Biology and Mathematics

Group Leaders:
Beverly Collins, Associate Professor of Biology, WCU
Erin McNelis, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, WCU

The mathematical ecology section will study the mathematics of ecological processes and patterns such as population growth, competition among individuals and species, and how the environment affects the shape of organisms. We will spend time in the laboratory learning about intra- and inter-specific competition, and we will visit field sites to learn how organisms respond to different environments. We will investigate a variety of mathematical approaches for modelling ecological processes, ranging from the use of difference and differential equations to incorporating matrices and statistics. In addition to laboratory and field work, students will learn how to use mathematical and ecological modeling software to discover more about ecological processes and patterns. Students will work in small groups to design and implement a research project which will be based on a combination of the literature, field or laboratory data, and mathematical modelling. Graphical display of the data, and oral and written presentation of results will be part of every project.

Archaeology

Group Leader:
Jane Brown, Visiting Instructor of Anthropology, WCU

This year's archaeology program will focus on archaeological recovery of remains. Forensic anthropology methods will be used to determine age at death, sex, height, evidence of trauma, perhaps cause of death, and manner of death. Several crimes scenes will be created with students assessing sequence of perimortem events by analysis of blood spatter. We will perform DNA studies on each other. Casting of and analysis of bite marks add a new dimension. Students will be handling both human and nonhuman remains during the course.

Chemistry

Group Leader:
Emily Jellen-McCullough, Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry, WCU

The summer 2006 students will cover a broad spectrum of biochemical related topics and experiments. Approximately one third of the course will consist of lecture. This segment will cover general concepts of biochemistry including: carbohydrates, amino acids and proteins, and lipids. Specific topics to be discussed will also include procedures used while working with these classes of macromolecules. The other two thirds of the course will be hands-on laboratory procedures. A variety of experiments will be covered, such as: dialysis, chromatography, buffers, protein concentration determination, enzyme activity, nucleic acid extraction, PCR, and DNA/RNA sequencing.

Instrumentation available for use in these experiments includes: high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, electrochemical (amperometric) sensors, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and forensics microscopy.

The students will also be exposed to computational resources for simulating protein structure using the Protein Explorer Alpha software. It is recommended that students enrolled in this session have taken at least one year of high school chemistry.

Earth Sciences and Mathematics

Group Leader:
Larry Kolenbrander, Professor of Natural Recourses Management, WCU

The earth sciences section will study some of the elements of the hydrologic cycle and stream ecology as they are expressed in stream environments in Western North Carolina, including the atmospheric (meteorological) as well as surface water processes. Students will be involved in the measurement and analysis of weather data as well as surface water quantity and quality. An emphasis will be placed on how human beings use and misuse surface waters in the mountain region. Students will work in small groups to design and implement a research project which will be based on a combination of the literature and data already available as well as the collection of new field data. Computer statistical analysis, graphics display of the data, an oral and written presentation of results will be part of every project.

Mathematics: Problem Solving

Group Leader:
Joseph B. Klerlein, Professor of Mathematics, WCU

The goal of this section is to present mathematics as a field of active intellectual research. Focusing primarily upon the modeling stage of the research process, students will experience a broad range of mathematical topics to include: group theory, graph theory, number theory, and proof techniques. Students will pursue individual problems as vehicles for obtaining generalized results. An oral and written presentation of results will be part of every project.