In Memoriam: Farewell to Joan Ehrenfeld

May–June 2011
In Memoriam: Farewell to Joan Ehrenfeld
Joan Ehrenfeld, long-time and beloved faculty member of the Department of Ecology, Evolution,
and Natural Resources (EENR), passed away on June 25, after a courageous battle with acute
leukemia. She leaves behind a devoted husband and faculty colleague David Ehrenfeld (EENR),
four children, and three grandchildren. On our campus and across Rutgers, she is mourned by
countless faculty and staff colleagues, post-docs, students, and friends.
It’s a testimony to her determination and indomitable spirit that at the 2011 Excellence Awards
ceremony in April, during which she was named winner of the Research Excellence Award, her
husband David spoke on her behalf and shared that in
between bouts of treatments she was literally hard at
work on several scholarly articles on which she was
collaborating with colleagues.
Joan and David Ehrenfeld at High Point,
Norvin Green State Forest, New Jersey
Bob Goodman (executive dean) reflected on Joan’s
life and work. “I am reminded of Toni Morrison’s
commencement speech in which she exhorted the
Rutgers graduates to live their lives not just in the pursuit
of happiness or liberty but also in ‘the pursuit of
meaningfulness.’ Joan’s work epitomizes all that is
deeply meaningful and relevant, from family to
scholarship and community. The breadth of her
scholarship has focused on some of the most
important environmental issues of the modern age and
she has conveyed her
passion to successive cohorts
of eager students.”
Joan Ehrenfeld (at left) as she led a class on a field trip
“The heart and soul of Joan
was exhibited in the close
relationships she developed
with her students and postdocs. The outpouring of
support for her throughout
her illness was a testimony to
how deeply she touched so
many of us,” said Henry
John-Alder (chair, EENR).
We mourn the loss of an
important member of our tight-knit campus community, but we also celebrate Joan’s life and
her fighting spirit. I ask you to join me in expressing our deepest condolences to David and the
entire Ehrenfeld family! Read a snapshot of Joan’s extraordinary work and life here.
Spotlight
School Convocation – Class of 2011
The threat of rain and electrical activity in the air on Sunday, May 15, forced the move of
convocation for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences from the historic Passion
Puddle to the Rutgers Athletic Center on Monday, May 16. Nothing could dampen the
enthusiasm and the energy of the indoors event however, as Master of Ceremonies Jerry Kukor
(dean of academic programs), to raucous applause, welcomed the graduates to “your school’s
convocation – in which we recognize you individually for your unique accomplishments.”
And there were many accomplishments, the highlight of which were the three students who shared
the extraordinary honor as graduating first in their class and the 38 students – a record for the school
– who graduated summa cum laude, with a GPA of 3.85 to 4.0. Sharing the top honor were Laura
Chen (Animal Science and Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources), Natalia Hainutdzinava
(Nutritional Science, with a Dietetics Option), and Le Phuong Ngo (Genetics).
During his graduation address, Bob Goodman (executive dean) praised the caliber of the
graduates, telling their parents that “we’d
like to believe that we are returning them to
you – and the next phase of their life – more
enlivened, more informed about and
interested in the world, and each of them
an even more remarkable man and woman
than when they arrived on campus.” The
Class of 2011 made history as the
representatives of the first matriculating
class to graduate from the School of
Environmental and Biological Sciences.
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Spotlight
"A Celebration of Excellence" Awards Ceremony
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2011 Excellence Awards, which were presented at the
Cook Campus Center on April 27. The Office of Community Engagement provided a program
that was fresh and new in many ways while still respecting the customs of the past. At left,
Campus Dean Richard Ludescher (Food Science) served as the Master
of Ceremonies. The awards ceremony provided our community with an
opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary contributions of our
faculty, staff, and students. Bob Goodman (executive dean) said
during his opening remarks that "this event recognizes and salutes some
of the best work of the School of Environmental and Biological
Sciences, the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and Rutgers
Cooperative Extension." After the presentation of awards, guests
mingled with friends and colleagues while they enjoyed a delicious
reception featuring New Jersey wine by Heritage Winery.
Joan Ehrenfeld, who won the award for Research Excellence, passed away on June 25. Her
husband David Ehrenfeld (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources) accepted the award on
her behalf. The following were presented 2011 Excellence Awards by Dean Goodman:
Teaching Excellence - Wolfram Hoefer, Landscape
Architecture (at right). Presenting the award is Dean
Goodman. At left is Laura Lawson (chair, Landscape
Architecture)
International Excellence - Mark Robson, Entomology
(2nd from left). He is flanked by George Hamilton
(chair, Entomology), Dean Goodman, and Rick
Ludescher
Outreach Excellence – Janice McDonnell,
4-H Youth Development with Dean
Goodman
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Team Excellence - The Great Tomato Tasting Event at Snyder Farm
Staff Excellence - Ed Dager, Snyder Farm
and Katherine Goundry, Rutgers
Cooperative Extension
Barbara Munson Goff Teacher of the Year presented
by Alpha Zeta - David Ehrenfeld, Ecology, Evolution,
and Natural Resources (center). Dean Goodman is on
the left. Michelle Ellenbacher, Alpha Zeta chronicler, is
on the right.
Oceanography Ranked 4th in the World by Reuters
Rutgers was ranked 4th in the world by the London-based Times Higher Education magazine, in its
ranking of the top 30 universities and institutions in the field of oceanography. The data,
compiled by Thomson Reuters, is based on citations to scientific papers published since 2000.
Richard Lutz (director, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences - IMCS) was quoted in the Asbury
Park Press: “This is huge. We’ve gone from not being on the map 25 years ago, to 10th in the
nation in 10 years according to the National Science Foundation … and now we’re fourth in the
world.” Twenty-five years ago Lutz served as chairman of the Planning and Search Committee
for the envisioned Institute at Rutgers. Fred Grassle (founding director, IMCS) was instrumental in
providing the vision for teaching and research in the marine sciences and is credited as the
visionary behind the Institute.
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Spotlight
Ag Field Day @ Rutgers Day
The great weather on April 30 brought thousands of visitors to the George H. Cook Campus for
Ag Field Day at Rutgers Day. Visitors stopped by the Deans' Tent to meet Bob Goodman
(executive dean) as well as several deans and directors, including Bob Hills, Mark Robson, Kelly
Watts, Brad Hillman, Larry Katz, and Rick Ludescher. Or was it the free salsa and ice sculpting by
Dining Services in the next tent?
Handler Makenzie Bordenabe (Animal
Sciences ’14) during the swine show
At left, Isabella Osekavage (Animal
Sciences ‘14) during the sheep show
The “AG” in Ag Field Day was wonderfully represented
by the Animal Show, which marked its 40th year at the
farm on the George H. Cook Campus. The Society of
Animal Science students organized and led the annual
show, which give Rutgers students enrolled in Animal
Handling, Fitting, and Exhibition (11:067:175), the
opportunity to care for a cow, horse, sheep, pig, goat,
or dog and learn how to handle it in the show ring
where it is judged on both looks and performance. The
success of this event is a true testament to the hard
work and dedication of the 220 student participants
and 40 student coordinators and supervisors, farm staff,
and faculty.
Handler Michael Breuning (Animal Sciences ‘12)
during the goat show
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The Annual Rutgers Day/Ag Field Day Horse Show was a wild success. The wild mustangs, all
Bureau of Land Management mustangs procured by Sarah Ralston (Animal Sciences), all looked
fabulous, dappled and gleaming in the bright sunlight. Although RU Shy Anne and her then 17day-old filly Sky Lark were not in the grooming or handling classes, they were brought out by
student handlers Pam Brzezynski (Animal Science) and Lauren Wheeler (Animal Science) to put
on a show during the intermission between the grooming and handling class.
Horse Show Judge Art Stafford-Taylor selected the following winners:
Grand Champion Grooming: RU Sassafras - Alex Broomell (Animal Sciences)
Reserve Champion Grooming: RU Santana - Kelly Mannion (Animal Sciences)
Handling Classes:
Grand Champion: Kelly Mannion (Animal Sciences) with RU Sundance Kid
Reserve: Samm Wehman (Animal Sciences) with RU Sassafras
Rutgers Day provides a great opportunity for the university to showcase all the wonderful things it
has to offer the residents of New Jersey.
The staff of the Office of Community Engagement provided information and surveys to guests
interested in learning more about our school and experiment station.
Read newspaper coverage of the annual Rutgers Day.
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Spotlights
Rutgers Rising Memorial Service
Rutgers Rising is a quiet patio adjacent to the George H. Cook Campus Center that was
selected and developed as the setting for a memorial site and for fond remembrances of
students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends. The patio was
designed and constructed in 1988 by Scott Ernst, Class of
1985, and landscaped in 1990 by then professor Roy
DeBoer. This year, more than 100 family members and
friends came together on May 14 to celebrate the lives of
their loved ones and to share their most cherished
memories.
The lives of the following faculty, staff, students, and
friends were honored:
Michael Congiusta, Class of 2012
Dr. Robert W. Duell, Crops and Soils
Stephen P. Dey II, D.V.M., Board of Managers
Warren J. Welsh, Sussex County Agricultural Extension Agent
Deacon Don Cornelius S. Smoyak
Dr. Richard D. Ilnicki, Weed Science
Charles C. Kontos, Jr, Graduate Student
Joseph J. McGovern, Esq., Class of 1981
Photos by Marc Kollar - Cook College Class of 1995 ©
Screening of "Atlantic Crossing: A Robot's Daring Mission" documentary
An audience of more than 100 alumni, faculty, staff, retired faculty, retired staff, families, and
students watched with amazement on April 4 in the Cook Campus Center as Scott Glenn
(Marine and Coastal Sciences; and 2010 NJ Teacher of the Year) led a team of world-renowned
ocean scientists and students from the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences on a race
against time to launch the first trans-Atlantic,
autonomous underwater robot. Destined for Spain, the 8foot underwater glider named RU27, or "Scarlet," was
launched off the coast of New Jersey into the immense
Atlantic Ocean. Engulfed by the powerful ocean, Scarlet
faced extreme weather conditions, ship traffic, and
aggressive sea life that could have terminated her
mission at any moment. This feature-length film, which
has won numerous awards, took viewers inside the world
of the scientists and students, and followed them through the daily preparations for the launch
and the tense 221-day voyage across the ocean to Baiona, Spain, where Christopher Columbus
first landed in the Pinta with news of the New World. The staff from the Office of Community
Engagement manned popcorn machines and provided other tasty treats to enhance the
overall experience.
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Spotlights
Katrina Relief Project 5-Year Reunion
It's hard to believe that five years have passed since Mother Nature wreaked havoc on New
Orleans in the form of Hurricane Katrina. Those were difficult days for the residents but for 82
students, faculty, and staff from Rutgers University, it was a
call to duty.
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, following Rutgers Day on
April 30, friends came together at the Cook Campus Center
to reminisce about those life-changing experiences when
they dedicated their blood, sweat, and tears to help a
devastated community in Louisiana. Five years have
passed, but the camaraderie remained the same. This time
there were tears of joy as friends hugged and said hello. The
group was welcomed by Bob Goodman (executive dean) and was saluted by President Richard
L. McCormick, who showed his appreciation for the group’s dedication as the nation came
together to help a community in need. The Office of Community Engagement, with the
assistance of Donald Heilman, put together a video with over 800 photographs from the trip to
New Orleans.
Rutgers Alumni Reunion Weekend: Dean's Tour and Reception
More than 50 alumni joined Bob Goodman (executive dean) on a tour of the George H. Cook
Campus on May 14. The first stop on the tour was to the Equine Science Center to see a
demonstration on the world renowned equine exercise physiology lab, also called the equine
high speed treadmill. Karyn Malinowski and Kenneth McKeever (Animal Sciences) explained this
unique and fascinating visual display of the
research being done to advance the well-being
and performance of horses.
Afterwards, the group boarded the bus for the
short drive to the Rutgers Gardens for a tour of
the beautiful and unusual garden collections,
including the American Hollies, conducted by
Bruce Crawford (manager, Rutgers Gardens).
The tour was followed by a reception in the Log
Cabin, which had been transformed by the
Office of Community Engagement into an
elegant and cozy gathering place for tastings of
Rachael Winfree addresses the visiting alumni
local New Jersey wines and delicacies. There,
Rachael Winfree (Entomology) presented her
research on pollinators, this year's theme at the Rutgers Gardens. Also on display at the Log
Cabin and Alumni Pavilion were extraordinary insect and history exhibits from the Rutgers
Entomological Museum.
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Faculty and Staff Activities and Accomplishments
In May and June, the following faculty received official approval of their promotions or
appointments with tenure by the Rutgers Board of Governors. A list of the names, departments,
new titles, and a brief descriptor of what each faculty member does appears below.
Kay Bidle – Marine and Coastal Sciences – Associate Professor, with tenure: his
research links the activity, diversity, and evolution of microbial genes to ocean
ecology and biogeochemistry. By merging physiology, biochemistry, and
genome-enabled molecular biology approaches, his work aims to elucidate
cellular strategies by which marine phytoplankton, bacteria, and viruses
interact and respond to environmental change (e.g. blooms, nutrient stress,
viral infection) and, in turn, shape ecosystem dynamics and microbial evolution
in the upper ocean.
Stacy Bonos – Plant Biology and Pathology – Associate Professor, with tenure:
her research focus has been on breeding turfgrasses for improvements in stress
and pest tolerance and environmental sustainability. Also, Bonos has been
developing switchgrass and other perennial grasses as important biofuel and
reclamation species for the northeast U.S. The goal of her research has been to
integrate both modern and traditional breeding approaches to plant
improvement and focus on problems relevant to current and future needs.
Wendie Cohick – Animal Sciences – Professor 1: her work focuses on the
hormonal regulation of mammary gland biology and breast cancer with an
emphasis on the insulin-like growth factor system (IGF). Her current projects
examine molecular mechanisms of IGF action on growth and survival of
mammary cells, the effect of the fetal environment on breast cancer
susceptibility in offspring, and how plant and bacterial toxins regulate apoptosis
in mammalian cells.
Gef Flimlin – Agricultural and Resource Management Agent – County Agent 1:
Flimlin has been working on high-pressure shellfish processing, the development
of best management practices for East Coast shellfish growers, and small-scale
aquaponics projects with commercial growers. He is involved in the Barnegat
Bay Shellfish Restoration Program, which has trained volunteers to grow clams
and oysters, and to educate the public to reduce environmental impacts on
the watershed.
Peter Gillies – Nutritional Sciences – Professor I: Gillies’ extensive research
focuses on the cardioprotective effects of omega-3 fatty acids in humans. As
the Founding Director of the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health,
his research and development experience in cardiovascular drug discovery,
functional foods, dietary supplements, and molecular nutrition are crucial to the
university’s new strategic initiative in nutrition and health.
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Ramu Govindasamy – Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics – Professor I:
his work involves conducting agricultural marketing projects such as evaluation
of the Jersey Fresh program, characteristics of farmer-to-consumer direct
marketing operations and customers in New Jersey, as well as development of
farmers markets, demand for organic produce, community supported
agriculture, value added products, the economics of greenhouse tomato
production, and other related agricultural marketing activities across the state.
Max Häggblom – Biochemistry and Microbiology – Professor II: his overall
research interests are in microbial ecology and environmental microbiology. A
unifying theme of his work is the "unusual appetites" of bacteria, whether in the
biodegradation and detoxification of new xenobiotic chemicals or natural
products, respiration of metalloids, or life in the cold. Research projects range
from the physiology, ecology, and taxonomy of bacteria to projects that
address the environmental problems facing impacted industrialized sites.
Karl Kjer – Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources – Professor I: Kjer’s overall
research interests are in phylogenetics (the study of evolutionary relatedness
among groups of organisms) and an integration of molecular biology and
organismal biology. He is currently working on the phylogenetics and species
boundaries of Caddisflies (Insecta:Trichoptera), using COI "barcode" sequences
and other genes.
Laura Lawson – Landscape Architecture – Professor I: Lawson is a passionate
advocate of user-initiated public landscapes. Her research on historical and
contemporary community open space focuses particularly on community
gardens and the changing roles of parks in low-income neighborhoods.
Lawson chairs the Department of Landscape Architecture and is eager to
engage in interdisciplinary collaborations around community food security,
community gardening, and urban agriculture.
Julia Levin – Marine and Coastal Sciences – Associate Research Professor: her
interests include ocean modeling, computational fluid dynamics and
numerical analysis, large-scale scientific computing, and parallel numerical
methods. Levin’s work on development and application of ocean models
includes new efficient computational algorithms for model prediction and data
assimilation, integration of numerical and observational assets, and application
of resulting modeling systems for ocean prediction and process studies.
Rachel Lyons – 4-H Youth Development – County Agent II, with tenure: her
areas of expertise are youth leadership and citizenship and military youth
outreach. At Morris County 4-H program, she administers a comprehensive,
research-based educational program for youth, grades K-13 (one year out of
high school) and is Project Director of the New Jersey Operation: Military Kids
initiative, a collaborative effort among the U.S. Army and community partners.
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Janice McDonnell – 4-H Youth Development – County Agent II, with tenure:
she develops science programming and curriculum aimed to help stimulate
young people's interest and ability in science, engineering, technology, and
math (STEM) disciplines. As the director of the Centers for Ocean Science
Education Excellence Networked Ocean World (COSEE NOW), McDonnell
and her team focus on building partnerships among scientists and educators
to develop educational resources using data from a network of ocean
observing systems. These partnerships are both face-to-face and virtual
through the COSEE NOW website.
Cesar Rodriguez-Saona – Entomology – Associate Extension Specialist, with
tenure: A blueberry and cranberry research and extension entomologist, he
conducts research on the development and implementation of costeffective and reduced-risk Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices for
blueberries and cranberries. He integrates chemical, behavioral, and
biological methods in insect control by better understanding of the ecology
of pests and their natural enemies. His extension program delivers current and
critical IPM information to growers by conducting on-farm demonstration trials and presentations,
and through the dissemination of extension publications. The specific areas of expertise within his
research program include integrated pest management, tri-trophic interactions, biological
control, insect chemical ecology, insect-plant interactions, and host-plant resistance.
Judith Storch – Nutritional Sciences – Professor II: Lipids such as fatty acids and
cholesterol are involved in innumerable cellular processes, including energy
storage and production, membrane biogenesis, signal transduction, and the
regulation of gene expression. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which lipids
are transported and targeted within cells remain largely unknown. Abnormal
lipid trafficking, such as that occurring in lipid-storage diseases, can lead to
severe cellular and systemic pathologies. The overall focus of research in this
laboratory is on lipid traffic in cells, with ongoing efforts addressing the functions
of cytoplasmic fatty acid-binding proteins in intracellular lipid transport and metabolism, the role
of the intracellular cholesterol-binding protein, Niemann-Pick type C2 protein, in normal
cholesterol metabolism, and the mechanisms of fatty acid and monoacylglycerol transport and
utilization in polarized intestinal epithelial cells.
Andy Wyenandt – Plant Biology and Pathology – Associate Extension Specialist,
with tenure: his research program has focused on assisting stakeholders in New
Jersey and the mid-Atlantic Region better understand and manage fungicide
resistance development in vegetable crop production. Understanding how
and why fungicide resistance develops is critically important for enhancing our
ability to control the most destructive vegetable diseases in the state and
region.
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Kathleen Morgan (chair, Family and Community Health Sciences) was named New Jersey
Association of 4-H Agents Educator of the Year.
Ning Zhang (Plant Biology and Pathology) was elected a member of the International
Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi in April.
Rutgers Professor Participates on Vatican Panel
Alan Robock (Environmental Sciences; associate director of the Center for Environmental
Prediction) was among the members of the Pontifical Academy of
Sciences working group calling attention for the need to properly address
climate change. Comprising the world's leading climate and glacier
scientists, the working group met at the Vatican on April 2–4 on the
invitation of Chancellor Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo of the pontifical
academy. Members of the panel co-authored a report, "Fate of Mountain
Glaciers in the Anthropocene," which detail several examples of glacial
decline around the world and the evidence linking that decline to humancaused changes in climate and air pollution. The Vatican issued the report
on May 5 with plans to present it to Pope Benedict XVI. Robock and O.
Brian Toon from the University of Colorado jointly presented research conducted on the
continuing environmental threat posed by nuclear weapons. Read more.
School Delegation Visits China
From May 1–13, Bob Goodman (executive dean), together with Rong Di and Barbara Zilinskas
(Plant Biology and Pathology), and Weilin Huang (Environmental Sciences) visited several
universities and institutes in
China. These included the
Beijing University of Agriculture,
China Agricultural University,
Beijing Institutes of Life
Science/Chinese Academy of
Sciences (CAS)-Institute of
Zoology, Institute of Botany,
Institute of Microbiology and
Beijing Institute of Genomics,
Jilin University, Shanghai
Jiaotong University, Hong Kong
University, and South China
University of Technology. The
mission of the trip was to
strengthen the existing and to
develop new 2+2 programs
with these Chinese institutions.
Members of the Beijing University of Agriculture with Bob Goodman
(3rd from left) and Rong Di (on right)
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Student Activities and Accomplishments
Veterinary Science Club Hosts North Brunswick 4-H
On April 5, the Rutgers Veterinary Science Club hosted North Brunswick 4-H youth and their
parents at a special event on the George H. Cook Campus. Lauren Barron (Animal Sciences
‘11), then president of the Vet Science Club, reported that “our goal for the night was to
educate the 4-H group about equine science while challenging them to test their knowledge.”
Activities were held at the farm as well as at the Cook Campus Center. There were several
collaborators in this event, including Equine Science Club, the Society of Animal Science,
Mounted Patrol, Equestrian Team, and Equine Science Center. (Photos: Lauren Barron)
The Society of Animal Science and the Department of Animal Sciences hosted a reception for
graduates and their families in Bartlett Hall, following the
School convocation on May 16. Carol Bagnell (chair, Animal
Sciences) congratulated the graduates and welcomed their
families. New club officers thanked the faculty advisors and
the outgoing officers for their service during the past year.
Graduate Laura Chen (Animal Science and Ecology,
Evolution, and Natural Resources) was one of three students in
the Class of 2011 who tied for first in the class.
Among the graduates who attended the reception with their
families were the following recipients of awards and
scholarships: Michele Zaccaro (Animal Science) - W. R.
Hutchinson Memorial Scholarship; and Jenny Katz (Animal
Science) - recipient of the Class of 1925 Scholarship.
Rebekah Verdieck (Animal
Science) brought her Seeing Eye
puppy, Rue, to the reception
along with her parents, Ralph
and Sharon Verdieck
In addition, the Endocrinology and Animal Biosciences
Graduate Student Organization hosted an End of the Year
Picnic at the Log Cabin on May 16 for recent Ph.D. graduates
who walked in the University Commencement on May 15.
They included Christine Duncan, Kristy Longpre, and Tiffany
Polanco.
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Amanda Griglak (Animal Sciences ‘12), selected as one of three winners of the 2011 Wells H.
Keddie Scholarship, received her award at the May 18 meeting of the Executive Council of the
Rutgers American Association of University Professors–American Federation of Teachers. This
scholarship is awarded annually to Rutgers juniors who combine “solid scholarship with social
activism.” In his letter of recommendation for Griglak, Associate Dean for Academic
Administration Barry Jesse (Animal Sciences) wrote: “Amanda has been involved in a number of
extracurricular activities that reflect her passion for the welfare of people and animals. She has
worked as an attendant in an animal shelter, with some of her most noteworthy contributions in
socializing feral cats. She has participated in and helped to organize events such as the Big Chill
Run and the Autism Walk, raising money for charitable organizations. Most notably, she
organized…Special Friends Day, which brought over 100 disabled children onto campus for a
day of activities.” Griglak is the first student from the School of Environmental and Biological
Sciences to win this award, which was established in 2006 to honor the memory of Dr. Keddie.
During the May 3 Rutgers Outstanding Students Celebration and Recognition (ROSCAR) awards
ceremony hosted by Student Life, Felicia Kleiman (Animal Sciences) was announced as the
Unsung Hero of 2011. This award is one of only six ROSCARs awarded to students for individual
excellence. Kleiman was nominated by Daniela Sharma (undergraduate program director,
Animal Sciences) who praised her dedication, maturity, and compassion in her nomination
letter: “She has been probably one of our most involved students to date. Not only is she an
active participant in related animal science clubs but she frequently serves as an unofficial
ambassador for our program by working on our farm and giving tours to parents, school groups
(of all ages!) and alumni groups…. Her practical knowledge and easy-going manner make her
a perfect mentor for first-year students or students who aren’t as familiar around animals and
need a very patient mentor….She is an unsung hero.”
DEENR Student Wins Aresty Best Poster Award
On April 29, Amanda Sorenson (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources)
received the Best Poster Presentation Award for her presentation at the Aresty
Research Symposium, which featured undergraduate research across the
New Brunswick campus. Sorenson’s poster was titled “Female preference
towards novel colorations in Mbuna cichlids of Lake Malawi.”
The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources announced its Undergraduate
Awards for the Graduating Class of 2011 on May 3. Congratulations to the following recipients:
• Carly Aulicky, J. Applegate Award for Outstanding Student in Wildlife
• Daniel M. Merchant, R. Locandro Award for Outstanding Student in Natural Resources
• Jeffrey T. Kane, E. B. Moore Forestry Award
• Laura R. Chen, M. Buell Award for Outstanding Student in Ecology
• Laura H. Wiley, P. Smouse Award for Outstanding Student in Evolution
On April 27, the Graduate School–New Brunswick Spring Reception honored this year’s recipients
of the Graduate School New Brunswick Awards, including two from the Department of Ecology,
Evolution, and Natural Resources who were honored for their teaching and research. Wes Brooks
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(advisor Rebecca Jordan) received a Dean’s Research Award for his work on invasive species in
Southern Florida and Holly Vuong (advisor Peter Morin) received an Award for Teaching by a
Graduate Student. Vuong has taught General Biology in the past and is currently the head TA in
Principles of Ecology. In addition, Vuong is the recipient of a Bevier Fellowship from the graduate
school for the coming year.
Zac Freedman (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, advisor Tamar Barkay) received the
2011 award for excellence in graduate study from the Theobald Smith Society (New Jersey
branch of the American Society for Microbiology) at its annual meeting on April 21. The award
included a $1,000 check to attend the American Society for Microbiology conference in New
Orleans.
Andrea Egizi (Ph.D. candidate, Entomology; advisor Dina Fonseca, Entomology) gave a
presentation at the Entomological Society of America's Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. Her
talk was titled “Rapid assay for blood meal identification in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes
Albopictus.” In addition, Egizi was awarded the Jobbins Scholarship worth $2,000 by the
Northeastern Mosquito Control Association for her proposal titled "Can one invasive mosquito
help another become established?"
Jennifer Oberle-Kilic (Ph.D. candidate, Marine and Coastal Sciences; John Dighton lab, Marine
and Coastal Sciences) presented “Atomic force microscopy and infrared spectroscopy reveal
fungal enzyme activity at the hyphal scale of resolution” at the Middle Atlantic States Mycology
Conference at Clemson University on April 2.
Thomas, K. (Ph.D. candidate, Ecology and Evolution; Bonnie McCay lab, Human Ecology), B.C.
Bruno, K. Achilles, S.B. Sherman. 2011. A Watery Who-Dunit: The case of the missing
zooxanthellae. Science Scope 34(7): 44–54.
Natalie Howe (Ph.D. candidate, Ecology and Evolution, John Dighton lab, Marine and Coastal
Sciences) was the recipient of a $500 Bayard-Long Award for Botanical Research from the
Philadelphia Botanical Club for research on the ecology of lichens of the Pine Barrens.
Linda Rohleder (Ph.D. candidate, Ecology and Evolution; Claus Holzapfel lab, Biological
Sciences) and Bill Olson taught “Winter Vegetation identification for wetlands delineation” on
February 17–18 as part of the professional Wetland Delineation Certification course series offered
through the Rutgers Cooperative Extension.
Alyssa Donovan and Jacob Carlin (undergraduate
students, Meteorology, advised by Alan Robock,
Environmental Sciences) visited the Doppler on Wheels
weather radar at the Liberty Science Center, March
27 (pictured, at left).
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Students Earn Honors at New Jersey Water Environment Association Conference
Christopher Uchrin (Environmental Sciences) chaired the Student Research Poster Session at the
96th Annual New Jersey Water Environment Association's Conference held in Atlantic City on
May 1. Four graduate students from the Department of Environmental Sciences won
recognitions at the event. At the Graduate Student - Ph.D. Level, first place went to Adam
Mumford for "Role for bacteria in arsenic mobility in New Jersey shallow groundwater" (Advisor,
Lily Young (Environmental Sciences; dean of International Programs); third place went to Sarah
Wolfson for "Spatial Changes in epiphytic growth in Barnegat Bay" (Advisor, Lily Young); and
honorable mention went to Sarat Kanapelli for "Assessment of leachate generated from wood
recycling facilities in New Jersey" (Advisors Uta Krogmann and Peter Strom, Environmental
Sciences). In the Graduate Student - M.S. Level, first place went to Vandana Subroy for
"Properties of recycled wood materials" (Advisor, Daniel Gimenez, Environmental Sciences).
Sarat Kannepalli (graduate student, Environmental Sciences), Peter F. Strom and Uta Krogmann
(Environmental Sciences) presented “Assessment of Environmental effects of leachate
generated from wood recycling facilities” at the 26th International Conference on Solid Waste
Technology and Management, Philadelphia, PA, March 27–30.
Department of Food Science Awards
On May 15, Mukund Karwe (chair, Food Science) offered congratulations to the 19 graduates
who received their B.S. degrees, 15 graduates who received their M.S. degrees, and six who
received their Ph.D. degrees at the Food Science graduate celebrations. In addition, he offered
congratulations to the winners of the Endel Karmas Teaching Excellence Award:
• Faculty: Rick Ludescher
• Teaching Assistant: Siyuan Zhou
The staff recognition award winners were:
• Paulette Arico for Sustained Outstanding Service to the department
• Dave Petrenka for Outstanding Service to the department
Vincenzo Avarello (undergraduate student, Genetics) received an Allen Zelon Summer
Undergraduate Research Fellowship. The fellowship includes a $3,500 stipend to support a 10week research project titled “Watching the grass grow,” which will be conducted under the
direction of William Meyer (Plant Biology and Pathology).
Chas Schmid (graduate student, Plant Biology and Pathology) won the NJAES Student Research
Poster Competition, held on March 31, in the category of graduate/applied research.
Lisa Beirn (graduate student, Plant Biology and Pathology) won first place in the NJAES
Graduate Student Poster Competition held on March 31 for her poster titled "Molecular analysis
of turfgrass rusts reveals the widespread distribution of Puccinia coronata as a pathogen of
Kentucky bluegrass".
Brittany Graf (graduate student, Plant Biology) was invited to present a one-hour lecture titled
“Adventures in botanical medicine: From forests to molecules,” at the Montville-Valhalla Garden
Club monthly meeting in Montville, NJ, on April 6. In addition, Graf was awarded the $500
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Montville-Valhalla Garden Club Annual Scholarship to support her research in the field of natural
plant products for human health. She was accepted as a fellow of the Pre-Doctoral Leadership
Development Institute and was awarded $1,000 for her participation.
Clayton Leadbetter (graduate student, Plant Biology and Pathology) received a $500 travel
award from the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology and the Plant Biology Graduate
Program to support ongoing collection of Eastern Filbert Blight fungus (Anisogramma anomala)
isolates for genetic study.
Stephen Miller (graduate student, Plant Biology) received a $1,000 travel award to attend the
2011 FESIN workshop in Fairbanks, AK. FESIN (Fungal Environmental Sampling and Informatics
Network) is a Research Coordination Network in fungal ecology sponsored by the National
Science Foundation. The workshop is held in conjunction with the Mycological Society of
America with the goal of incorporating various ways to use different perspectives of fungi
including systematics, evolution, ecology, and applied mycology in the classroom. In addition,
Miller received a $500 travel award from the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology and
the Plant Biology Graduate Program to attend the 2011 MSA meeting in Fairbanks, AK, and to
present a talk titled “Metagenomic analysis reveals hidden fungal diversity in dogwood (Cornus)
foliage” at the conference. Financial support was provided by the C. Reed Funk Student Award
Fund.
Shannon U. Morath (graduate student, Plant Biology and Pathology) was awarded $1,100 by the
Graduate School for Special Study Support as an Alternate Sponsored Fellow at the Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA.
Ari Novy (graduate student, Plant Biology) won the Veron I. Cheadle Student Travel Award and
the Genetics Section Student Travel Award from the Botanical Society of America.
Anna Zdepski (Ph.D. candidate, Plant Biology) was selected for a paid three-month internship at
Merck Research Labs in Boston, MA, to work on a project investigating techniques to detect
mutations and improve de novo assembly of bacterial genomes. Zdepski will resume her thesis
research, a genomic investigation of strawberry, when she returns to Rutgers in September.
Grants and Gifts
A complete list of grants received can be found here.
Lily Young PI (Environmental Sciences; dean of International Programs), Max Haggblom
(Biochemistry and Microbiology), and Weilin Huang (Environmental Sciences) were awarded a
$450,375 NSF Research for Undergraduate Experiences grant for “Biogeography of
biotransformations for halogenated organic compounds, a comparison of the tropics,
temperate and sub-arctic environments” through September 11, 2014.
Christopher Obropta (Water Resources Program; Environmental Sciences) received a two‐year
award totaling $150,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency FY2010 Pollution Prevention
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Grant Program, EPA‐HQ‐OPPT‐2010‐03 for “Water Champions – A program to promote water
conservation in our schools.”
Ning Zhang PI (Plant Biology and Pathology) with Bruce Clarke (Plant Biology and Pathology) F.
Wong, P. Harmon and S. B. Martin as co-PIs were awarded a three-year, $60,000 grant from the
U.S. Golf Association for collaborative research titled “Promotion of turf health through early
pathogen detection-development of a Turf PathoCHIP”. Zhang and colleagues will develop a
fast and sensitive molecular diagnostic method for early detection of important turfgrass
pathogens.
Conferences, Seminars, and Other Events
The Young Horse Auction on May 1 drew a crowd of about 100 people, many of whom were
owners of equine graduates of the Rutgers Young Horse Teaching and Research Program.
Trainer Jose Romero Bosch presented a preview,
putting the auction horses through round pen
routines.
RU Annie Oakley with Erin Koci Photo credit:
Jessica Kennedy
RU ShyAnne with foal RU Skylark with Lauren
Wheeler. Photo credit: Bill Kaminski
A special showing of RU ShyAnne and RU Skylark
was conducted by Pam Brzezynski (Animal
Sciences), assisted by Erin Koci (Animal Sciences,
Sarah Ralston intern), and a ground driving
demonstration was performed by RU Santana.
Several horses went to new homes, including RU
Koda purchased by his student trainer Samantha
Rodgers (Animal Sciences ‘11) and RU Santana
purchased by a friend of long-time benefactor
and supporter, Margrit McCrane, as a
dressage/trail prospect. RU Sassafras was also
purchased and RU Sundance was adopted by the
owner of a farm in Colts Neck. RU Sunny will remain
in training with mustang trainer and Wild Horse and
Burro Association President Robin Rivello for at least
the next few months. RU Sierra was sold to a trainer
in Colts Neck who is training RU Firedance.
The three-year-old filly RU ShyAnne with her weeksold filly, RU Skylark, are still available and will remain
here at Rutgers until the filly is old enough to be
weaned, if they are not purchased together. RU
Levi, "the Professor," will be going to New Bolton
Center as a neurology teaching horse, thanks to
the generous sponsorship of benefactor Liz Durkin.
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Andre Pietrzykowski (Animal Sciences) presented a lecture on “Alcohol regulation of microRNA
in drug tolerance and abuse” at the Neuroscience Center of Harvard Medical School,
Massachusetts General Hospital on April 19. He also gave a lecture on “MicroRNA expression in
alcoholism” at the University of Puerto Rico’s Institute of Neurobiology in March. The April 27 issue
of The Daily Targum featured an article about his Byrne Seminar titled "Can junk DNA make us a
junkie?" Byrne seminar student Erika Kruse (School of Arts and Sciences ‘14) obtained a Byrne
summer scholarship to work on evolution of microRNA-related genetic elements in Pietrzykowski’s
lab.
Carey Williams (Animal Sciences) was invited to lecture at the California Animal Nutrition
Conference in Fresno, CA. She spoke on the “Efficacy of commonly fed herbal supplements for
horses” on May 5.
Frank Gallagher (Ph.D. 2008 and visiting scholar in the Jason Grabosky lab - Ecology, Evolution,
and Natural Resources) gave the following presentations:
• “Urban wildlands, structure, function and ecological risk" at the Society of Ecological
Restoration, Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference at the University of Maryland, College
Park, MD, on April 1.
• "Allometric relationships of Betula populifolia under conditions of soil metal induced stress"
to the Ecological Society of America, Mid-Atlantic Conference at Montclair State
University, NJ, on April 9.
Rebecca Jordan (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources) was invited to present “Use of
citizen science in environmental monitoring” at the Guyer-Seevers Program in Natural Resources
Conservation Governance Fellows Program at Michigan State University on April 8.
Donna Fennell (Environmental Sciences) convened a session at the American Society for
Microbiology (ASM) 111th General Meeting in New Orleans May 21–24. The co-convener was
Brent Christner of Louisiana State University. Fennell also presented a poster titled "Metabolic
activity of airborne bacteria" at the ASM meeting. The co-authors are Valdis Krumins, Taewon
Han, Gediminas Mainelis (Environmental Sciences), and Lee Kerkhof (Marine and Coastal
Sciences).
Mark Miller (Environmental Sciences) was invited to make the following presentations:
• “Regimes of Boundary-layer Structure in the Azores using data from the ARM mobile
facility” at the Atmospheric Systems Research Science Team Meeting on March 30, San
Antonio, TX.
• “Measuring clouds and radiation in the Amazon” at the Atmospheric Systems Research
Science Team Meeting, GoAmazon-2014 Breakout Session, in San Antonia, TX, March 29.
Alan Robock (Environmental Sciences) was invited to the second SMAP Cal/Val Workshop, in
Oxnard, CA, May 3-5. In addition, he was invited to present the following:
• “Smoke and mirrors: Is geoengineering a solution to global warming?” at Florida State
University, Tallahassee, FL, April 18 and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena,
CA, May 2.
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•
“Climatic Effects of Nuclear War” at the Teaneck Creek Conservancy, Teaneck, NJ, April
26.
Lily Young (Environmental Sciences; dean of International Programs) was invited to present
“Biodegradation of oil: From the Exxon Valdez to the Deepwater Horizon” to the Department of
Microbiology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, on April 4.
Peter Gillies (Nutritional Sciences; director, New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health)
was invited to be the guest speaker for the class of 2011 Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Convocation. The title of his speech was “Don’t simply inherit the future – Go out and invent it!”
Andrew “Pete” Vayda (professor emeritus, Human Ecology) gave the following presentations:
• “Identifying human causes of carbon emissions in Indonesian peatlands” (with Stibniati
Atmadja and Yayan Indriatmoko) during the climate change session of the Society for
Applied Anthropology Annual Meeting, in Seattle, WA, on March 30.
• “Dos and don'ts in interdisciplinary research on causes of fires in tropical moist forests” to
the University of Indonesia and Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in
Indonesia in November 2010, the University of Arizona in February, and at Rutgers
University in March.
William Hallman (Human Ecology; director, Food Policy Institute) and Donald Schaffner (Food
Science; director, Center for Advanced Food Technology) were named members of the
National Research Council Committee on the Study of Food Safety and Other Consequences of
Publishing Establishment-Specific Data.
William Hallman (Human Ecology; director, Food Policy Institute) was invited to present “Public
perceptions of chemical contamination of food” to the International Food Information Council
2011 Science Communications Summit in Washington D.C., on May 24.
Cara Cuite (Food Policy Institute) and William Hallman (Human Ecology; director, Food Policy
Institute) conducted a webinar for the Risk Communication Theme Group of the National Center
for Food Protection and Defense on May 25. The webinar was titled “Understanding American
responses to food-based terrorism: Preliminary results from an internet-based experiment.”
Carolyn Creed (Human Ecology Post-doc) was an invited participant in a workshop on Social
Dimensions of Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management, CINAR Program, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, May 2–4.
Bonnie McCay (Human Ecology) gave an invited talk titled “Ecosystem-based fishery
management: What, why, wherefore,” to and co-organized and led a workshop on Social
Dimensions of Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management, CINAR Program, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, May 2–4. McCay attended the Nobel Laureate
Symposium on Global Sustainability, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden, May 16-18. In
addition, she serves as a member of the board of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm
University, Stockholm, Sweden, and in that capacity attended a board meeting, May 19-20.
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McCay also participated in a meeting of the Scientific and Statistical Committee of the MidAtlantic Fishery Management Council in Baltimore, Maryland, May 25–26.
Peter Rona (Marine and Coastal Science) was an invited speaker at NOAA Office of Ocean
Exploration Teacher Professional Development Workshop at the New England Aquarium in
Boston on May 7. He presented on the latest discoveries at Hudson Submarine Canyon off New
Jersey and New York, and on Atlantic and Pacific ocean ridges. In addition, he was invited to
participate in the workshop “Telepresence-Enabled Expedition Planning for the Atlantic Basin,”
held at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, May 8–10.
Joan Bennett (Plant Biology and Pathology) presented the following:
• Keynote address on “Chromosomal composition and computational competence” at
the Midsouth Computation Biology and Bioinformatics Society, College Station, TX, in
April.
• Keynote address on “History of Dutch microbiology” and a talk on “Is microbiology
gendered?” at the Centennial Meeting of the Dutch microbiology Society (NVvM),
Arnhem, The Netherlands, in April.
• “Lessons learned from stating on office for women in science,” to the Leiden University
Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, in April.
Water Resources Program
The Rutgers Water Resources Program has conducted dozens of community service and
outreach programs across the state over the last two months. These programs ranged from
stormwater management educational sessions, to “Build a Rain Barrel” demonstration
workshops, to installing demonstration rain gardens in several communities and agencies. Led by
Chris Obropta, the team of water
resources personnel included Amy
Boyajian, Jeremiah Bergstrom, Lisa
Galloway Evrard, Caitrin Higgins, Sara
Mellor, Ben Pearson, and Jillian
Thompson. A few of the water program
activities were conducted in conjunction
with Rutgers Cooperative Extension
agents, including Madeline Flahive
DiNardo (agricultural resource
management agent, Union County) and
Sal Mangiafico (agricultural resource
management agent, Salem County) and
student interns Dan Yu (undergraduate
student, Bioenvironmental Engineering)
and Rosana Da Silva (undergraduate
student, Environmental Sciences).
“Build a Rain Barrel” demonstration workshop in Sussex
County at Hillside Park, Andover, NJ, on May 5
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Publications and Editorships
First Marine Single-cell Algal Genome Published in Science
Dana Price, Divino Rajah, Siobain Duffy, Debashish Bhattacharya (Ecology, Evolution, and
Natural Resources) and colleagues at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences published an
article in Science magazine on the first draft genome assembly derived from
a single eukaryotic cell. This novel approach termed 'single cell genomics'
holds the promise to greatly augment our understanding of biotic interactions
in natural environments and will likely play a major role in the analysis of
human diseases. Much of the genome data were generated by the new
Illumina DNA sequencer in the Bhattacharya lab. Read doi, RU and Science.
Bello, N.T. (Animal Sciences), Patinkin, Z.W., and Moran, T.H. 2011. Opioidergic consequences of
dietary-induced binge eating. Physiology and Behavior Apr 30. Epub ahead of print.
Wang, J., A.M. Sharma, S. Duffy(Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources), R.P.P. Almeida. 2011.
Genetic diversity at the 3’ terminal region of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3.
Phytopathology 101:445-450.
Lockwood, J.L. (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources). 2011. A close look at extinction rates.
Biological Conservation. 144: 665.
Scofield, D.G., Alfaro, V.R., Sork, V.L., Grivet, D., Martinez, E., Papp, .J, Pluess, A.R., Koenig, W.D.,
and Smouse, P.E. (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources). 2011. Foraging patterns of acorn
woodpeckers of (Melanerpes formicivorus) on valley oak (Quercus lobata Née) in two California
oak savannah-woodlands. Oecologia 166:187-196.
Struwe, L., Smouse, P.E. (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources), Heiberg. E., Haag, S., and
Lathrop, R.G. (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources). 2011. Spatial evolutionary and
ecological vicariance analysis (SEEVA), a novel approach to biogeography and speciation
research, with an example for Brazilian Gentianacea. Journal of Biogeography. In press, JBI-100548.R2.
Kellogg, J., G. Joseph, K. Andrae-Marobela, A. Sosome, C.G. Flint, S. Komarnytsky, G. Fear, L.
Struwe (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources), I. Raskin (Biochemistry and Microbiology),
and M. Lila. 2010. Screens-to-nature: opening doors to traditional knowledge and hands-on
science education. NACTA Journal 41-48.
K.B. Lepis, P.J.M. Maas, L. Struwe (Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources). 2011. A new
species of Sipapoantha (Gentianaceae: Helieae) from northern Brazil. Blumea 56, 28–32.
Dorigo, W. A., W. Wagner, R. Hohensinn, S. Hahn, C. Paulik, M. Drusch, S. Mecklenburg, P. van
Oevelen, A. Robock (Environmental Sciences), and T. Jackson. 2011. The International Soil
Moisture Network: A data hosting facility for global in situ soil moisture measurements. Hydrol.
Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., 8, 1609-1663, DOI:10.5194/hessd-8-1609-2011.
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Dorigo, Wouter, Peter Van Oevelen, Wolfgang Wagner, Matthias Drusch, Susanne Mecklenburg,
Alan Robock (Environmental Sciences), and Thomas Jackson. 2011. The International Soil
Moisture Network: A new data hosting facility for in-situ soil moisture data. EOS, 92 (17), 141-142,
DOI:10.1029/2010ES003198.
Carlton, A.G. (Environmental Sciences) and Baker, K.R. (U.S. EPA). 2011. Photochemical modeling
of the Ozark isoprene volcano: MEGAN, BEIS and their impacts on air quality predictions.
Environmental Science and Technology, DOI:10.1021/es200050x.
Decker, S.G. (Environmental Sciences) and Robinson, D.A. (Geography). 2011. Unexpected high
winds in Northern New Jersey: A downslope windstorm in modest topography. Weather and
Forecasting, in press.
Kwate, N.O.A. (Human Ecology) and Meyer, I.H. 2011. On sticks and stones and broken
bones: Stereotypes and African American health. DuBois Review, 8(1), 191-198.
McCay, B. J. (Human Ecology), Brandt, S., and Creed, C.F. (Human Ecology postdoc). 2011. Human dimensions of climate change and fisheries in a coupled system: The
Atlantic Surfclam case. ICES Journal of Marine Science. DOI:10.1093/icesjms/fsr044.
Rudel. T.K., O’Neill, K. (Human Ecology), Gottlieb, P. (Agricultural, Food, and Resource
Economics), Melanie McDermott, Colleen Hatfield. 2011. From middle to upper class sprawl?:
Land use controls and real estate development in northern New Jersey. Annals of the
Association of American Geographers 101(3):609-624. DOI:10.1080/00045608.2011.560062.
Meixler, M. S. (Landscape Architecture). 2011. Application of the target fish community model to
an urban river system. Journal of Environmental Management 92: 1138-1147.
Peter Rona (Marine and Coastal Science) and Russ Light (University of Washington). 2011. Sonar
images hydrothermal vents in seafloor observatory, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical
Union, Volume 92, Number 20, 169-170.
Heller, R., Quick, V. (Nutritional Sciences), and Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (extension specialist in
nutrition). 2011. Television advertisements for ‘fruit containing’ foods during children’s
programming. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 2:16-21.
O’Neill, B. (specialist in financial resource management) and Ensle, K. (family and community
health sciences educator, Union County). 2010. The online Small Steps to Health and Wealth™
Challenge: A model for interdisciplinary FCS programs. Journal of Family and Consumer
Sciences, 102(4), 52-55.
Quick, V. (Nutritional Sciences) and Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (extension specialist in nutrition). 2011.
Effects of photographs of lower and higher BMI fashion models on body dissatisfaction of young
women. Topics in Clinical Nutrition 26:57-67.
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Munafo Jr, J.P., Gianfagna, T.J. (Plant Biology and Pathology). 2011. Antifungal Activity and
Fungal Metabolism of Steroidal Glycosides of Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum) by the Plant
Pathogenic Fungus, Botrytis cinerea J. Agric Food Chem. In press.
Chaves, F.C., Gianfagna, T.J. (Plant Biology and Pathology), Aneja, M., Posado, F., Peterson,
S.W., Vega, F.E. 2011. Aspergillus oryzae NRRL 35191 from coffee, a non-toxigenic endophyte
with the ability to synthesize kojic acid. Mycological Progress. In press.
Munafo, Jr, J.P., Gianfagna, T.J. (Plant Biology and Pathology). 2011. Quantitative Analysis of
Steroidal Glycosides in Different Organs of Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.) by LC-MS/MS. J.
Agric. Food Chem. 59, 995–1004.
Munafo Jr., J.P. (Plant Biology and Pathology), Ramanathan, A, Jimenez, L, Gianfagna, T.J. (Plant
Biology and Pathology). 2010. Isolation and Structural Determination of Steroidal Glycosides from
the Bulbs of Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.). J. Agric Food Chem 58:8806-8813.
Novy, A. (Plant Biology and Pathology), S. Eisenman, and Grabosky, J. (Ecology, Evolution, and
Natural Resources). 2011. A Passion for forestry and metasequoia: A Tribute to John E. Kuser.
Japanese Journal of Historic Botany 19:69-74.
Zhang, N. (Plant Biology and Pathology), Tantardini, A., Miller, S. (graduate student, Plant Biology
and Pathology), Eng, A., and Salvatore, N. TaqMan. Real-time PCR method for detection of
Discula destructiva that causes dogwood anthracnose in Europe and North America. European
J. Plant Pathology. In press. DOI: 10.1007/s10658-011-9777-3.
Zhang, N. (Plant Biology and Pathology), Zhao, S., and Shen, Q. A six-gene phylogeny reveals
the evolution of mode of infection in the rice blast fungus and allied species. Mycologia. In press.
Njambere, E. N., Clarke, B. B., and Zhang, N. (Plant Biology and Pathology) Dimeric
oligonucleotide probes enhance diagnostic macroarray performance. J. Microbiological
Methods. In press. DOI:10.1016/j.mimet.2011.03.015.
This report is produced by the Office of Communications. For information or to provide
comments, please contact Paula Walcott-Quintin at quintin@aesop.rutgers.edu, or 732-932-7000,
ext. 4204.
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