Everything Nac

Standing a safe distance from the flame, Stephen F. Austin State University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry graduate student Amanda Raley took her turn extinguishing a fire as fellow graduate students Amey Gonzalez, Antonio Trevino, Darean Bague and Celeste Keith look on.

The students participated in fire extinguisher training in August on the steps of the Chemistry Building on the university’s campus. The training’s purpose was to help educate chemistry graduate students in hazard communication, safety data sheets and fire safety and was conducted with the aid of the SFA Department of Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management.

The demonstration was the first in a series of hands-on safety activities to be offered and was organized by Jennifer Edwards, chemistry and biochemistry inventory control supervisor. Future safety opportunities include training in chemical spills, laboratory inspection and chemical storage, among others.

Dr. Stephen Mullin, chair of the Stephen F. Austin State University Department of Biology, had a chapter published in an Oxford University Press book that provides techniques for biologists who conduct conservation-oriented research.

“My chapter is titled Experimental Applications and deals with ways by which biologists can work with reptile species, in either field or laboratory settings, to examine behavioral, physiological or ecological responses to manipulative experiments,” Mullin explained. “As both scientists and the general public know, Earth is not static — think climate change, for example. So, it is important to understand how different species can respond to changes in the various parameters with which they interact in their habitats. My chapter describes the current state of our knowledge about those experimental applications that are specific to conservation objectives and that involve species of reptiles.”

The book, “Reptile Ecology and Conservation: A Handbook of Techniques,” is the 13th in a series published by Oxford titled “Techniques in Ecology and Conservation.” Proceeds from the sale of the series are used to ship free copies of books to scientists based at institutions or agencies in developing nations.

“This is a fairly narrow area of biology, but one that I’ve been working in for more than 25 years,” Mullin said. “The book is meant as a resource for researchers who want summaries of current techniques and their applications to conservation objectives.”

An inaugural scholarship funded through the East Texas Geologic Society in partnership with the Stephen F. Austin State University Department of Geology will be awarded to an SFA student.

The scholarship is specifically designed to assist students working toward a Master of Science in geology.

”It is an absolute honor to have been selected to receive this award,” said Jensen Angelloz of Hallettsville, ETGS Scholarship’s first recipient. “Many of the candidates are close friends who have excelled academically and are just as deserving to receive this honor. I hope to exceed the expectations of the scholarship committee with my future successes and eventually be in a position to give back to the ETGS and the Department of Geology at SFA.”

Angelloz was chosen for the scholarship because of his role as president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists’ chapter at SFA, his role as captain of the Imperial Barrel Award team and the initiative he has undertaken to “improve himself and his fellow classmates,” said Dr. Wesley Brown, chair of the Department of Geology.

The scholarship will award $6,000 per year. Previous recipients must reapply to be eligible in following years.

“I want to use a portion of the scholarship to fund analysis for my thesis,” Angelloz said. “Weatherford Labs, a national rock and fluid analysis lab, has a wonderful imaging technology that can enhance the analysis of my samples. The technology is normally used by leaders in the petroleum industry to examine reservoir quality from well cores, making it relatively expensive to use as a student.”