Nominee Statements: Election 2007 - Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience

Election of Officers 2008

Vote now for new FUN officers.
| VOTER ELIGIBILITY AND BALLOT INFORMATION |

Please cast your ballot by e-mail before 11:59 PM (PST), Monday, Nov. 3, 2008.
Ballots have been distributed by e-mail only to FUN members who are current with their 2008 dues.

STATEMENTS from nominees running for FUN Office are listed below. (Nominations for President-elect, Treasurer-Elect, and Councilor were closed on September 15, 2008.) Responsibilities for each office are described in the FUN Bylaws. Current officers are listed on the FUN Officers and Committees page. Ballots have been distributed by e-mail only to FUN members who are current with their 2008 dues.

2008 NOMINEES FOR FUN OFFICE
PRESIDENT-ELECT (1) (VOTE FOR 1)	TREASURER POSITIONS(2) (VOTE ONCE FOR EACH POSITION)
Jennifer Yates	Treasurer: Sonsoles de Lacalle Treasurer-Elect: Ronald Bayline
COUNCILORS (12) (VOTE FOR 3)
Linda Boland Greg Butcher Katherine Cameron Leah Chase Melissa Coleman Lisa Gabel	Gary Muir Jennifer Quinn Elaine Reynolds Jeff Smith Amy Jo Stavnezer Jared Young

VOTER ELIGIBILITY AND BALLOT INFORMATION:

Ballots will be accepted from all Regular FUN members and Organizational members who have 1) paid dues for 2008 and 2) have submitted an on-line FUN information form (individual and/or organizational ). Information submitted via the FUN information form is the official source of FUN membership data. (Please check the FUN directory to see if your listing is current.)

If you have NOT received voting information via the 2008 FUN "MEMBERS" mailing list, contact the FUN Treasurer, Dr. Gayle Brosnan-Watters , to confirm your dues status and Dr. Alexia Pollack to confirm your email information. Organizational members are allowed an additional vote to be cast by a (non-student) representative from their organization. (Sorry, Student and Sustaining members are not eligible to vote - FUN Bylaws: Article III-Membership .) Ballots will be authenticated by matching the e-mail address on the ballot with the e-mail address listed on the previously submitted FUN information form.

Nominee (1) for President-elect: | Jennifer Yates|

Jennifer Yates

Jennifer Yates
President-elect

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Jennifer Yates- Nominee for President-elect

Psychology Department and Program in Neuroscience
Ohio Wesleyan University

B.S. University of Dayton, 1994
Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2001

I am an assistant professor of Psychology and Co-director of the Neuroscience program at Ohio Wesleyan University. My desire to serve FUN as the president-elect comes from the many positive experiences I have had at FUN-sponsored workshops and meetings including the 2005 FUN/PKAL workshop on neuroscience curricula at Macalester College, the 2006 IFEL Tour electrophysiology workshop at Bowdoin College, and the 2008 FUN/PKAL meeting. I always come home from these meetings with great ideas and tools to improve my teaching and the research experiences of my undergraduate students, as well as collaborations and lasting friendships.

Last year I became a councilor of FUN and have very much enjoyed my participation at this level. In May, I attended the ANDP (Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs) Spring meeting on an ANDP travel fellowship with current FUN president Bruce Johnson and past-president Mike Kerchner in an effort to build our relationship with that group. This trip was part of an overall effort to increase our visibility and participation in the larger Neuroscience community. We learned a great deal about the relationship between undergraduate and graduate neuroscience and the expectations that graduate programs have for our students as they apply to and enter their programs.

Several colleagues and I, after meeting and talking at the latest FUN/PKAL conference, are planning a Lower-Midwest (OH, PA, MI, IN, IL area) conference for undergraduate neuroscience. This meeting will be modeled after the NEURON, SYNAPSE and Mid-Brain meetings held each year in the Northeast, Southeast, and Upper Midwest. The first meeting of this region will take place in Fall 2009 at Ohio Wesleyan. This meeting will hopefully further our goal of having all undergraduate neuroscience students have a meeting at which they can present their research within a day’s drive of their institution.

If elected, I plan to continue the support for the very successful programs we have including the travel awards, the FUN/PKAL curriculum meetings and the wonderful work of JUNE, the Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education. In addition, I hope to build on the connections made at the ANDP meeting to strengthen our relationship with larger neuroscience organizations. I hope, also, to establish a mentoring program in which faculty who have been successful in undergraduate neuroscience education can provide guidance to those entering the field from graduate schools or post-docs. Thank you for your consideration of my candidacy, I hope to have the opportunity to serve FUN and its members as the President-elect.

Nominees (1) for Treasurer: | Sonsoles de Lacalle |

Sonsoles de Lacalle
Treasurer

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Sonsoles de Lacalle- Nominee for Treasurer

Biomedical Sciences
Charles Drew Univiersity

Dr. Sonsoles de Lacalle, Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science, received her M.D./Ph.D. in 1990 from the University of Navarra, Spain. Between 1990-1992 she trained as a Fulbright Scholar with Prof. Clif B. Saper in the Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences at the University of Chicago. After completing her postdoctoral training, Dr. de Lacalle was an Instructor (1992-1996) and Assistant Professor (1996-1999) in Neurology at Harvard Medical School and a Staff Scientist in the Department of Neurology at Beth Israel/Deaconess Medical Center. After 5 years at California State University Los Angeles, where she received tenure, Dr. de Lacalle joined the faculty at the College of Science and Health, Charles Drew University, in the fall of 2004.

Dr. de Lacalle has directed a training program in mental health research for undergraduates, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and currently serves as Program Director in a NIH center grant awarded to the College of Science and Health. Her research has been supported by NIH since 1995. She has also received grant support from the William F. Milton Foundation and from the Department of Defense. Dr. de Lacalle has served ad hoc on several NIH study sections and Fellowship Programs, and is currently a member of the MARC Subcommitted for the National Institute on General Medical Sciences. She has published over 25 papers in peer-reviewed journals and several invited reviews in journals or books and has presented over 20 invited lectures at international symposia and universities. Honors include a predoctoral fellowship from the Pro Iuventute Foundation, a postdoctoral fellowship from the Fulbright/MEC program, an innovative instructional award from the CSULA Academic Senate, and the UAS Seed Research Award. Dr. de Lacalle is a member of the Society for Neuroscience, AAAS, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience, the Fulbright Alumni Association, and the Council for Undergraduate Research. She currently serves as Vice-president in the Board of Directors of the Future Latino Doctors National Network, Inc.

Nominees (1) for Treasurer-Elect: | Ronald Bayline|

Ronald Bayline
Treasurer-Elect

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Ronald Bayline- Nominee for Treasurer-Elect

Biology
Washington and Jefferson College

I am currently an Associate Professor of Biology and the Director of the Neuroscience Program at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA. My previous academic experience includes graduate study at Cornell University (Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior, 1998), Visiting Assistant Professor at Pomona College (1997-1998), and Postdoctoral Research Associate at The University of Arizona (1998-2001). Since arriving at W&J in the fall of 2001, I have served as the director of the neuroscience program, working with faculty members in biology, physics, and psychology to develop a new interdisciplinary neuroscience minor and overseeing the neuroscience budget over that time. I previously served as a FUN councilor from 2002-2004, helping to organize the FUN poster session. In my research, I investigate the regulation of muscle development by motor neurons and hormones in an insect model system, the moth Manduca sexta. I have been a strong advocate for undergraduate research, sponsoring five student presentations at the FUN poster session over the past six years. I am very interested in continuing my service with FUN as treasurer-elect.

Linda Boland
Councilor

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Linda Boland - Nominee for Councilor

Biology
University of Richmond

Through the FUN organization, I am interested in facilitating: (1) helpful networking for undergraduates to explore graduate school options, (2) opportunities for undergraduates to learn new research skills/techniques and bring the skills back to the mentor’s lab through short-term summer research exchanges with FUN faculty outside the student’s home institution (perhaps with travel support from FUN) & (3) more ways for undergraduate faculty to share teaching resources (e.g. neuroscience labs & lab preparations) and have discussions about undergraduate neuroscience teaching.

Undergraduate Teaching at UR: Cell & Molecular Biology, Neurobiology, Cellular Neurophysiology, Honors Seminar, Undergraduate & Honors Research. Research Program: molecular neurophysiology of ion channel function (includes undergraduate researchers).

Webpage: biology.richmond.edu/faculty/Boland_Linda.html

Greg Butcher
Councilor

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Greg Butcher - Nominee for Councilor

Neuroscience
Centenary College of Lousiana

I am an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Centenary College of Louisiana, where I also serve as program coordinator for our neuroscience major. I received my Ph.D. in neuroscience from The Ohio State University where a pre-doctoral NRSA fellowship supported my research into the molecular regulators of the mammalian circadian clock. At Centenary, I have tried to promote a culture of student research within our small, but growing neuroscience community. As a junior faculty member, I have repeatedly found the resources provided by the FUN/PKAL meetings and JUNE to be exceptionally helpful. As a FUN councilor, I would like to contribute to the growth of web-based tools that can further assist new faculty as they develop their own programs and courses.

Katherine Cameron
Councilor

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Katherine Cameron - Nominee for Councilor

Psychology
Coppin State University

Hi, my name is Katherine Cameron and I am interested in becoming a FUN Councilor to help promote neuroscience education at the high school and undergraduate levels. I became enamoured of neuroscience as an undergraduate psychology student at Davidson College, and completed my Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Los Angeles, California. For my graduate work, I recorded single hippocampal neurons in adult epilepsy patients during memory tasks. I'm currently introducing my Coppin State University psychology students to the mysteries of the brain, memory, and all-things-neuro. I'm also co-coordinating the Baltimore Brain Bee this fall. The Brain Bee is an international competition for high-school students to show off their neuroscience knowledge; check out the website and join the FUN! (http://www.internationalbrainbee.com/).

Leah Chase
Councilor

Biology and Chemistry
Hope College

My name is Leah Chase and I am the director of a relatively new Neuroscience Minor Program at Hope College. At Hope College, I have a joint appointment in the Biology and Chemistry Departments and my research program is focused on describing the defense mechanisms utilized by glia in response to oxidative stress. Since leading the development of the Neuroscience Program at Hope College and participating in two FUN workshops, I have become interested in being more active in the leadership of FUN. I am committed to promoting interdisciplinary undergraduate neuroscience education and providing support to faculty, students and institutions involved in establishing and maintaining undergraduate neuroscience programs.

Melissa Coleman
Councilor

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Melissa Coleman - Nominee for Councilor

Joint Science Department
Claremont Colleges

The primary focus of my research is to understand the neural basis of behaviors. I have addressed this issue using a variety of model systems and techniques, including electrophysiology, anatomy and biochemistry. This combination of techniques and model systems has given me a broad background in neuroscience. I am currently teaching at the Claremont Colleges and am involving undergraduates in my research projects. I think that neuroscience is such an exciting field and I try to relay my passion to all my students. I find great joy interacting with undergraduates and talking to them about principles of neuroscience and my personal research.

I received my undergraduate degree from a small liberal arts college, Samford University, in Birmingham, AL. I remember deciding in college that I wanted to get a PhD and then teach at a college. I stayed in Birmingham for graduate school and went to the University of Alabama at Birmingham where I join Michael Nusbaum's laboratory. My PhD work examined the role of modulatory transmitters and neurons on a central pattern generating circuit in the crab. After my PhD I became a travelling scientist and did a series of postdoctoral fellowships. My first postdoc was in Leslie Griffith's laboratory at Brandeis University where I examined the role of CaM kinase II on synaptic transmission in Drosophila. From there I moved to Eric Vu's laboratory at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ and studied the role of bilateral feedback control on song production in songbirds. My final posdoc was with Rich Mooney at Duke University where I continued working with songbirds, studying the role of auditory input on song production. I moved to the Joint Science Department at the Claremont Colleges in Claremont, CA in 1996, realizing my dream of teaching at a small college. I am still working on the role of auditory input and feedback in song production, with my work now carried out my outstanding undergraduates. All these experiences have given me a broad knowledge of neuroscience, including understanding the benefits of using both invertebrate and vertebrate models.

I am honored to be nominated for councilor for the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience. As a person who entered the world of teaching undergraduates from doing full time research, I found FUN to be an excellent resource. I am thrilled for the opportunity to become more involved in FUN and further promote neuroscience research and teaching to undergraduates.

Lisa Gabel
Councilor

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Lisa Gabel - Nominee for Councilor

Psychology and Neuroscience
Lafayette College

I’m currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Lafayette College, Easton, PA, where I teach Physiological Psychology, Psychopharmacology and Advanced Neuroscience. Prior to my faculty position at Lafayette College I held postdoctoral positions at Brown University, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and the University of Pennsylvania. I received an M.S. in Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience in 1998 and a Ph.D. in Physiology and Neurobiology in 2001 from the University of Connecticut. As a councilor I hope to play an active role in the advancement of neuroscience education at the undergraduate level.

Gary Muir
Councilor

I am an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department and
Neuroscience Program at St. Olaf College, a mid-sized liberal arts college in Minnesota, and have been an active member of FUN for four years. Since joining FUN, I have had students present at the FUN poster session at Society for Neuroscience, presented workshops at FUN/PKAL meetings, been published in JUNE, served on the organizing committee for the MidBrains regional undergraduate neuroscience conference, and was recently awarded a SOMAS grant. I am deeply dedicated both to the teaching of undergraduate neuroscience and to
mentoring undergraduates in neuroscience research. I see the FUN councilor position as providing an exciting and unique opportunity to help advance those goals at the national level as part of an organization that is committed to promoting and supporting neuroscience education.

Jennifer Quinn
Councilor

Psychology and Neuroscience
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio


I am a new assistant professor at Miami University (Ohio) in Psychology and Neuroscience.  My research focuses on the neurobiology of parallel learning and memory systems using both aversive (fear) and appetitive (food and drugs) conditioning procedures in rodents.  I have been a "member" of the FUN community since I was an undergraduate and FUN generously provided me with a travel award to attend SFN.  I am currently working on establishing a chapter of Nu Rho Psi at Miami and plan to be a very active member of FUN throughout my career.

Elaine Reynolds
Councilor

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Elaine Reynolds - Nominee for Councilor

Psychology and Neuroscience
Lafayette College

I am currently an Assistant Professor at Lafayette College and chair of our neuroscience program, an interdisciplinary BS curriculum with 15-30 majors per graduating class. I got my BS in microbiology at Penn State, my PhD at Carnegie Mellon University and spent 9 years as a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford, University at Buffalo, and UC Berkeley. My students and I use fruit flies as a model system for understanding human disease using molecular, genetic, and behavioral tools, and I also supervise projects in neurocomputation and art. I have been involved as a member with FUN for the last 10 years and I would like to contribute to its success as an organization since it has contributed to my success as a teacher, researcher and administrator.

Jeff Smith
Councilor

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Jeff Smith - Nominee for Councilor

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
University of Portland, Oregon

I am currently an assistant professor of Psychology and Biology at the University of Portland in Oregon. I earned my Ph.D. from Emory University, specializing in behavioral neuroscience; specifically exploring mechanisms associated with recovery from traumatic brain injury and neuroplasticity.

Since beginning my academic career I have worked diligently to support undergraduate neuroscience, establishing the undergraduate neuroscience program and laboratories at Mount Union College, supervising over twenty-six undergraduate theses. Currently, I am developing an undergraduate neuroscience program at the University of Portland.

I have been a part of the FUN community for several years now through my involvement in the FUN meetings at SfN, my role on the development committee for Nu Rho Psi, and through programs like the PKAL/FUN summer program for neuroscience education. These activities, along with the resources that radiate from the FUN community, have greatly enriched the learning and research experiences that I can provide for my students.

As a FUN councilor, I would like to help the national organization to continue to grow and expand. Two ways that I would like to help in this growth are through the expansion of the mission of our organization to include opportunities for study abroad programs in Neuroscience and to also help expand FUN's involvement in community education and neuroscience outreach programs.

Amy Jo Stavnezer
Councilor

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Amy Jo Stavnezer - Nominee for Councilor

Psychology and Neuroscience
College of Wooster

Amy Jo received her PhD from the University of Connecticut and now serves as an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at The College of Wooster. I teach courses in Intro Psych, Neuroscience and Learning and oversee at least 5 student research projects each year in addition to my own research agenda which involves the elucidation of genetic and hormonal influences on sex differences in learning in mice. My senior thesis students and research assistants regularly present their research at SfN, FUN, APS and smaller regional meetings. his is our first year with an official Neuroscience major and therefore seems like a great time to take a more active role in this organization that I have belonged to since graduate school.

Jared Young
Councilor

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Jared Young - Nominee for Councilor

Mills College
Oakland, California

I am an Assistant Professor at Mills College, a small (~ 950 undergrads) women’s college in Oakland, CA with a BA from UC Berkeley and a PhD from UCSD. I love engaging students in the classroom, and mentoring students individually in the research laboratory and during office hours. I would love to contribute more to our greater community by working more closely with FUN. One project I’d be interested in working on is further development of venues for FUN members to share ideas over the Internet.