Department of Biology Undergraduate Student Research

CONTENTS
- 1. WHY DO RESEARCH?
- 2. AMPHIBIAN RESEARCH - Dr. Brodman
- 3. FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY RESEARCH - Dr. Haskell
- 4. OTHER PROJECTS - Dr. Wistrom and Rev, Dr. Stang

1. WHY DO RESEARCH IN COLLEGE?

A. Employers and graduate schools look for laboratory, field method and scientific writing skills.  Research teaches you all three.   Nearly all of our recent graduates who were accepted to medical schools, physical therapy schools and graduate programs in the sciences gained experience by doing research here at Saint Joseph's College.

B. 15% higher graduation rates are seen in students who do research or internships compared to students who do not.

Overall opportunities for student research at Saint Joseph's College include: Vertebrate Anatomy, Microbiology, Entomology (insects), Forensic Science, Biochemistry, Water Quality, Geochemistry, Environmental geology, Habitat restoration, Amphibian ecology & conservation.  Students may do research as independent study projects worth from 1-3 credit hours.

Specific Ongoing Research  The two main areas of ongoing research at Saint Joseph's College are in Amphibian Ecology and Forensic Entomology.  A third area of regular minor research is in comparative vertebrate anatomy.

2. Amphibian Ecology and Conservation with Dr. Robert Brodman

Dr. Brodman's focus is ecology, evolution and zoology.  His research focuses on the ecology and conservation of amphibians in the Midwest.  Many students become part of this research.  In preparation, students take a course on using field surveys and monitoring amphibian populations.  Students then participate in one or several of the following areas of study:
 -long-term studies monitoring  population fluctuations in amphibian species in our 5 county area
 -studying the relationship between water & habitat quality of wetlands and amphibian abundance
 -determining how behavioral ecology such as predator avoidance and shifts in habitat use allow species to coexist
 -documenting the affect of predation by amphibians on pest control
 -performing wetland delineation and habitat restoration.

Several of our students have become coauthors of scientific papers that were published in state and national scientific journals.

- For More information on Student involvement in Dr. Brodman’s Amphibian Research, click here.
- For More information on Dr. Brodman’s Amphibian Research, click here.
- Click the name to contact Professor Robert Brodman.
 

3. Forensic Entomology: with Dr. Neal Haskell

Dr. Neal Haskell has been doing ongoing research at his farm seven miles from Saint Joseph's College.  A pig carcass decomposes and has insect infestations at the same rate as a human body.  Dr. Haskell obtains pigs from Purdue University and then sets them out in his field in a variety of conditions.  Insect infestations, insect life cycle rates and other decomposition data is then monitored.  The data is collected and used in investigations into time and location of death and whether or not criminal activity was involved.  Dr. Haskell's research also takes place in Tennessee where pigs are laid alongside human bodies to document rate differences and similarities.

Saint Joseph's College undergraduate students have participated in Dr. Haskell's research.  They help in collecting and analyzing data, attending conferences and accompanying him to sites in other parts of the US and the world.  Students may become coauthors of scientific articles. The data is used in criminal investigations and trials throughout the United States.  For more information, click here.   Dr. Haskell can be contacted here.

4. Other Projects

A. Biochemistry - Dr. Cheryl Wistrom often sponsors student research or independent studies in biochemistry.  Most recently, several of her students extracted potential anti-tumor chemicals from the bark of the Paw-Paw tree.  They then assayed the potency of these chemicals against plant tumors.  Another of her students is studying tablet dissolution rates to better predict the rate at which tablets release medicines.  Dr. Wistrom can be contacted here,

B. Vertebrate Anatomy - Several Saint Joseph's College students, with interest in animals, have researched and then assembled vertebrate skeletons.  The whitetail deer and red fox skeletons shown below are the results of such research.  We have the bones and research material for assembling a horse and adult pig.  For more information on this contact Fr. William Stang M.D.
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