MY UW-PARKSIDE STORY: A CATALYST FOR DEEPER LEARNING
By Thomas Stirrat
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This past summer, I had the privilege to complete the Pain and Neurodegenerative NIH NINDS program at Duquesne University where I collaborated with Dr. Cascio and Dr. Corcovillos on a joint biochemistry and physics project. Our project explored a novel microfluidics laser-induced fluorescent detection platform. In addition to gaining experience purifying proteins and using cross-linking mass spectrometry, I was able to form genuine friendships and explore the wonderful city of Pittsburgh. Research Experiences for Undergraduates are competitive programs funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health that allow participants to grow and progress as future
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scientists. However, without the guidance I have received at UW-Parkside, I would never have known about such an opportunity or even felt capable of pursuing it.
When I first began my career at UW-Parkside, I was impressed by the small class sizes and remarkably collaborative atmosphere. This allowed me to forge meaningful relationships with my professors and classmates who encouraged me to follow my interests. I was able to apply the foundational knowledge garnered from my classes to the bench-top at the Medical College of Wisconsin through their internship program, and in the labs of both Dr. Gregg and Dr. Richards.
These experiences not only reinforced my love for the sciences but have motivated me to find ways of sharing my passion with other UW-Parkside students. With the help of my peers, I was able to found the Parkside Journal of Science. This organization is committed to fostering a community interested in bringing attention to the research endeavors of our students and faculty. It has been a lot of fun to work with the College of Natural Health Sciences and Marketing Department to start something that may continue to inspire others to get involved and express themselves creatively.
I am hoping to use my final year here to revive the former AssiSTEM organization and work on several other projects where I may be able to continue helping other students with MCAT preparation and pre-medical mentorship. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at this school, and I would not be where I am today without UW-Parkside. I am excited to see what the future holds as I apply to medical school, and no matter where I end up I will always be proud to call myself a Ranger.
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SUMMER FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS |
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Congratulations to our CNHS “Opportunities in Summer 2021” faculty and student research fellowship recipients. |
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STUDENT RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS AND MENTORS
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FACULTY RESEARCH FELLOWS
Dr. Bom Soo Kim
Dr. Erin Hillard
Dr. Hom Kandel
Dr. Qinghua Luo
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CNHS Student, Brandon Behringer, won the 2021 Innovator of the Year award from WiSys!
Three recent graduates from the UW-Parkside Sport Management program became NBA champions. Alysha Miller '14, Cameron Olson '13 and Maxwell Swift '18 all work in the front office and facility operations for the 2021 NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks. Go Bucks!
Dr. Melissa Gregg, Associate Professor in Psychology, worked with two UW-Parkside students conducting research over the summer. Chandu Goli and Marcedes Campbell did a great job as paid research assistants for one of Dr. Gregg’s studies funded by the Future Workforce in Smart Manufacturing Grant
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Dr. Bom Soo Kim, Assistant Professor in Physics, has been working with two undergraduate students under a Spark Grant on their project “Improving the accuracy of the chiral magnetic skyrmion motion in the racetrack memory devices”. Peter Kveton, pre-engineering and Liam Aikens, Physics and Math, have worked closely with Dr. Kim over the summer on this research
In collaboration with Metrohm and Agilent Technologies, Chemistry Associate Professor, Dr. Lori Allen’s students (Matthew Natschke, Chris LeValley, and Hannah Tangen) have a WhitePaper on the quantitation of chromium (VI) in drinking water by IC-ICPMS. They achieved a method limit of 0.02 parts per billion!
UW-Parkside Master's of Biological Sciences student, Leah Poulos, won the Tim Higgins Innovation Award!
Betty Rockendorf, HIMT Program Director, will serve as a Member of AHIMA’s Council for Excellence in Education for a three-year term beginning on January 1, 2022.
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Dr. Jessica Orlofske (Associate Professor, Biological Sciences) along with six colleagues from four other UW-System campuses, including UW-Milwaukee, UW-Madison, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-La Crosse received funds ($82,397) to collaborate on the development of interdisciplinary “Introduction to Freshwater” course that will eventually be offered at every UW-System campus as part of the core curriculum of the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. By using a series of applied case studies, students will learn the complex interactions between the ecological, societal, economic, and physical aspects of water through readings, lectures, active learning exercises, and most importantly collaborative field trips and other hands-on learning experiences. Students that complete this course will have a deep appreciation of the importance of freshwater and a thirst for more knowledge. This course represents an important step by the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin as it seeks to make Wisconsin a freshwater hub. |
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NEW FACULTY MEMBERS | 2021 |
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Justin Jordan
Assistant Professor of Counseling
Dr. Justin Jordan is a licensed professional counselor and certified substance abuse counselor from Virginia, who completed his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Virginia Tech in May 2021.
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Prior to completing his doctorate, Dr. Jordan worked in community mental health, providing counseling services to adults and adolescents with mental health and substance use struggles. The area in which he worked was hit hard by the Opioid Epidemic, leading him to focus his research on counselor responses to the epidemic, especially their perceptions of harm reduction programs.
Dr. Jordan is joined in Wisconsin by his wife and two sons, aged 2 and 5. In his free time, he enjoys live music, sports, and being outdoors in nature. Dr. Jordan has enjoyed local beaches and the opportunity to explore since relocating to Wisconsin.
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Jordan Snyder
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Dr. Jordan Snyder received his PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College (IL). He completed his predoctoral internship at the Alaska VA Healthcare System in Anchorage, AK and a post-doctoral Fellowship in Psychosocial & Recovery-Oriented Services at the San Diego VA Healthcare System/University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he specialized in working with individuals with psychosis.
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During his graduate training, he provided clinical services including therapy and assessment in a variety of settings including hospital medical units, the emergency department, college counseling center, juvenile detention facility, and community mental health clinic. His research focuses on conflict-affected populations, including how conflict affects their mental health, how conflict affects social processes, the interaction of mental health and these social processes (e.g., reconciliation), and how mental health providers can be trained to work with asylum-seekers and refugees.
Through his clinical work, teaching, research and applied work, he seeks to empower individuals, communities, organizations to answer the questions that are important to them so that they can effectively change their communities. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, coding, running, and exploring new places with his wife.
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Ilirian Dhimitruka
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Dr. Ilirian Dhimitruka completed his undergraduate studies in Industrial Chemistry at the University of Tirana in Albania. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He completed his postdoctoral training at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
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Subsequently he worked as Senior Research Scientist and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute at the Ohio State University School of Medicine.
Dr. Dhimitruka has co-authored 21 research articles in high impact peer reviewed journals. His research is focused on the development of organic molecular sensors and related spectroscopy protocols for the analysis of oxygen concentration, reactive oxygen species, and acidity in biological systems. Knowledge of free radical chemistry in biological systems serves to improve our understanding of cellular degradation and incidence of various pathologies.
Dr. Dhimitruka most recently worked as Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, where he taught organic chemistry, general chemistry, and biochemistry.
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Kyle Brannigan
Assistant Professor in HKSM
Dr. Kyle Brannigan is currently an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. He has a bachelors in sport business from Saint Leo University and a masters in sport education and business from the University of Miami and a Ph.D. in sport administration from the University of Northern Colorado. His dissertation focused on outsourcing tickets sales in collegiate athletics. Through his research Kyle hopes to discover the impact the phenomenon of outsourcing has on ticket sales departments in collegiate athletics.
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Before becoming a professor in sport management, He worked in the field for various organizations such as the NFL, NCAA and many others such as the Aspire Group. During his time with the Aspire Group Kyle helped generate ticket revenue and garnish donations for Army West Point Athletics. Kyle still consults with multiple sport organizations to stay involved and continue to grow his network. Kyle is now dedicated to educating and helping break people into the sport business industry while continuing to create new and useful knowledge for sport management programs and sport organizations around the world.
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NEW FACULTY MEMBERS | 2020 |
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Robtrice Brawner
Assistant Professor in Psychology
I obtained my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hampton University and later my master’s degree in counseling psychology from Temple University. I spent six years as a mental health counselor before beginning a career in academia at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). For eight years I worked at NOVA beginning as a college counselor progressing to various leadership roles in student affairs. I coordinated tutorial services and new student orientation, and I developed and coordinated the Academic Center for Excellence which included First Year Experience programming, early alert programming, and disability services.
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Lastly, I served as an interim Dean of Students and Judicial Affairs officer before leaving to complete my doctoral studies at Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Virginia Tech).
I obtained my Ph.D. in counselor education from Virginia Tech and completed my first graduate teaching experience at the University. Upon graduation I began teaching as an adjunct at Johns Hopkins University and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP), DC campus. Ultimately, I accepted a full-time faculty position at TCSPP which included additional roles such as Associate Department Chair and Department Chair over a span of five-years. I am a licensed counselor for the state of Maryland and have been for over 15 years. I am excited to continue my career in academia as a full-time faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and to further my research interests in multicultural counseling, social justice, and the training of counselors.
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Bom Soo Kim
Assistant Professor in Mathematics and Physics
Bom Soo Kim is a faculty member at UW-Parkside with research interests in a number of interdisciplinary fields anchored to theoretical physics using quantum field theory and string theory.
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While formally trained in high energy particle physics, his research interests have been extended to magnetic skyrmions & Hall transport that has applications in condensed matter physics & material science, hydrodynamics with broken boost that is applied toward quantum critical point, and entanglement entropy with background fields that can be applied toward quantum information science.
Bom Soo Kim received his Ph.D. in physics from UC Berkeley and his B.S. in astronomy from Yonsei University. He trained as a postdoctoral researcher in a joint appointment with IESL-FORTH and the University of Crete and then at Tel Aviv University. He previously worked as a teaching postdoc at the University of Kentucky and as a full time Lecturer at Loyola University Maryland. He is excited to share his experiences working at academic institutions with different cultures and to further collaborate in his research and teaching with students and faculty members at UW-Parkside.
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Amelia Ray
Lecturer in Chemistry
Amelia Ray was born and raised in Colorado. She attended Scripps College for her undergraduate work, majoring in Biology and Chemistry.
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She completed her PhD in Physical Chemistry at the University of California San Diego looking at reaction dynamics of small molecules, but where she really fell love with teaching. After graduation she taught as an adjunct faculty and lecturer at Palomar Community College and UCSD.
For the last two years she carried out post doctoral research at the University of the Pacific on the thermochemistry of small molecules, involving trips to the Swiss Light Source several times a year. Outside of work she is an avid reader, hiker and crafter. She is delighted to join everyone here at Parkside and to get back to teaching Chemistry.
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GRNQ 220 | Interactive Learning Classroom |
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GRNQ 370 | Biotechnology Lab |
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100% of your donation will support student scholarships. |
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