatial
technologies in
the classroom. in
2006, he co-led a
study abroad in
Malta with isaT
professor Jonathan
Miles. The professors
teach a course
on sustainability,
which will be part of the
dual post-graduate degree
program leading to an M.s.
in sustainable environment
Resources Management from
the University of Malta and
an M.s. in integrated science
and Technology awarded by
James Madison University.
The dual-degree program
begins this fall.
kolvoord photograph by diane elliott (’00)