Emeritus Professor Donald Fluke passed away on April 6, 2018, at the age of 95. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University and came to Duke in 1956 to teach radiation biophysics. He also served in numerous administrative positions, such as Chair of the Zoology Department, Director of Undergraduate Studies in Zoology, and Chair of the Academic Council. He shall be missed.
Biology undergrad Ruolin "Eudora" Miao recently was recently awarded grants from the Mycological Society of America ($500) and Duke's Undergraduate Research Support Office ($2500) for her independent study project on mycoremediation with professors Rytas Vilgalys and Jonathan Shaw. Eudora is studying the role of symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi in forest regeneration at mine sites around North Carolina. Many of these mine sites date back to America's first gold rush (1840) and are still barren of plant growth due to toxic levels of silver, copper and zinc.
Pranav Warman, a sophomore who is double-majoring in Biology and Computer Science, has been named a 2018 Barry M. Goldwater Scholar by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program. Warman, along with two other Duke students, is among 211 recipients of Goldwater Scholarships for the 2017-18 academic year. Pranav is interested in using computational and mathematical tools to understand schizophrenia and other topics in neuroscience. His mentor, Dr.
Greenhouse Supervisor Michael Barnes has been certified by the American Society of Agronomy as a Sustainability Specialist. In order to get the certification, Michael first had to be a Certified Crop Advisor, then complete a ten-part course covering nutrient management, integrated pest management, precision agriculture, conservation tillage, cover crops, and soil health. Finally, he passed an exam. Congratulations, Michael!
The Department of Biology is saddened to report the death of Professor Nicholas Gillham on March 19, 2018. Gillham received his Ph.D. from Harvard University and came to Duke in 1968, remaining here for the rest of his career. He was a noted expert on organelle genetics and also wrote a biography of 19th-century scientist Francis Galton. His colleagues remember him as genial, calm and collected, always curious and interested in learning. "He was a wonderful person who loved the beauty of science at all levels." We shall miss him.
Graduate student Patrick Green has received the Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring for 2018! Congratulations Patrick! He is one of only three graduate students to receive this award. The reward recognizes excellence in research mentoring of undergraduates and early-career graduate students. Three cheers!
The Duke Research Blog has published a brief portrait of Professor Kathleen Pryer's journey into the world of ferns, from a field trip sparking her interest to a cover paper in Nature, and beyond. The post was written by Isaac Poarch, a student at the North Carolina School of Science and Math. Isaac was doing an internship with the Office of News and Communications and did a lovely job.
Congratulations to our BioGrads who have won an astonishing 7 Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research! Sigma Xi has made grants in aid of research to students in all areas of science and engineering since 1922. Well done!
Department of Biology
