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Show HwBMgwiiiV WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER DIXIESUNLINK.COM -- 2- 1, 20k FRC PIZZR f J j r j l ; r ' ' I! " J - - ft ' : 5 ? DIXIESUNLINK.COM Biology students leapfrog to success BY MCKOYE MECHAM Staff Writer If you love amphibians then you will be happy to know that thanks to two DSC students research, it has been found that the canyon tree frogs in Zion National Park have not been affected by chytrid fungus. But what exactly is chytrid fungus? For that answer you can talk to Allystair Jones, a senior biology major from San Marcos, Calif., and Daniel Sumko, a senior biology major from Brigham City. They conducted chytrid fungus research on the little frogs at Zion National Park in the summer of 2009. The two then wrote a research paper that won them an award from the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. Biology Professor Curt Walker had die basic plan for the research, and he accompanied the duo on dieir trips to Zion. Chytrid fungus is worldwide and more than 30 percent of die worlds amphibian populations have been affected, and a lot of diem are going extinct because of this fungus," Walker said. Sumko said the research they conducted brought forth good news. We went tiirough seven or eight canyons in Zion National Park and collected 69 samples from 69 individual frogs and dien took those samples back to the lab and tested to see if that fungus was present, he said. Our results were negative, so tiiat was a big sigh of relief. Jones and Sumko would find die frogs and get samples by rubbing the frogs with s. Then diey would check the to see if any of the frogs had the fungus. After completing die research, Jones and Sumko submitted their paper to die Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. The Academy accepted it for publication and they said it was die best biology paper this year, Walker said. Assistant Biology Professor Erin OBrien is on the board of die Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, and she helped judge the submissions this year. She said there are several things die Academy is looking for when judging the research papers. We want to make sure its an article that people in any field can understand, and that yi Ji , ' " ... , . v- :U 8 The number of degrees available at Dixie State College is steadily growing, creating more opportunities for all DSC students. More than three new degrees are being offered this year, and students can expect more in the future, said Louise Excell, accreditation liaison for DSC. At a Nov. 5 meeting of the DSC Board ofTrustees, bachelors degrees in mathematics, mathematics education, and physical science composite teaciting were approved, Excell said. Plans for all three degrees are set to be presented to and considered by tiie Board of Regents in Salt Lake City in January. The physical science composite teaching degree will allow graduates to teach in high schools. The degree "emphasizes tiie of physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy, biology, and mathematics," according to an executive summary of tiie program. A music education degree has been added in addition to tiie bachelors of music tiiat was made available last year, music department chair Glenn Webb said. The degree was approved at a Board of Regents meeting at tiie University of Utah at tiie end of October. The degree will be available in January of the spring semester, Webb said. A bachelors in music education is coupled with tiie secondary education program and will allow for students to teach music in high schools. DSC is looking to expand its role for educational opportunities, Excell said. The college has developed a strategic academic plan and is responsive to the needs of the community. When creating a new degree, officials keep in mind tiie wants of tiie students and the needs of tiie community. Businesses and industries throughout tiie area show a need for future employees in certain fields, Excell said. This leads to tiie creation of new degrees to fill this void. Part of the strategic academic plan is to model growth after peer institutions, Excell said. Excell said tiie college is actively working toward obtaining bachelors degrees in environmental sciences and Spanish. Some degrees have been approved but have not yet been accepted by the college, Excell said. This means the Boar d of Regents has approved the degree, but tiie degree program is not yet in place at tiie college. Approved degrees include an associate in operations management, a bachelors in theater, and bachelor's degrees in mathematics and mathematics education. Enrollment in upper division math courses is booming, said Scott Mortensen, chair of the department of mathematics. "There are a lot of students who don't like math," Mortensen said, "But there are students who do enjoy math. This just gives them another opportunity." The mathematics degree is a "pure math degree," Mortensen v - ? P vJ - . iwiBA, . i .. .... rTf j.. nnm - wmrMni This illustration shows beakers, test tubes, and a canyon tree frog atop a table in a DSC biology classroom. Two g DSC students did research on frogs in Zion National Park. You dont often publish neg at least we would know efit from it and learn from portunities in the future beative results where people dont when it came in. cause of the work they put it, Sumko said. award-winnin- find anything, but this is the exception to tiiat," she said. "Its really great news. We want to make sure tiiat tiieres an official record as well showing tiiat, at least in 2009, this fungus wasnt present, so if we do find it in the future, which would be really sad and tragic, Degrees continue to expand BY ALAIN A ALLRED Staff Writer lu , h Q-ti- ps its obviously well written and that the research is of value, she said. OBrien also said even though chytrid fungus wasnt found on the frogs in Zion, the results from Jones and Sumko s research is still ' vr said. The mathematics education degree will allow graduates to teach math at a high school level. According to an executive summary of the new mathematics and mathematics education degrees, job creation in fields that require a background in mathematics "remain strong." These jobs include computer software engineers, computer systems analysts, industrial engineering technicians and mechanical engineers. Mortensen said having math degrees at DSC will help students by giving them a "jumping off point." "Most people don't stop with just a bachelor's if they're getting a math degree," Mortensen said. "They go on to graduate work, and sometimes they'll branch off into different areas." Excell said completions of baccalaureate degrees in Utah are low. This is because certain degrees are unavailable to students in this re- Sumko said it has been great to be recognized by peers and the scientific community. I think the reason our research got an award is because its actually vital to the scientific community, and people can actually ben On Nov. 5 Jones made the trip up to Provo to BYU's campus where he was presented with a certificate as an award for the research and a check for $200, which he split with Sumko. Walker said Jones and Sumko will have better op into the research project. The really good thing about it is its very likely to help them get into the schools they want to get into, he said. Now they can say Ive done research, and it was award winning research. STUDYING students should take part continued from page in. nators that do things slowly and may be learning some information for the first time, which is never a good idea." Hauck also mentioned the level of stress and exhaustion that can occur during this important time. She said sometimes even the best of students can completely blow a final, and that is why most professors try to take the entire body of a students' work into consideration. She usually makes hers worth about 25 of the dents can anticipate many more educational opportunities in the future. overnight is something es- to-b- e avoided. Nancy Elauck, assistant professor of education, agreed. "There are two kinds of students," Hauck said. "There are those who plan ahead and pace themselves. They stay on top of work, and to those students I wold tell them to keep note cards of all they have learned and review. But then there are the procrasti final grade. n i t! " V . s. I - y N college will offer a broader range of degrees to meet the needs of our students. The end of the growing list of degrees available at DSC is not near. versity status, Excell said. New degrees are in the works every year, and stu- Baron also mentioned that cramming in all the sential information end up not only feeling better, but probably will have higher scores as well." One piece of advice that can be major help during final exams comes from DSC alumna Jennica Woodbury, who used relaxing yoga techniques and meditation to relieve stress through all her tough testing times at DSC. Baron said exercise is an important part of the stress relief gion. Students are going to DSC because its the right choice for them, Excell said. The DSC is looking to expand its role for educational opportunities to a regional uni- 1 r Y 11 J; - I , . A r y n , I Freshman Ryan West, a computer information major from Springdale, meditates to soak up some knowledge. When it technology comes to studying for finals in the upcoming weeks, thinking outside the box proves to be successful for many DSC stu, - |