DePauw University Academic News

Rewarding Hard Work

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

Earlier in the decade, DePauw's faculty members recognized an opportunity. The University's academics ranked among the top baccalaureate colleges in the country, but DePauw students weren't winning nationally competitive scholarships at the same rate as other competitive institutions. As it turned out, there was a very good reason: many of DePauw's students simply weren't applying for them.

"One of our students, now at Harvard Law School, was asked by his advisor why he didn't apply for a Truman Scholarship," recalls Marion "Marnie" K. McInnes (left), dean of academic life at DePauw. "He'd planned to do public service law and had spent most of his life doing service work. He would have been an outstanding candidate for the scholarship, but he'd never heard of it. Stories like those reminded us that we needed to get the word out to students about the existence of these scholarships."

Seeing the awards as low-hanging fruit for DePauw's talented student body, the University has steadily increased the resources dedicated to advising applicants. In the case of the Fulbright Award, DePauw went from no applicants in 2002 to 31 applicants and six winners in 2009, in large part due to the efforts of program advisor Douglas E. Harms, professor of computer science and a former Fulbright Scholar.

For three — soon to be four — years running, The Chronicle for Higher Education has listed the University as one of the Top Producers of Fulbright Awards for U.S. Students. Among the list of DePauw's recent scholarship winners, three DePauw students won Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships in 2008, and four received Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships in 2008-09 alone.

The University's efforts to improve student awareness of the awards culminated this year with creation of the Office of Graduate Fellowships, directed by McInnes. Kathleen S. Knaul, director of the Center for International and Experiential Education and assistant dean of academic affairs, and Amy A. Welch, associate director of the Honor Scholar program, work with McInnes to recruit and advise applicants as well as strengthen fellowship advising across the University.

As colleges across the country have adopted similar, proactive advising strategies, scholarship applicants are increasingly in need of the institutional support that DePauw offers.

"We used to think that the best students could write the application essays and win simply based on their accomplishments, but now we see that's just not true," McInnes says. "Even the best students need guidance and feedback on the application process. By going to [National Association of Fellowship Advisors] meetings and talking to colleagues from Pomona College and Wellesley College, it's clear that it takes an enormous amount of preparation for a candidate just to be competitive."

Many awards, such as the Fulbright or Rhodes scholarships, take into consideration how connected are a student's academic and personal interests. For example, a strong candidate might be one who is studying public health and has also volunteered at a free health clinic in a developing country. These types of interrelated pursuits can be realized while in college, and are readily available at DePauw through study abroad opportunities such as Winter Term in Service acting as natural extensions of a student's academic interests outside the classroom. In fact, all of DePauw's 2008-09 nationally competitive scholarship winners and 16 of 19 students selected for Teach for America studied abroad.

DePauw students have traditionally been able to pursue one-on-one summer research with professors as well, further improving their chances for awards. This summer, dozens of students have remained on campus or have traveled with professors for research in nearly every discipline. Fulbright winner Nishita Trisal '07 (above right), who taught for a year in Indonesia, commented, "Being at a smaller school, we can interact with our professors in a much more personal way and at a younger age.Freshmen and sophomores really have the opportunity to do summer research and develop relationships with people who are willing to invest in them."

The most difficult part of the application process may be drafting a personal statement that lays out the applicant's experiences and aspirations in an argument for selection. "Every applicant writes, re-writes and re-writes some more," says Professor of Philosophy Marcia A. McKelligan,who has been chair of the Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship selection committee since 2004. "At that stage of the process, it's important to be an energetic critic. The statements often change a great deal, and sometimes the student has a revelation about herself during this process that leads her to abandon the idea of pursuing a Rhodes. But, in all cases, the crafting of the personal statement seems to bring clarity and focus to the students' thinking about their interests and plans for the future, and they begin to see coherence, perhaps, in the disparate activities they have pursued."

The "coherence in the disparate activities" mentioned by Professor McKelligan ultimately ties in with DePauw President Brian W. Casey's vision for intellectual life across the University, whether or not a student seeks a nationally competitive scholarship.

"One of the things we're trying to do is to get students to think about what they're learning in the classroom and going out and applying it," says Rebecca K. Schindler, chair of the classical studies department and member of the summer working group currently discussing intellectual life at DePauw. "If we can get them to think about this earlier in their careers, we'll have even more students winning national awards almost incidentally. We have great students at DePauw, and it has been exciting for me to see what they have done and where it is going to take them."

Marvin's Still Delivers

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

Since 1972, Marvin's – often called Marv's – has offered Greencastle residents and DePauw students a casual dining atmosphere and menu filled with local favorites. Famous for its GCBs (garlic cheeseburgers), pizzas and burritos, Marv's is a local tradition - one filled with memories, literally. The famous "Marvin's Delivers To..." photos in locations around the world and snapshots capturing some ridiculously and formally attired visitors have taken over the restaurant's interior, creating a patchwork wallpaper that documents swatches of DePauw history. It is the nostalgic air created by the presence of these photos and its laid-back, college town atmosphere that truly make Marvin's a DePauw landmark.

When Marvin Long (pictured right, wearing glasses) opened Marvin's in 1972, he did so out of desperation – he needed a job. At the time, the community had limited dining options. Having found the ideal location for a restaurant, Long went to work building clientele by befriending visitors and providing a convenient delivery service. Long, who today resides in Greencastle with his wife, Kitty, loved his work and speaks fondly about the DePauw students he met and the experiences he had while owner of the popular restaurant.

"I loved the kids and had a lot of fun. At one point, I knew 1,000 kids by nicknames. I was always welcomed at University events and attended many parties on campus over the years," Long says.

After speaking with Marvin himself, the reason for the restaurant's historical and cultural significance to Greencastle and DePauw is no longer a mystery. Though the food and the atmosphere the restaurant offers attracts visitors, the welcoming, outgoing personality of the restaurant's original owner and the relationships he formed with students is what established Marvin's as a DePauw tradition and continues to attract alumni to their favorite college hangout.

Marvin Long and his legendary menu items have impacted several generations of DePauw students, and the ties run deep. When the Class of 1982 gathered to celebrate its 25th reunion two summers ago, co-chair Ken Owen recalls, "I was emceeing the dinner program at the Walden Inn, when suddenly through a side door popped Marvin. The room literally erupted with cheers, and my classmates – many of whom hadn't seen Marvin since he was manning the grill their senior year – rushed forward to hug him. He literally stopped the show. If you made a list of the most beloved figures in DePauw's 170+ year history, Marvin Long would certainly be on it," adds Owen, who is the University's executive director of media relations.

Eric A. Wolfe '04 recalls many fond memories of late-night runs to Marvin's during finals weeks and after nights of gallivanting with friends during his DePauw years. He describes the restaurant as "representative of the campus personality."

Of all the visits he made to Marv's, Wolfe's favorite dates back to a seemingly typical visit during his freshman year:

"I met my sorority informal date and our close friends for a quick bite before the party. We had the best time that night just hanging out and enjoying the food," he recalls.

Wolfe, now a Greencastle resident, recently married his aforementioned date with an on-campus ceremony in Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church and a reception on the East College Lawn. With many DePauw friends attending and taking part in the ceremony, including his best man, Stephen J. Robinson '04, he saved them a trip to Marv's by having the restaurant cater the rehearsal dinner.

"The food was awesome and was a big hit with the wedding party, family and close friends," Wolfe says. "We chose Marvin's because June [his wife, June Javens '04] and I share a love for the food, and it was perfect for our more casual wedding rehearsal dinner with all of our DePauw friends who traveled back to town and were craving a GCB. The Marvin's staff was great to work with, and they really made the event special."

According to Marvin's employee and DePauw student Erik C. Krag '12, alumni are regular visitors to the establishment.

"Most of the time during the school year Marvin's is crowded and loud, but the busiest times are during Monon, Parents, Little 5 and Alumni weekends," Krag says. "The restaurant has a long history, but the history is not really that important. It is the memories that one associates with the restaurant and its food that make it special."

Meredith G. McGrady '11 agrees that the reason for Marvin's popularity largely amounts to the backdrop it creates for social gatherings of all kinds, such as the reunion of her friends after returning to campus last fall.

"I met with my friends at the beginning of the school year, and since I hadn't seen them since May, we decided to meet at Marv's to eat our first meal together. After that, we went on a tour of our new living areas," she says.

Whether you crave a garlic cheeseburger, a hint of nostalgia or a relaxed gathering place to meet with friends, Marvin's is the place to go. Though already filled with history and memories, this is one DePauw landmark that will always welcome new stories while serving as the backdrop for many others.

Read more about Marvin's in past stories, including why the above Red Square photo landed three DePauw students in a Moscow jail cell.

David Bohmer's Academic Field of Dreams

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

Incoming first-year students enrolled in Professor David A. Bohmer's seminar course, Baseball As History, have, to put it in related terms, hit a home-run in regard to course registration. A 1969 DePauw graduate, Bohmer is Director of DePauw's Eugene S. Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media and the Media Fellows Program, but this fall, he will be wearing a new hat – that of a first-year adviser and seminar professor. Though he may be new to conducting a first-year seminar (FYS), Bohmer is by no means a rookie when it comes to teaching. Throughout his 15 years at DePauw, he has taught several courses, including Baseball As History as a Winter Term offering.

DePauw's campus is filled with individuals – students and faculty members alike – who are passionate about a wide variety of subjects and interests; Bohmer is no exception. A history buff, he has several degrees in the subject, including an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. These days, Bohmer focuses his historical studies on baseball, a subject about which he is both passionate and knowledgeable, though he's not sure where the interest originated.

"My Dad loved tennis," he shares, "but he took me to some baseball games when I was young and he taught me how to keep score and about the father-son rituals associated with the game. We talked a bit about baseball, but not too much."

Looking back, Bohmer realizes that the thing he'd most like to ask his late father is a question about baseball.

"If I could ask him a question now, it would be ‘How did he feel when the Indians - then the Naps - sent Shoeless Joe to the White Sox?' My childhood ended Easter Sunday of 1960 when I learned that the Indians had traded Rocky Colavito away. He was my childhood idol for Cleveland, and I know that my Dad had mentioned Shoeless Joe was the player he looked up to."

Bohmer says his interest in the historical aspects of baseball evolved when he was recruited to assist with a Winter Term baseball clinic several years ago. It was his responsibility to develop and execute the academic component of a work-out class. His portion of the course then morphed into a Winter Term offering about baseball history, which he's since taught seven times. It was the preparatory research and discussions held in the class that led him to realize the extent of baseball's importance throughout history.

"One of the most interesting things about baseball is that there were many periods of time when baseball reflected and tied into American history," he notes. "There are a couple of times when it has been out in front of American history and a few times when it has been behind. In the case of Jackie Robinson and integration, it was ahead of the curve – one of those unusual times that it was. In the case of labor relations, it was behind the curve. Once the players' association hit in the 1970s, the game was torn with labor strife for virtually 20 years."

Bohmer has pursued individual research about baseball history that has resulted in the publication of two articles and the opportunity to present his work at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture. Last year he spoke about Ford C. Frick, a 1915 DePauw graduate, former National League president and the third baseball commissioner from 1951-65. Most recently, he presented about how the Federal League – which only lasted two years – influenced the shaping of baseball history, and next year he plans to present a paper on William Hulbert, who Bohmer thinks should be credited with founding the National League. His research on Halpern will also be featured in one chapter of his current project – a book on baseball history. The book will focus on nine men who never played baseball but have made the game what it is today.

This summer, Bohmer hopes to complete the research and writing of the book's final chapters and send the manuscript to some publishing contacts for edits. He also plans to prepare his syllabus for Baseball As History and, of course, cheer for his beloved Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs. As much as he enjoys summer, however, Bohmer is very excited to start working with the incoming class.

Reflecting on his career up to this point, Bohmer admits it has been full of surprises.

"If somebody had told me that I'd morph from a historian into a baseball historian, I would've never dreamed that possible. It's been a lot of fun to do."

College in a "Flattening" World

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

As recently as 50 years ago, "Made in America" stickers might have seemed redundant. Today, Americans are just as likely to own a product manufactured overseas as one from their home state, and services such as overnight shipping and Internet advertising allow businesses to compete in markets around the globe. Economic globalization is often spoken of in terms of jobs - or whether they're coming or going - but as the world's economies have opened, intercultural communication has progressively become part of everyday life.

"Our graduates are increasingly affected by globalization," says Kerry E. Pannell, chair of DePauw's Department of Economics and Management. "Almost all companies, large and small, now have some sort of global market aspect to them. Students will need to be able to negotiate a deal with a Chinese business for a client in France, for example. To do that well requires an understanding about why the people in those countries are producing and buying those goods."

Pannell says that new trade-related issues have emerged as well. "Globalization also becomes an ethical question because many countries don't have the protections for workers that the United States has. The global marketplace forces us to confront those ethical issues head-on. Our students are going to be in the thick of things in government and nonprofit organizations, providing services or solving problems associated with globalization."

In 2006 the University committed to internationalizing the DePauw experience in order to better prepare graduates for the realities of an interdependent global society. By building on the strength of established programs such as Winter Term and study abroad opportunities - DePauw ranked sixth among baccalaureate institutions nationally for the number of students studying abroad in 2006-07 - the University pledged to further diversify its community and curriculum. In October 2006, former U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (right) praised DePauw's plans for continued improvement, saying, "Here at DePauw you already recognize the importance of providing students with a global perspective. Your efforts to increase international student enrollment here, to encourage study abroad programs and to emphasize language proficiency, which is so critical to the flattening world, will help your graduates be better prepared to participate and lead in the new global economy."

Three years later, the internationalization initiative has already produced noticeable results. Every year since its enactment, DePauw has been listed among the Top Producers of Fulbright Awards for U.S. Students by The Chronicle for Higher Education.

"Our students don't leave as technicians to solve specific, small-scale problems," Pannell says. "They are definitely getting a good sense of the big picture, and we really feel as if they are the ones who will be making the decisions that have impact on a broader scale. We're training them to be problem solvers for these big, global issues that we as a society face."

Of all the areas in which the University had set out to improve, perhaps the most visible change has been in the increase of international students on campus. In 2008 international applications jumped by 243 percent compared to the previous year, and the number of international students enrolled at DePauw reached a record 127, roughly 5 percent of the total student body.

Rebecca S. Konowicz, coordinator of international admission , says that the same qualities that attract students from across the country - small class size, personal attention from faculty members and strong ranking in various publications - also attract international students to Greencastle.

"Many of our recruitment activities for international students are similar to what we do domestically," Konowicz says. "We travel to various high schools and college fairs, build relationships with school counselors, current student families, alumni and various organizations that work with students in preparation for the U.S. college admission process."

While the increase in international enrollment has meant that some student services and programs have been strengthened, few major changes were necessary, says Kathleen S. Knaul, director of the Center for International and Experiential Education and assistant dean of academic affairs.

"There are certain needs international students have that domestic students don't, such as how to work legally in the U.S. during their time here and transportation," Knaul says, "but most of what they need, domestic students need, too. Our focus is less on offering new programs and services than on working with people across campus to be more aware of and inclusive of international students."

Knaul argues that DePauw's growing diversity has benefited the entire community, citing students such as Ganga Devaiah '11, whose documentary film work has contributed to the discussion of environmental and sustainability issues on campus, and the Cultural Connections program, an educational outreach service run by international and domestic students that promotes multicultural understanding and global thinking in local schools.

"Having a more diverse student body, and particularly a more internationally diverse student body, means that all of us - domestic and international students, staff members and faculty members - have a chance to live in a community that more closely resembles the communities our students enter into upon graduation," Knaul says. "In living, studying and working alongside a diverse group of people, we are challenged in our own assumptions and our own knowledge. Our education is, in a way, an education without borders."

Alumni Answer Call to Serve

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

DePauw alumni once again joined together for service work during the University's second annual National Month of Service in May. In 2008, 10 groups of alumni made a difference across the nation by engaging in service projects. In Chicago, alumni volunteered at the Chicago River Clean-Up in Clark Park; 10,453 pounds of food were sorted by Boston-area alumni at the Greater Boston Food Bank; and the Mini Marathon in Indianapolis featured DePauw alumni as part of the Gatorade curb crew. Building on the success of last year's inaugural Month of Service, alumni volunteered this year in 13 service projects across the country.

Jennifer Clarkson Soster '88, executive director of alumni relations, believes that the annual event is a natural extension of the student experience at DePauw.

"As an alumna, I know that DePauw has a wonderful tradition of service as evidenced by the 70 percent of students already involved in community service," Soster says. "Students at DePauw value the importance of serving others and making a difference in the communities they join."

In Chicago, Barbara Martin Tubekis '80, a member of the Alumni Board of Directors and co-chair of the National Month of Service advisory committee, organized a service project with Alternatives, Inc. "Alternatives is a wonderful safe haven that supports families and students at risk in underserved areas of the city, through after school programs, tutoring and the arts," she says. "One of their staff told us that an Alternatives participant went on to become a Posse student at DePauw."

Twenty-one alumni, representing classes from 1980 to 2009, gathered at Alternatives, Inc. to help clean up the outdoor garden and art gallery and do some heavy lifting projects. Impromptu break dancing demonstrations by some of the organization's young members kept the volunteers entertained throughout their work.

Service projects on both coasts proved that distance doesn't equal disengagement for DePauw alumni.

Abigail A. Parsons '04, regional alumni leader in Los Angeles, traveled with a group of alumni to the Ballona Wetlands in Marina Del Rey, where they removed invasive plant species inhibiting the growth of vegetation native to the area.

"DePauw encouraged students to appreciate one's environment," Parsons says. "Our project allowed alumni to appreciate a portion of Los Angeles that is very distinctly not taken over by the city."

On the other side of the country, Dr. John A. Drees '65 organized a group of Philadelphia alumni for 30 hours of service at the St. Elizabeth's Community Center run by Project H.O.M.E., an organization dedicated to ending homelessness in the city.

"I have received responses from several area alumni describing their volunteer activity, and clearly it is important to a lot of people," Drees says. "Hopefully, DePauw has had some effect in instilling the desire to be involved with service to the larger community."

The National Month of Service was established by DePauw's Alumni Board of Directors in June 2007. May was chosen because it allows alumni-organized service projects to coincide with another May tradition — the Putnam County Relay for Life, hosted annually on DePauw's campus.

"In addition to making valuable service contributions collectively in May," Tubekis explains, "another purpose of this effort is to make a statement about the importance of affecting change in our world — something DePauw has always valued. The students at DePauw are hugely involved in service, so our month of service as alumni supports their work as well."

Please visit the National Month of Service Web site for information about the event and how to start planning your own affiliated service project.

Bridget C. Parker '11

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

While many DePauw students were celebrating the completion of another school year and settling in for relaxing summers at home, Bridget C. Parker '11 was practicing for the percussion performance of her dreams. An instrumental music education major in DePauw's School of Music, Parker was selected for the National Collegiate Wind Ensemble in late October and spent months preparing for the May 24 concert.

The words "Carnegie Hall," printed in bold on a flier posted in the DePauw School of Music sparked Parker's interest in the Ensemble early during the fall semester.

"It's been my dream to play there ever since I was a little girl," Parker shares. "I immediately talked to Dr. Paré [Professor of Music Craig T. Paré] and asked him all about the program and filled out an application right away."

After submitting her application, which consisted of essays, letters of recommendation and an audition tape, Parker waited two weeks before receiving notification of her acceptance in late October.

"I received my acceptance letter in the mail when I was home for a break and literally was jumping and screaming all around the house," she recalls. She noted that fellow DePauw percussion student Peter J. Meyer '12 also was accepted into the program.

Although the concert wasn't until May, Parker was constantly corresponding with administrators for the Ensemble, making room arrangements for the trip and organizing parts for concert pieces.

"I had been preparing music for the performance since February," she says, "Our final parts were assigned to us when we arrived in New York, and we had three full days of rehearsal before the performance."

Performing with the National Collegiate Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall was a well-deserved honor for Parker, who has been playing percussion instruments, ranging from the marimba and snare drum to the timpani and crash cymbals, since the fifth grade - a total of 10 years.

"[Carnegie Hall] just captivates you. It was such a rush looking out into the five-tiered audience and seeing every single person on their feet in applause. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I will never forget it," Parker shares. "This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

As a student in the DePauw School of Music, Parker is under the instruction of Professor of Music Amy Lynn Barber, and she participates in a percussion studio, percussion ensemble and the University Band, under the direction of Paré. Outside of the School of Music, she is the vice president of programming for Delta Gamma sorority. In order to balance her courses, extracurricular activities and practice, Parker admits that she has been forced to make sacrifices.

"Being a music major is a very time consuming responsibility," Parker shares, "You have to practice, meet for ensembles, go to classes and do other course work. It's certainly not a walk in the park. There are times when my friends want to make a trip to Indianapolis, and I have to say no so I can get my work finished. I don't mind it, because music is something that I really love."

Although her work with the DePauw Music School is on hold for summer break and the Ensemble performance has passed, Parker continues to be involved with music. This summer, she is playing in the Michigan City (Ind.) Municipal Band, assisting with her hometown Munster (Ind.) High School marching band's drum line, substitute teaching in a local school district, and taking a chemistry class at Purdue University Calumet. She is also preparing for a performance in the pit orchestra for a professional production of High School Musical 2 at the Star Plaza Theater in Merrillville, Ind. The production will be the premiere of High School Musical 2 in the state.

When she graduates from DePauw in two years, Parker hopes to pursue a career in music education at the middle school level. Until then, she plans to continue playing percussion at DePauw and beyond.

Capturing the Impossible

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

Photographs by Cynthia O'Dell, University Professor and associate professor of art, will be shown at the Indiana State Museum's Making it in the Midwest exhibition, beginning June 20 in Indianapolis.

"The heartland of America has consistently produced some of the nation's best art," reads the Museum's Web site. "Making it in the Midwest is the first major exhibition to explore the challenges facing working artists in the Midwest, and brings together an important array of historical works, many of which are in private collections and have not been seen publicly for decades. ... Contemporary work by 20 Hoosier artists who have succeeded in establishing artistic careers and raising their visibility shows that talent and creativity are thriving in the 21st century."

Making it in the Midwest will feature three photographs from O'Dell's Migrations series, created by superimposing images of her Irish-American family over the landscapes of their ancestral home.

"I am trying to recreate my own family album in an impossible scenario, and as a result I am creating a new story," O'Dell says. "Growing up, I was told that I was Irish. In Migrations, I was interested in posing the question, ‘How do I make sense of that identity?' By symbolically taking my ancestors back to their native country, I attempted to complete the circle of their migration pattern – to convey loss while also exploring the redemptive and beautiful qualities of the Irish landscape in the midst of pain."

O'Dell's interest in photography began early. "There's a great quote from Dorothea Lange that she was taking photographs before she ever had a camera," she says. "Ever since I was little, I always felt that I was taking photographs in my head." She won her first camera in eighth grade in a contest run by the local newspaper in Muscatine, Iowa, where her father worked as the paper's circulations manager.

"I saw a camera in the prize catalog and said, ‘I want that.' The contest was to sell the most newspaper subscriptions, so I did," O'Dell recalls. "The camera still works. I didn't replace it until graduate school."

After earning her M.F.A. in 1998, O'Dell looked for a "sustainable environment" – a place where she could teach and continue her art without the worries of the art market or shifting gallery culture. DePauw, she says, has given her that freedom. She now hears from students whose parents have similar concerns about the challenges of a career in art. While O'Dell agrees that an artist's life can be difficult, she argues that new fields such as animation and digital design have added even more job opportunities to a culture that is saturated in art.

"It's easy to assume that art is extra – that we don't need it – and that's something I take issue with. We do need it. Many people don't realize how pervasive visual culture is. Every document you look at, every object and every ad has been designed by an artist. There's value in knowing how to create those things, as well as there is in knowing how to be critical of them. The same way we train students to think or write, we need to train them how to see."

DePauw Pair at Bonn Climate Talks

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST

Two DePauw students are among the 3,000 government delegates, scientists and environmental organization representatives who have gathered in Bonn, Germany, this week. The United Nations Climate Change Talks in Bonn (June 1-12) is the second of six major negotiation sessions leading up to a final meeting in Copenhagen in December of this year. The agreement that emerges from Copenhagen will ultimately replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires at the end of 2012.

Anthony M. Baratta ‘11 and Taylor M. Cantril '11, both members of the DePauw Environmental Policy Project (DEPP), began planning their trip in May at the suggestion of Kelsey Kauffman, a part-time assistant professor of University studies.
"Going to Bonn for the preliminary climate negotiations is an amazing opportunity for Anthony and Taylor," Kauffman says, "I can't think of any students who deserve this opportunity more or would make more of it than they will."

Baratta and Cantril (left) are searching for answers to three questions that prompted their trip: how does the process of negotiating international climate treaties work, is it possible for non-diplomats such as them to affect the negotiations, and can the major political bodies of the world agree on an international strategy for mitigating and adapting to climate change? To report back on the answers they find at the Bonn talks, Baratta and Cantril are blogging their daily activities.

"I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can about international climate policy discussions," Cantril says. "I've been involved at the campus and state levels, but this will be a whole new process with new procedures, players, interests and languages. Since neither the responsibility for climate disruption nor its consequences are evenly distributed across the countries of the world, I'm especially interested in which voices are heard and which are dismissed in the international negotiations."

Although the United States is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, the gesture was largely symbolic as the treaty was never ratified. President Obama has stated that ratifying the Protocol as its expiration nears would mean very little and has instead focused on involvement in the talks leading up to Copenhagen. In Bonn, Baratta and Cantril are witnesses to a process that may result in the first international climate change treaty to include the full participation of their own country.

The two also hope to travel to Copenhagen in December to see the completion of the negotiations.

"Copenhagen is where all of the work from several years of conferences will come to a head," Baratta says. "The Bonn conference even has a Countdown to Copenhagen clock. These preparatory conferences are like an NFL preseason game, whereas Copenhagen is like the Super Bowl."

When they return to DePauw, Baratta and Cantril will continue their leadership on environmental issues. Their efforts contributed to DePauw President Brian W. Casey's signing of the Presidents Climate Commitment in 2008, but Cantril says there is more work to be done. "We have a long-term schedule of goals that range from developing a greenhouse gas inventory to making a plan to reduce our emissions, and finally to achieving climate neutrality."

For their updates from Bonn, visit thecopenhagenquestions.wordpress.com.

Bright Futures in Chemistry

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

Weeks after most students have left campus, a number of DePauw laboratories remain open for science. Richard C. Martoglio, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and two chemistry students are among the researchers whose work continues into the summer.

Using a process called surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), Martoglio and Virginia J. Bruce '12 of Hopkinsville, Ky., are investigating the reactions of molecules that have been absorbed into the surface of a metal. They begin by using a colloidal solution of a metal – for example, tiny particles of silver suspended in water – to coat the inside of a glass vial. After adding a reagent to the coated tube, a laser spectrometer can be used to report any reactions that take place between the metal and the reagent solution.

"By using SERS, we can create the surface we want inside the vial itself, which can then be tested in a laser spectrometer," Martoglio says. The spectrometer (shown right) gives Martoglio and Bruce real-time information about the reactions happening at the metal's surface, versus other testing methods that produce only before-and-after results.

With Brian J. Groendyke '12, a native of Mishawaka, Ind., Martoglio is looking at ionic liquids – salts that melt at room temperature or below – and how they either corrode or inhibit the corrosion of metal. Often referred to as green solvents, ionic liquids are thought to be safer alternatives to volatile solvents such as acetone, and they have other inherent properties that suggest a broad range of applications in science, industry and medicine. However, while their potential is frequently discussed, little research has been done to investigate other side-effects of their use.

"This is new for me," Martoglio says. "It's the first work I've done with ionic liquids and I'm learning something every time we do a test."

When Martoglio was planning how to include students in his research, he had to find ways to investigate something entirely new to him while also providing an exciting experience for two young scientists.

"The science behind summer research projects should be accessible, and I think this really is," Martoglio says. "One of the good things about using instrumentation like the spectrometer is that the training is fast, so you have a lot more time to discuss the outcomes and what's happening chemically. Because of that, no matter how complex the science seems, the students really can do it."

"A lot of times, over the course of looking at the data we collected, a students will have an ‘ah ha' moment about something I may have overlooked," he adds.

Ultimately, Martoglio's goal is to publish their research. When that time comes, Bruce, Groendyke and other students who continue their work will share the credit with him.

The research puts the two students – both only a year removed from high school – on unfamiliar ground, but Bruce and Groendyke (left) are enjoying the opportunity to explore a potential career with the one-on-one support of a professor.

"Sometimes you wish you had the result so you'd know you're going in the right direction, but I like being able to make up the experiment as you go," Groendyke explains. "You can say, let's just see what effect this has on the system."

"I used to love math because there was always a correct answer, but I'm enjoying the research because it's so much more free," Bruce adds. "You try things - and most of the time you're wrong - but you're learning how to get where you want to be. ... I took chemistry as a sophomore in high school. It was a pretty laid-back class, so I didn't have much experience when I came here. All my professors have helped me by answering my questions, and I feel much more confident now. It was a little extra work on my part, but it paid off."

Martoglio argues that the research experience will benefit students like Bruce and Groendyke outside of the classroom, as well.

"Regardless of what these students are going to do after they leave DePauw, this research is important because each day they're dealing with the unknown," he says. "Applying what you know to solve a problem is important to any career you choose. You have to try to make sense of what it is you're seeing, and whether or not you should believe what you're seeing and whether it's reproducible."

Graham D. Williams '10

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 EST

Graham D. Williams '10 will be among the first people that incoming freshmen will meet this fall. Beginning his second year in the campus mentoring program, Williams enjoys providing new students with the same guidance that he received when he first came to DePauw.

"I had a really good first-year mentor when I came to DePauw, and I ended up getting close to those in my group," Williams says. "When I joined the mentoring program, I wanted to facilitate other students who are trying to get used to the college atmosphere here. As a new student, having a group that you can get close with and make friends with is really helpful."

Williams remembers his biggest hurdle as a new college student.

"For me, it was the classes," he says. "There was a big-time management difference, and it was easy to feel overwhelmed. Now it's just, well, I've got work to do, so I'm going to go do it."

Williams may have been overwhelmed early on, but he quickly expanded his involvement with a variety of academic programs. He started at DePauw as a member of the Information Technology Associates Program (ITAP). Williams, a biochemistry major, saw ITAP as an opportunity to integrate computers with the science he would be studying.

As a sophomore, Williams again increased his workload, this time by laterally entering into the Science Research Fellows (SRF) program.

"My heart was set on becoming a doctor, but then I realized that doing research would be just as rewarding," Williams says. "In my first year in SRF, I did research with [Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry] Dan Gurnon on HTLV-1, a retrovirus that causes leukemia and lymphoma."

Williams also is co-president elect of the DePauw Global Health Initiative, a student group that promotes the study of public health issues. The group has brought numerous authorities on public health to campus, including James T. Morris, former president of the United Nations Global Food Programme, and Dr. Kenrad E. Nelson, a 1954 DePauw graduate and professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Williams pursued his current ITAP internship as webmaster for the DePauw Sustainability Initiative because he felt that the issues of sustainability and public health are directly related.

"In order to leave a better, healthier world for our children, we need to make it possible to have as little of a harmful impact on the world as we can," Williams explains.

This summer, Williams is continuing his interest in research at Harvard's Mucosal Immunology Laboratory, run by 1959 DePauw graduate W. Allan Walker, where he will study cholera toxin and its effects on the intestinal tracts of infants.

Entering his senior year, Williams is thankful for his decision to attend DePauw. The opportunities open to students with different interests, he says, are something that keeps the small campus diverse.

"I've met a lot of people who I wouldn't have been around otherwise, and they've been awesome. ... There are more than 100 clubs on campus. There are definitely ways for people to get involved, no matter what their interests."