February 2017 - The Erlenmeyer Flask

Stephanie Marshall has been named the Winter 2017 Undergraduate of the Quarter and we couldn’t be happier for her. Stephanie was born and raised in Sherwood Oregon, where she went to Sherwood High School; it was here, she discovered her love for teaching chemistry.

Although Stephanie has always been interested in science and teaching, during high school she had yet to determined if it would be the correct path for her. During sophomore year she had OSU alumnus John McGinity as her teacher. She explained that once he noticed her interest in science and teaching he took her under his wing, and guided her towards the tools she would need to make an informed decision about her professional future.

Even though both her mom and her mentor Mr. McGinity both graduated from OSU, Stephanie reported that it still took 4 visits to campus to decide this is the place she wanted to call home. The deciding factor was her visit to the education department. They showed her a great program for her duel major, and she also discovered that the local schools where she could student teach at were also excellent.

Although she is an Undergraduate she has signed on as a T.A. for the CH12X series. She explained that it will be helpful for her teaching experiences as a high school teacher because, “I learned that high school students really like to push your buttons and college students it’s even more.” Even with the hardships of having many students testing their boundaries, she was still shocked to see how dedicated many of her students could be.

When asked about the future Stephanie revealed she hadn’t completely decided her path yet. With her starting her first year of student teaching next year, Stephanie believes that it would be best to wait until after she gets advice from high school teachers before deciding her career path.

The time that Stephanie spends outside of Chemistry is usually outdoors. “I like to be outside a lot; I love to hike, and with the nice weather I do a lot outdoors. I play beach volleyball which is a lot of fun, and do yoga when I’m not playing beach volleyball. It’s just a lot of outdoor activities.” She likes to go hiking in the gorge, explaining that she loved Blue Place because it was so awe-inspiring.

Students like Stephanie are a huge part of what makes our Department so great. We wish her well in student teaching and wherever else her path may take her next.

Alena Vasquez has been named the Winter 2017 Undergraduate of the Quarter and we couldn’t be happier for her. Alena was born and raised in California until she was 18. She moved to Oregon because she said, she just “felt it was where she was meant to live.”

She came to Oregon State University to study Veterinary Medicine. Upon matriculation, Alena discovered that she didn’t really enjoy biology, a major component for her degree program, but she loved Chemistry. Her first chemistry class, a hybrid 23x online class, she took while living in Eugene; it allowed her to come to campus only once a week in order to do the lab. It was during this class that she developed a close bond with Margie.

It was Margie’s advice that got Alena into research for the first time. Alena began working in Rich Carter’s lab and within two weeks, she was loving every moment. She hopes to go on in the future and do something altruistic with her degree that can benefit and help others.

Students like Alena Vasquez are a huge part of what makes our Department so great. We wish her well in the future and hope she finds her altruistic path going forward.

The EPA Environmental Research and Business Support Program has an immediate opening for a Toxicity Reference Database Support position with the Office of Research and Development at the EPA’s Research Triangle facility in Raleigh-Durham, NC. The selected candidate will provide data management, data curation and data analysis support to the ToxRefDB project. This is a combination of MySQL database management, NoSQL solutions, file management, data curation and extraction, quality control, as well as performing qualitative and quantitative data analysis. He/she will also be working with a number of heterogeneous toxicological datasets from other projects including ToxCast and Tox21. He/she will also work with ontologies for mapping biological concepts across resources.

· Full time, $33.37/hour
· Must be pursuing a PhD degree in biology, toxicology, chemistry, bioinformatics, statistics, computational biology, math, physics, information science, or a closely related field of study from an accredited university or college within the last 24 months

· Demonstrated education and/or experience in toxicology and/or biology

· Demonstrated education and/or experience in data mining

· A working knowledge of publicly available biological and chemical database resources including those managed by National Center for Biomedical Information (NCBI) and European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI)

· A working knowledge of in vivo toxicology studies

· A working knowledge of relational databases

· R-language or Python programming (or other scripting language) experience.

For the full position description and to apply, visit our website: https://www.zintellect.com/Posting/Details/3095

Questions? Email EPAjobs@orau.org. To hear more about position openings like this, follow us on Twitter at @GovCareerPaths.

Chemistry Faculty Instructor
North Mankato, MN
South Central College, a proud member of the Minnesota State System of Colleges and Universities, is currently seeking a Chemistry Faculty Instructor-Unlimited Full Time, dedicated to excellence in teaching who desires to become part of a creative, vibrant, student-centered learning community.

Chemistry/Physics Educational Technician
Pittsburgh, PA
The Community College of Allegheny County is currently recruiting for a full-time Chemistry/Physics Educational Technician to prepare and set up labs for the Chemistry/Physics Science programs and support faculty and students in the science department.

Chemistry Department Chair, Associate Professor
La Verne, CA
The Department of Chemistry at the University of La Verne invites applications for a tenure-track and department chair faculty position starting in the Fall 2017 Semester. A PhD in Chemistry is required with a specialty in the areas of Organo-Metallic/Organic Chemistry. This position will be filled at the Associate Professor level, commensurate with experience.

The Research Office is accepting applications for the Undergraduate Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Creativity (URISC) Program for Summer 2017 and Fall, Winter and/or Spring term(s) 2017-18. This program supports undergraduate research activities from all academic disciplines within the university. Program description and application: Click on this LINK for the application process. Deadline for application, Monday, April 10, 5 p.m. Information email – Incentive.programs@oregonstate.edu

Hi Folks,

I am writing to let you know about two full-time openings we have in the Chemistry Department at the University of Portland. One is for the Fall 2017 semester and the other is for the full upcoming academic year. Please feel free to pass the attached descriptions on to anyone who might be interested in these positions.

Thank you,
Kevin Cantrell

Chemistry One-Semester Visiting Position

Chemistry One-Year Visiting Position

Dear colleague,

The PROMISE internship program invites you to apply to be a mentor for a 2017 summer intern.

Mentors serve as guides by facilitating learning and providing direction for the PROMISE intern. The mentor-mentee relationship helps to build rapport, trust, and shared power allowing the team to co-create a robust, transformative learning, eight-week summer experience from June 26 – August 18, 2017.

The PROMISE program has undergone several revisions throughout the last year to better fit the needs of mentors and students while providing a valuable experience. Review new 2017 changes to the program. These revisions include changes to the application process and timeline, as well as emphasis on forming mentoring relationships that guide students in their personal development and professional growth.

More information about becoming a mentor can be found on the PROMISE program mentor page: dce.oregonstate.edu/promise/mentor. The mentor application is due Tuesday, March 7 at 4:00pm.

The student application process will follow during April and requires mentor participation in presenting potential projects, meeting with students to discuss projects, and signing mentor approval forms for student applications.

PROMISE internships are important for OSU and Oregon communities because many PROMISE alumni become leaders in Oregon and beyond. This is also a powerful way we continue to build OSU’s great community and network of professionals. Many of our previous mentors have developed long-term working relationships with their interns, and even continued interns on for hire post-internship.

PROMISE is administered and supported by Diversity & Cultural Engagement within the Division of Student Affairs. For more information about the PROMISE program or updates visit: dce.oregonstate.edu/PROMISE.

For questions or more information contact: Charlene.Martinez@oregonstate.edu.

Thank you,

Charlene Martinez, and the entire PROMISE Team

The Center for Teaching and Learning spring symposium, Celebrating Teaching Excellence, is traditionally dedicated to the showcasing of OSU’s innovative and creative teaching. This is a fun event that fosters reflection, enhances the exchange of ideas, and inspires our collective commitment to our students and the art of teaching. Progressive family-style lunch and rotating conversations are hallmarks of this celebration. On Wednesday, April 26 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., if you (and colleagues and/or students) would like to showcase your work at a round table, please fill out the short application proposal. All applications will be reviewed and 12 will be selected.

Rummage Sale: The annual NRC rummage sale features a variety of household goods, children and adult clothes, toys, decorative items, books and more! Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Please stop by the fourth floor lobby in Kerr. We’ll be updating as new items come in. Contact theresa.hogue@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-0786.

College of Veterinary Medicine Bake Sale: Come buy some sweets for Valentine’s Day at the Bake Sale in Margruder Atrium. All day Feb. 13-14. There will be something for everyone, even the four legged friends.

Honors College Student Association Bake Sale: The Honors College Student Association is holding a bake sale to benefit the Food Drive. Make sure to stop by the ALS (outside) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13 to buy delicious treats made by some of the most talented bakers in the Honors College! For questions, contact banskots@oregonstate.edu.

Book Sale: Come get your next great book, DVD, or CD at the College of Veterinary Medicine’s used book sale, happening now through the end of February in the Magruder Hall Atrium. All genres available and a large selection to choose from! All proceeds directly benefit the Linn-Benton food bank. Contact allison.lake@oregonstate.edu 541-737-4812.

Hatfield Marine Science Center Valentine’s Day Bake Sale: Feb. 14 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Newport center. Enjoy a Valentine’s Day Bake Sale with homemade treats. Buy your sweetie something sweet for Valentine’s Day! All proceeds benefit the Food Share of Lincoln County.

Cookie & Cupcake Decorating: Come create a one-of-a-kind treat as a gift or just for yourself on Tuesday, Feb. 14 in Hovland 09 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sugar cookies (traditional and chocolate) are $1 each and cupcakes (variety) are $2. For questions, contact april.cummings@oregonstate.edu.

INTO OSU Valentine’s Bake Sale: Purchase baked goods for your Valentine, friend, or yourself! Suggested donations will vary for each dessert. The sale will be in the main lobby of the ILLC from 12:30-2:30 p.m., Feb. 14. For questions, contact Laurie.LeRiche@oregonstate.edu.

Bake Sale to Help Hunger: Buy something sweet for your valentine on Valentine’s Day! College of Public Health and Human Sciences is holding a Bake Sale on Feb. 14. Inside front entry of Women’s Building from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Looking for something healthier – we will also have fresh fruit! For more information contact Rena.Thayer@oregonstate.edu, 541-737-2176

Academic Success and Student Transitions Bake Sale & Flower Sale:Just in time for Valentine’s Day! We’ll have an assortment of baked goods, bouquets and handmade valentines. Prices will range from 50 cents to $3. Stop by the first floor lobby of Waldo Hall between 10 a.m and 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14 for a sweet treat and help support a great cause! For questions, contact Katelyn.Hagel@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-2272.

Wood Science & Engineering Soup Lunch: Stop by the 2nd Floor Knuckle in Richardson Hall from noon to 1 p.m. on Feb. 15. 1 bowl and bread is $3. All you can eat soup and bread is $5. Desserts sold separately. Contact Michelle.maller@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-4529.

Create-Your-Own Brownie Sundae: Stop by ALS 1019 at 2 p.m. on Feb. 15 for a mid-week afternoon treat. We will be supplying the ingredients for brownie sundaes (brownies, homemade ice cream, sauces, and assorted toppings. Suggested donation of $3. Vegan/gluten-free options will be available. Contact mary.mucia@oregonstate.edu.

Other People’s Treasures Silent Auction and Bake Sale: Donate an item or three to give-away. Or bake something tasty to donate. Then come by and bid on great treats and treasures! Treasures can be dropped off now until Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. Contact Emmalie Goodwin, Crop Science 109. Baked goods can be delivered from 8 – 9 a.m. on the 17.

School of Life Sciences Farmers Market: Join us in Cordley 3029 for baked goods, houseplants, home canned products, and other homemade or homegrown items for sale. Tuesday, Feb. 14, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Contact durrellt@science.oregonstate.edu.

Donut Sale: What’s better than enjoying delicious donuts?! Enjoying delicious donuts while helping the Linn Benton Food Share at the same time. Stop by 116 Gilmore Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 8 a.m. – noon for Biological & Ecological Engineering’s donut sale. Donuts are $1 each and were generously donated by Death by Donuts on Monroe. FMI email jennifer.cohen@oregonstate.edu

College of Forestry Silent Auction: Come and bid on some one of a kind new and handcrafted items on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Richardson Hall, 2nd Floor Knuckle Room. Contact jessica.fitzmorris@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-3161

Hot dog sale: The College of Veterinary Medicine will be holding a “Hot Dog Sale Extravaganza” on Feb. 16 from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Located in Magruder Hall, 700 SW 30th street. 2$ a dog or 2 dogs/chips/soda for 5$. All proceeds go to the Linn/Benton county food share.

Honors College Jamba Juice Fundraiser: $10 coupon card gets you a free small smoothie ($4.79 retail price) and 8 $3 medium smoothies ($5.59 retail price). Over $20 in total savings.

Honors College Papa’s Pizza Parlor Fundraiser: $15 coupon sheet gets you a free small pizza ($12.95 retail price), plus 8 other valuable coupons. Over $100 in savings.

OSU Community,

The Office of Human Resources is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Exemplary Employee Award.

Do you know a Classified Staff or Professional Faculty member who goes above and beyond the call of duty?

If you would like to recognize someone in your unit or elsewhere on campus who exemplifies great service to OSU, visit our website (http://oregonstate.edu/admin/hr/recognition/exemplary.html) for more information on the exemplary employee award nomination process.

Nomination packets must be submitted to the Office of Human Resources no later than March 24, 2017.

For clarification or questions regarding these materials, please contact Tracey Yee at 541-737-5426 or by email at tracey.yee@oregonstate.edu.

Start early to get your nomination packets in by the March 24th deadline!

The Erlenmeyer Flask

Where Real Chemistry Happens…

Monthly Archives: February 2017

Undergraduate of the Quarter – Winter 2017 – Stephanie Marshall

Undergraduate of the Quarter – Winter 2017 – Alena Vasquez

Toxicity Reference Database Support at EPA

Job Opportunities

URISC Now Accepting Applications

University of Portland – Open Positions

PROMISE Internship Program

Spring into the Celebration of Teaching

More Food Drive Events

2017 Exemplary Employee Award Nominations

Contact Info