Anne Maglia, assistant professor of biological sciences, has likened frogs to the “canary in a coal mine” because physical abnormalities occurring in the amphibians could foreshadow similar problems for humans.
Amphibians among us
March 20, 2006 by
The glass that binds
March 20, 2006 by
Trini King
As materials for orthopedic implants, titanium-based alloys have given millions of people the opportunity to live fuller lives. But patients’ lives could be even better if the materials used to bond the implants to bone could be strengthened. Stronger bonds could mean fewer problems with the implants later in life. Trini King, BioSci’05, a naval medic for six years prior to attending UMR, has been testing materials in hopes of finding a method to improve the longevity of implants.
Turning plants into paint
March 20, 2006 by
Harvest Collier, Kylee Hyzer and Kyle Anderson
Paving the road for less U.S. dependence on foreign oil are Kylee Hyzer and Kyle Anderson, Chem’05, whose research at UMR could lead to a soybean-based replacement for the petroleum used in roadway paint.
Journey to the core of the reactor
March 20, 2006 by
David Brown
As the nation’s nuclear reactors approach middle age, they’re starting to show their age, and that means maintenance is becoming more of a chore. But monitoring the infrastructure near the core of a reactor can become quite dangerous due to the high levels of radiation there. This is where Dave Brown’s research comes in.
Outer-earth experience
March 20, 2006 by
Adam Grelck and Hank Pernicka
If NASA selects a miniature satellite designed by UMR students for a launch in 2007, Adam Grelck’s research project will really take off. That’s because Grelck is researching various options for the onboard computer of the Missouri-Rolla Satellite (MR SAT), a miniature orbiter designed by a team of students as part of NASA’s Nanosat IV competition.
Out-of-the-ordinary blueberries
March 20, 2006 by
David Wronkiewicz and Katherine Downs
UMR senior Katherine Downs has a thing for blueberries, but not the kind that grow on plants. Downs’ blueberries are of a more celestial makeup.
Called “martian blueberries,” these marble-sized rocks, found on Mars, are actually “concretions,” or formations of the iron oxide mineral hematite. They are called martian blueberries because they give the soil and rocks of the red planet a blueberry muffin-like appearance, and they could have huge implications about the existence of water – and possibly even life – on Mars.
Five degrees of Harvest Collier
March 20, 2006 by
Harvest Collier
UMR titles:
- Vice provost for undergraduate and graduate studies
- Professor of chemistry
- Director of the UMR Institute for Environmental Excellence
- Former associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
- Former chair of chemistry
Unofficial UMR title: Champion of the Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences program
Rodrick McDonald: The thrill of victory, the big plays, the love of the game
March 20, 2006 by
Rodrick McDonald
Rodrick McDonald, a senior in mechanical engineering, has loved the thrill of competition since his Deer Park High School days in Pasadena, Texas, where he competed in multiple sports. Returning to Texas for football’s Whataburger Cactus Bowl in January and the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships last spring only managed to increase his competitive fever.
John Haake: A bright future in diode lasers
March 20, 2006 by
“Entrepreneurs need to stay focused on what is important,” says entrepreneur John Haake, EE’86, MS EE’88, co-founder of Nuvonyx Inc., the United States’ only manufacturer of high-power industrial laser systems. And Haake has stayed focused on his business goals with laser-like precision.
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