CONTENTS:

ANAS Officers are elected at the annual business meeting, the slate of nominees being proposed by the Nominating Committee, chaired by the Past President.

If you are interested in promoting Science in Arizona and Nevada, contact Aregai Tecle

ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS 2003 - 2004

PRESIDENT
William Perry Baker
Biomedical Sciences Coordinator
Midwestern University
19555 N 59th Ave
Glendale, AZ 85308
(623) 572-3666
wpbaker@arizona.midwestern.edu

PRESIDENT - Elect
Director, Southern Arizona
Permanent Secretary
Owen K. Davis
Department of Geosciences
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721-0077
(520) 621-7953
palynolo@geo.arizona.edu

PAST PRESIDENT
Aregai Tecle
School of Forestry
Bldg 082, Box 15018
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86001-5018
(520) 523 -6642 dept. -3031
Aregai.Tecle@nau.edu

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
Ingrid Novodvorsky
Department of Physics
1118 E 4th Street
Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 626-4187
novod@physics.arizona.edu

RECORDING SECRETARY
Betsy Cooper
Department of Biology
6000 W. Olive Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85302
(623) 845-3613
b.cooper@gcmail.maricopa.edu

TREASURER
Karen Conzelman
Department of Biology
Glendale Community College
6000 W. Olive Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85302
(623) 845-3612
karen.ann.conzelman@gcmail.maricopa.edu

PROCEEDINGS EDITOR
Florence Slater
Department of Biology
6000 W. Olive Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85302
(623) 845-3619
f.slater@gcmail.maricopa.edu

EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL
Anthony Brazel
Department of Geography
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-0104
(480) 965-6436
abrazel@asu.edu

EDITOR OF THE NEWSLETTER
Director, Nevada
Kathy Lauckner
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-4009
(702) 895-1423
lauckner@unlv.nevada.edu

President Perry Baker is faculty member at Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ.

THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER

Thank you to Aragai Tecle for all his hard work as President of the organization for 2002-2003. As we recognize him as a dedicated member of ANAS so to do others recognize his accomplishments. Professor Tecle has been selected as the Faculty Advisor of the Year for 2002/2003 at Northern Arizona University. The Award is given to a faculty member who has fulfilled, in an extremely noteworthy manner, all responsibilities and duties as an advisor of undergraduate and /or graduate students, in addition to maintaining regular assignments in teaching, scholarship, technology development or other assignments. The Faculty Advisor Award carries a recognition plague and $1500.00 grant.

The Board Members of ANAS congratulate Aragai and thank him for a successful year with the Academy.

The 47^th annual meeting of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science was held at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ on April 12, 2003.

The Board of Governors met on Friday evening, April 11, 2003. Thank you to our gracious host, Ms. Florence Slater.

REPORT OF THE ANNUAL MEETING

One hundred and sixty guests attended the meeting this year.

Presentations for the Outstanding Service Award, Outstanding Teacher Awards, and Bud Ellis Scholarship Award were made.

OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
Presented by Anthony J. Brazel on behalf of ANAS

This year's Outstanding Service Award is presented to Milton R. Sommerfeld, one of the academy's staunchest of supporters over the last 34 years. Dr. Sommerfeld has been a member of the ANAS since 1969 and was elected a Fellow in 1981. He served as the academy's President and Acting President from 1990-1992. His leadership in the organization has also extended to chairing committees and serving as section chair at numerous annual meetings. Over the course of his membership, Dr. Sommerfeld has demonstrated the highest of caliber support for activities of the association not only by his strong year in a year out service to the academy but also by encouraging the involvement of many students and faculty in the academy's activities. For example, he has supervised many students who have presented papers at the annual meeting and published in its journal. He has blended a strong career as a research scientist, Associate Dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at ASU and a member of the Plant Biology faculty. His area of research involves algae-related problems, physiological ecology of endolithic algae, lakes and sinks for biohazardous chemicals, and aquatic ecology of Southwestern streams and lakes.

GRADUATE GRANTS-IN-AID

Students were awarded $250 to supplement their graduate studies. Congratulations to our winners.

Rebecca Suzanne Beard for her work on the "Morphological change in stream channels as a response to cattle exclosures in semi-arid riparian ecosystems."

Kathryn Mauz for her work in "Spatial variability in saguaro growth from a serendipitous timeline in the Sornoran Desert."

BEST STUDENT PAPERS

The best student papers were awarded to three very deserving students Kristin Haskins - NAU, Anna Draa - UNLV, and Amber Faridi, also from UNLV. All winners received checks for $50.

Kristin Haskins' paper entitled "Drought stress and competition with a co-dominant can alter the establishment and performance of pinyon pine." Won in the Life Science category. Kristin was a doctoral student at NAU and graduated this May. Her major research interests included plant community dynamics, mycorrhizal fungal communities and examining how biotic interactions, such as competition and facilitation, affect plants and their associated symbiotic fungi. All of her work has been conducted in pinyon-juniper woodlands surrounding Flagstaff.

Anna Draa's paper entitled "GIS-based analysis of mountain block recharge for Owens Lake Playa California." Won in the Physical Science category. Anna is a doctoral student at UNLV. Her research interests are Geology, Hydrology, and GIS. Using computer models, Anna and her advisor Richard Orndorff estimate that previous researchers have overestimated the recharge to the Owens Lake Playa by 50%.

Ambar Faridi's paper was entitled " In vitro Anticancer Drug Screening: Comparison between Mitochodrial Dehydrogenase and Colony Formation as Assay Techniques. Ambar moved to the US in 1992 from Karachi, Pakistan. She graduated from UNLV Magna Cum Laude and with honors in December of 2002. Currently she is involved in research in biochemistry at the UNLV ECP Heart Center, directed by Dr. J. Abiodun Elegbede. Ambar is applying to medical school and wishes to pursue a combined MD/MPH degree.

BEST POSTER SESSION

The best poster was awarded to Monica Yazzie of NAU for her poster entitled "Reaction of uranyl acetate with ascorbate produces DNA strand breaks in vitro." Monica was awarded a $50 check.

BUD ELLIS SCHOLARSHIP

The winner of the 2003 Bus Ellis Scholarship for 2003 is Nicole Corcoran from Coconino High School - Flagstaff, AZ. Among the outstanding candidates, Nicole is exceptional indeed. She is second in her class of 296 students, has a perfect 4.0, an SAT math score of 680, and ACT scores that place her among the top 3% of students in the nation. She has taken every regular and AP science course at her school. She is an accomplished student leader and athlete. She is an active member in her community, participating as a science tutor to elementary school students and on the science curriculum planning committee for her school. She has received several state and regional academic awards as well as the enthusiastic support of instructors, coaches, counselors and employers. Nicole plans to attend the University of Arizona, concentrating her studies in neuroscience.
--- Submitted by Stephen Shuster, Ph.D.

OUTSTANDING SCIENCE TEACHER AWARD

Two outstanding science teachers were honored at the Annual Meeting Luncheon with plaques and checks for $50.

Middle School
Bonnie Darrell
Kathleen and Tim Harney Middle School
Las Vegas, NV

Teaching for Bonnie is not a job, but a passion. "Whatever I can do to motivate and engage my students I will try." Bonnie has been a teacher for twelve years, six years in middle school and has experimented with a variety of teaching methods. She has found the best method is using a little from each one she has studied. Her daily instruction includes many hands-on activities that keep her class motivated and have proven extremely successful with her special education students. Computers have begun to play a large part in her science program. She is fortunate to have seven computer stations and interactive Internet capability. The lesson "Cancer is all Around Us, " is one of many lessons that she developed to incorporate technology into the classroom. Her award-winning project has been taught for three years with great success. The students investigate real world problems that could affect them at some point in their lifetime. This interactive lesson teaches the standard curriculum, incorporates cooperative learning, and teaches research skills and technology skills, while engaging students in active and interesting material. Bonnie notes, " Creating lessons like Cancer is all Around Us is important for students to gain understanding of the world around them and prepares them for life outside of school."

High School
J-Petrina McCarty-Puhl
Robert McQueen High School
Reno, NV

Patrina is the recipient of many awards for her outstanding success as a teacher of students and a teacher to her peers. She is a recipient of the Brandywine Fellowship, Presidential Excellence Award for Secondary Science Teacher, Best of Education Award, and Subaru Science Award for Excellence in Teaching for the Western Region, and the first runner up for the Nevada State Teacher of the Year. She is well known for her field trips to Yosemite National Park, which she began in 1992, and her work lives on in the Bioregional Gardens at the McQueen High School.

ACADEMY RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SCIENCE

The Academy would like to congratulate the following students and their sponsors for their contribution to scientific research and dedication to education.

Andrew Gorzalski - "Coliform Bacteria in the Las Vegas Wash"
Silverado High School
Las Vegas, NV
Teacher: Mr. Don Curry

Jodie Scribner - "Soil pH and Plant Growth"
Smith Valley High School
Smith, NV
Teacher: Randi Hunewill

Cole Gansberg - "Fish Growth and Environment"
Smith Valley High School
Smith, NV
Teacher: Randi Hunewill

Applications:

Undergraduate

Graduate

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

A new ANAS Undergraduate Grant-in-aid is being offered through the Academy. Each grant is worth $200.00 and two awards will be given each fall and spring. Award applications will be due November 15th and March 15th of each year. The application process will be finalized at the September board meeting.

The ANAS Graduate Grant-in-aid will be increased to $300.00 per award.

SUMMER SCHEDULE

July 2, 2003 - ANAS Board of Governors Meeting

Sept. 1, 2003 - Deadline for Oct. Newsletter

ARIZONA UPDATES

NEVADA UPDATES

Fred Bachhuber is a long-time member of ANAS. He organizee the 1997 Geology Session at UNLV

ON LINE ANAS NEWSLETTER

The Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science's Newsletters is on line at our web site: www.geo.arizona.edu/anas.

ANAS Members can still receive a hard copy of the Newsletter by mail by request from the Newsletter Editor. lauckner@unlv.nevada.edu

If you, your students or your peers are interested in the Arizona/Nevada Academy of Science please contact any one of our Board Members or Directors in your region. Applications are online at http://www.geo.arizona.edu/anas/aplcatn.html

Thank you for your support.

Please submit any items of interest to Kathy Lauckner at lauckner@unlv.nevada.edu. The items will be reviewed and placed in the newsletter upon approval.

This site is sponsored by the Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona
Last Modified 6/14/03 by OKD