Journal of
Scholarly Endeavor
Volume I • 2001

2001 Symposium for Research and Scholarship

SlippeiyR~ck
Urnversrty

of Pennsylvania

Journal of
Scholarly Endeavor
Volume I · 2001
Abstracts of Inquiry and Creativity
2001 Symposium for Research and Scholarship

SlipperyR~ck
Urnversrty

of Pennsylvania

Journal of the Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Symposium for Research and Scholarship
Volume 1, 2001
Editor: Patrick A Burkhart, PhD
Department of Environmental Geosciences
Associate Editor: Carolyn S. Steglich, Ph.D.
Department of Biology
College of Arts and Sciences
Abstracts of Inquiry and Creativity

Contents
Forward

v

Keynote Speaker- Dr. Carl 0. Moses, Lehigh University

vi

Same Difference: Evolving Conclusions about Textuality
and New Media
Nancy Barta-Smith and Danette Dimarco
Paleohydrology of Glacial Lake East Fork, Pioneer
Mountains, Idaho
Andrew Norton, Patrick Burkhart, Edward Evenson, and
Frank Pazzaglia

2

Rodolfo Usigli's Media tono and the Transition to Modern
Theatre in Mexico
Deb Cohen

3

The Effects of Sodium n-Butyric Acid on Expression of
GFP-CFTR in MDCK Cells
Christie Colosimo and Carolyn Steglich

4

Sharing Knowledge and Experience: Cross-Disciplinmy
Conversations About the Role of Writing in Undergraduate
Education
Cornelius Cosgrove and Nancy Barta-Smith

5

Impact oj'Acid Mine Drainage on Benthic Communities in
Streams: 711e Relative Roles of Substrate vs. Aqueous Effects
Scott Daly, Dean DeNicola, and Michael Stapleton

6

Clay Mineralogy of the Unstable Pittsburgh Red Beds
and its Relevance to Landslides in Southwestern PA
Scott Davidson, Patricia A. Campbell, and Patrick Burkhart

7

Ecological Restoration at the Robert A. Macoskey Center for
Sustainable Systems Education and Research -An Overview
of Past Efforts and Planned Approaches
Steven Doherty, Bruno Borsari, and Thomas Reynolds

8

The Pursuit of a Sustainable Agriculture through the
Cultivation of Eastern Gamma Grass (Trivsacum dactvloides)
Tim Elder and Bruno Borsari

9

Effect of all-trans Retinoic Acid on Gene Expression of
Antigen Presentation-related Molecules in Murine Macrophages
Timothy Allen Evans and Kathleen A. Hoag

10

Mcintyre, Pennsylvania, on the World Wide Web: Everyday
Life in a Coal-Mining, Company Town, 1910-1947, through
Documents, Photos, and Memories of Residents
Susan Ferrandiz

11

Profiles ofAlcohol Consumption and Obesity among
Adolescents in the United States -Are Alcohol
Consumption and Obesity Related?
Kimberly Y.-Z. Forrest, Susan Hannam, and Nathan Huskey

12

Ductile Shear Zones in the Basement Complex of the Blue Ridge
Anticlinorium in Central Pennsylvania: Implications for the
Evolution of the Northern Blue Ridge
Michael N. Goodman, Patrick R. Konnos, Patricia A. Campbell,
and Thomas H. Anderson

13

In Vitro Effects of Retinoic Acid on Differentiation of Murine
Dendritic Cells ji·om Bone Marrow Stem Cells
Greg William Hites and Kathleen A. Hoag

14

Student-focused, Collaborative, Choreograpllic Research
with Mark Taylor
Becky Conway, Krista Harvey, Candi Hollabaugh, Jennifer Keller,
Tara Madsen, Chrystal McCurc!y, Nola Nolen, Heather Olszewski,
Leigh Puntereri, Tina Saulle, Beth Sube, and Mark Taylor

15

iii
Are You listening?: An Examination of Commonly Held Beliefs
About the Nature of Effective Listening
Kelly Best, Salehin Ghani, John Kuhn, James Laux,
Gail Shannon, Ling Yee Thong, and Kristy Van Velsor

16

The Right Myths at the Right Time: Myth Making and Hero
Worship in Post-Frontier American Society George Edward Waddell vs. Christy Mathewson
AlanH.Levy

17

Liquid Crystals and Their Potential Impacts on Technology
Rizwan Mahmood

18

The Medium is the Message: Busman's Honeymoon as Play,
Novel, and Film
Leslie R. Mateer and Anita G. Gorman

19

Inclusion of Environmental Education in Pennsylvania Teacher
Preparation Curricula: A Survey ofElementaiy Pre-Service
Teacher Programs
Andy S. McDonald, Paulette Johnson, and Thomas Mastrilli

20

Planning and Implementation of an Inte1pretive Trail at the
Robert A. Macoskey Center for Sustainable Systems Research
and Education
Seth McMillan, Andrew Haugen, Frank Cetera, Thomas Reynolds,
Mary Ann King, Steven James, Steven Doherty, and Bruno Borsari

21

Harai-Goshi Throw Technique by Novice and Advanced Judo
Players
Nelson Ng, Edgar Klixbull, Jennifer Toth, and Jozsel Pucsok

22

Contempormy Dance as Research: Investigating the Fusion
of Hip-hop, Capoeira, Partnering and Modern Dance Styles
through the Vocabulmy and Choreography a/Doug Elkins
Ursula Payne, Chrystal McCurdy, Meredith Casey,
Kristen Bachman, Andrea Gallagher, Gretchen Hurd,
Tina Saulle, Heather Olszweski, and Ali Seidenstricker

23

Sidney Win.field Foulk: Lost Victorian Master
Kurt Pitluga

24

iv

I

An Overview of Some Constructivist-Based Curricula for the
Algebra-Based Introducto1y Physics Course
Ben A. Shaevitz

25

Genetic Crosses to Illustrate Epistasis in Maize
Mark A. Shotwell and Richard I. Andrews

26

Upgrade: Cyborg Ascending a Staircase
Jon R. Shumway

27

Madness and Our Methods: A Collaborative Approach
to Interpreting Shakespeare's Othello
Amy Marie Davidson, Rebecca Henry, Rebecca Monice,
Paul Jennings, Donald Russell, Andrea Sack, and David Skeele

28

Effects of a Minimal Contact Intervention on Maintenance of
Physical Activity Following a Fitness Course
Patricia Pierce, Joyan Steele, John Jakicic, Fredric Goss,
Laurey Simkin-Silverman, Shan Smerdon, Nima Rashidi,
and Robert Robertson

29

Extensor Pollicis Myalgia Associated with an Occupational
Custodial Task
Debra K. Vogan

30

Testing the Effects of Ecological Diversity in Gray Water
Treatment Using a Cellular System Design
Spencer Welton

31

Educational and Research Opportunities fi·om Diverse
Composting Activities at the Macoskey Center,
Slippe1y Rock University
Spencer Welton, Thomas Reynolds, Bnmo Borsari
and Steven Doherty

32

Index ofAuthors

33

Acknowledgements

35

v

Foreward
The Symposium for Research and Scholarship at the Slippery Rock University of
Pennsylvania is intended to celebrate scholarly achievement by sharing the successes of
the university community. The impetus for this event was a motion carried by the
University Forum in May of 2000.
The Forum asserted that scholarship deserves a coordinated venue for
dissemination that would enhance the academic climate of campus by encouraging
intellectual exchange and awareness. This effort also supports the University's Mission Slippe1y Rock University will excel as a caring community of lifelong learners connecting
with the world. Without hesitation, Dr. Carolyn Steglich, Chair of the Professional
Development Committee, cast the support of that body with the Forum in creating this
event. Together, the committees advanced a proposal to Dr. G. Warren Smith, President,
and Dr. Robert M. Smith, Provost. The administration responded in the affirmative with
enthusiastic and generous support. Thus, you find yourselfreading this journal today.
With an eye on future success, and the confidence that you will appreciate the
diversity and sophistication of efforts described herein, I thank the paiiicipants, our
keynote speaker, and everyone joining the symposium in promoting its success. Let us
deepen our pride in our purpose and our achievements.

Patrick A. Burkhart
University Fornm
Academic Environment Committee

vi

Inaugural Plenary Address
Student Scholarship: Giving Credit where Credit is Due
Dr. Carl 0. Moses

Common Hour
Thursday 5 April 2001
Auditorium, Strain Behavioral Science
The keynote speaker at the 2001 SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship is
Dr. Carl 0. Moses. Dr. Moses is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and
Environmental Sciences at Lehigh University, where he has been a faculty member since
1987. He also serves as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in Lehigh's
College of Arts and Sciences. He earned an AB in Chemish·y from Princeton University
and MS and PhD degrees in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia. His
principal research interest is physical and inorganic aqueous geochemistry, especially the
geochemistry of mineral surfaces and the mineral-solution interface. Other areas of
interest include computational modeling of geochemical processes and environmental
materials science (environmental alteration of Earth materials used in construction,
architectural preservation, and the use of Earth materials in pollution remediation). In the
classroom, he is responsible for courses in aqueous geochemistry, environn1ental
thermodynamics, water quality measurements, and general environmental science,
including atmospheric science, climatology, and biogeochemistry. He is also actively
involved in the Lehigh Earth Observatory, having served on its operating board and
guiding the internship and research projects of numerous students. He has served as the
principal research adviser for a post-doctoral associate and for numerous graduate and
undergraduate students, and he has served on advisoty committees for many others. His
research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of
Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

'~=~

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

Same Difference: Evolving Conclusions about Textuality and New Media
BARTA-SMITH, Nancy (F), nancy.barta-smith@sru.edu, DIMARCO, Danette (F),
danette.dimarco(cilsru.edu, English
Many reasons tempt us to make large claims about the meaning of the shift from print to
visual "writing" with the advent of "New Media" capabilities such as the Internet. A
preference for visual media has been created by mass communication vehicles such as
television and print advertising. The West loves dichotomies in general, the second
millenium has arrived, and the rapidity of technological development itself also
precipitates this mentality. Differences between the kinds of knowledge generated by
oral cultures and literate ones, the shift from aural and oral to written texts, and the
development of sophisticated philosophical and scientific traditions add to this impulse to
herald a new "pictoral" age, where knowledge is communicated without words or at least
with fewer of them. We would like to urge caution in making grand claims about this
visual "revolution."
For one thing, the move from word to image might be seen as a recapitulation of the
oral age rather than a new beginning, since speech already implies the existence of a
speaker present before us--a kind of visual dynamic presence. At least without advanced
technologies, or pathological illness, we do not ordinarily hear disembodied voices.
Maurice Merleau-Ponty testified to such a kind of perceptual knowledge as the basis for
the child's animated world rather than the projection of intentionality favored by Piaget
who, for all of his impressive contributions to science, projected the end of development
onto the beginning. Oral contexts were always visual. Visual ones are not so different
from print.
In evolutionary terms, watershed "revolutionary" moments arise where there is the
opportunity for evolutionary reorganizations that are combinatorial. Hierarchical mental
conshuctions and structural integration keep multiple cognitive units simultaneously in
mind and combine them into new schemas which become subroutines in yet larger
compositions (Langer and Killen 128). Rather than a revolution, the New Media may be
an evolution that we wish to keep evolving in spite of our cultural preference for disestablishment and overthrow in the rise of the image (Stephens).
In cognitive
development, imitation carries us across contexts and allows for adaptation. In this
research, a chapter forthcoming in a volume on new media at MIT Press, we attempt to
apply such evolutionary concepts as hierarchical reconstrnction, recapitulation,
combinatorial capacity, and synchronization to the development of visual writing in New
Media. We argue for the evolution of the visual "revolution." Rather than being the
opposite of imitation, originality in New Media relies on, and requires it. The death of
print in the rise of the image is greatly exaggerated.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

2

Paleohydrology of Glacial Lake East Fork, Pioneer Mountains, Idaho
NORTON, Andrew T. (U), Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences,
University of Wales, Aberystwyth, SY23 2DB, United Kingdom,
BURKHART, Patrick A. (F), patrick.burkhart@sru.edu, Environmental
Geosciences, EVENSON, Edward B. (F) and PAZZAGLIA, Frank (F), Earth
and Environmental Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa 18015
This study represents the senior thesis completed by the primary author, while residing as
an exchange student at SRU. The field work was completed over ten days substituted
into the typical curriculum of the Lehigh undergraduate Geology Field Camp. This
arrangement offered a host of desirable aspects favoring successful inquiry by an
undergraduate. Logistics of completing field study in a remote, picturesque setting were
graciously supported through the camp. The project was tightly constrained in scope, and
employed techniques readily managed by an individual student. Furthermore, the
questions being investigated held bearing upon interpretations previously published
relative to perceived flooding risks discussed for the Idaho National Environmental and
Engineering Laboratory (!NEEL) in the Snake River Plain.
Glacial Lake East Fork was a small, late Pleistocene, ice-dammed lake, which may
have catastrophically discharged down the Big Lost river on at least one occasion, and
perhaps repeatedly during the Wildhorse I advance of the Pinedale glaciation. Detailed
field mapping of ice-rafted boulders (migmatitic gneisses) derived from the Wildhorse
Canyon core complex accurately define a paleoshoreline with an elevation of 2298 m
(7480 Ft. amsl). Using a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and a 2298 m shoreline
elevation, we calculate a lake area of 23.3 km2, a volume of 1.3 km3, and an average
depth of 56 m. Over the approximately 20,000 years since deglaciation, it is possible that
the highest ice rafted boulders may have been transported down slope to the shoreline
elevation. Therefore, the subsequent volume calculation must be considered a minimum.
Clast concentrations indicative of paleoshorelines below the highest shoreline may
represent lower, stable lake levels. The discharge associated with the catastrophic
draining of this lake is not sufficient to provide the approximately 60,000 m 3/sec
calculated to be needed to create the geomorphic and geologic features located almost
100 km downstream. These features are found in the 11 km long bedrock gorge of the
lower Big Lost River in Box Canyon on the Snake River Plain within the INEEL.

Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

3

ilfo Usigli's Medio tono and the Transition to Modern Theatre in

co
:EN, Dr. Deb (F), deb.cohen@sru.edu, Modem Languages and Cultures
(including the author himself) consider Rodolfo Usigli (1905-79) to be the father
odem Mexican theatre (Rodriguez 67).
His best-known plays include El
ulador [The Gesticulator], the antihistorical trilogy (Corona de fuego [Crown of
Corona de sombra [Crown of Shadows], Corona de luz [Crown of Light]) and
· of psychological realism such as El niiio y la niebla [The Boy and the Fog]; but
~ his long career, Usigli experimented with all dramatic genres. Among his early
Media tono [Half Tone] (1937) stands out for several reasons: it was Usigli's first
Lercial success on the Mexican stage, it realized his ambition to write a deliberately
:ic play, and it represented a true break from the presentational style from then
ced in Mexican commercial theatres. Well into the 1930s, notes Fernando de Ita,
... the set design and the ways of staging the works of modern
dramatists was not up to the standards of the new dramatic methods.
Testimony abounds to affirm that ... the divas and scene-stealers ...
imposed their own personalities onstage and made everything revolve
around them. Their broad style of acting overcame any other aesthetic
consideration. ( 10, my translation)
11trast, Magana Esquivel observes that Media tono "rompe con la muralla de las
afiias comerciales" [breaks down the system of the commercial companies] (133)-1, the play lacks a dominating role; no one character mesmerizes the audience with
hes of great emotion. Media tono shows the Sierra family's economic decline, but
~ Romantic dramatic precedents, neither a hero, a distant rich relative, nor a
rious stranger arrives in the nick of time to save the Sierras. The absence of these
ntions, plus the quick dialogue turnover and the natural quality of the characters'
ior and speech indicate a definitive break from both the kinds of plays and the kind
esentation that the Mexican commercial theatre inherited from its Spanish
:dents.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

4

The Effects of Sodium n-Butyric Acid on Expression of GFP-CFTR in
MDCKCells
COLOSIMO, Christie (U), cxc5070@sru.edu, STEGLICH, Carolyn (F),
Biology
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a lethal recessive genetic disease that drastically shortens the life
span of the children afflicted. CF is caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene located on chromosome seven.
The nomial CF protein acts as a channel for er ion transport in cells. Having the
incorrect form of this protein leads to improper levels of Cr , Na+ and water in certain
epithelial cells. This creates a sticky mucus build up in the lungs, pancreatic duct and
other tissue ducts that produce mucus. This prohibits the pancreatic enzymes needed to
aid in digestion from reaching the intestines. This problem is alleviated by the
prescription of digestion enzymes to be taken orally with meals.
A more serious problem occurs in the lungs of patients with CF. An abnormally thick
sticky mucus clogs the airways. This sticky mucus acts as a trap for any particles that are
breathed in. Often harmful bacteria and viruses enter and create frequent lung infections,
that leads to long tem1 lung damage. Accumulated lung damage over time is the biggest
contributing factor in fatality of the people afflicted with CF. To try to prevent the lung
damage patients receive daily chest therapy, which helps to loosen the mucus. Also many
patients do daily breathing treatments that help to open the airways. New orally inhaled
antibiotics have been created that enter directly into the lung and help to fight bacterial
infections.
Although many treatments are being developed, there remains no cure. CF is still a
lethal disease. A major step for curing this disease is to learn how the CFTR protein
functions and what molecules the CFTR protein interacts with in the cell. In this study
we have used a gene constmct that produces human CFTR protein fused at its amino
terminus to green fluorescent protein (GFP). The cell line containing the gene construct
was provided to us by Dr. Bruce Stanton, Dartmouth College. Fluorescence microscopy
will be used as a means of visualizing the amount and location of the GFP-CFTR fusion
protein in MDCK cells, a canine epithelial kidney cell line. In the first phase of this
study, we have observed the effects of sodium butyrate on the expression of the GFPCFTR fusion protein. Preliminary work shows that butyrate appears to activate
production of the GFP-CFTR protein in these cells.

I

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

5

Sharing Knowledge and Experience: Cross-Disciplinary Conversations
About the Role of Writing in Undergraduate Education
COSGROVE, Cornelius (F), comelius.cosgrove@sru.edu, BARTA-SMITH,
Nancy (F), nancy.barta-srnithCci>sru.edu, English
Our oral presentation will explain a recently completed book project and seek
involvement of those attending in a continuation of the activity the book describes. The
primary impetus for our study was 15 lengthy interviews we conducted with eight (8)
colleagues from other academic fields--Computer Science, Elementary Education, Health
Education, Health Services Administration, Mathematics, Nursing, Physics, and Sport
Management. We combined these audiotaped, transcribed conversations, conducted
between June, 1998 and November, 1999, with our reading and our years of experience
teaching first-year composition and courses in our department's professional writing
program to generate an argument in dialogic f01m, an argument for the value of face-toface conversations between composition specialists and professors within other
disciplines. These conversations, we contend, open up one promising path leading
towards significant improvement of undergraduate education.
They enable: a)
development of an ordinary language that can allow faculty members across disciplines
to collaboratively consider the role of writing in undergraduate education; b) shared
learning among conversants that can benefit students in composition, professional
writing, and major program courses; and c) discovery of possibilities for mutual
assistance that can enhance undergraduate teaching and curriculum design for both
general studies and major programs.
We encountered many of the tensions which have become attached to the writingacross-the-cmTiculum movement: writing to learn versus writing as disciplinary practice;
content coverage versus written application of such content; the role of first-year writing
instruction in the inculcation of standard written English; and the boundaries of expertise
possessed by both composition and "content" faculty when examining writing as practice
and product. We explored issues related to what might be considered a contemporary
liberal arts "trivium"--style, genre, and argumentation--and discussed the kinds of
professional and extra-disciplinary "expe1iise" our colleagues would like undergraduates
to eventually possess. The role of writing in gaining and executing such expertise was
also examined. We described the dynamics of the interviews themselves: how we
negotiated meaning, made personal and professional contact, acknowledged and
tliscussecl individual concerns, and discovered areas of possible mutual action.
Symposium participants who attend our presentation will be invited to contribute
suggestions of their own for continuing and further developing the conversations across
disciplines regarding the role of writing in undergraduate education that we have begun
here at Slippery Rock University.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

6

Impact of Acid Mine Drainage on Benthic Communities in Streams: The
Relative Roles of Substrate vs. Aqueous Effects
DALY, Scott (U), sjd2588@sru.edu, DENICOLA, Dean (F), Biology,
STAPLETON, Michael (F), Environmental Geosciences
Restoration of streams impacted by acid mine drainage (AMD) focuses on improving
water quality. Precipitates of metals on the substrata, however, can remain and
adversely affect the benthos. To examine the effects of AMD precipitates, we compared
conununity composition in 30.5 cm2 trays of clean and AMD metal-coated substrata (3
weeks of exposure in an AMD stream) that were placed in a stream with high water
quality. Five replicate trays for 4 substrata treatments, clean sandstone, clean limestone,
AMD metal-coated sandstone and coated limestone, were placed in a circumneutral
stream of high water quality. After 4 weeks, the substrata of the trays were sampled for
invertebrate and periphyton density and composition. One rock was selected from each
tray before and after the experiment to measure substrah1m concentrations of Fe, Al, Mn
and Zn. AMD precipitate on the substrata did not significantly affect macroinvertebrate
or periphyton density and species composition. Iron and aluminum were the most
abundant metals on rocks with AMD precipitate, and significantly decreased after 3
weeks in the circumneutral stream. No consistent trends were apparent for changes in Al,
Mn and Zn concentrations on the substrata. An additional experiment was conducted to
examine the effects of aqueous metals on macroinvertebrates independent of substrata.
Cages containing 10 live or dead hydropsychid caddisflies from an unimpacted stream
were placed in a reference stream and an AMD impacted stream, respectively (n=7), for
5 days to examine survival and tissue concentrations of Fe, AL, Mn & Zn. Percent
survival of caged live caddisflies was significantly lower when exposed to water in the
AMD stream than in the reference stream. Caddisfly tissue concentrations of all metals
combined and for iron alone were significantly higher after exposure to AMD water than
in the reference stream. Iron, aluminum and manganese tissue concentrations were
significantly higher for the dead caddisfly treatment than the live. The results suggest the
aqueous chemical environment of AMD may have a greater affect on organisms than
chemical precipitate on the substrata.

I

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

7

Clay Mineralogy of the Unstable Pittsburgh Red Bed and its Relevance to
Landslides in Southwestern PA
DAVIDSON, Scott W. (U), icswd(t:V,hotmail.com, CAMPBELL, Patricia A. (F),
BURKHART, Patrick A. (F), Environmental Geosciences
The challenging geography of the Pittsburgh area, underlain by an equally challenging
geology, has long affected the activities of man. In fact the Monongahela River's name
is derived from a Native American word for "river with sliding banks, or high banks,
which break off and fall down" (Heyman & Craft, 1977). Steep slopes occupy 50-70%
of the Pittsburgh area, while bottomlands occupy 20%, and uplands are a bit less
extensive. Through time, most of the development has therefore taken place on land that
would be considered marginal (Gardner, 1980). Of particular interest to this investigation
are the slopes that dominate the area, their bedrock, and their tendency to landslide.
The study area focused on exposed outcroppings within Allegheny County,
Pennsylvania where landslides associated with red bed units account for $2 - 4 million
worth of damage annually (Adams, 1986). The Pittsburgh Red Bed is a stratigraphic layer
of illitic claystone that has been degraded by the leaching of potassium ions and the
simultaneous deposition of fenic iron ions, causing a change in mechanical behavior
(Fisher, 1968). X-ray diffraction techniques (XRD) were used to analyze red bed
composition, its structural characteristics, and to develop insight into the mineralogical
contr·ols over its exceptionally costly interface with society.
Samples were gathered from two sites and divided into four categories based on color
and induration. Samples were prepared as randomly oriented powder mounts and as
oriented mounts of the clay size fraction. Oriented mounts were additionally subjected to
ethylene glycol salvation and intense heating to collapse expandable clay layers.
Moore & Reynolds (1997) suggest that a collection of XRD tracings for the common,
discrete clay minerals is a most useful tool for identification. These tracings were plotted
against each other, against glycolated and heat-treated sample tracings, and against
trncings of the known clay minerals. Fisher (1968) and others have described red bed
composition as primarily illitic. The results of this investigation confirm the presence of
illite in all samples evaluated. Heat treatment of red bed samples for 2 hours at 500°C,
however, produced the most interesting results. When compared with the known illite
sample tracing, the red bee\ tracing displayed a reduction in cl-spacing (interlayer spacing)
at illite peaks, denoting a compositional difference. This difference is hypothesized to
reflect the cation substitution of the smaller Fe 3 + for Kt, and may hold the key to their
instability. Additional study could begin by testing this hypothesis after attempting
controlled ionic substitution in the clay and similar analyses.

...
SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

8

Ecological Restoration at the Robert A. Macoskey Center for Sustainable
Systems Education and Research - An Overview of Past Efforts and
Planned Approaches
DOHERTY, Steven (F), steven.doherty@sru.edu, BORSARI, Bruno (F),
REYNOLDS, Thomas (S), Parks, Recreation and Environmental Education
Ecological restoration is a multi-tiered process of repairing damage caused by human
actions to the diversity and dynamics of indigenous ecosystems. Our paper introduces
restoration at the Macoskey Center on the SRU campus through a review of past efforts
by former faculty (Karen Kainer and Marianne Sarrantonio), current monitoring, and
planned new approaches.
The most prominent project is the revegetation of a 4 acre site previously excavated to
provide topsoil on campus. This barren expanse lay exposed and unmanaged for several
decades with limited re-colonization from proximate plant communities. Active
restoration to prairie began in the mid-90's with the application of pulverized limestone
and compost to rebuild soils. Wild flower seeds were dispersed and Indiangrass
(Sorghastrwn nutans), Little Bluestem (Andropogon scoparius) and Switch Grass
(Panicum virgatum) seeds were germinated and individual seedlings were transplanted.
Today, the site is revegetated with intended, native and opportunistic species. Here,
results from soil testing and plant survival and growth monitoring are summarized, and
plans to inventory community composition and reassess restoration goals are discussed.
Other planned initiatives are discussed, and include the rehabilitation of agricultural
soils with a combination of reseeding with native wildflowers, forbs and grasses and
soybean with the intention of fixing available nitrogen and rebuilding soil organic matter.
A range of forest community stages is present on the property, from abandoned fields in
early stages of reorganization to mature secondary hardwood forests. Succession may be
arrested in some areas due in part to rapid colonization of noxious species (e.g., Rhus
glabra) typical of woodland borders. Vegetation sampling protocols can be implemented
and pem1anent plots established to document natural plant community trajectories and to
assist and direct forest development with intentional re-introductions. Amending existing
habitat for wildlife use includes the placement of bluebird (Sialia sialis) boxes in
reforested areas and management of fallow lands and the prairie restoration site for the
re-introduction of the upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicavda) once present but
currently extirpated. We are also considering the establishment of willow and popular
stands as foster ecosystems and wildlife habitat, as well as treatment of graywater and
>reduction ofwoodfuel for the Hannony Homestead.
Restoration is a process of renewal. A goal is not necessarily to return ecosystems
Jack to pre-disturbance conditions, but rather re-establish health and re-build impaired
functions and ecosystem services. The 83 acre Macoskey Center offers numerous
opportunities to ameliorate disturbance stress and assist the renewal of dynamic agroforest ecosystems.

I

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

9

The Pursuit of a Sustainable Agriculture through the Cultivation of Eastern
Gamma Grass (Tripsacum dactyloides)
ELDER, Tim (G), tde3125@sru.edu, BORSARI, Bruno (F), Parks, Recreation
& Environmental Education
Sustainable agriculture is an emerging paradigm that aims at the development of more
environmentally amicable farming techniques with the purpose of managing more
rationally natural resources, for the long term prosperity of human communities. A very
important component of this innovative model is also the study of native species for their
possible incorporation into modern farming systems and for the preservation of
biodiversity. Eastern gamma grass, (Tripsacum dactyloides) is a perennial plant species,
native to the north American continent. It has sustained for millennia the large herds of
herbivore populations that once roamed through the American prairies, while holding
together the most fertile soil that allowed the expansion of our agricultural systems.
Several examples related to the practical utilization of this species exist already, in
order to substantiate the theoretical underpinnings of the sustainable agriculture
philosophy. Therefore, this paper will provide readers with a current review of the
literature in this area of endeavor. The findings have many research implications and
they illustrate multiple benefits that may apply also to the agricultural conditions of
western Pennsylvania.
The topography of our soils for example, makes cultivated fields very susceptible to
erosion, particularly those that have been converted to pasture land, or devoted to the
growth of annual plant species, in vast monocultures. Better soil erosion control
demands immediate intervention, if farming systems are going to become more
sustainable.
Concurrently, the nutritional aspects of the foliage seem to have a promising future for
eastern gamma grass, conceived as a perennial fodder crop to be used with livestock
species, in alternative to non-native plants. Therefore, agronomic as well as animal
nutrition reasons are enhancing the interests of innovative agriculturists for including this
perennial species into modern crop rotations. Thus, the conversion from a monoculture to
a perennial polyculture will aid the trnnsition to more sustainable farming systems.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

10

Effect of all-trans Retinoic Acid on Gene Expression of Antigen
Presentation-related Molecules in Murine Macrophages
EVANS, Timothy Allen (U), tae7566@sru.edu, HOAG, Kathleen A. (F),
Biology
Malnutrition (specifically vitamin A deficiency) has been shown to depress inmmne
response through a reduction in antibody production. T helper 2 (Th2) lymphocytes are
responsible for activating B lymphocytes to produce antibodies, and antigen-presenting
cells (APC) are responsible for activating T cells and directing their differentiation to T
helper 1 (Th 1) or Th2.
To study the effect of vitamin A on APC function of macrophages, murine bone
marrow stem cells were isolated from BALB/c mice and cultured with or without alltrans retinoic acid (atRA) along with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF).
Several proteins expressed on the surface of APC are vital to antigen presentation and T
cell stimulation, among them MHC class II, mCD40, mCD80, and mCD86. Macrophage
expression of these antigen presentation-related genes was analyzed through mRNA
isolation and reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),
with P-actin serving as a baseline control. Preliminary results indicate equivalent
expression of MHC class II, mCD40, mCD80, and mCD86 in the atRA cultures in
comparison to control cultures substituting dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for atRA. The
data suggest that atRA does not direct macrophages to Th2-influencing characteristics.
In fact, it appears that atRA has no effect on macrophage gene transcription with respect
to antigen presentation.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

11

Mcintyre, Pennsylvania, on the World Wide Web: Everyday Life in a CoalMining, Company Town, 1910-1947, through Documents, Photos, and
Memories of Residents
FERRANDIZ, Susan (F), susan.ferrandiz@sru.edu, Library
Mcintyre, Pennsylvania, was one of seventeen coal mining company towns developed by
the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal Company in Indiana County, in the early part of the
twentieth century. A large number of immigrants from Italy and eastern European
countries flocked to Mcintyre and other mining towns to secure steady jobs.
The coal company and its subsidiaries and agents were able to accumulate large tracts
of coal-rich land in Indiana County by purchasing acreage from farmers. Agents for the
company, who were responsible for hiring immigrants, were told what type of ethnic
groups to hire and to not hire. Simple wood frame houses, a schoolhouse, company store,
church, dance hall, doctor's office, and other structures were built. The center of the town
was the tipple and other buildings necessary for coal mining operations.
Coal mining was a hard, dirty, and sometimes dangerous job. Cave-ins and explosions
were common. Unionization was attractive to the miners since it offered them hope of
better working conditions and higher salaries. The coal company tried to hinder strikes by
obtaining injunctions from local anti-union judges.
Miners' wives generally did not work outside the home. Family income was low and
fmgality was practiced daily. Gardens were kept and produce was canned or stored. TI1eir
daily diets closely resembled the meals from their countries of origin. Housewives used
plants and other home remedies to treat certain illnesses. Weddings, funerals and other
major life events were often occasions when town residents came together to contribute
food and support to their neighbors.
Although life was hard for the miners and their families, there was time for leisure and
recreation. The many Italian born male immigrants enjoyed playing the game bocce.
Children's games were simple and toys often homemade. The most popular form of
entertainment for the townspeople was baseball. The coal company sponsored leagues
from among nearby coal towns.
Many children did not finish elementary school. Boys in their early to mid teens often
went to work in the mines to help support their families. A number of children in the
four-room schoolhouse, which was built by the coal company, did not speak English.
Corporal punishment was meted out to any student who misbehaved.
Since most of the immigrants were Roman Catholic, a church wns established early in
the history of the town. It served the spiritual as well us social needs of some of its
members. Although the town was not segregated by nutionu\ity or religion, young men
and women of different religions usually did not date.
In 1947, the coal company sold its assets in Mcintyre to a local salvage company. This
company resold the homes to residents who formerly rented them from the coal company.
Mcintyre's era as a company town was over.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

12

Profiles of Alcohol Consumption and Obesity among Adolescents in the
United States - Are Alcohol Consumption and Obesity Related?
FORREST, Kimberly Y.-Z. (F), kimberly.forrest@sru.edu, Allied Health,
HANNAM, Susan (F), Allied Health, HUSKEY, Nathan, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Alcohol consumption is a significant health and social problem in American society.
Approximately 10 million American youths under the age of 21 drink alcohol.
Compounding this problem is the fact that many of our adolescents are overweight,
another major health problem in this country. This study describes the demographic
factors associated with alcohol consumption and obesity and examines the relationship
between alcohol consumption and obesity in adolescents.
The data for this study was taken from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent
Health, 1994-1996. A school-based, clustered sampling design was used to investigate
6,504 adolescents in seventh to twelfth grade. The analysis for the current study was
constrained for all subjects who repotied weight, height, and age (n=4,750). Alcohol use
was defined as having tried alcohol more than two or three times, while drinking
frequency was determined as how often alcohol was being used by the student. Body
Mass Index (BMI) was calculated as weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared. Obesity
was defined by the upper 15th percentile of BMI as presented by cycles 2 and 3 of the
National Health Examination Survey.
Although males had a higher frequency of alcohol drinking than females, the
prevalence of alcohol use was similar within gender. Whites were the most likely to have
tried alcohol (56.4%), while African Americans were the least likely (43.9%). Whites
were also found to consume alcohol considerably more frequently than any other race.
Thirty-two percent of adolescents were considered to be obese (35% in males, 29% in
females). Alcohol consumption and obesity decreased as age increased; however, no
significant relationship was found between alcohol consumption and obesity in this study
population.
The findings of this study provided useful info1mation on the health profiles related to
alcohol use and obesity among adolescents in the United States. Such information is
valuable for planning health education and developing prevention programs in middle
schools and high schools.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

13

Ductile Shear Zones in the Basement Complex of the Blue Ridge
Anticlinorium in Central Pennsylvania: Implications for the Evolution of
the Northern Blue Ridge
GOODMAN, Michael N.(U), mng4035@sru.edu, KORMOS, Patrick R.(U),
prk7 l 68(cl)sru.edu, CAMPBELL, Patricia A.(F), Environmental Geosciences,
ANDERSON, Thomas, H., Department of Geology and Planetary
Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
A ductile shear zone, defined by lineated, mylonitic, volcanic rocks, principally rhyolitic
quartz-feldspar porphyry, crops-out in the Precambrian basement of the northern Blue
Ridge anticlinorium in south central PA. These mylonitic rocks occur north of the
Carbaugh-Marsh Creek (CMC) fault. In this area, the CMC fault trends east-west across
the structural grain of the Blue Ridge and is interpreted as a right-lateral strike-slip fault.
North of the CMC fault, mylonitic foliation strikes northeast and dips moderately
southeast. Adjacent to the CMC fault, the strike is more eastward and the mylonitic
rocks are cut by numerous joint sets that are prominent close to the fault. Mylonitic
volcanic rocks are not known south of the CMC fault. The absence of mylonitic rocks
may indicate offset during right-lateral movement along CMC fault compatible with the
more eastward strike caused by drag along the CMC fault. Displacements along Triassic
normal faults may also obscure the mylonite zone south of CMC fault. An alternative
interpretation is that the ductile fault bends into a transverse tear at an oblique thrust ramp
that has been reactivated during later right-lateral movement on the CMC fault under
brittle deformation conditions.
A regionally extensive horizon of mylonitic beds, the Keedysville mylonite, has
previously been recognized along the west flank of the Blue Ridge at the base of the
Cambrian carbonate section in the northern Blue Ridge (Campbell and Anderson, 1996).
The Keedysville mylonite is interpreted to be a fundamental detachment surface in the
central Appalachians that is folded and cut by younger faults. The sheared volcanic rocks
that crop-out north of the CMC fault may be a detachment stratigraphically lower than
the Keedysville within the Cambrian carbonates. If these zones of ductile deformation
are correlative, then they may represent the footwall cutoff of a thrust ramp along which
basement rocks were carried across the platform margin onto the Keedysville flat.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

14

In Vitro Effects of Retinoic Acid on Differentiation of Murine Dendritic
Cells from Bone Marrow Stem Cells
HITES, Greg William (U), gxh9972@sru.edu, HOAG, Kathleen A. (F),
Biology
Retinoic acid (vitamin A) has been shown to inhibit a T helper 1 (Thl) immune response
and favor a T helper 2 (Th2) dominated response. Thl and Th2 cells both develop from
T lymphocytes stimulated by antigen-presenting cells (APC) to respond to foreign
proteins. Development of Thl cells and Th2 cells from T lymphocytes is mutually
exclusive in that any particular T lymphocyte can choose one or the other pathway, and
the choice is influenced greatly by the APC. Previous work suggested that the APC can
be affected by retinoic acid, and that retinoic acid preferentially favors APC stimulation
of Th2 development. To dissect the mechanism of retinoic acid action on the APC, we
analyzed gene expression of antigen presentation proteins in dendritic cells (DC), the
primary APC of the immune system. Bone manow stem cells from BALB/c mice were
differentiated to DC by in vitro culn1re with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating
factor (GM-CSF). Three of the four treatment groups received all-trans retinoic acid
(atRA) beginning on days 0, 4, or 6. The control group received dimethyl sulfoxide
(vehicle) starting on day 0. The DC were harvested on day 8 and the cells were counted,
demonstrating twice as many cells when atRA was added on day 0 compared to the
control. Reverse-transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was
performed to analyze gene expression of CD40, CDSO, CD86, and MHC Class II,
proteins that have been previously demonstrated to be crucial in influencing Thl versus
Th2 development. Gene expression of ~-actin (housekeeping gene) was analyzed as a
control. The RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that CDSO and CD86 expression in DC was
only detected when atRA was added to the cultures. There was no apparent difference in
CD40 or MHC Class II expression from the control to atRA-containing cultures. In
conclusion, it appears that vitamin A can act on DC to increase proliferation and may be
necessary for expression of costimulatory proteins CDSO and CD86 in these APC. This
may explain why vitamin A is necessary for optimal Th2 responses, since development of
Th2 responses generally requires higher costimulation by APC than Thl responses.

------

----

-

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

15

Student-focused, Collaborative, Choreographic Research with Mark Taylor
CONWAY, Becky (U), HARVEY, Krista (U), HOLLABAUGH, Candi (U),
KELLER, Jennifer (F), Dance, jennifer.keller@sru.edu, MADSEN, Tara (U),
MCCURDY, Chrystal (U), NOLEN, Nola (F), Dance, OLSZEWSKI,
Heather (U), PUNTERERI, Leigh (U), SAULLE, Tina (U), SUBE, Beth
(U), TAYLOR, Mark, Dance Alloy, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Co-principal investigators Nola Nolen, Jennifer Keller, and Dance Department students
worked collaboratively with Dance Alloy Artistic Director, Mark Taylor, in the creation
of "Ice," an original dance for nine Slippery Rock University dance students set to music
by Karl Jenkins. The collaboration was funded by the College of Health and Human
Services Research Committee for 1999-2000.
SRU dance students worked collaboratively with Mr. Taylor in the creative process by
not only learning his movement style but also by creating their own movement
sequences, which Mr. Taylor incorporated into the work. After 40 hours of rehearsal in
which the dance was constructed, choreographic research continued as the students
interpreted and refined character motivation and choreographic intent. Assistant
Professors Nolen and Keller aided this process of interpretation and refinement by
serving as faculty rehearsal directors. Ms. Nolan utilized her extensive experience in
ballet repertory in coaching the students, and Ms. Keller drew on her eight years of
working professionally with Mr. Taylor as a dancer (1988-1996) and his assistant (19951996).
Perf01mance opportunities complete the choreographic research by presenting the
work to an audience for examination, reflection, and entertainment. "Ice" was performed
for the Slippery Rock University campus in December 2000 and January 2001, and for
Pittsburgh audiences at the Byham Theatre in March 2001. The research project has
afforded the investigators an opportunity for professional development through the
creative processes of performance and choreography.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

16

Are You Listening?: An Examination of Commonly Held Beliefs About the
Nature of Effective Listening
BEST, Kelly (U), GHANI, Salehin (U), KUHN, John (U), LAUX, James (F),
james.laux@sru.edu, Communication, SHANNON, Gail (U), THONG,
Ling Yee (U), VAN VELSOR, Kristy (U)
Listening is widely recognized as the most essential but least developed communicative
skill, at least among Americans. However, are some of the most fundamental
assumptions related to effective listening (which serve, for example, as the basis, for
college courses and corporate training programs in listening) well founded? Is it true, for
example, that the average person remembers Jess than 25% of what they have heard after
only 48 hours? Does the perceived relevance of the message listened to have an
appreciable impact? Does maintaining eye-contact with the source of a message really
improve message retention? How about the commonly held view that listening to certain
fonns of music during study and/or instruction improves academic performance (i.e., the
so-called "Mozart Effect")? These are the premises related to effective listening that
were investigated by this panel of student researchers under the direction of their
professor as part of the requirements for a course in Communication Research Methods.
It is the shared belief of the researchers that replications of basic social science
research can be as impottant and valuable as "original research," especially when the
original findings have acquired the status of basic, taken-for-granted truth within a
particular discipline. The papers included in this proposed panel were presented at the
New York State Communication Association Annual Convention in Monticello, New
They comprised one of a very few student panels
York in September of 2000.
competitively selected from submissions from communication professors, professionals
and students (graduate and undergraduate), from across the country and Canada. Their
research has been re-conceptualized in light of the feedback that they received from a
distinguished audience of experts on the topic. Moreover, the findings (which have been
reported in newspapers and on radio programs throughout Western Pennsylvania and
Eastern Ohio) have great practical significance for teachers and students in every
discipline, as well the general public.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

17

The Right Myths at the Right Time: Myth Making and Hero Worship in
Post-Frontier American Society - George Edward Waddell vs. Christy
Mathewson
LEVY, Alan H. (F), alan.leyy@sru.edu, History
Every fan of baseball history knows about Christy Mathewson. The Christian Gentleman
was one of the finest men and one of the finest pitchers the game has ever seen. As for
George Edward "Rube" Waddell, loads of fans know about him too. Fire chasing,
drinking, flood sandbagging, fishing, drinking, domestic raging, hunting, drinking,
sharpshooting, barnstorming, drinking, live snake masticating, band leading, drinking,
acting, boxing, drinking, alligator wrestling, raw oyster scarfing, drinking, curve balling,
fast balling, highballing - he did it all. If Rube had never lived and someone made up a
story that told of such a life, few would believe it. Yet it happened. Around the events of
Rube's and Mathewson's lives, both during their careers and ever since, a myriad of
stories have arisen. Some are true, some are sort of true, and some are flat lies. In this
presentation, I will engage in some separating of fact from fiction as well as use such
material as a backdrop to a historical discussion about the evolution of myth making in
early 201h-century America. I will endeavor to demonstrate how the sagas of such sports
heroes as Rube and Mathewson were perfect subjects for new types of fables in a nation
entering a new era.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

18

Liquid Crystals and Their Potential Impacts on Technology
MAHMOOD, Rizwan (F), rizwan.mahmood@sru.edu, Physics
If a solid crystalline substance is heated, it melts to a liquid, thus obtaining the random
distribution of molecules characterizing the liquid state from the rigid arrangement of
molecules in a solid state. In some organic substances, there exists an additional state in
between liquid and the solid crystalline states, which has been known for more than a
century. This state is given the name Liquid Crystals (LC's). Although they are liquid,
they retain the physical property of 'anisotropy', which is typical for solids.
Today, LC's are used in devices such as watches, heat sensors, laptop computers and
flat screen televisions, and in computers for fast data transfer. Their potential use in
artificial muscles, high strength fibers, etc., and on the battlefield, is still in exploratory
stages.
I will discuss some physical properties of LC's and their applications to today's
growing technology.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 200 I

19

The Medium is the Message: Busman's Honeymoon as Play, Novel, and Film
MATEER, Leslie R.(G),lesliennateer@hotmail.com, GORMAN, Anita G.
(F), English
Dorothy L. Sayers, writer of theological works, translator of Dante, and pioneer in
modern advertising, is known today primarily for her detective fiction, especially the
novels featuring Lord Peter Wimsey, an amateur sleuth, and Harriet Vane, a writer of
mystery novels. Busman's Honeymoon, the last of the Wimsey novels, highlights at long
last the marriage of the two characters and Sayers' views of the relationship between men
and women.
Although Busman's Honeymoon appeared as radio and television productions, it is
best known in three incarnations: as a play written by Dorothy L. Sayers and Muriel St.
Clare Byrne; as a novel written by Sayers alone; and as a feature film adapted by
Monckton Roffe, Angus MacPhail, and Harold Goldman. The three versions of the story
differ quite markedly from one another for a number of reasons: whether Sayers was
working in collaboration (the play); or alone (the novel); or whether she was absent from
the creation (the film). These three vehicles also differ because of the constraints as well
as the opportunities presented by the stage, the printed word, or celluloid. Finally, they
differ because the audiences for which they were intended varied in taste, education,
class, and diversity. The play provides wit, a clever plot, an improbable murder weapon,
comedy, some English eccentrics, and two famous fictional detectives, Harriet Vane and
Lord Peter Wimsey, now married to each other. The novel's subtitle, A Love Sto1y with
Detective Interruptions, suggests that Sayers' focus has shifted, with married love more
important than murder. Its opening chapter, "Prothalamion," connects the new novel with
the previously published Gaudy Night, at the end of which Han-iet Vane finally accepts
Lord Peter Wimsey's proposal, and reintroduces some of the characters from the other
Wimsey novels, such as his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver. The final chapter
of Busman's Honeymoon, "Epithalamion," prepares the way for the final work in what
would have been a trilogy on love and marriage, had Sayers completed the fragment
known as Thrones. Dominations. The 1940 film departs from both play and novel,
making Hmiet inferior to Peter and excising Sayers' message about the importance of
work to both men and women. Even though both the play and the novel pander to some
of the prejudices of the 1930s, the film avoids the most blatant racial, religious, and social
prejudices of the earlier works, but the all-male filmmakers failed to convey Sayers'
philosophy of equality in marriage. The differences among the three versions of
Busman's Honeymoon derive in part from the cultural context, the constraints and
opportunities of the genres, and the degree to which Dorothy L. Sayers was involved in
the production.
This paper was delivered at a conference, "Dorothy L. Sayers: The Romance of
Faith," at Grove City College, 27 October 2000.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

20

SR(

Inclusion of Environmental Education in Pennsylvania Teacher Preparation
Curricula: A Survey of Elementary Pre-Service Teacher Programs
MCDONALD, Andy S. (G), andyboeke@yahoo.com, JOHNSON, Paulette
(F), Parks, Recreation and Environmental Education, MASTRILLI, Thomas,
West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383
A partnership was formed between Pennsylvania Department of Education, West Chester
University and the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education to conduct the first
statewide assessment of the inclusion of environmental education (EE) within pre-service
elementary education teacher preparation programs. A survey was mailed to all colleges
and universities in the Commonwealth that have such programs. This survey provides
baseline data that will help Pennsylvania to chart progress towards the full integration of
EE into the Commonwealth's educational system.
The results of the survey revealed that much work remains to be done to effectively
include EE within the curricula of institutions that train Pennsylvania's elementary school
teachers. Existing efforts to incorporate EE lack the scope and sequence, as well as the
institutional strncture n01mally associated with good educational programming. The
survey found that the inclusion of EE pedagogy and content knowledge varies widely
among Pennsylvania's elementary education teacher preparation programs. It is difficult
to predict where EE will be found within a curriculum, as institutions include it within a
wide range of coursework. While the inclusion of both EE methods and content
knowledge are low, content knowledge inclusion lags behind pedagogical methods. It is
noteworthy that the great majority of programs do not require a specific EE course. Of
the many specific EE curricula sponsored by agencies and organizations in Pennsylvania,
only a handful are commonly used by teacher preparation programs.
On the institutional level, faculty and administrator interest in EE was most frequently
neutral to moderately high. State certification guidelines and standards, and faculty
interest were the most frequently cited factors facilitating the inclusion of EE in preservice programs. The primary barriers to inclusion include limited funding, time
limitations, and lack of faculty interest or knowledge of EE. The wide majority of all
institutions have no full-time or part-time faculty members who specialize in EE. Despite
this information, institutions most frequently evaluated their program's effectiveness in
eaching EE as being adequate. This contnsts with many of the survey's findings, but it
>rovides insight into what characterizes a satisfact01y EE program from the perspective
Jf our pre-service teacher preparation institutions. Further research is needed to evaluate
the depth and quality of the EE coursework presently being offered.

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SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

21

Planning and Implementation of an Interpretive Trail at the Robert A.
Macoskey Center for Sustainable Systems Research and Education
MCMILLAN, Seth (U), swm3848@sru.edu, HANGEN, Andrew (G),
CETERA, Frank (G), REYNOLDS, Thomas (S), KING, Mary Ann (S),
JAMES, Steven (F), DOHERTY, Steven (F), BORSARI, Bruno (F), Parks,
Recreation, and Environmental Education
A proposed interpretive trail at the Macoskey Center on the Slippery Rock University
campus is a collaborative project involving students, faculty and staff. The trail,
cun-ently in the implementation phase, targets a diverse audience ranging from
elementary school children to university students and the local community. An
interpretive trail has long been a goal of the Macoskey Center in order to provide
recreational opportunities, exposure to projects and research at the Center, as well as
education about the ecology of old fields and secondary forests typical of the area. The
proposed theme for the trail is "Living Sustainably at the Macoskey Center" emphasizing
ecosystem management, sustainable agriculture, appropriate technologies, plant
community succession and a natural history of local flora and fauna.
In the fall semester of 2000, as part of an Interpretive Methods course, students
assembled information for the planning phase of the trail including site investigations, a
review of methods of interpretation, team research, dissemination of results and the
creation of a draft brochure. A preliminary trail was marked and mapped, a series of
interpretive signs were drafted, and an implementation plan was proposed. A committee
comprised of Facilities staff, PREE faculty and students was designated to review the
proposal and oversee implementation.
The preliminary trail has two connected sections. A half-mile trail incorporates the
Harmony Homestead, market gardens, perrnaculture area, composting and restoration
sites. Connected to this segment is a mile long trail that brings the visitor through
successional series of abandoned fields, secondary hardwood forests and wet meadows
typical of Western Pennsylvania. Interpretive signs are positioned by projects at the
Harmony Homestead along section 1 and near viewsheds of natural areas along section 2.
Both sections emphasize ecological stewardship and identification of partnerships with
nah1re.
While the preliminary trnil covers only the southern portion of the 83 acre tract, it is
possible and likely that the trail can be extended to include the northern hall~ which will
incorporate intennittent tributary sh·eams of the Slippery Rock Creek as well as wetland
habitats, an old homestead, and fallow agriculture rotations. Initial construction will
begin this spring with completion targeted by mid-summer. This trnil provides further
access to campus commons, complementing the planned arboretum and habitat study
areas at Slippery Rock University, and promotes research and scholarship of faculty and
students. It may also be possible to connect the Macoskey Center h·ail to other area trails
enabling a regional trail network.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

22

Harai-Goshi Throw Technique by Novice and Advanced Judo Players
NG, Nelson (F), nelson(Cllng@sru.edu, Physical Education, KLIXBULL, Edgar
(G), TOTH, Jennifer (U), PUCSOK, Jozsef (G), Semmelweis University,
Budapest, Hungary
An investigation was undertaken to analyze the kinematic and kinetic characteristics of a
common judo tlU'ow, the harai-goshi, as performed by novice and advanced judo players.
Twenty-eight adult male and female judo players (age 22.2, height 173.4 cm, weight 71.2
kg) competing at the 4th Annual Rock Classic Judo Tournament held at Slippery Rock
University during spring semester, 2000, participated in the study. Competition and
testing occurred on campus at Monow Fieldhouse. Prior to data collection, all subjects
completed a research consent form according to the provisions set forth by SRU's
Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects.
The harai-goshi throw may be described as one of the fundamental throws in the sport
of judo. The maneuver, starting with the opponents facing one another, involves a lead
leg step-in by the tori (thrower), a pivot tum on the lead foot and simultaneous support
onto the other leg so as to bring the opponent's chest against the tori's back, and a final
leg sweep of the free leg to lift the uke (person thrown) forward and over the back of the
tori. All throws were perfo1med to the tori's right side and administered against the same
uke (height 177 .8 cm, weight 69.1 kg).
Kistler (Amherst, NY) force platform and Peak Perfmmance Technologies, Inc.
(Englewood, CO) motion video instrumentation were used for data collection and data
reduction. The 28 subjects were divided into two groups according to belt rank (17
novice, 11 advanced). Eight males and nine females were classified as novice (i.e., green
and white belts), while another eight males plus three females comprised the advanced
group (i.e., black and brown belts). Four successful trials were recorded for each subject.
Measurement variables included vertical and horizontal ground support forces as well
as sweep leg velocity of the tori; time of execution for pivot, liftoff, and total throw;
magnitude and rate of drop in the tori's center of gravity; and horizontal distance and rate
of approximation between tori and uke.
Results revealed non-significant differences at the .05 level in support leg application
force and sweep leg velocity between novice and advanced players. The element of
speed appears to be the major distinguishing feature of harai-goshi technique between
novice and advanced judo players. Advanced judo players were faster in executing both
the step-in to liftoff phase, as well as completion of the entire throw. Fmihermore,
although the extent of the drop by the tori underneath the uke was relatively similar
between novice and advanced, the rate of that displacement was far quicker for the
advanced player (p < .05). In addition, the advanced tori's rate of movement toward the
uke was greater than for the novice tori (p. < .05). In conclusion, the skillful tori
demonstrated more efficient technique relying on a faster drop of center of gravity under
the uke, as well as a deeper and quicker approach toward the uke.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

23

Contemporary Dance as Research: Investigating the Fusion of Hip-hop,
Capoeira, Partnering and Modern Dance Styles through the Vocabulary and
Choreography of Doug Elkins
PAYNE, Ursula (F), ursula.payne@srn.edu, Dance, MCCURDY, Chrystal (U),
CASEY, Meredith (U), BACHMAN, Kristen (U), GALLAGHER, Andrea
(U), HURD, Gretchen (U), SAULLE, Tina (U), OLSZWESKI, Heather (U),
SEIDENSTRICKER, Ali (U)
A three-week residency (April 1-19, 2000) was held with internationally known, New
York-based choreographer Doug Elkins. During the residency Mr. Elkins taught the
advanced level modem technique classes and created a group work on twelve students
and a duet on faculty members Jennifer Keller and Ursula Payne. The students were
selected for the project through an audition process.
The faculty and students, under the direction of Doug Elkins, were involved in
conducting movement research during the rehearsal process en route to aiding in the final
creation of the dance. This dance resulted in both students and faculty perfo1ming with
each other in a seventeen-minute dance presentation on the Slippery Rock University
Faculty and Guest Artist Dance Concert. The students also perform their sections of the
dance separately for concerts and conventions that are student centered, such as the SRU
Dance Theater fall and winter concerts, and the American College Dance regional
festival held at Frostburg State University in Maryland.
This project was designed to give students and participating faculty members a chance
to work collectively within a contemporary dance language, to find ways of usirlg
physicality and the development of movement as a metaphor for real life experiences, and
to experience the philosophy of an established well-known professional choreographer.
The research component of this project took place during the creation of the work and
continues in the process of transmitting the material within the coaching and rehearsal
process. The research product has been seen as a dance performed on formal concerts and
other venues previously listed. This project was funded through a faculty-student research
grant from Slippery Rock University of PA and the College of Health and Human
Services.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

24

Sidney Winfield Foulk: Lost Victorian Master
PITLUGA, Kurt (F), kurt.pitlugaCW.sru.edu, Art
This talk will explore the architectural designs of the late nineteenth century architect,
Sidney Winfield Foulk (1848-1932) from New Castle in western Pennslvania. He is best
known at Slippery Rock Univeristy for the designs of Old Main, West Gym, West Hall
and several structures that no longer exist on campus. However, Foulk also achieved a
significant reputation in the southern states that led to the establishment of a second
office in Greensboro, North Carolina. His expanded practice was indirectly advanced by
Foulk's association with Ira D. Sankey, a famous Gospel singer from New Castle.
Sankey was heavily involved with the development of the Young Mens Christian
Association (Y.M.C.A.) and commissions for tl1ese buildings in the South often went to
Foulk. The popularity of these designs produced a demand for Foulk's work that led to
substantial commissions throughout the south. The most prominent of these commissions
were the designs of two enormous "Boom Hotels" in Lexington and Buena Vista,
Virginia. These sprawling Queen Anne designs can be categorized as Picturesque
Eclecticism; the Buena Vista Hotel (now owned by Southern Virginia College) is one of
the few examples of its type to survive from this era. This talk will also investigate
Foulk's church designs (a building type he considered his specialty), which were heavily
inspired by the popular Richardsonian Romanesque Revival. These ecclesiastical designs
display Foulk's often playful eclecticism that allowed him to develop a rather unique
personal style. His Richardsonian designs for the Methodist Church and seminary (1893)
in Greensboro, North Carolina and the City Baptist Church (1895) in St. Augustine,
Florida are indicative of the northern architectural influence then occurring in the south.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

25

An Overview of Some Constructivist-Based Curricula for the Algebra-Based
Introductory Physics Course
SHAEVITZ, Ben A. (F), ben.shaevitz@sru.edu, Physics
Systematic study into student learning in the introductory physics classroom has begun to
yield a wealth of research-based curricula. This poster will review some of the curricular
innovations being disseminated by physics education researchers specifically for the
algebra-based introductory course. "Tutorials in Introductory Physics" produced by the
University of Washington, "Context Rich Problems" from the University of Minnesota,
"Ranking Tasks" developed in part by the Two-Year College group of the American
Association of Physic Teachers, " Activity Based Physics" from the University of
Maryland, and "Peer Instruction" developed at Harvard University will be described. A
critique of the author's experience in implementing these curricula in a traditional setting
will be presented.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

26

Genetic Crosses to Illustrate Epistasis in Maize
SHOTWELL, Mark A. (F), mark.shotwell@sru.edu, Biology, ANDREWS,
Richard I. (G), Grove City Senior High School, Grove City, PA 16127
Epistasis is the genetic phenomenon in which one gene masks the expression of a second
gene. It was first described in 1905, only five years after the re-discovery of the work of
Gregor Mendel, the "father of genetics." Epistasis has been an important concept in genetics ever since, although one that students historically strnggle to master. The goal of
the cunent study was to carry out genetic crosses in maize that would produce ratios of
kernels colors that illustrate epistasis. These materials could then be used to teach epistasis at both the university and high school levels.
Epistasis has tr·aditionally been studied using the dihybrid cross. In such a cross, two
parental lines that differ in two genes are crossed to produce F 1 plants that are heterozygous for these two genes. The F 1 plants are then self-fertilized to produce the F 2 generation. When there is no epistasis between the two segregating genes, four distinct phenotypes appear in the F2 generation in a ratio of 9:3:3:1. When one of the segregating genes
masks the expression of the second gene, however, epistasis results. Instead of four phenotypes, only two or three phenotypes will appear in the F 2 generation. The ratio of the
F 2 phenotypes will be one of several possible modifications of the 9:3:3: I ratio.
The trait examined in this study was kernel color, which in maize may be purple, red,
yellow, or white. Which of these four colors appears in a kernel depends on its genotype
at least 14 different genes, many of which interact epistatically. Kernel color is thus an
ideal trait with which to investigate epistasis.
The crosses that will be described were done in the summers of 1999 and 2000. In
1999, eight parental lines were crossed in various combinations to produce a series of F 1
ears, each heterozygous for a different pair of epistatically interacting genes. In 2000, the
F 1 plants (grown from the kernels on the F 1 ears) were self-fertilized to produce F 2 ears.
A total of eight crosses were successfully completed. TI1e F 2 ears showed four different modified ratios of kernel colors, each illustrating a different type of epistasis: ( 1)
9:3:4 (recessive epistasis), (2) 9:7 (duplicate recessive epistasis), (3) 12:3:1 (dominant
epistasis) and (4) 13:3 (dominant and recessive epistasis). Starting in the fall of 2001,
these ears will be used in the Genetics labs at SRU and in Advanced Biology classes at
Grove City Senior High School.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

27

Upgrade: Cyborg Ascending a Staircase
SHUMWAY, Jon R.(F),jon.shumway@sru.edu, Art
Upgrade: Cyborg Ascending a Staircase is a video installation examining the general
concept of progress as it is represented through the technological manipulation of the
physical human form. The incorporated video elements consist of looped sequences of a
human figure climbing a set of steps. This is juxtaposed against images of a variety of
technologies that are superimposed upon some of the stair climbing figures. These
superimposed images represent a series of technological ways in which the body has been
manipulated and its potential for such. The alterations to the human body explored
include those in such categories of manipulation as cosmetic, corrective, prosthetic,
chemical, genetic and digital.
These technologies, according to Marshall McLuhan, function as extensions of
humanity. In Upgrade: Cyborg Ascending a Staircase these extensions are turned
inward as we, in essence, become physically united with our own teclmological creations.
As a species, we are engaged in a continuing and increasingly grand scale physical
alteration of our own fo1m. Whether or not this form of "progress" is viewed positively
is a matter of opinion. The fact is that the body is being technologically altered, and has
been to some extent for most of human history. Also, in a society where technological
advancement and superiority are highly-valued, such developments are generally
categorized as being progressive.
The concepts of progress and advancement tend to be understood through the use of
orientational metaphors as a forward or upward movement, whereas the movementrelated terms backward or downward tend to be used in describing some fo1m of
regression or reversion. Likewise, the te1m upgrade tends to be used in relation to the
concepts of progress and advancement. We upgrade a piece of equipment by altering or
adding to it in an effort to make that piece of equipment better than it was previously.
This term also has a similar directional implication, as the incorporation of the word "up"
implies. Thus, upgrading is thought of in terms of a similar upward or forward
movement.
The utilization of a sequence of Eadweard Muybridge photographs to create the stair
climbing motion of the figure makes reference to an historically significant infusion of
mechanical technology into the production of artistic images. Similarly, the title
Upgrade: Cyborg Ascending a Staircase along with the movement of the figure in the
work makes reference to Marcel Duchamp and his painting Nude Descending a
Staircase. Duchamp, as the originator of the "readymade," drew into question the very
conception of "Art" and what constitutes it. This questioning resulted in Art's opening up
to new concept1rnl and media-based possibilities. These "upgrades" opened the door for
the inclusion of non-traditional technologies into the art making process and forever
changed the way ait is perceived and understood.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

28

Madness and Our Methods: A Collaborative Approach to Interpreting
Shakespeare's Othello
DAVIDSON, Amy Marie (U), HENRY, Rebecca (U), MORRICE, Rebecca (F),
Theatre, JENNINGS, Paul (F), Theatre, RUSSELL, Donald (U),
SACK, Andrea (U), SKEELE, David (F), david.skeele@sru.edu, Theatre
In four centuries of Shakespeare criticism, few issues have caused as much contention as
those surrounding the character of Iago in Othello. Iago is the diabolical figure whose
machinations cause the destruction of an admired general and his new bride, and his
appalling cruelty and viciousness have created almost a sub-school of Shakespeare
criticism as scholars work to explain his behavior. For directors and designers of the
play, the issue is crucial, as the approach to the character of Iago often proves to be the
conceptual linchpin of the entire production.
Our approach to the character oflago is to analyze him as a contemporary sociopath, a
tormented being with the soullessness of a Ted Bundy. Such an approach will allow us to
apply realistic psychology and motivation to the character (avoiding the trnp of playing
him a kind of force of evil), yet without making us too dependent upon the scanty
motivations with which Shakespeare supplies us. Also, slanting Iago in this direction
tends to lead the play into the realm of the psychological thriller, creating an atmosphere
that seems entirely appropriate to this suspenseful story.
Thus we come to the presentation, which will consist of three parts. The first
presentation will be made by my dramaturg (or research assistant) Andrea Sack and I.
After I give a brief overview of the issues and our general approach to the play, she will
present some of her detailed research into different pathological problems and into the
psychology of this character. Actor Don Russell will perform one of Iago's soliloquies
from the play, explaining how this research is informing his interpretation. The next part
will feah1re student set designer Amy Davidson and her faculty mentor Paul Jennings.
They will present Amy's set design (including sketches and models) and discuss the
process of turning the director's abstract ideas into a concrete playing environment.
Finally, faculty designer Rebecca Morrice and her student assistant Rebecca Henry will
offer costume renderings of representative characters, with a discussion of the challenges
of revealing character through costume.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

29

Effects of a Minimal Contact Intervention on Maintenance of Physical
Activity Following a Fitness Course
PIERCE, Patricia (F), patricia.pierce@sru.edu, Physical Education, STEELE,
Joyan (G), JAKICIC, John, Brown University School of Medicine,
Providence, RI 02906, GOSS, Fredric, University of Pittsburgh,
Pittsburgh, PA 15260, SIMKIN-SILVERMAN, Laurey, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, SMERDON, Shan (U), RASHID!, Nima
(U), ROBERTSON, Robert, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Pa1iicipation in physical activity (PA) seems to be an important factor in improving and
maintaining health, and the college years may be a time when activity begins to decline.
The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in PA, fitness, and potential
mediators of PA (self-efficacy, decisional balance (DB), and stage of change), measured
18-weeks following completion of a Personal Physical Fitness (PPF) class, and to
examine whether a minimal contact follow-up intervention impacted these parameters.
College females (n=lOO, age=l9. l±l.9 years) were randomly selected from students
participating in PPF and reporting being in the action or maintenance stage of change.
Subjects were tested at baseline and randomized into two groups; intervention (IG) and
control (CG). The JG group received a minimal contact intervention using tailored
material via email weekly for a period of 10 weeks. A two factor repeated measures
(Group X Time) ANOVA showed no significant differences (p>0.05) between or within
groups in dependent variables except for V0 2 max (mJ.kg ·'·min. 1) (JG pre=42.2±5.2;
pst=44.9±5.5 and CG pre=40.0±5.4; pst=42.1±5.3, Group Effect (p<0.03) and Time
Effect (p<0.001)), BMI (kg/m2) (JG pre=23.6±3.4; pst=23.9±3.3 and CG pre=23.2±3.6;
pst=23.5±3.4, Time Effect (p<0.01)) and DB (IG pre=3.0±9.7; pst=l.4±11.4 and CG
pre=-3.1±12.5; pst=-1.4±9.5, Group Effect (p< 0.04)). Chi square revealed no significant
stage regression. Results suggest maintenance of PA, fitness, and mediators of PA for
five months following a PPF class and a consistent relationship between PA, fitness and
mediators of PA. Moreover, there is no added benefit to providing a minimal contact
intervention during this period. However, future investigations should determine the
length of time that individuals can maintain their PA following a PPF class, and whether
a minimal contact intervention may be more appropriate at times other than the period
targeted in this study.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

30

Extensor Pollicis Myalgia Associated with an Occupational Custodial Task

VOGAN, Debra K. (U) (S), debra.vogan@sru.edu
With the recent introduction of the OSHA Ergonomics standard, prevention of injury is
the most cost effective measure for any employer. Ergonomic considerations should be
essential to reducing worker injury and improving productivity. This study focused on
the custodial occupational group but could be applied to other occupations. Repetitive
stress injuries of the upper extremities can be the cause of cumulative trauma disorders
(CTD) of many workers.
The purpose of this pilot study is to provide an example of a task analysis for an
occupation where cumulative trauma disorder might occur and to overview the process of
making change based on the analysis. This study investigated the possible relationship
between forearm pain and using the mop bucket wringer. This type of disorder usually
develops slowly and is not always reported as an occupational injury. Three custodial
volunteers were used for this study and data collection. This data was collected using a
microfet dynamometer. Each volunteer was tested 3 times in 5 minutes with a 30 second
rest period between each reading. The microfet dynamometer recorded the amount of
force being applied to the hand/wristffoream1 area and the extensor pollicis longus. The
physiological trauma and CTD risk involved in this occupational task focused on the
extensor pollicis longus tendon and muscle, the extrinsic muscles that control the hand
and are placed along the outer foreatm. The extensor pollicis longus muscle originates
from the posterior surface of the middle of the ulna and extends to the last phlanx of the
thumb where it is joined with the extensor pollicis longus tendon. Pushing down on the
wringer to the palmar side, if load occurs too often or is sustained and sufficient recovery
time is not given, will result in strain on the tendon sheath and a reduction of synovial
fluid. Pilot data collected suggests that these workers are at risk for developing CTD.
Repetitive out of neutral posture combined with applied force possibly decreases
strength. Task analysis is only the first step to reducing worker injury. If these same
results were found in a larger sample of the workforce, then engineering, administrative
and employer support are needed to prevent permanent injury to the worker.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001

31

Testing the Effects of Ecological Diversity in Gray Water Treatment Using a
Cellular System Design
WELTON, Spencer (G), ssw2122@sru.edu
The challenge of changing waste products into reusable resources is both a philosophical
and a technical one. The use of a gray water treatment system in the Robert A. Macoskey
Center at Slippery Rock University is a step towards meeting this challenge that is so
vital for a more sustainable lifestyle. However, the system now in place is suffering from
many problems. Chief among these is the fact that it may not be cleaning the water
satisfactorily. This research project serves to address the problems of the existing system
and to replace the system entirely with a new more flexible system. A more flexible
system will be able to change in the future, adjusting to changes in functions of the house,
and providing a more active educational opportunity for cunent and future students in the
Master of Science in Sustainable Systems program.
This new design is based on the research that has been done in the area of water
treatment over the past two decades. It incorporates a cellular design that is based in
principle on ecological systems. This method of water treatment has proven successful in
several projects in the past few years and appears appropriate in scale to apply to the gray
water system at the Macoskey Center.
This project seeks two main goals. The first is to design and construct a cellular
treatment system that can be used not only for this experiment, but for the future
investigations of students as well. Second, the experiment will test the effect of diversity
in the water treatment system upon the quality of the water leaving the system. The
diversity will be represented by the number and types of cells assembled in the system
during the test periods. The work on the project will be divided into four phases. These
will be:
I. Evaluation of the cunent system and development of testing procedures.
2. Constrnction of an intermediate system and evaluation of species for inclusion in the
system.
3. Design of the cellular system. Continued testing and species selection.
4. Construction and experimentation with the cellular system. System evaluation.
At the end of these four phases the two goals of this project will be realized. The
information learned from the pursuit of both of these goals will be useful to the current
and futme students at the Center.

SRU Symposium for Research and Scholarship 2001
Educational and Research Opportunities from Diverse
Activities at the Macoskey Center, Slippery Rock University

32
Composting

WELTON, Spencer (G), ssw2122@srn.edu, REYNOLDS, Thomas (S),
BORSARI, Bruno (F), DOHERTY, Steven (F), Parks, Recreation &
Environmental Education
Recycling biodegradable wastes into reusable compost is a vital challenge for developing
more sustainable human systems. This paper introduces a variety of composting
practices in place at the Macoskey Center of Slippery Rock University.
Composting Site. The composting site was selected at the Macoskey Center in 1995
and it went into operation in the Fall of 1997. Materials that are composted on this site
come from two main sources: leaves collected from the curb sides of the Borough and the
biodegradable wastes from two dining halls on campus, Booze! and Weisenfluh.
Approximately, 160 gallons of pre-consumer food waste are delivered twice a week from
the dining hall kitchens and are added to the leaves as a source of nitrogen, needed to
promote the desired composition for the composting process of biomass. Compost has
been used in restoration projects on site.
Clivus multrum. A composting toilet installed at the Haimony Homestead is
designed to compost human feces in six months to a year. The unit is designed for 80
uses per day. Saw dust is added (as a Carbon source) with every usage, and a teaspoon of
inoculant is sprinkled to this biomass once a month, in order to facilitate the
decomposition process. In this manner, the composting toilet yields soil-enriching
material (humanure) and saves the homestead approximately 30,000 gallons of drinkable
water per year.
The house compost. The house compost consists of kitchen scraps that are produced
on a daily basis by the homestead. This biomass is recycled at the compost pile, on the
south-west side of the house and applied to the pennaculture gardens as a soil
amendment.
Vermicomposting. The earthworm species Eisenia foetida has been recently
employed as an ecological engineer at the Macoskey Center in order to increase the
biological diversity at the site, and to investigate on the ecological characteristics of this
anellid. Various designs of ecological containers facilitate the detennination of the
optimum conditions that permit the earthwom1s to recycle biodegradable wastes, in a
small-scale setting and during winter months.
The diversity of composting activities at the Macoskey Center contributes to the
promotion of sustainability on a global scale and supports meaningful and applied
research opportunities for students as well as demonstrations for community-based
education and visiting collaborations. Composting also demonstrates tangibly the
support of Slippery Rock University for research and education promoting sustainability.

I

33
Index of Authors
A
Anderson, Thomas H.
Andrews, Richard I.

G
13

26

.Il
Bachman, Kristen
Barta-Smith, Nancy
Best, Kelly
Borsari, Bruno
Burkhart, Patrick

23
1, 5
16
8, 9, 21, 32
2, 7

c
Campbell, Patricia
Casey, Meredith
Cetera, Frank
Cohen, Deb
Colossimo, Christie
Conway, Becky
Cosgrove, Cornelius

7, 13
23
21
3
4
15
5

D
Daly, Scott
Davidson, Ann Marie
Davidson, Scott
DeNicola, Dean
Dimarco, Danette
Doherty, Steven

6
28
7
6
1,
8, 21, 32

E
Elder, Tim
Evans, Timothy Allen
Evenson, Edward

.E

Farrandiz, Susan
Forrest, Kimberly Y. -Z.

9

10
2
11
12

Gallagher, Andrea
Goodman, Michael N.
Gorman, Anita G.
Gross, Fredric
Ghani, Salehim

23
13
19
29
16

H
Hangen, Andrew
Hannam, Susan
Harvey, Krista
Henry, Rebecca
Hites, Greg William
Hoag, Kathleen A.
Hollabaugh, Candi
Hurd, Gretchen
Huskey, Nathan

21
12
15
28
14
10, 14
15
23
12

I

J

Jakicic, John
James, Steven
Jennings, Paul
Johnson, Paulette

29
21
28
20

K
Keller, Jennifer
King, Mary Ann
Klixbull, Edgar
Kormos, Patrick R.
Kuhn, John

15
21
22
13

16

34

L
Laux, James
Levy, Alan H.

16
17

M
Madsen, Tara
Mahmood, Rizwan
Mastrilli, Thomas
Mateer, Leslie R.
McCurdy, Chrystal
McDonald, Andy S.
McMillan, Seth
Morrice, Rebecca

15
18
20
19
15,23
20
21

28

sSack, Andrea
Saulle, Tina
Seidenstricker, Ali
Shannon, Gail
Shaevitz, Ben A.
Shotwell, Mark A.
Shumway, Jon R.
Skeele, David
Smerdon, Shan
Stapleton, Michael
Steele, Joyan
Steglich, Carolyn
Sube, Beth

28
15,23
23
16
25
26
27
28
29
6
29
4
14

N
Ng, Nelson
Nolen, Nola
Norton, Andrew

22
15
2

I

15,23

u

0
Olszewski, Heather

r.

Payne, Ursula
Pazzaglia, Frank
Pierce, Patricia
Pitluga, Kurt
Pucsok, Jozsef
Puntereri, Leigh

Taylor, Mark
Thong, Ling Yee
Toth, Jennifer

v
23
2
29
24
22
15

Q

Van Velsor, Kristy
Vogan, Debra K.

x
y

I

29
8,21,32
29
28

16
30

w
Welton, Spencer

R
Rashidi, Nima
Reynolds, Thomas
Robertson, Robert
Russel, Donald

15
16
22

'l:.

31,32

35

Acknowledgements
The following individuals and groups contributed to this initiative. The University
Forum membership of '99-'00 accepted the motion promoting this vision. The
University Fornm (Forum) officers of '00 - '01 have provided -ongoing endorsement.
The Professional Development Committee (PDC) supported the symposium from first
mention. Faculty members from these two groups that collaborated in drafting the
proposal to the administration and in constructing the event include: Patricia Campbell
(program development), Jeffrey Forrest Uournal publication), Mary Ann Holbein-Jenny
(planning facilities), Nelson Ng (volunteer coordinator), Erica Scott (peer-review), Jon
Shumway (catering coordinator), and Carolyn Steglich (editing and peer-review).
Additional individuals that contributed meaningful input to the planning process include:
Michael Ignelzi, Alan Levy, Rebecca Morrice, and Darla Shields. Michael Stapleton
helped with managing abstracts. Mary Ann King helped with facilities reservations.
Ruth Ann Miller, Mohammad Ismail, Jessica Marshall provided additional peer-review.
Kathleen Hoag lent a copy of the Journal for Undergraduate Research, University of
Wisconsin, La Crosse, that was provided to her by the Council on Undergraduate
Research for our consideration. Stacey Booth, Secretary of Environmental Geosciences,
helped extensively with managing and formatting abstracts, and coordinating details. Mr.
Ross Feltz, University Public Relations, with the able assistance of David Zimmerly and
Vance Wright Adams, designed the front and back covers and title page for the volume.
Cynthia Dillon provided assistance with finances. Lastly, several additional parties
deserve special recognition for this success. Dr. Carl 0. Moses, Lehigh University,
graciously traveled to Slippery Rock to share his vision for giving student scholarship the
credit it deserves. President G. Warren Smith and Provost Robert M. Smith supported
the proposal and dedicated sufficient resources to make the symposium reality. Almost
100 co-authors opted to share their successes by contributing abstracts. Ultimately, the
greatest contribution that can be made to this symposium will be for the SRU community
members to share their stories next year, and thereafter, so that the events of these two
days become the legacy upon which a lasting tradition grows. Make it so!

r
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NOTES

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..

SlipperyRf?ck
Universrty

of Pennsylvania
rock solid education

www.sru.edu

I

Slippery Rock University is a member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education