chemistry

Science Students Shine at Sigma Xi Conference

November 11, 2016

University of Portland science students swept the undergraduate awards in the “Earth & Environmental Sciences” category at the Thirteenth Annual Sigma Xi Student Research Symposium, held on Friday, November 4 at Portland State University, according to faculty advisor Ted Eckmann, environmental studies.

Summer Grandy won 1st place for her coauthored paper, “Developing New Soils to Improve Green Roof Performance in the US Pacific Northwest.” Logan Simpson won second place for her coauthored piece, “Combining Spatial Interpolation with Wind Data to Analyze Industrial Odor Patterns in Portland.” The are the first students from UP’s environmental studies department to win awards at Sigma Xi, and the first from that department to present there.

Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, is the international honor society of science and engineering. See more at this link.

Sr. Angela Hoffman, O.S.B., Outstanding Higher Education Teacher in Science and Mathematics

February 24, 2014

Sr. Angela Hoffman, O.S.B., chemistry, has been named the Oregon Academy of Science 2014 Outstanding Higher Education Teacher in Science and Mathematics. Hoffman has helped undergraduate students with more than 150 projects involving the ingredient Paclitaxel and the anti-cancer drug Taxol (marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb). University of Portland environmental science professor Bob Butler was the recipient of the same award in 2013.

Paclitaxel is found originally in the rare and rapidly vanishing Yew tree, native to the Pacific Northwest. Taxol is used to treat ovarian cancer, breast cancer, the AIDS-related cancer Kaposi’s sarcoma, and other conditions. Hoffman currently has four patents from 1997, 2003, 2006, and 2010, all pertaining to recovering taxanes (including Taxol) from soil around yew trees and other plants that are grown to produce Taxol.

This past November, several dozen yew trees were planted on the University’s River Campus. Known as “Sr. Angela’s Yew Garden,” the garden is home to more than 10 different varieties of the yew tree, which Hoffman and her students will use for their research.

Hoffman was recognized in 2012 as an American Chemical Society (ACS) Fellow for her “outstanding achievements in and contributions to Science, the Profession, and the Society.” In 2007, Hoffman was chosen as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow in 2007.

The Oregon Academy of Science promotes scientific research and education in Oregon representing all areas of the natural sciences and social sciences. To see a video interview with Sr. Angela go to http://youtu.be/KbVC2xYcfVU. For more information, contact Steve Kolmes, environmental studies, at 7291 or kolmes@up.edu.

Faculty Update

January 8, 2013

Bonnie Parks, library, published“Books at JSTOR: An Interview with Bruce Heterick” in v. 38:4 (2012) of Serials Review: http://tinyurl.com/cbtapln.

Eugenijus Urnezius, chemistry, presented a seminar, “Binucleating ligands based on phosphineappended hydroquinones: A rewarding challenge“ at Vilnius University in Lithuania’s Neorganic Chemistry Auditorium on December 19, 2012.

Simon Aihiokhai, Theology, presented “Rethinking the Human Person Beyond the Limits of Imago Dei: Insights from the Peripheral World.” A virtual lecture given to students at The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church. Tuesday, October 28, 2024. Aihiokhai also presented: “The Theologian as a Voice of Sacramental Disruption: Embracing a Curious Imagination”; “Theology as a Sacramental Discipline of Disruption: Towards a Pedagogy for a Secular World”; “Holy Disruption: Black Bodies as Sacraments of Transformation.” Sankofa Institute Scholars Meet and Greet Event, Sankofa Institute/Oblate School of Theology. San Antonio, Texas. November 8, 2024.

Anna Myers, Education, presented “Precise Feedback Instruction During Reading Intervention for Word Recognition, Fluency, and Comprehension.” Conference Session at the International Dyslexia Association. Dallas, TX. October, 2024.

Matthew Warshawsky, International Languages and Cultures, presented “‘A Woman So Perfect Keeping the Law’: The Crypto-Jewish Faith of Justa Méndez in Colonial Mexico.” The 34th Annual Conference of the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies (presented virtually). October 27, 2024.

David Fuentes, Nursing and Health Innovations, presented “Bridging the Skills across Human and Artificial Intelligence Coaching Strategies to Boost Peer-Coaching & Self-Coaching Skills.” Co-presenter: Dave Houglum, PhD. Lightning Session of the Catholic Higher Education and AI Conference at University of Portland. The session briefly highlighted some of the innovations concerning the use of AI in leadership coaching, practice/training, and coaching ongoing developmental growth. October, 2024. Fuentes also presented: “Using Project Management Methodologies to Align General Education Assessment, Program Review, and Accreditation Simultaneously.”; “Systems-Thinking and Relationship Building to Address Accreditation and Institutional Efficiency.”; “Promoting Institutional Culture through Assessment Policy Development and Maximizing Stakeholder Engagement through Organizational Learning.” Co-presenters: S. Richards and JA Hughes. Assessment Institute in Indianapolis. October, 2024.

Dave Houglum, Director of Leadership Studies and Leadership Professor of Practice, Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, presented nine, one-hour invited leadership presentations for the European Leadership Programme in Brussels, Belgium. Houglum also provided individual leadership coaching sessions to many of the programme’s Fellows and to the staff of the Jesuit European Social Center (JESC). The European Leadership Programme draws emerging leaders from across Europe to participate in a five-month leadership development programme. October 12-16, 2024.

Andrew Eshelman, Philosophy, published “Reflection and Ideal Reasons-Responsiveness.” Special issue of Midwest Studies in Philosophy honoring the work of John Martin Fischer. October 8, 2024.

Jeffrey Gauthier, Philosophy, presented “Prostitution, Harm Reduction, and Male Entitlement” and “Comments on Virginia Moscetti, ‘Contracts and Sexual Promising: A Kantian Perspective.'” Northwest Philosophy Conference, Lewis and Clark College. November 2, 2024.

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