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Marquette Biology runs in the family
Stuart attains two firsts with Haggerty Research Award by Tim Olsen
this process — how those enzymes are assembled in the mitochondria, and how their level of work is regulated. How efficiently that molecular process is working is critical, according to Stuart. If mitochondria are not working properly and not enough ATP is being produced, it will limit the energy output of the body. If these enzymes are too active or unregulated, toxic byproducts can result. Stuart conducts her research with yeast cells because of their simplicity Dr. Rosemary Stuart credits her mother and the Department of Biological Sciences for cultivating her and ease of use. Yet, teaching and research mentality. “The department places a beautiful balance on the teacher/scholar processes observed in single- model,” she said. “The faculty are very committed to their research, but they’re also extremely committed to their teaching. They see their research labs as an avenue to extend their teaching mission. I’m not celled yeast can still be unique. I’m just one among many faculty committed to using research as a teaching tool. It’s a wonderful applied to complex organenvironment to work in.” isms, including humans. “We’re focusing on when the system is working optimally,” said Stuart. be right,” said Stuart. “When you start collecting “What we are discovering in understanding the data that supports your hypothesis, it’s a thrill.” fundamentals in a healthy situation, we can use And she shares that thrill with her students. to find out what’s going on in a diseased model.” “The educational aspect of research is incredThe knowledge that she is generating can ibly important to me,” she said. “I love working then be used by other researchers to translate alongside young scientists, helping them learn into the treatment of diseases and medical condi- scientific discovery. I try to use the research tions. Some heart and neurological conditions setting as an educational opportunity for in humans, for example, can be traced back to students and open their eyes to what they’ve mitochondrial defects. read in a textbook. Helping students design “I love the adrenaline rush of trying to an experiment, get data, evaluate it and learn discover something — coming up with a model, the significance of what they’ve discovered is making predictions, testing them and hoping to a wonderful teaching opportunity.” Photo by Ben Smidt
Thanks to her parents, especially her mother, Dr. Rosemary Stuart became intimately familiar with the teacher-scholar model long before she came to Marquette. While her parents were both professors in Dublin, Ireland, Stuart’s mother, Mary Rose Stuart, often involved her five children in activities with her university students. Now, decades later, that early influence has contributed to Stuart becoming not only the first female faculty member to be awarded the Lawrence G. Haggerty Faculty Award for Research Excellence (2011), but also the first faculty member to have received both the Haggerty and a Teaching Excellence Award (2008). Stuart’s mother, a biological sciences professor who studied fungi (yeasts, molds and mushrooms), often took her children along on field trips. “We’d be out in the forest gathering mushrooms alongside her students, which was a fantastic experience,” Stuart recalled. “Then we’d go back to her lab and identify the specimens with her students. Just seeing her interact with her students and how much they respected her, and how much she respected them, really opened my eyes, as a kid, to a completely different side of my mother.” Sadly, Stuart’s mother passed away in December, prior to Stuart being recognized with Marquette University’s top research honor. Stuart, professor of biological sciences, researches mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes. Mitochondria are the part of cells that produce energy, which comes in the form of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, the “energy currency.” Enzymes — small, molecular machines — work together to produce the ATP molecule. Stuart’s research is focused on two aspects of
Cam pu s H a p p e n i n gs DPS to present Citizen Merit Awards The Department of Public Safety will express its gratitude to select members of the Marquette community for their efforts in keeping the Marquette community safe by presenting its Citizen Merit Awards on Friday, May 13, at 2 p.m. in the Eckstein Hall Appellate Courtroom. The awards are given to members of the Marquette community whose actions display care and concern for others and contribute to the safety and security of the greater community.
Reflections by Father Majka available from Amazon.com Rev. Frank Majka, S.J., assistant director of campus ministry, now has a collection of short writings about spirituality, One Cup Reflections, available from Amazon.com, Kindle edition. After 10 years of writing some jottings for Marquette Magazine, Father Majka gathered all 32 pieces together in one collection. The collection can also be delivered to non-Kindle devices with a free app available from Amazon.
Compendium submission deadline is June 30 Faculty and staff with scholarly accomplishments such as publications, presentations and awards that have occurred since November 2010 and weren’t included in the winter issue of Compendium should make sure they’re submitted on the
university’s Compendium online resource, www.marquette.edu/compendiumsubmit/, by June 30. These accomplishments are also posted on Marquette’s research webpage. The next issue will be distributed in late August and will cover accomplishments from November 2010 through early summer 2011.
Eight new K-12 summer programs offered by College of Engineering The College of Engineering will offer eight new programs as part of its summer 2011 Engineering Academies for K-12 students, which run throughout June, July and August. These new programs include: “Competition Robots” June 20-24 for ages 14-18; “The Attraction is Obvious: Designing Maglev Systems” July 11-15 for ages 7-12; “Science, Literature and Math, Oh My!” July 18-22 for ages 7-12; “iHeels: A Summer in Heels” July 25-29 for girls ages 6-18; “Robot Vision” July 25-29 for ages 12-18; “Acoustical Engineering: Diddley Bows and Cigar Box Guitars” Aug. 1-5 for ages 12-18; and “Integration and Innovation” June 27 to July 1 and Aug. 1-5 (two identical sessions) for incoming college freshmen and high school seniors. See www.marquette.edu/engineering/academies.shtml for more information about these and other programs.
Marquette Matters Choi awarded sabbatical to study weighty issues
Award to help St. Maurice explore life at the molecular level
By Nicole Sweeney Etter
By Stephen Filmanowicz
Photo by Ryan Messier
Photo by Ben Smidt
Since arriving at Marquette in 2008, Dr. Martin St. Maurice, assistant professor of biological sciences, has quickly established a well-funded research lab where undergraduate and graduate students conduct state-ofthe-art research in structural biology, according to Dr. Bob Fitts, chair and professor of biological sciences. St. Maurice has successfully competed for a National Science Foundation grant to help Marquette purchase a powerful molecular imaging device and is part of a three-member team that received a teaching enhancement award this spring to incorporate interactive-learning elements into entrylevel Biology 1001. Now, St. Maurice is earning distinction again as a 2011 Way Klingler Young Scholar. St. Maurice will use his sabbatical to publish recent findings and pursue new breakthroughs related to his research on the molecular-level structure and function of enzymes. Of particular interest is his team’s progress in understanding pyruvate carboxylase, an enzyme that acts as a catalyst and “gatekeeper” for the processes by which the liver delivers energy-rich glucose to the bloodstream and by which the pancreas What makes us dive into that second helping of mashed potatoes or responds to blood glucose by releasing insulin. Given insulin’s essential guzzle a sweet drink? The answer is complicated. role in processing blood glucose and avoiding the high levels associated “Wanting or needing to eat seems like a very simple concept,” said with diabetes, greater knowledge of PC’s molecular structure could lead Dr. SuJean Choi, assistant professor of biomedical sciences and 2011 to the discovery of compounds that turn up or down its catalytic activity, Way Klingler Young Scholar Award recipient. “You need someopening up avenues for therapeutic or industrial uses. thing and your body tells you to go do it. But managing energy St. Maurice’s presentation last summer at a prestigious Young in your body is an extremely complex and exquisite system.” Gordon Research Conference indicates the national recognition Scholar Choi studies the neuroscience behind feeding behavior and this research is generating. And the young researcher is in line Awards body weight regulation. And when those complex processes to lead the reapplication for federal R01 funding, which would misfire, it can lead to eating disorders, metabolic disorders move the project’s home institution from UW–Madison to or obesity. Marquette. The award is another reason the Canadian feels comfortable and Choi’s lab in the College of Health Sciences is examining the productive at Marquette. “I originally thought I’d go back to Canada after mechanisms underlying appetite suppressants. Many existing appetite my post-doc fellowship [at UW–Madison] . . . but Marquette values teaching suppression drugs work by manipulating serotonin, a neurotransmitter and it values research,” he said. “Both are important to me.” that contributes to feelings of well-being, so she is studying serotonin’s interaction with a specific neuropeptide, a signaling molecule. She hopes to discover why such drugs lose their effectiveness over time. “How do we learn about how the brain is fighting back?” Choi asked. “The brain doesn’t know that we’re really overweight and we’d like to lose a few pounds so we can make it to our reunions. The brain only knows that the more food we have, the more likely we are to survive.” A second focus of her lab is hypothalamic regulation of energy homeostasis, or how the body maintains metabolic equilibrium. The hypothalamus is the region in the brain associated with thirst, hunger, satiety and other functions. Choi is studying the hypothalamus as a site of action for appetite suppressants, but she also hopes to simply better understand that part of the brain. “What’s going on in there? What are some of the interesting signals we don’t understand yet?” she said. Choi will use her sabbatical this fall to publish her latest results, apply for new grant funding and further her collaboration with Dr. David Baker, associate professor of biomedical sciences, who studies drug addiction. They believe that further study could reveal whether compulsive eaters would benefit from treatment similar to that used with drug addicts.
On the Side
Paul Mascari – Sailor By Cortney Krauss
Photo courtesy of Paul Mascari
For Department of Public Safety Lt. Paul Mascari, a competitive and recreational sailor, life on the water is a far cry from the streets of Marquette’s neighborhood. The silence of the water provides a stark contrast to the noisy city streets of Milwaukee. But in fact, that is what Mascari loves most. “I love the silence of sailing,” he said. “Being on the water on any boat is great, but being on a sailboat, when all you can hear is the wind and the water, it’s peaceful.” Mascari has been sailing with his family since he was a boy and still races with his dad and the MAST Yacht Club about once a week. His competition season begins in May and ends in September with Louie’s Last Regatta, an event that raises funds for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. In 2009, Mascari and his team, led by his father, finished first in their division. In 2010, Mascari also joined the Coast Guard Reserves. Having served in the Marine Corps for six years, being a member of Marquette’s public safety team and his experiences as an avid sailor make the Coast Guard a perfect fit for him, said Mascari. “To some degree, sailing influenced my decision to join the reserves,” he said. “The sea services are a part of me.” Department of Public Safety Lt. Paul Mascari enjoys sailing competitively, and recreationally, such as with his sons, Mark and Sam, who love sailing too.
“On the Side” offers a glimpse of faculty and staff interests outside of Marquette. E-mail your story suggestions to m
[email protected].
Luft recognized with Way Klingler Humanities Fellowship By Andy Brodzeller
It doesn’t surprise Dr. Sebastian Luft, associate professor of philosophy, that he was drawn to a career in academics. After all, both of his parents worked for a university in a variety of roles. His passion for philosophy was a bit unexpected, but has not abated since it arose late in high school. As the recipient of the Way Klingler Fellowship in Humanities, Luft will spend additional time studying philosophers influenced by the work of Immanuel Kant. The fellowship provides $20,000 annually for three years, which Luft will use to reduce his teaching load and support a research assistant. He will also use the funds to visit archives and libraries in central Europe. Over those three years, Luft’s plan is to complete three books. Two are already underway, with the third book intended as a novel history of modern scientific philosophy. According to Luft, the book will demonstrate how scientific philosophy is a result of postKantian philosophers building upon and transforming Kant’s ideas. “The Way Klingler Fellowship will allow Dr. Luft to further his work in regard to international collaboration,” said Dr. James South, chair and professor of philosophy. “His work, focused squarely on the genesis of contemporary philosophy, will do much to raise the profile of the Department of Philosophy within the profession, both in the United States and internationally.” Luft believes that Kant is one of the most significant philosophers, whose greatest contribution was starting a novel project in philosophy that brought new clarity to the ideas and culture at the heart of the Enlightenment. “Its main
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notion, in my understanding, is to conceive of the human being as a creature that strives to give answers to questions which can never be fully answered but that these questions can be transformed into guidelines for our concrete life,” Luft explained. This “ingenious mix” of ambition and humility is a concept Luft has found very intriguing and
The five programs with the most applications for spring 2011 graduation, according to the Office of the Registrar: 1) JD in Law — 173 2) BS in Biomedical Sciences — 112 3) BS in Nursing — 83 4) DDS in Dentistry — 80 5) BS in Marketing — 74 “Take Five” is a brief list concerning an interesting aspect of Marquette life. E-mail your list suggestions to
[email protected]. Marquette Matters is published monthly, except June, July and August and a combined issue for December/January, for Marquette University’s faculty and staff. Submit information to: Marquette Matters – Zilber Hall, 235; Phone: 8-7448; Fax: 8-7197 E-mail:
[email protected] Editor: Tim Olsen Graphic design: Nick Schroeder Copyright © 2011 Marquette University
appealing, both as a scholar and person. As Luft sees it, Kant’s ambition is evident in his drive to gain “a comprehensive overview of what constitutes a human being and our cognitive faculties,” while expressing a great deal of humility in “recognizing the factual limits of our capacities.”
Fellowship to yield shocking outcomes Borg investigating shock physics during 2011–12 sabbatical By Tim Olsen
There’s probably a curious part in each of us that wants to smash two objects together just to see what happens. Or maybe it’s just a guy thing. But Dr. John Borg, associate professor of mechanical engineering, has made a career of researching “shock physics.” “This is a really interesting line of work because it doesn’t neatly fall into a category,” said Borg. “People don’t go to school and major in ‘shock physics.’ ” Instead, he said, they study a variety of fields, such as engineering (ballistics, crash worthiness), physics, chemistry (propellants and explosives), planDr. John Borg will spend his 2011–12 sabbatical firing projectiles against foam targets to etary sciences (earthquakes study shock physics. and meteor impacts) or medicine and biology (damage to organisms due to impact). Borg, who holds a bachelor’s degree and against a foam target to induce a shock in the doctorate in mechanical engineering and a target. “We instrument the target with a variety master’s degree in aerospace engineering, got of gauges so we can measure the shock profile,” started in this area working on shock-related said Borg. “We can also assess damage done to problems for the United States Navy in 1996. the target by examining it after impact.” “Over the next five years I worked on problems Borg’s collaborators in Germany have been associated with understanding shock propagaresearching at the molecular level of shock tion through solids and liquids,” he said. physics and working toward a centimeter scale, Continuing this work at Marquette has while Borg has been working at a centimeter resulted in Borg being awarded the Way Klingler scale trying to get down to the molecular level. Sabbatical Fellowship for the 2011–12 academic They hope to combine their expertise to bridge year, which he’ll spend at the Fraunhofer Institut the gap between large and small scales. Their für Kurzzeitdynamik in Freiburg, Germany. findings will contribute to the understanding Borg and his collaborators will combine their of how protective and safety materials prevent expertise to better understand damage associinjuries from shock and impacts, such as from ated with traumatic brain injury. They’ll conduct explosions, sports and accidents. experiments by firing projectiles with an air gun Photo by Dan Johnson
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Dr. Sebastian Luft is in Odenthal, Germany, this semester working on a translation of Edmund Husserl’s 1923–24 lecture course Erste Philosophie, or First Philosophy. The translation is supported through a three-year, $235,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Marquette Matters
Excellent educators
Krajec, Rajala, Riedel and Velleman receive university’s top teaching awards By Tim Olsen
With the education of Marquette students at the very heart of the university’s purpose, determining which faculty to recognize with Teaching Excellence Awards constitutes a difficult, but rewarding task each year. “As is normally the case, the candidates were very strong and all had qualities that easily demonstrate why colleagues, and students, hold them in such high esteem,” said Dr. Gary Meyer, vice provost for under graduate programs and teaching. Debra Krajec, artistic associate professor of performing arts; Dr. Gregory Rajala, associate professor of biomedical sciences; and Susan Riedel, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, have each been honored with the John P. Raynor, S.J., Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Barry Velleman, professor of foreign languages and literatures, received the Robert and Mary Gettel Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. The award winners were recognized May 5 at the Père Marquette Dinner.
of those teachers whose influence extends far beyond the classroom, whose assignments teach life lessons beyond the goals of the syllabus, and whose guidance gently shapes our identity long after a final grade is submitted,” said a student nominator. “I really love watching the growth of our students into theatre artists,” said Krajec. “They go through a period of finding out who they are and what they can do, but by the time they are juniors, they are starting to bloom. By the time they walk across the stage at graduation they have become real artists ready to go out into the world.”
Dr. Gregory Rajala Rajala was commended by nominators for his commitment to students and ability to communicate anatomical principles, linking structure and function in an exciting, accessible way. “When students can synchronize what they hear with their ears, see with their eyes and feel with their hands, they will be ready to understand that all human beings they will encounter as health care professionals will be unique, and will require their full attention and care,” said Rajala. To illustrate Rajala’s heartfelt care and commitment to students, one former student recalled talking with Rajala before military deployment to the Middle East. “We shared a hug and shed a few tears,” recalled the alumnus. “He told me that I was like a son to him. He wrote to me regularly when I was deployed and offered sanity in an otherwise insane situation.”
Debra Krajec Noted for her influence on students as an instructor, designer and director, Krajec treats the theatre as a lab. “Professor Krajec is one
Susan Riedel
All photos by Ben Smidt
Susan Riedel
Dr. Barry Velleman
Debra Krajec
“She’s a pioneer in pushing the envelope in engineering education, experimenting with alternative teaching methodologies, questioning pedagogy and rigorously assessing student learning,” said a nominator. Riedel was also praised for implementing new teaching ideas that included problem- and challenge-based learning, peerlearning and student-centered learning well before others, locally and nationally, in an effort to achieve “deep learning,” according to a nominator. “Students learn in many different ways and at many different rates, so it is crucial for me to connect with the learning styles of the students,
Dr. Gregory Rajala
make my expectations clear, and provide different opportunities to demonstrate mastery of the course material,” said Riedel. “I continually attempt to draw connections among the different areas of engineering to illustrate the common features they all share.”
Dr. Barry Velleman Velleman is acknowledged by other department faculty – regardless of which language they teach – as a master teacher who has introduced innovations to make language engagement more powerful and more effective, according to a nominator. Former students praised his knowledge, attention to detail, humor, modesty and commitment to student learning. “He remains a model by which I measure the effectiveness of my teaching and my commitment to my students,” said a former student, now a tenuretrack faculty member himself. “As a foreign language educator, I believe that the fundamental goal of study is the development of lifelong learners who value the language and culture and can use what they know in a multilingual/multicultural world,” said Velleman. “It is my goal to share with others my own enthusiasm for my field.”
MA R Q UET T E H ap p e nings 2011 Commencement to take place May 22 Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough will be the speaker for Marquette University’s spring 2011 Commencement ceremony Sunday, May 22. The ceremony will take place at the Bradley Center at 9:30 a.m. The Baccalaureate Mass will be celebrated Saturday, May 21, at 4:30 p.m. in the U.S. Cellular Arena.
Four Haggerty Museum exhibitions to open in June The Haggerty Museum of Art will open four temporary exhibitions in June. Crossroads Art on 27th and Wells, running from June 18 to July 30, will include window installations by Wisconsin artists Hans Gindlesberger, Rafael Francisco Salas, Michael Velliquette and Rina Yoon. A small exhibition of work by Schomer Lichtner and Ruth Grotenrath, Interior/Exterior, will feature still life images and scenes of Holy Hill from June 22 to Aug. 7. In works that range from major historical paintings to a variety of prints, Seeing In Sequence will run June 22 to Aug. 7. The Sacred Made Real will highlight religious paintings from the 16th century to the mid-20th century from June 22 to Dec. 31.
Former men’s basketball coach to be inducted in Basketball Hall of Fame Tex Winter, former Marquette men’s basketball head coach (1951-53), will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, in Springfield, Mass., in August. Winter was the youngest head coach in major college basketball during the 1951-52 season when he led Marquette to the National Catholic Tournament Championship. Winter joins Al McGuire as former Marquette coaches to be honored with induction.
Marquette hosting Youth Venture Summit Marquette is hosting the 2011 Youth Venture Summit that brings together more than 100 young leaders interested in social entrepreneurship and creating social change, as well as the adult mentors and professionals who support them. Summit attendees will be on campus July 28-31 to access workshops, tools, a network of like-minded entrepreneurs and seed funding to establish their own business ventures that solve problems around them. Youth Venture was created by Ashoka, the global pioneer of the social entrepreneurship sector and the world’s biggest network of social entrepreneurs.
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“It’s the People” In 15 years, Father Wild built a campus and a community By Mary Pat Pfeil
He laughed when a student referred to him as “Bob the Builder,” the popular children’s cartoon character. For Marquette President Robert A. Wild, S.J., it’s not the buildings that are the most important reflection of his 15-year tenure. It’s the people — and the mission. “Everyone talks about the buildings. They’re the most visible,” he said. “But I wasn’t really thinking of that at first. Our mission as a Catholic, Jesuit university and what that meant to our students, faculty and staff was important to me. “We used to rely on the president and the Jesuits to articulate mission. With fewer Jesuits, that just wasn’t enough. What we’ve done is to empower faculty, administrators, staff and students to claim a role in directly forwarding the values this university stands for. We have a language — the pillars (of excellence, faith, leadership and service), cura personalis, men and women for others — that people can grasp and contribute to.” Father Wild praised the many demonstrations of that commitment on campus — the Ignatian Colleagues Program, the Marquette Colleagues Program, the Faber Center, the Faculty Seminar in Catholic Identity, the Manresa programming and the work of the Office of Mission and Ministry, Campus Ministry and other offices. “We know it’s a team effort across the university. Not that everyone lines up in unanimous agreement, but there are many ways for individuals to deepen their engagement and provide leadership,” he said. He noted that accreditors and
others have “picked up on that broad sense of mission and our ability to articulate what we’re about.” “It’s the people who make things happen,” Father Wild said. “I’ve been blessed in that regard, to work with a terrific group of colleagues. If you get the right people in positions of responsibility, they will do great things. We have great people at all levels who really care about this place.” He said the success of the university ultimately depends on its faculty. “When you ask people what they remember about their college experience, almost inevitably it’s a certain class, a certain faculty member,” he said. “The quality of the faculty determines the quality of the university.” Among his accomplishments he includes a significant increase in faculty compensation, pushed by former Provost Madeline Wake and members of the Board of Trustees, with $1 million permanently added to the normal faculty compensation pool over each of three years, 2004 to 2006. He also praised the work of administrators and staff. “The modern American university is expected to supply a large number of services,” he said. “We focus on the total student experience, in and out of the classroom. And, in addition to providing many opportunities, we need to keep things afloat. Like it or not, we’re also a business, with everything that entails.” Father Wild has done more than keep the university afloat. When he took over as president in 1996, Marquette was struggling financially.
Marquette Matters
During the past 15 years, he has raised nearly $800 million — for buildings, scholarships and faculty enhancement. The endowment has more than doubled, and applications for admission are up fourfold. Still, that work must continue, he said. “No money, no mission” is the way he succinctly puts it. He believes his successor, Rev. Scott Pilarz, S.J., is “inheriting a strong operation. His task is to make it stronger and better. The good thing about change is having fresh eyes looking at this thing we call Marquette. He’s an experienced president; he’ll do an excellent job.” In addition to all the people he will remember, Father Wild said some of his fondest memories will include Commencements, and especially 2002 when Mister Rogers spoke; Mission Weeks and special speakers such as
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Desmond Tutu and Lech Walesa; the run to the NCAA Final Four in 2003; and the dedication of Eckstein Hall in 2010. He admitted there were times he wouldn’t want to re-live, citing the nickname controversy and the more recent Arts and Sciences deanship search. “Those are regretful. You learn from your mistakes. You do your best and work your way through them,” he said. “As president, for better or worse, you symbolize the university. There are all kinds of people advising you, telling you how it ought to be done. It’s very humbling.” What’s next? A year’s sabbatical, starting with some unscheduled time, then a trip to Antarctica with his sister and a program in theological and spiritual renewal. “Then we’ll see what life brings,” Father Wild said. “Maybe back to Marquette in some capacity, at a little slower pace. I don’t intend to retire, retire. That’s not the way we Jesuits operate.” As for “Bob the Builder,” that legacy will be visible for decades to come — in the School of Dentistry building, the Al McGuire Center, Raynor Library, McCabe Hall, Eckstein Hall and the new College of Engineering facility that will open in August. All made possible by people, including Marquette’s 22nd president.
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Marquette University will celebrate Father Wild’s remarkable accomplishments during his tenure as president: • May 17 — Campus Community Farewell Reception for Father Wild in the AMU Monaghan Ballroom from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The program begins at 3:30 p.m. RSVP to University Special Events at 8-7431.
