- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Donaghey College of STEM Selects Ruhl-Whittle, Siraj, Wallace as 2022 Faculty Excellence Winners

John Hill — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 12:47:13 +0000

The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (DCSTEM) has chosen its top professors of the year. DCSTEM is honoring Dr. Laura Ruhl-Whittle, associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, for teaching, Dr. Noureen Siraj, assistant professor of chemistry, for research and creative endeavors, and Thomas Wallace, a senior instructor in the Department of Information Science, for public service. They will also be competing for the university-wide Faculty Excellence Awards that will be announced April 7. More information about the winners:

Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching

A popular teacher in the Department of Earth Sciences, Ruhl-Whittle is known as a creative and dedicated teacher who puts her career experience into action in the classroom with in-class activities, service learning, and scaffolded projects. She co-teaches two high-impact courses, Geology and Ecology of the Bahamas and Advanced Bahamian Research, that gives students the chance to learn about and conduct research in the Bahamas. Ruhl-Whittle has actively engaged high school, undergraduate, and graduate students in her research with projects ranging from hydrogeology to medical geology. In her hydrogeology and environmental geology courses, she works with local community partners to facilitate opportunities for students to become involved in solving Arkansas groundwater and environmental issues. Ruhl-Whittle is also an innovative thinker who is not afraid to take risks in her teaching. When the pandemic prevented the annual student research trip to the Bahamas, she developed a new assignment where students used Google Earth to create a virtual field trip of the island to share with their peers. “This exercise was interactive and engaging for the students and bridged the gap between visiting the island and learning about it from afar,” said Dr. René A. Shroat-Lewis, associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences. Ruhl-Whittle was one of the first volunteers to participate in the Mobile Institute on Scientific Teaching in 2019. The workshops are designed to immerse faculty in an experiential learning environment where they participate as students in a classroom for a week. She then went on to co-lead the workshop in 2021. In addition, she serves as a teaching fellow with the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence and has taught webinars on teaching during the pandemic. One of her former students, Zach Smith, described Ruhl-Whittle as one of the most impactful scientists in his academic and scientific career. ‘I would not be the scientist I am today had it not been for Dr. Ruhl’s teaching and mentoring,” Smith said. “Dr. Ruhl is an educator and scientist to admire because she is brilliant, working not just to further science, but also further scientific literacy in her students. She provides experiences that make her students competitive, no matter what path they choose to take.”

Faculty Excellence Award for Research and Creative Endeavors

Dr. Noureen Siraj

Siraj has developed a reputation as a prolific researcher in the development of nanomaterials for biomedical applications and solar cell applications. In the past five years, Siraj has received more than $570,000 in funding from federal, state, and local agencies, including a nearly $190,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for the “Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of FRET based Ionic Materials.” Over the past five years, Siraj has published 34 peer-reviewed papers, given 59 conference presentations, mentored six Ph.D. students and 18 undergraduate students, and served on eight Ph.D. committees. Her research has been cited more than 700 times since 2016. In order to promote STEM education, she begins mentoring students in middle school, at a time when some students, especially girls, begin to lose interest in the sciences. She has hosted 19 middle and high school students for their science fair projects. In 2018, Meghana Bollimpalli, one of Siraj’s mentees from Central High School, earned more than $58,000 in scholarships for her science fair project at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Meanwhile, Stuti Chaterjee, who worked in Siraj’s lab, won the 2021 Whitbeck Memorial Award, the highest award granted to a graduating student from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Dr. Siraj is an outstanding scientist and one of the best researchers on our campus,” said Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School. “Dr. Siraj has leveraged her expertise in frozen ionic liquids to develop a very active research group. The work of this group is nationally and internationally known. Out of all the faculty members that I have observed since joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, she is one of the most promising.”

Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service

Wallace has actively integrated his teaching to encourage his students to become involved with the community. Since 2017, he has supervised students who intern with local organizations like First Orion, Team SI, and Arkansas Times. In the annual capstone project for information technology students, he oversees student teams who develop websites and apps for state agencies, nonprofits, and local companies. Upon deployment of the projects, Wallace works with these organizations to create a long-term maintenance strategy.

Thomas Wallace

In addition, Wallace leads a week-long annual residential coding camp at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock called “GIRL Code.” This camp attracts 16 students every summer and encourages girls in 7th-9th grade to pursue careers in STEM. Now entering its sixth year, the program has attracted the support of large technology companies like Windstream and CJRW. “As I look to the future, I hope to continue to build these bridges between the university and the community and provide more opportunities for students to build their skill set while learning to support their community,” Wallace said. “I appreciate and value the chance to shape their careers and highlight the value of using one’s abilities to build a strong community around them.” He has also served as a front-end web developer for the Center for Arkansas History and Culture since 2019, developing interface elements for a mapping renewal project funded by a National Endowment of the Humanities grant.

Chatterjee named 2021 Whitbeck Memorial Award winner

John Hill — Thu, 13 May 2021 15:00:34 +0000

The impressive achievements of future doctor Stuti Chatterjee have earned her the honor of the 2021 Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.�� Frank L. and Beverly Whitbeck established the award in memory of their son, Edward Lynn Whitbeck, who was a senior at Little Rock University, the predecessor of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, at the time of his death in 1965. Each scholar receives a personalized plaque and a monetary award. “The Whitbeck Award is given to the outstanding graduating senior,” said Dr. Simon Hawkins, director of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program. “Stuti is outstanding in so many ways, but more than that, she is inspirational. She represents the best of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Stuti’s education has changed her. It has given her so much, and she has given so much back to the university and the larger community.” Chatterjee, a Donaghey Scholar from Bryant, earned the Whitbeck Award while double majoring in chemistry and biology at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. After graduation, Chatterjee will be taking a gap year to work and to study for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) before going to medical school in the fall 2022 semester. “I think that medicine is one of those fields where you never stop learning,” she said. “It’s also one of the most giving fields. Showing empathy and compassion is something you don’t get to do at all jobs.” While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Chatterjee worked with Dr. Noureen Siraj, assistant professor of chemistry, to study the use of nanodrugs for effective cancer cell therapies. “I created a more non-invasive approach to treat cancer cells,” Chatterjee said. “Usually nanoparticles that are used to treat cancer are made out of gold. It works, but it’s very expensive. We are looking for organic elements that can be exchanged for gold in nanoparticles.” Chatterjee has received two SURF (Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship) grants and three Signature Experience Awards from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to fund her research. Her research project, “Tunable sized combination nanodrugs based on ionic materials,” has earned Chatterjee a second place award at the Student Research and Creative Works Expo at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as well as an honorable mention for the INBRE (Idea Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence) Conference this year. She was also named the 2020 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Student for the Department of Chemistry. Even though she has received many accolades for her research on how to treat cancer using nanotechnology, Chatterjee is planning to specialize in pediatrics. A native of India, Chatterjee moved to Arkansas with her family when she was just 10 years old. Her father had received a job offer in Arkansas, and the move also provided the opportunity for better medical treatment for her brother, Sanidhya. “My brother had a brain hemorrhage when he was a child,” she said. “My parents thought he would have a better chance for treatment in the U.S. That is another thing that made me want to go into medicine. It was a doctor’s mistake that caused his hemorrhage, but it was also a doctor that fixed it. I saw firsthand the damage it can cause, but I also saw how that medical knowledge can be used to help someone.” Chatterjee also thanked her parents, Monish and Atima Chatterjee, for being a huge source of support as she finished her bachelor’s degrees.�� “I want to include my parents as role models who helped me succeed in college,” she said. “They have supported me so much by calling me and bringing in food. They have made my life easier by helping me do what I need to do.” In the healthcare field, Chatterjee also works with Dr. Meghan Wilson, a rehabilitation medicine physician at ��Vlog��ýMS who has tetraplegia from a spinal cord injury. Chatterjee assists Dr. Wilson with daily activities as well as clinical work by writing notes, performing patient exams, and conducting rounds on patients. “Stuti is able to empathize and show compassion when needed but is also focused and gets things done in an efficient manner,” Wilson said. “She asks questions about different diagnoses and is genuinely interested in my approach throughout the day. Her compassion and curiosity are what make her stand out from her fellow coworkers. Whether our team has 12 or 5 patients, Stuti is able to work with the same enthusiasm. She has also been kind and supportive when I have gone through difficult times, and I believe she has a genuine passion for helping others.” A firm believer in empowering women in STEM, Chatterjee volunteered with Girls of Promise while at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, though she has been an advocate for much longer. “When I was in high school, there were no women in my robotics program,” she said. “I started my own all-girls robotics team. It seemed like a boys club, and I didn’t want that to deter the girls from participating. We ended up going to the world competition.” During her time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Chatterjee has also served on the Student Government Association and learned Python to code a camera to monitor the Arkansas River for a professor’s research project. In healthcare, she worked as a research associate at ��Vlog��ýMS. Her supervisor, Dr. Michael Wilson, hired her to copy edit his book, “Behavioral Emergencies for the Healthcare Provider.”�� “Looking back at my achievements, I have been driven not only by my passion for science but by using that passion to give back to the community,” Chatterjee said. “Through my involvement within various organizations and performing well in academics, I hope to inspire and pave the way for the future classes of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock receives $1 million planned gift from Damerows to support science scholarships

John Hill — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:24:02 +0000

Jerry and Sherri Damerow, longtime supporters of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Arkansas, have made a planned gift of $1 million to support scholarships for science majors at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.�� The gift will benefit the Jerry and Sherri Damerow Endowed Science Scholarship, which provides scholarships for students majoring in astronomy, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and Earth Science. The scholarship will provide assistance for education-related expenses including tuition, fees, books, and room and board. “This incredibly generous gift from the Damerows will be a wonderful legacy for two people who have steadfastly supported science education at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for many years,” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale said. “As we expand our applied fields in the sciences, it is important to remember that basic science education remains the foundation for all that we accomplish in the applied fields. I am grateful to the Damerows for supporting this curriculum and for investing in our future.” Jerry Damerow, a former managing partner for Ernst & Young, and Sherri Damerow, a retired kindergarten teacher and artist, believe helping students earn a college degree in a STEM area represents a “commitment to lifelong learning,” a goal the couple has supported for many years. “There are multiple reasons why we decided to fund an endowed science scholarship at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” said Jerry Damerow. “First, we believe a strong ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is extremely important to Arkansas’ economy going forward, particularly Central Arkansas. We do not believe we can simply sit by and expect others to build and support this important university. Arkansas’ Women’s Hall of Fame member Dorothy Stuck once told me, ‘If we don’t build Arkansas, who will?’”�� The Damerows received the 8th annual Fribourgh Award in 2017, which recognizes individuals who have made considerable contributions to the state through the disciplines of mathematics and science. Jerry Damerow is a past president and current board member of the Dean’s Science Council and the Centennial Campaign Cabinet at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. His long history of civic and professional involvement includes serving as a member and past director of the Rotary Club of Little Rock, as past board chair of the EAST Initiative, as chair of �䲹��𳢾��԰�’s board of directors, as ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Business Advisory Council member, and as a former chair of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s College of Science and Mathematics Advisory Council. “W�� believe we have been blessed and have an obligation to help other Arkansans realize their potential,” Jerry Damerow said. “Last, we believe our economy is going through a huge transformation driven by technology thereby dramatically increasing the importance of a STEM education. Many jobs are going away, and new ones will be created by scientists and engineers and those who qualify for those jobs will require a strong grounding in science and engineering.” Sherri Damerow has been involved in numerous charitable causes, including teaching computer skills to seniors at the ��Vlog��ýMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and volunteering with Literacy Action of Central Arkansas and the Humane Society of Pulaski County. “Jerry and Sherri Damerow have been active in promoting our community for a long time, and this generous gift aligns well with their continuing gift of time in impacting our community for the better both now and in the future,” said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. “I am glad to know people like Jerry and Sherri.”

First-Generation Student Spotlight: Lauv Patel

John Hill — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 14:00:29 +0000

Lauv Patel, a junior chemistry major and first-generation college student, was a junior in high school when he moved with his family from Albany, New York, to Texarkana, Arkansas. “W�� had the opportunity to join in a family business,” Patel said. “W��’ve been operating motels for a while, and we had the opportunity to run one here in Arkansas, so we took up the mantle.” He and his twin brother, Kush, who is also attending ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a computer science major, are the first members of their family to attend college. “My parents are very proud,” Patel said. “Both my parents are immigrants from India, and they never had the opportunity to go to college. They always motivate us and encourage us in our college studies.” Patel credits an inspirational high school teacher for raising his interest in chemistry to the point that he wanted to pursue it as a career. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, he is conducting research in a biochemistry lab with Dr. Shanzhi Wang. “I had an amazing teacher who made chemistry so amazing and interesting,” Patel said. “In my current research, I am trying to find out how enzymes work and how to stop enzyme activity. The enzymes I’m working with are possible candidates for drugs. We know enzymes are critical for some bacteria; it’s critical to their ability to communicate with other bacteria. If we can know how the enzyme activity works, we can stop it. If we can stop it, we can probably stop or reduce the activity of a disease.” As a first-generation student, Patel said he was soft-spoken when he first started college, but he grew into his own after taking advantage of opportunities to get involved in campus life, research, and student government. “When I first started college, it was a weird feeling,” Patel said. “You don’t have the ability to talk to your parents about everything. You are trying to figure out everything for the first time. I had some experience meeting new people after moving from New York, but it’s about developing relationships and finding out what resources are available to you. I was quiet at first, but being a first-generation student made me want to do more. I had the opportunity to join a research group, to teach others as a learning assistant. I had the opportunity to join SGA and work with my fellow students. It’s given me the opportunities to explore stuff outside of my comfort zone. It’s given me opportunities to grow and develop a useful diverse skill set.” At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Patel is a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps and the McNair Scholars Program. He’s received the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Signature Experience Award, and the Daryl K. Reach Endowed Scholarship. He will graduate from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in the spring 2022 semester. After graduation, he will earn a master’s degree and Ph.D. in chemistry and then plans to work as a researcher and professor. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has taught me the ability to adapt into roles and tasks that I once thought were impossible for me to fill. It’s shown me that I can progress in my education and in other aspects,” Patel said. “I’m currently doing biochemistry research, which has opened my eyes to the impact that chemistry has on all these different subject fields. We’re in the process of publishing my first paper on the applications of machine learning.”

Darrigues selected for competitive postdoctoral research program at ��Vlog��ýMS

John Hill — Mon, 18 May 2020 13:34:15 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock doctoral student has been selected for a highly competitive postdoctoral scholarship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (��Vlog��ýMS).�� Emilie Darrigues, a doctoral student in applied science with an emphasis in chemistry who is graduating in May, is one of four students selected for the ��Vlog��ýMS Translational Research Institute Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship Postdoctoral Training Program for its class of 2022. Chosen by a competitive application process, Darrigues will begin two years of mentored entrepreneurship training on July 1. Darrigues will be mentored by Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, director of neurosurgical oncology�� in the Department of Neurosurgery. Her research project will focus on improving circulating tumor DNA detection in glioblastoma liquid biopsies and designing therapeutic nanoparticles as a strategy to specifically target glioblastoma. Darrigues honed her research skills in the labs of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, where she’s worked as a graduate assistant for the last five years. Under the mentorship of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Dr. Zeid Nima and Dr. Alexandru Biris, Darrigues has developed her own biomedical research path and published multiple peer-reviewed papers.�� “I’m very happy to see that my hard work has been rewarded, and the research is very interesting,” Darrigues said. “Dr. Rodriguez wants me to work in her lab on the development of a kind of DNA detection of brain tumors. Right now, glioblastoma is one of the most deadly brain cancers you can get. The goal of the research is to improve the diagnosis of brain cancers through a liquid biopsy, without the time and expense of going through so many other diagnostic tests. It will reduce the time of diagnosis. The earlier a patient is diagnosed, the faster they can go into therapy and treatment.”�� Before coming to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Darrigues earned bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and rheology/functional materials in France, followed by four years of industrial work in research and development and lean manufacturing. While pursuing a master’s degree in engineering in France, Darrigues interned at the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences as part of the Center’s exchange program in 2013. She was so impressed with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that she chose to pursue a doctoral degree here, which she began in 2015. As a graduate research assistant in the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, Darrigues studied how plasmonic gold nanoparticles interact with pancreatic cancer cell cultures in a 3D model or spheroids, with the aid of multiple imaging techniques.�� Her research at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock resulted in several awards, including first place in the graduate student poster competition at the Center for Advanced Surface Engineering Conference/Regional NSF EPSCoR program and first place in the graduate life sciences category at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s 2019 Student Research and Creative Works Expo. Now, Darrigues’s acceptance into the competitive Translational Research Program will enable her to take her already impressive research to the next level. The program is designed to help promising scientists move their discoveries into everyday practice by teaching them commercialization and team science skills.�� “Our program goal is to accelerate biomedical discoveries to improve health,” said Dr. Nancy Rusch, who directs the program for the . “I am very enthusiastic about this group of scholars. They all have exceptional talent and they are pursuing projects that can make a real impact on health outcomes.” The HSIE Postdoctoral Training Program provides support annually for eight postdoctoral fellows (four in each year of the two-year program). The program is a partnership between the ��Vlog��ýMS Translational Research Institute and the Entrepreneurship Graduate Program in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. It is supported by the NRSA Training Core (TL1) component of the ��Vlog��ýMS Clinical and Translational Science Award, grant TL1 TR003109.

Triple graduate on road to fulfill dream of becoming a doctor

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 14 May 2019 14:52:42 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock senior who graduated with three bachelor’s degrees has been accepted to medical school and is on her way to fulfilling her dream of becoming a doctor.�� Erica Olson, of Gassville, Arkansas, graduated from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on May 11 with bachelor’s degrees in biology, chemistry, and Spanish. The budding doctor, who received a $7,500 Class of 1954 Scholarship from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, will begin taking classes at ��Vlog��ýMS in the fall with plans to become a family physician. “It has been my dream for almost a decade that I would like to become a family physician,” Olson said. “Everyone is excited about specializing in surgical processes, but for me, I like the appeal of growing with the patients. I like the consistency of establishing bonds and being able to work with people throughout their life and their children’s lives. I’m open to looking at other specialties in medical school, but I think that is where my heart lies.” After graduating high school with just 40 people in her senior class, Olson was excited to see what the world had to offer. “I was naturally excited to get out of the rural area and explore what else the world had to offer,” she said. “I knew ��Vlog��ý Little Rock had a lot of scholarships available, and I remembered visiting this campus during seventh grade, walking down the brick pathways, and finding it beautiful. After I was accepted into the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps, I was very glad I decided to attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. My mom is a single mom who works as a waitress, and she did a great job of providing for me. We’ve experienced financial hardships, and getting to graduate debt free is a privilege.” While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Olson joined the University Science Scholars Program, Biology Club, American Chemical Society, Wesley Foundation, Wind Ensemble, and became a student ambassador for the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences. She worked as a resident assistant for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, a research assistant for the ��Vlog��ýMS Emergency Department, and volunteered in the Intensive Care Unit at ��Vlog��ýMS. Olson is also dedicated to helping other students get a head start in their careers. In 2017, she founded the university’s Pre-Health Club for students planning to work in the health industry as doctors, nurses, dentists, physical therapists, pharmacists, and physician’s assistants. During summer 2017, Olson had an experience that altered her plans. She studied abroad in Spain, taking a one-week trip to Madrid with Dr. Edna Delgado, professor of Spanish, followed by a month living with a host family while taking classes at the University of Granada. Originally set to graduate in 2018 with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biology, Olson delayed graduation for a year so she could spend the fall 2018 studying in Spain. It also gave Olson the time to earn a third bachelor’s degree in Spanish. “At first, I just wanted to learn Spanish to have a baseline because it’s the second most spoken language in the U.S.,” she said. “As a future physician, I want to be able to communicate with my Spanish-speaking patients. If you don’t speak the language, you feel isolated and alone. I knew this is what my patients who couldn’t speak English would feel. I planned to apply to medical school a year ago, but I didn’t want to go with any regrets.” Olson owes much of her success to the biology and chemistry faculty members at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, especially those who helped her prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). “I adore both the chemistry and biology department faculty. I’ve had incredible experiences with the faculty,” she said. “They challenge you, and that in turn makes you a better student. With regards to chemistry, to me that was the most challenging discipline I chose. While I did not make an A in every single chemistry course, it helped me to succeed in the real world because I scored in the 92 percentile on my MCAT. Both departments really care about your success.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students use wits to beat escape room challenge

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 16:11:40 +0000

A group of chemistry students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock found out that book smarts alone were not enough to overcome an escape room final project.�� Inspired to build teamwork amongst his students and to make class more exciting, Dr. Anindya Ghosh devised a unique escape room group project to challenge the students in his Intro to Inorganic Chemistry class. “I was inspired by Dr. Kedar Jambhekar, radiologist and diagnostic radiology residency director at ��Vlog��ýMS, who recently did this for his residents to encourage teamwork,” Ghosh said. “I think that homework needs to be fun to help teach the students. No one has ever done this in the Chemistry Department. I hope that the students learn teamwork. This helps them to think outside the box and to think critically.” Students in the class include Cecilia Cayll, Samantha Crosby, Robert Hill, Akeia Joyner, Arsalan Karimi, Caroline Kornelsen, Thuy Le, Tyler Maxwell, Victoria Mchargue, November Palmer, David Standridge, and Caleb Stein. The class divided into groups of four, and each group was responsible for creating puzzles involving chemistry lessons from class. The groups also had to use images from popular culture to give the teams additional clues. One group determined their number was eight after noticing that their clues contained a picture of a brown recluse spider with eight legs and a picture of a piano player whose hand spanned eight keys. “You would have to be a musician to figure it out, and I’m glad I am,” said Akeia Joyner, a senior chemistry major. A second group figured out their number was five after having an image from the movie “The Fifth Element,” an image from a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Additionally, one of the answers to their chemistry problems was Boron, which has an Atomic Number of five on the periodic table.

Chemistry students Akeia Joyner and Victoria Mchargue had to solve a series of science problems to get clues to unlock their classroom door during an escape room challenge. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

“I think this is fun,” said Cecilia Cayll, a junior chemistry major. “It’s better than sitting in the classroom listening to a lecture or taking an exam.” Each group needed to come up with one number as their answer. The combination of the numbers from all four groups would provide the answer to escaping the room. Even after all four groups worked together to escape the room, Ghosh put one more roadblock in the road to victory. The combination needed to open the chain that locked the classroom door only used three numbers, so students were also tasked with figuring out which number was left out and what order to put the remaining three numbers. It turns out that the most difficult part of the escape room challenge was putting the correct combination into the lock. Fellow classmates commented that it was “hilarious” to watch their classmates unsuccessfully try to figure out the combination. “W��’re book smart, not street smart,” Cayll said. Students finally reached the correct combination, before the end of the class period, after they realized the lock was backward, and they had been inputting the combinations the wrong way. “It was freaking awesome!” Victoria Mchargue, a senior chemistry major, said. “If every homework problem could be like this, where we have to find a way to get out of the room, it would be a lot of fun.” In the upper right photo, chemistry students (L to R) Arsalan Karimi, Victoria Mchargue, and Caleb Stein celebrate their victory in escaping from their chemistry classroom after solving a series of puzzles. Photo by Benjamin Krain.��

College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences honors top students, scholarship recipients

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 15 May 2018 16:21:31 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences recognized its top students and scholarship recipients during the college’s awards ceremony on May 1.�� The college’s departments include art and design, biology, chemistry, English, history, mathematics and statistics, music, philosophy and interdisciplinary studies, physics and astronomy, theatre arts and dance, and world languages.

College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences

Stephen L. Mourning Science Scholarship – Erica Olson Mexican Studies Endowed Scholarship – Catherine McGibbony Science and Mathematics Leadership Endowed Scholarship – Carol Bowerman, Chandrasimha Reddy Penthala, Kenneth Burnett, Thuy Thanh Le, Carson Smith, and Amber Hill

Department of Art and Design

Charles D. Massey Scholarship – Chassidy Siratt and Brandy Thrower Cindy Conger Endowed Visual Art Awards – Carley Brown Dorothy Gillespie Foundation Scholarship – Mary Bowling Friends of The Arts Scholarship – Christina Osorio Jerry E. Arrowood Memorial Scholarship – Sandi Harvell and Kennedy Butler Joan R. Taylor Scholarship – Madeline Hutson, Monica Penny, Carley Brown, Olivia Blair, Austin Bowers, and Alexis Stiles Lewis and Debbie May Scholarship – Mary Bowling Nabholz Endowed Scholarship for Art and Design – Wendell Martin Judith A. Wrappe Scholarship – Brady Jackson, Henry Thomas, Jennifer Bell, Robert Berry, and Brandy Thrower Windgate Foundation Scholarship – Rachel Struthers, Lilliana Reinoso, Joshua Goff, Savana Holland, Kiersin Webb-Carrington, Erin Vaughn, Jennie Vaughn, Lauren Fuller, Tatiana Correa, Annika Shunn, Candace McJunkin, Briana Hardin, Marcus Crutchfield, and Lauren Johnson Lori Grimes Memorial Scholarship – Chassidy Siratt

Department of Biology

James H. Fribourgh Endowed Biology Scholarship – Abdallah Abou-Diab Tom and Debbie Lynch Biology Scholarship – Humam Shahare Martha Couch Givens Memorial Award – Samantha Gray Thomas Hogue Memorial Award – Grace Rutter John D. Rickett Outstanding Graduate Student Award – Lisa Williams and Richard Connor Clarance B. Sinclair Memorial Scholarship – Alaa Shahare

Department of Chemistry

AIC Outstanding Graduating Senior – James Sellers and Rebecca Moreira ACS Outstanding Graduating Senior – Samantha Macchi and Marina Avram Outstanding Graduating Master’s Student – Raymond Patey Outstanding Graduating Ph.D. Student – Sreevishnu Cheerla Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award – Mavis Forson Frank Lamar Setliff Endowed Scholarship – Caroline Kornelsen and Robert Hill Darryl K. Reach Endowed Scholarship – Carol Bowerman and Thuy Thanh Le ACS Book Scholarship – Kendall Riley Wood

Department of English

Cooper Success Scholarships – Brooke Turner, TiLena Camp, and Heidi Clement Ruth Lovett Booker Scholarship – Frankie Alford Marilynn Keys Endowed Scholarship – Caleb Alexander-McKinzie Eleanor Orts Francis English Scholarship – Kimberly Mauer Roslyn L. Knutson English Award – Kyrsten Younge Alma K. Dougherty Award – Frankie Alford Martha Sawrie Stephenson Endowed Scholarship – TiLena Camp Gladys K. Brown Award – Joy Reinbold Kathryn Ramsey Award – Joy Reinbold Richard Stanley Cooper Literary Award – Caleb Alexander-McKinzie

Department of History

Richard B. Dixon Scholarship – Tyrene Jones, Crystal Shurley, Devin Sorrows, Kyna Stys, and Ellis (Gene) Thompson Dr. Edward Madden and Lucy Dorothy Anson III Award – Morgan Guzman and Jade Kitchel Craig Powell Memorial Scholarship – Ian Gaebel Martha Sawrie Stephenson Endowed Scholarship – Amy King Jack Freshour Scholarship – Nancy Tell-Hall Fred Williams Scholarship in Public History – Rachel Walters

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Jerry and Sherry Damerow Endowed Math and Statistics Scholarship – Hayden Hensen, Tanaya Williams, Michael McKenzie, David Johnson, and Susanna More Dewoody and Emily Fleming Dickinson Math Scholarship – Shazeena Ashraf and Susanna More David A. Schonert Endowed Scholarship – Tristan Gregory Linda and Tom Mcmillan Mathematics Scholarship – Joseph Sorensen Ma Endowed Family Scholarship – Carrie Callo Barraza Ann Jameson Wilson Mathematics Scholarship – Richard Inakpenu and Grizel Macias Outstanding Senior Awards – Mason Cox and Jamie Burrows Award for Outstanding Achievement By an Undergraduate Student – Scott Wolf and ��Hayden Hensen Award for Outstanding Teaching By a Graduate Student – Joshua Hairston Award for Outstanding Achievement By a Graduate Student – Chary Akmyradov Outstanding Tutor Award – Allen Lunnie and Ha Trinh Friends of The Department – James Hollander, Sam Lawhorn, and Jerry and Sherry Damerow

Department of Music

Edith Willis Woodall Scholarship – Karah Poole Eleanor Orts Francis Scholarship – Isaac Helgestad, Dakota Jackson, and Earnie Williams Homer and Betty Jones Opera Endowment – Elizabeth Wheeler Joan R. Taylor Scholarship – Jillian Armstrong, Sarah Hylton, Benjamin Moore, Alexander Rupert, Kyndriatta Sears, and Maria Zarate Stella Boyle Smith Award – Alyssa Anwar, Hannah Blacklaw, David Burkhalter, Lucas Bush, Michael Caysido, Brandon Dorris, Andrew Gerstenberger, Reagan Gray, Kyra Hatley, Melissa Legendre, Dante Leon, Eri Okawa, Samuel Schalchlin, and Ryan Wilder.

Department of Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies

Socratic Award for Most Outstanding Students in Philosophy – Ra’phael Davis and Melissa Vachon Richard Frothingham Achievement Award for Excellence in Philosophy and Religious Studies – Audrey Driskill Lee Asbill Johnson Scholarship – Sydney Brazil Brent Knutson Memorial Award for Excellence in Religious Studies – Jessica Chavez and Sandi Harvell Outstanding Interdisciplinary Studies Student Award – Taylor Travis and Rachel Mulligan Annie L. Harrison Scholarships – Erin Beeman and Michelle Burton

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Paul Engle Scholarship – David Cline Coleman Scholarship – Alex Kingston Outstanding Graduating Senior – Marvin Bonney Outstanding Teaching Assistant – Rauf Hussein Outstanding Graduate Research Award – Nawzat Saadi

Department of Theatre Arts and Dance

Performing Arts Award, Dance – Ronesha Butler, Travis Clark, Perin Creek, Erin Fallis, Victoria Fender, Carmen Gutierrez, Hadley Hume, Brandy Mimms, Emily Moore, Lauren Pafford, Madison Price, Jessica Regalado, Shelby Robertson, Emily Shellabarger, Rebecca Shunn, Paige Tarrow, and Mario Valdez Joel Ruminer Scholarship Award, Dance – Alysa Anderson and LaVentry Easter Performing Arts Award, Theatre – Maggie Donald, Elizabeth McKee, and Kaitlynn Mitchell Eleanor Orts Francis Scholarship, Theatre – Sabrina Hatchett, Emorie Mansur, and Gage Pipkin Ike Murry Scholarship, Theatre – Alex Calhoun and Kat Hall Friends of the Arts Scholarship – Taylor Jaggers Joan Taylor Scholarship, Theatre – Travis Clark, Char Dupins, Leah Gelé, Mykenzie Gordon, Taylor Green, Kat Hall, Keith Harper, Andrew Jaramillo, Jessica Ley, Blake Morris, Tre’Vaughn Whitley

Department of World Languages

Emile B. de Sauzé Award for Outstanding Graduate in French – Emily Summers Cervantes Award for Outstanding Graduate in Spanish – Rebecca Moreira Award for Excellence in French – Andrea Elias Vance C. Ogden Memorial Scholarship – Jennifer Harrison and Emily Mendiola Sharon Sellars Award for Outstanding Language Resource Center Tutor – Jessica Tate

Future doctor plans to use language skills to help people get better access to healthcare

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 10 May 2018 13:29:13 +0000

As a Spanish interpreter at the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center in Little Rock, Rebecca Parker Moreira sees the challenges medical professionals and patients face when they cannot communicate with each other.�� “In the medical field, there are very few bilingual doctors,” Moreira said. “I think it is very important to build a rapport with patients by speaking their native language. It’s a big barrier for healthcare providers to not be able to communicate with their patients. It’s also a hindrance for the patients to have access to healthcare.” Moreira will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock May 12 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a second in Spanish. To improve her language skills in the medical field, Moreira took Advanced Spanish for the Health Professions during the spring 2016 semester. Students in the class get the opportunity to volunteer as Spanish interpreters at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (��Vlog��ýMS) 12th Street Health and Wellness Center, a free clinic. Moreira had such a positive experience at the 12th Street Clinic that she completed a two-semester internship, which gave her enough credits to earn a bachelor’s degree in Spanish. She was also elected to the Spanish interpreter coordinator position and is the only undergraduate student to serve on the clinic’s Student Board of Directors. “My experiences at the clinic motivated me to apply to medical school because I saw the need for Spanish-speaking physicians, and I realized how passionate I was about medicine,” she said. “I want other students to be able to receive the same benefits I have from volunteering, which is why I have worked diligently to facilitate a partnership between the interpreter program at the 12th Street Clinic and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of World Languages.” Moreira has always loved learning new languages. In high school, she studied Spanish and ancient Greek. Learning Spanish also helped her communicate with her high school sweetheart and future husband. “When we started dating in high school, my husband had just come to the U.S. a year before and didn’t speak a lot of English,” she said. “I felt like I would like to learn more Spanish so I could communicate with him better. It’s been really fun to be able to do that.” In addition to being a Spanish interpreter, Moreira is a Donaghey Scholar who works as a referee at Maumelle Soccer Club and a scribe at Anchorpoint Psychological Services. She recently received the American Institute of Chemistry Outstanding Graduating Senior in Chemistry award, the Undergraduate Research Award from the Department of Chemistry, and the Cervantes Outstanding Graduating Senior in Spanish Award from the Department of World Languages.

James Sellers and Rebecca Moreira admire chemistry beaker flasks they were awarded as recipients of the Department of Chemistry’s Outstanding Graduating Senior award. Photo by Ben Krain.

“��Vlog��ý Little Rock has been just the best experience that I could have hoped for at an undergraduate institution,” Moreira said. “Having the financial freedom through the Donaghey Scholars has been amazing. I have been able to help save up for medical school, and I have had a very broad education that I feel that I would not have been able to get at other institutions. Through the chemistry department, I have had opportunities to be involved in research that has shown me a whole other side to academia.” Moreira has conducted research with Dr. Tito Viswanathan, professor of chemistry, for two years. They are studying how a renewable resource-based waste product (woodchips) can be chemically modified to purify water from heavy metal contaminants. She was the recipient of an Undergraduate Research Signature Experience Award, which she used to present their research at the American Chemical Society national meeting in March. Moreira also presented her research at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Research and Creative Works Expo, where she received first place in the Physical Science division and first place in the Life and Physical Science division. Moreira also received first place in the Service Work and Professional Application division for a presentation on her work with the 12th Street Clinic. Moreira has been admitted to the ��Vlog��ýMS College of Medicine Class of 2022, where she will also earn a Master of Public Health degree so she can learn more about the socioeconomic barriers patients face when trying to access healthcare. She plans to become a doctor and use her public health education and language skills to advocate for better healthcare for non-native English speakers. “I am thankful to the Spanish department for the opportunity to use the language skills I learned in my courses to benefit the community because it also gave me the experience and passion to attend medical school,” she said.

Lelia Rosenkrans named 2018 Whitbeck Award winner

Janea Snyder — Wed, 02 May 2018 17:45:39 +0000

Lelia Rosenkrans’ academic interests pull in seemingly opposite directions. She is passionate about dance and the artistry and self-expression that comes from the creative process. And she is equally in love with science and the possibilities of discovery through disciplined research.�� Both, she discovered, have the capacity to transform lives. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Rosenkrans didn’t have to choose between the two. On May 12, she will graduate with a BFA in Dance Performance with a minor in chemistry. She is this year’s recipient of the Alpha Kappa Psi Edward L. Whitbeck Memorial Award, a prestigious award given to one student chosen by the Faculty Senate Honors and Awards Committee who has demonstrated exceptional scholarship, leadership, character, and citizenship. The award comes with a $2,000 prize. “Lelia is that rare student whose talents truly transcend their major,” said Jessica Scott, assistant director of the Donaghey Scholars Program. “Even though she is a gifted dancer, she has the mind of a scientist.” Growing up in Springdale, Rosenkrans started dancing at age 4 at Rhythm and Shoes Dance Studio in Tontitown. “I fell in love with jazz,” she said. “I was a shy kid and jazz gave me the opportunity to be someone else, outgoing and spunky.” ��She started ballet at age 7 but didn’t become a serious ballet student until age 15. She comes from a family of educators: her father is a professor of animal physiology at the University of Arkansas, and her mother is the associate vice president of Learning and High School Relations at Northwest Arkansas Community College. When it came time to choose a college, she looked near and far. She auditioned for a few conservatory programs and was accepted to Wellesley College in Massachusetts as well as the University of Arkansas, which is close to her home in Northwest Arkansas. However, she was drawn to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, which offers the state’s only Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. “I knew I wanted to have the option to take both dance and pre-med classes,” Rosenkrans said. “I came to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a chemistry major and then decided to have a dance/chemistry double major. Eventually, I realized that I could major in dance and minor in chemistry, and still achieve my goal of being prepared for medical school.” What sealed the deal was a Donaghey Scholars Program scholarship, and with it the ability to study abroad and to graduate with no debt. During her first two summers, she worked as a medical intern in Sri Lanka and as an English teacher in Peru, both of which gave her invaluable perspectives on global policies. “In Sri Lanka, I saw a country striving to aid its people through free health care, yet patients were turned away simply due to a lack of time and space to treat everyone,” Rosenkrans said. “In Peru, I was inspired by the community’s connection to their Incan farming traditions. However, I saw a community whose grains were being purchased for pennies in comparison to the price they are sold for in grocery stores within the United States.” As part of the Whitbeck Award competition, Rosenkrans wrote an essay on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. “I find myself returning to the idea of acknowledging the humanity and needs of others,” she wrote. “This involves creating and fostering an environment with meaningful cross-cultural dialogue, striving for and supporting breakthroughs in science and technology that help humanity, and advocating for and preserving communal works of beauty.” With her eye on medical school, Rosenkrans completed the pre-medicine courses, taking as many as 23 credit hours per semester and finishing with a 4.0 grade-point average. Her friends joke that she never sleeps, and she admits that between dance rehearsals and lab work, she stays busy. As a junior, she received one of the state’s Student Undergraduate Research Fellowships to study the biological, psychological and social impacts of a modern dance class. Her research examined salivary biomarkers indicative of fitness training and stress in modern dancers and compared the biomarker levels to dancers’ self-reflection surveys. The results provided evidence in support of modern dance as a source of stress relief, and also served as a step toward developing more specialized nutritional and cross-training guidelines for modern dancers. “She took her two passions and combined them into a very novel research project,” said Dr. Brian Berry, chair and associate professor of chemistry. “I was impressed with the way she approached the idea and executed the work.” Rosenkrans also works as a research assistant for , where she completed an eight-week internship last summer. The scientists there liked her work so much that they asked her to continue working remotely. Her current work involves annotating behavior traits indicative of Parkinson’s disease. Outside of the lab, Rosenkrans spends much of her time in dance studios. As part of her BFA major, she created four original dance works. She has performed in the spring Bodyworks, the fall Dance Harvest, and with the Department of Theater Arts and Dance’s annual dance tour to high school and middle schools across the state. Yslan Hicks, senior faculty and chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, has watched Rosenkrans progress as a dancer, choreographer, scientist and scholar for four years. As a first-semester freshman, Rosenkrans replaced a senior dancer in a highly athletic piece. “I have known many first-semester freshman; I have seldom witnessed a comet on stage,” Hicks said. “Lelia was all light and speed and fire. Her broader academic and personal goals are often fixed on making things better for others. Even before her university experience she has given of herself with a global awareness.” Off campus, Rosenkrans has performed with the Arkansas Festival Ballet’s productions of “Alice in Wonderland,” “Peter Pan,” and “The Nutcracker.” She is a member of UnTapped, the state’s only professional dance company, and she teaches dance workshops for members of the UnTapped Youth Ensemble. “I love leading workshops in schools,” she said. “I have experienced the unity and joy created through free community dance workshops as children and adults alike find themselves possessing untapped capabilities within a body they have known for years. The discovery is truly empowering.” Despite a hectic academic schedule, Rosenkrans has mentored younger Donaghey Scholars and served as an ambassador for the College of Arts, Letters and Sciences and as a student leader in Chi Alpha Campus Ministry. She has volunteered more than 200 hours at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center, the VA Hospital and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock theatre box office. “Her work has benefitted the university and contributed to the central Arkansas community, and through it all, she has grown as a person, a dancer, a scholar, and friend,” Scott said. After commencement, Rosenkrans plans to take a year off – to travel, study, reflect, and focus on her future – before starting medical school in fall 2019. This summer, she heads to eastern Germany to study dance improvisation and then to India to become certified to teach yoga. “I find myself both forever grateful and inspired by the experience I have been afforded during my time at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and I hope to continue my traditions of scholarship, leadership and character throughout the rest of my life,” she said.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock