College of Sciences E-newsletter

December 2007

In this issue:

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Undergraduate Receives Conference Research Prize

Lora Griffin, an undergraduate geosocience major, received first prize ($ 500)  for her economic geology poster, “Key Alteration Subtleties in Carlin-type Gold Deposits Northern Nevada,” at the Arizona Geological Society (AGS) Ores and Orogenesis Conference, on October 27, 2007.

Lora Griffin
The conference brought together people in academia and industry interested in ore deposits and how they form. The program included invited talks and a poster competition in which undergraduates, graduates, and Ph.D. student researchers from around the world competed for cash awards. The work presented in the poster represented a series of 3 studies in which Griffin identified ore-stage minerals that accompany gold deposition in 6 different Carlin-type deposits at the Getchell and Carlin trends in northern Nevada. These studies are important because Nevada dominates gold production in the United States and is one of the top three gold producers in the world. Identifying the minerals that form with gold is critical to understanding the formation of these ore systems and can aid in future exploration for new metal resources both nationally and internationally. In these studies Griffin determined which minerals were present and which minerals correlate with gold abundance and therefore formed with the gold.  Griffin obtained the results with the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD) on whole rocks and clay separates, microscopy, and geochemical analyses.  These studies were made possible through the generosity of the NSF-EPSCoR Undergraduate Research Programs: Summer 2006, Academic Year 2006-2007, and Summer 2007.

Griffin plans to complete her degree in May 2009 and will continue to expand her research to date and publish findings in peer-reviewed science publications.  In recent days Griffin attended the Geological Society of America (GSA) Conference in Denver and presented her research. A talk before the Geological Society of Nevada Southern Nevada Chapter is planned for January 2008 and she hopes to attend the Gordon Research Conference in Italy next July.  Griffin recently applied for the Nevada EPSCoR Undergraduate Research Program Academic Year 2007-2008 and hopes to receive funding to analyze additional samples  and examine new statistical techniques to refine mineral quantifications of the XRD and geochemical data collected. 

“Lora’s outstanding research is opening many doors for her,” noted Dean of the College of Sciences Ron Yasbin, including several opportunities to discuss masters and/or Ph.D. thesis work. Lora is in communication with key personnel at several global mining companies and has received invitations to apply for positions with two major oil companies and a variety of professional positions in Nevada, Colorado, Alaska, Texas, Canada, Mexico, and South America. Griffin is currently exploring internship opportunities for next summer, both locally and abroad, that have the potential to lead to exciting career positions after graduation..

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Faculty Profile: Assistant Professor of Mathematics Monika Neda

Monika NedaAssistant professor of mathematics Monika Neda (monika.neda@unlv.edu); Tel: (702) 895-5170; Office:  CBC-B217 took a few minutes to introduce herself to the College of Sciences and the UNLV community.

Why did you choose to come to UNLV?
I believed that UNLV is a good place to start my career in academia and continue my research. I found that there are many opportunities for interdisciplinary research at UNLV. I and my husband also wanted to live in a warm and sunny place and in a city where my husband would have job opportunities.  

What has surprised you the most about the campus?
The vegetation surprised me the most. It is different than the one I used to live in. I like the palm trees and the mountains look beautiful on my way driving to work.

What are your teaching activities and research projects?
I am teaching Calculus II this semester and I will be teaching undergraduate/graduate Numerical Analysis next semester. I am also working on topics in computational fluid dynamics and currently I am investigating new algorithms for discretization of turbulence models. My research brings a better mathematical understanding of the flow problems that we encounter in everyday life.

How did you develop your interest in mathematics?
I have been loving mathematics since I was a child and I was always enjoying my math homework.  

What do you so in your spare time?
I spend my spare time playing with my daughter who is about half year old and she is asking for lots of attention.

What books are you reading now?
I try to read books on cooking and nutritious studies since I like to cook a lot, but lately I started to read children books.

What are your future plans?
I plan on having a successful career at UNLV and enjoy together with my family the panoramas and opportunities available at UNLV and the region.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
I speak three different languages everyday and sometimes it is a little confusing. On one early morning I puzzled my students by starting to lecture in Romanian instead of English.

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Faculty Profile: Assistant Professor of Mathematics Pengtao Sun Assistant professor of mathematics Pengtao Sun, pengtao.sun@unlv.edu, (702) 895-5175 CBC B-219, took a few minutes to introduce himself to the College of Sciences and the UNLV community.

Why did you choose to come to UNLV?
I chose to come to southern Nevada because UNLV is expanding and innovative, and this was my impression when I interviewed for a position in February 2007. I like a young and active university that is developing and will create more opportunities for its faculty members. I think I should be able to fit in at such a university.

What has surprised you the most about the campus?
I am intrigued by the great number of rocks and stones on campus and in the region, and their varied colors, reminding me that I am living in the desert.

What are your teaching activities and research projects?
I am teaching advanced calculus this semester. My research projects are related to numerical simulations of physicochemical problems, such as fuel cell simulation. I hoe to collaborate with many of my colleagues.

How did you develop your interest in mathematics?
I truly enjoy challenging problems which can be solved by the application of mathematical methods. The computer is a basic tool I use to enhance my mathematical skill and to enhance my ability to apply numerical simulations.

What do you so in your spare time?
I have eclectic interests, including physical exercise, browsing the internet, reading, movies, music, and, of course, my mathematical research.

What books are you reading now?
I am usually found with materials that relate to my research, including scientific and technical magazines and the newspaper.

What are your future plans?
I plan to apply for a research grant from external sources, enhance my teaching and research skills, and improve my professional life as a professor at UNLV. In addition to applying for a research grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), I plan to work hard and receive tenure.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
I hope my research achievements will be the most important news to people, in the form of an award, prize, or research grant.

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Faculty Visit South Korea and Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) and Pohang Light Source (PLS)

Faculty visit South KoreaOn November 8, 2007, two UNLV faculty members and one graduate student traveled to South Korea at the invitation of officials from the Pohang Light Source (PLS) to perform a variety of experiments. PLS construction was completed in September, 1994.
The PLS is designed to provide synchrotron radiation with continuous wavelengths. The construction project was initiated by the former chairman of the Pohang Iron & Steel Company(POSCO), Mr. Tai Joon Park, and the late President of POSTECH, Dr. Hogil Kim, in 1988. About 60% of the total construction cost (US$ 190M) came from POSCO, with the remainder coming from the Korean governments. The PLS is a national user facility, owned and operated by the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) and POSTECH on behalf of the Korean Government. The PLS has been serving domestic and international users since September 1995. Since 2000 the PLS has been running at 2.5 GeV. Associate research professor Oliver Tschauner, and assistant professor Michael Pravica  first traveled to Yonsei University in Seoul at the invitation of assistant professor Yongjae. Tschauner delivered an invited talk and the trio then traveled to Pohang City and initiated high resolution x-ray diffraction experiments at PAL, where they were soon joined by UNLV graduate student Jason McClure.  Pravica met with visiting students from one of Korea's best science high schools and discussed his research, and Tschauner delivered a second invited talk at PAL.  The Korean scientists and students were extremely gracious hosts and all parties look forward to a continuing and fruitful collaboration between UNLV, Yongsei University, and PAL.


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Nevada Biotechnology and Bioscience Consortium (NBBC)

The College of Sciences is a sponsoring member of the NBBC, (http://www.nevbio.org/index.html) an organization created to foster and support biotechnology and life science-related businesses in Nevada and to promote and elevate the presence of life science research in Nevada. Its goals include: (1)  to create forums for non-profit and  for-profit entities that allow business networking and the opportunity to exchange ideas that will move Nevada forward in the field of biotechnology and life sciences research; (2) to support businesses in all aspects of moving a potential product from the laboratory, through the approval process, to the marketplace; (3) to provide a centralized data resource for all health science-related research entities and companies in Nevada; (4) to work with universities to enhance the knowledge transfer to the community to create new companies and new partnership opportunities for Nevada companies; (5) to promote the study and understanding of science for all Nevadans, with an emphasis on elementary, middle, and high school students.

The College of Sciences hosted a meeting of NBBC on November 7th,  at the UNLV Foundation. Executive Vice President and Provost Neal Smatresk welcomed members, and Dean Ron Yasbin provided an introduction to the varied teaching and research strengths of the college. In addition faculty members including Amei Amei, Michelle Elekonich, Brian Hedlund, David Lee, and Helen Wing offered poster presentations of their current research projects. 

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Libraries' Award for Undergraduate Research

http://www.library.unlv.edu/award/

Recognizing undergraduate students who demonstrate sophistication and originality in research projects.

Up to four $1000 prizes will be awarded.

Application Deadlines:

February 4, 2008, is the deadline for all 2007 projects.
April 14, 2008, is the deadline for spring 2008 projects.

In partnership with the Division of Research and Graduate Studies, the UNLV Libraries are pleased to invite applicants for the Libraries' Award for Undergraduate Research. These awards recognize excellence in undergraduate research projects that incorporate the use of University Libraries' collections and demonstrate sophisticated information literacy skills on the part of the undergraduate researcher. The award review committee considers the product of the research, but focuses on the research process: the demonstration of library research skills, adept use of library resources, and reflection upon the strategies utilized to investigate a research problem.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

Be currently enrolled UNLV undergraduates

Questions about eligibility should be addressed to the chair of the Libraries' Award committee, Diane VanderPol (895-2126; diane.vanderpol.@unlv.edu).

 

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In Memoriam, Professor Stephen W. Carper

The College of Sciences is saddened to announce the passing of a colleague, professor of chemistry Stephen W. Carper, Ph.D., on November 27, 2007. Professor Carper was born on March 25, 1958 in Boise, Idaho, and received degrees from Eastern Oregon State College (B.S. Biology and B.S. Chemistry, 1981) and Utah State University (Ph.D., 1986). He also pursued post doctoral studies in the Molecular Biology, Radiation Oncology Department at the University of Arizona from 1986-1988. Professor Carper was the founding director of the UNLV Cancer Institute, now the UNLV Center for Molecular Medicine and Radiation Biology. He served the College of Sciences as a faculty senator and was elected to serve a one-year term as chair of the Faculty Senate. He was also instrumental in the development and growth of the graduate biochemistry program.

Stephen Carper authored numerous scientific articles, book chapters, and publications. He developed a variety of patents, received external grant funds, and advised many undergraduate and graduate students. During his distinguished career at UNLV Professor Carper received numerous awards, including the 1997 Distinguished Teaching Award from the College of Sciences (UNLV); the 1997 Outstanding Faculty Award for the College of Sciences from the Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada; the 1997 Outstanding Departmental Teacher, UNLV Alumni Association; the UCCSN Board of Regents Outstanding Faculty Award for 1998-1999; the 1999 Outstanding Departmental Teacher, UNLV Alumni Association; the 2000 Professor of the Year, Association of Pre-Health Professionals; and the 2000 Outstanding Faculty Advisor, Minority Science Student Program.

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Physics and Astronomy Forum

On Friday, November 30th, Dr. Robert Nobel from the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) offered a talk entitled, "Particle Acceleration in Relativistic Jet-Plasma Interactions."

Abstract: Relativistic outflows are commonly associated with astrophysical sources such as galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts. Their interaction with ambient plasma is believed to give rise to particle acceleration producing the observed radiation spectrum ranging from radio to gamma-ray. Particle acceleration occurs when the energy carried by the outflow is transferred to the surrounding  material. Understanding the nature of these acceleration mechanisms is one of the most outstanding issues today in cosmic ray physics. The fundamental issue we consider is how jet-plasma instabilities can lead to particle acceleration. In particular we report on the study of the physics occurring at the plasma wavelength scale for a charge-neutral, electron-positron jet propagating through an electron-ion plasma. A 3-D, relativistic particle-in-cell code is used to explore the physics within the jet interior and at the jet- plasma boundary. We observe the development of magnetic and electrostatic instabilities resulting in rapid particle acceleration and plasma heating, and we identify the underlying mechanisms. The particles we observe can be synchronously accelerated over large distances and are candidates for the relativistic particles that produce jet emission spectra. The process we observe may also serve as the first-stage injection mechanism for cosmic ray acceleration. 

 

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Mathematics Forum

On Friday, November 30th, UNLV assistant professor of mathematics Anton Westveld presented a lecture entitled, “Modeling Foreign Direct Investment as a Longitudinal Social Network.”

Abstract: An extensive literature in international and comparative political economy has focused on the how the mobility of capital affects the ability of governments to tax and regulate firms.  The conventional wisdom holds that governments are in competition with each other to attract foreign direct investment (FDI).  Nation-states observe the fiscal and regulatory decisions of competitor governments, and are forced to either respond with policy changes or risk losing foreign direct investment, along with the politically salient jobs that come with these investments.  The political economy of FDI suggests a network of investments with complicated dependencies.

We propose an empirical strategy for modeling investment patterns in 24 advanced industrialized countries from 1985-2000.  Using bilateral FDI data we estimate how increases in flows of FDI affect the flows of FDI in other countries.  Our statistical model is based on the methodology developed by Westveld & Hoff (2007).  The model allows the temporal examination of each notion's activity level in investing, attractiveness to investors, and reciprocity between pairs of nations.  We extend the model by treating the reported inflow and outflow data as independent replicates of the true value and allowing for a mixture model for the fixed effects portion of the network model.  Using a fully Bayesian approach, we also impute missing data within the MCMC algorithm used to fit the model.  A working paper can be found at: http://faculty.unlv.edu/westveld/Papers/FDI.pdf.

 

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Upcoming Seminars

The College of Sciences has established a listserve to better publicize and promote scientific seminars offered throughout the academic year. For more information on upcoming seminars and to subscribe to the listserve, please visit: http://cmse.unlv.edu/seminar/.

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Submit Your News Stories

The College of Sciences E-Newsletter is published on or about the first of each month. Please submit news items via email by the fifteenth of each month, for consideration. You may send your submissions to: Bill Brown, Director of Development william.brown@unlv.edu.

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