Alumni Notes, Summer 2008

Nicholas A. “Nick” Baer (’04, PhD, MEES program) Recognized by Colby-Sawyer College for Excellence in Teaching

Nick Baer, alumnus of the Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Science program, received the highest faculty award given by Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, the Jack Jensen Award. Baer has been an assistant professor of Natural Sciences at Colby-Sawyer College since 2004. His PhD advisor was Bill Lamp, Associate Professor of Entomology.  Baer teaches courses in ecology, freshwater biology, conservation biology, and environmental issues, and uses the outdoors as part of his classroom to allow students to take full advantage of New Hampshire’s natural resources. The Jack Jensen Award recognizes the fundamental importance of teaching in determining the value of the educational process, celebrates the teaching profession and supports faculty in their pursuit of excellence in teaching and leadership in the campus community.

Carl Dieffenbach ('76, BS, Biochemistry) Appointed Director of NIAID Division of AIDS

Carl W. Dieffenbach, Ph.D., has been appointed Director of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a component of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Dieffenbach served as the acting director of DAIDS since January 2007, and before that served as the acting principal deputy director of that Division since July 2006. In these two vital leadership roles, Dr. Dieffenbach developed, directed and coordinated DAIDS program activities and served as a senior advisor to NIAID director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., on HIV/AIDS research opportunities and directions. Dr. Dieffenbach played a key role in restructuring the DAIDS-supported clinical trials research networks, and has actively fostered collaboration and partnerships with other federal agencies, international research organizations, professional societies, foundations, community advocacy groups and industry.

Dr. Dieffenbach earned his BS in Biochemistry in 1976 from the University of Maryland and his PhD in biochemistry and biophysics in 1984 from Johns Hopkins University and continued his research career studying host-virus interactions in the Department of Pathology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). While at USUHS, he helped clone the cellular receptor for mouse hepatitis virus, and he showed that when infected with HIV, frontline immune cells known as macrophages have a defect in interferon alpha production, indicating an early breakdown in this critical innate immune response to HIV.

Xu Duan ('00, MS, CONS) received the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award

Xu Duan, graduate of the Sustainability and Conservation Biology program (CONS) teaches chemistry at the Bullis School in Potomac Maryland. He was selected as the only teacher from a private school in the DC area for the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award by the Washington Post. Each year, the Post honors exceptional men and women in the teaching profession by awarding $3,000 to an outstanding teacher selected in each of the 19 local public school systems, and one award to a teacher from a private school in the metropolitan area. Read the Washington Post article >>

Two CLFS Alumni Ranked Among America’s Leading Doctors

Two alumni of the University of Maryland College of Chemical and Life Sciences were recognized by Black Enterprise magazine for being among "America's Leading Doctors." The magazine named 140 physicians responsible for saving millions of lives through the revolutionary treatment of diseases, from cancer and diabetes to heart attacks and HIV/AIDS. Many of these doctors have been responsible for major medical breakthroughs and have participated in the creation of drugs that have vastly improved the quality of life for patients.

Winston H. Gandy, M.D. ('82, B.S., Chemistry) directs the The Atlanta Cardiology Group (ACG) at St. Joseph’s Hospital and is recognized for his expertise in echocardiography, a procedure that takes “moving pictures” of the heart with sound waves. He was instrumental in getting the city of Atlanta to place defibrillators in Hartsfield International Airport. Additionally, he was one of the founding board members of the American Cardiovascular Research Institute.

Ramona F. Swaby, M.D., ('90, B.S., Zoology), is an Associate Member of the Department of Medical Oncology and Attending Physician at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Dr. Swaby’s research focuses on hormone receptors and resistance to hormone therapies. She also investigates molecularly targeted therapies for breast cancer.

You can read a related article Black Enterprise Unveils America's Leading Doctors at the Baltimore Examiner.

Kenneth Karol ('04, PhD, Plant Biology) Becomes Curator at New York Botanical Garden

Kenneth Karol, (PhD '04, Plant Biology) has taken a position as Assistant Curator of The Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Program for Molecular Systematics Studies at The New York Botanical Garden in Bronx, NY.

 

Joseph Rodricks (M.S. ’63, Ph.D. ’68) Honored for Contributions in Environmental Health and Risk Assessment

Alumnus Joseph V. Rodricks, M.S. ’63, Ph.D. ’68 (Department of Chemistry), was honored at the Ninth Annual Alumni Association Awards Gala on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. Rodricks is an expert in the field of toxicology and risk analysis, and has directed and conducted hundreds of studies examining the health and environmental risks of chemical products, processes, pollutants and wastes. For nearly three decades, he has consulted for manufacturers, government agencies and the World Health Organization, and served on 15 boards and committees of the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine.

Ray Semlitsch, (M.S. Zoology Department ’79), Recognized for Wetland Conservation Efforts

Raymond Semlitsch, a Professor in the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia whose research on amphibian ecology has raised awareness about the need to protect small wetlands and surrounding terrestrial habitat, was one of seven wetland stewards who won a 2008 National Wetlands Awards. A diverse panel of wetland experts assembled at the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) earlier this month to select the winners of the 2008 National Wetlands Awards. This year's award winners hail from all regions of the country and exemplify the extraordinary commitment and innovation that is so instrumental to conserving wetlands in the nation's communities.

In Memoriam: William Stanton (1915-2008), Distinguished Chemistry Alumnus ('41)

William A. Stanton was born in Washington, DC on September 9, 1915, and grew up in Hyattsville, Maryland.  He received his BS degree from the University of Maryland in 1936, and a PhD in organic chemistry in 1941. He was a teaching fellow at the university from 1936 to 1939. Upon graduation, Dr. Stanton went to work for EI Du Pont de Nemours and Company. Initially hired as a chemist at their Parlin, New Jersey Research Laboratory, he became a group leader in 1946, beginning a long and distinguished career in the management of what would become Du Pont's Photo Products Division. When he retired in 1980, he was Director of the International Operations Division, with responsibility for all research, marketing, and manufacturing outside the United States and Canada.
In 1950, Bill was a recipient of the Journal Award of the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers for the best paper of the year, “Synthetic Color-forming Binders for Photographic Emulsions.” In 1978, he received the Bronze Medal of the Eberhard-Karls University in Tubingen, West Germany, for “the advancement of scientific cooperation between the University and industry.” He was a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemists, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, the Society of Photographic Scientists and Engineers, the Alpha Chi Sigma chemistry fraternity, Sigma Xi research society and Phi Kappa Phi honor society.

Bill passed away peacefully on May 25, 2008, at the age of 92. He was predeceased by his spouse of 60 years, Mildred Hall Stanton of Calvert County Maryland. He is survived by his wife of 3 years, Phyllis Maynard Stanton, and his children, Donald R. Stanton of Boston, Robert H. Stanton of Apple Valley, MN, and Linda Stanton Marum of Woodbury, MN. He is also survived by six grand children, Laura, Elizabeth, Will, Barclay, Carter and Whitney.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be sent to the Easter Seal Society, 61 Corporate Circle, New Castle, DE 19720.