Everything Nac

Scientists and science students from universities across the nation will soon be wearing T-shirts designed by Lumberjacks.

Stephen F. Austin State University students won the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s national T-shirt design contest. T-shirts with the design will be sold at the society’s 2018 annual Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego in April.

“It is a great honor for our chapter to be receiving this award, especially after all of the hard work that was put into the design,” said Logan Sheffield, SFA ASBMB chapter president and senior biology major from Angleton, Texas. “It was exciting to see that we were able to compete with the other universities, some of which are much larger than SFA.”

Volunteering in various on-campus events, chapter members are active participants in STEM Academy, Girl Scout STEM Day and High School STEM Day. Off campus, members volunteer at Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital, participate in the annual Undergraduate Research Conference hosted by the School of Honors and present research at events such as the ASBMB conference.

“The ASBMB SFA student chapter focuses on expanding the knowledge of biochemistry and molecular biology to undergraduate and graduate students,” said Carmel Tovar, chapter secretary and senior biochemistry major from San Antonio.

The chapter also seeks to inspire prospective students by participating in university-supported programs for high school students, Tovar said.

“By mentoring future generations, the idea of pursuing higher education, especially in the STEM field, becomes more of a reality than a dream,” Tovar said.

Not just an organization for STEM majors, the chapter is open to anyone wanting to get involved, Sheffield said.

“I believe our ASBMB chapter is a great organization to join for any student who is interested in biomedical sciences, as well as those that just wish to build their résumé by getting involved on campus,” Sheffield said.

For more information about the chapter, contact Dr. Tayo Odunuga, faculty adviser and associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at odunugaoo@sfasu.edu.

By Joanna Armstrong, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University

A chorus of firefighters confront Cumming, Georgia, junior Shane Reynolds as Gottlieb Biedermann in the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre’s presentation of Max Frisch’s “(Biedermann and) The Firebugs.” Curtain goes up at 7:30 nightly through Saturday, March 3, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus. Chorus members include Nychollete Easter, Houston freshman; Kaitlyn Kirby, Plano senior; Bayley Owen, Royce City sophomore; James Burns, Troup senior; and Caitlin Bice, Flint senior. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu. Single tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $7.50 for students/youth.

Stephen F. Austin State University is one of the safest colleges in America, according to a recent report from the National Council for Home Safety and Security.

The council, a trade association comprising home security professionals across the U.S., based its report on data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting and the Campus Safety Security Survey.

According to the council, nearly all accredited U.S. institutions were considered, and a list of the 100 safest campuses in the nation was compiled. Only nine Texas schools are on the list: Texas A&M University-Commerce (No. 33), Texas Woman’s University (No. 40), the University of Texas at El Paso (No. 41), the University of North Texas (No. 48), Texas A&M University (No. 49), SFA (No. 55), Tarleton (No. 57), Texas State University (No. 80) and the University of Texas at Arlington (No. 84).

Through the use of innovative technology efforts, prevention trainings and more, SFA’s Department of Public Safety provides police, parking, safety technology and emergency management services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“It takes community teamwork to create a safe living and learning environment,” said Marc Cossich, executive director of public safety and chief of police at SFA. “Parents can feel comfortable sending their family members to SFA, and community members can feel safe attending the range of events on campus.”

DPS employs 28 police officers who work closely with local, state and federal agencies to provide a safe environment. Officers provide 24-hour patrol protection on campus, including all parking lots, residence halls, and administration and academic buildings. University police officers are vested with all powers, privileges and immunities of peace officers within the county.

“To truly make a campus safe, it takes the entire community,” Cossich said.

Approximately 300 yellow emergency call boxes are located throughout campus to provide people with a direct line to the DPS communications center. The boxes can be utilized to request police assistance and escorts or report vehicle trouble. At SFA, more than 900 surveillance cameras are in operation, and there are about 80 automated external defibrillators positioned on campus.

The SFA community also has access to personal alert systems: JackAlert and Lumberjack Guardian. JackAlert notifies of possible threats and dangers on campus, such as inclement weather or serious crimes. This notification system sends alerts through text message, voice call, email, Facebook, Twitter and on TVs connected to the campus cable provider. To register, SFA students and employees can log in to mySFA and select “Register to get Campus Alerts.”

Likewise, the Lumberjack Guardian mobile app enhances campus safety through real-time interactive features to create a virtual safety network of friends, family and DPS officers. Features include a panic button, tip texting to report crimes anonymously, personal guardians and safety timer, and a safety profile.

Services are in place to help people travel across campus safely. In 2012, the Parking and Traffic Division of the university’s DPS began offering an evening shuttle. This shuttle operates from 5:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday weekly during the fall and spring semesters and on special occasions, following a 15-minute route through campus. The shuttles are ADA-compliant and wheelchair accessible. To see the shuttle schedule, visit nextbus.com. People also can request a police escort from campus buildings to shuttle stops.

Prevention trainings are key in keeping the SFA community safe and prepared. Trainings are varied and include courses on alcohol, drug and sexual assault awareness; office, residence hall and personal safety; travel risks; and more.

For more information on the DPS, visit sfasu.edu/dps.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

More than four hundred high school students attended Stephen F. Austin State University’s seventh annual STEM Day Friday, exploring different areas of STEM through interactive faculty-led sessions, two STEM student panels and a physics magic show.

Students chose between twenty-three different sessions covering a wide variety of subjects, including chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, forestry and health science.

“This event not only exposes students to hands-on activities that spark an interest and an awareness in STEM education, but this year we’re also looking at recruitment,” said Dr. Jana Redfield, assistant director of the STEM Research and Learning and Center. “We want these students at SFA, and we know that if they can see themselves here in classrooms and labs, working with faculty and interacting with STEM majors, they may be more likely to consider SFA for their future.”

By Joanna Armstrong, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University

Several graduate students and faculty members from Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Geology recently attended the North American Prospect Exhibition Summit in Houston. The annual event provides oil and gas professionals the opportunity to network and market industry advances.

“As the world’s largest oil and gas prospect expo, the annual NAPE Summit is a unique opportunity for faculty to network with industry professionals and reconnect with many geology alumni, which helps faculty evaluate the current and evolving needs for preparing students for future careers in the energy industry,” said Dr. Wesley Brown, professor and chair of the Department of Geology.

By Joanna Armstrong, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University

The College of Fine Arts and School of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a guest recital featuring Craig Morris, trumpet, and Rebecca Wilt, piano, at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 3, in Cole Concert Hall.

The performance is part of the School of Music’s Calliope Concert Series.

“We are extremely excited and fortunate to host Craig Morris and Rebecca Wilt here at SFA,” said Jacob Walburn, assistant professor of trumpet in the School of Music. “Their recital will offer a diverse and eclectic program of music for trumpet and piano that is sure to dazzle and delight the audience.”

Morris is associate professor of trumpet at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. Wilt is a collaborative pianist and has been the featured pianist at every major instrumental conference or competition in the nation.

Their program will include “Suite Bergamasque” by Claude Debussy; “Monkeyshines” by Roshanne Etezady; “Quatro Pezzi” by Giacinto Scelsi; and “Sonata for Trumpet and Piano” by George Antheil.

One of Debussy’s most famous piano solos, “Suite” includes four movements, the most recognizable being the third movement, known simply as “Clair de Lune.” This arrangement by Morris allows both the trumpet and piano to act as soloist and accompanist.

“Monkeyshines” is a contemporary tour-de-force for trumpet and piano that features five short movements, each building towards an “exciting and energetic conclusion,” according to the program notes.

Scelsi’s “Quatro Pezzi” is his most famous work and one of the few performed to significant recognition during his lifetime. This version, for solo trumpet, features extended techniques like pitch bending, gliassandi and flutter tonguing.

Antheil’s “Sonata” was written in 1951 and has become one of his most popular instrumental sonatas. It is considered a standard part of the trumpet repertoire.

Morris has been principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony and associate principal trumpet of the San Francisco Symphony. He has been featured soloist with ensembles and festivals around the world, including concerto appearances with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Beijing Modern Music Festival, the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, the Frost School of Music Wind Ensemble and the Miami Bach Society.

Wilt has worked with many of the world’s prominent wind instrument performers, as well as some of the country’s foremost vocalists. She has performed in many of the world’s greatest venues in North America, Europe and Asia.

The guest artists will teach a master class, which is free and open to the public, from 1 to 3 p.m. that day in Cole Concert Hall, located in Wright Music Building.

Concert tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.