Award winners at LHU's 49th Annual Science Convocation

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Lock Haven University held its 49th Annual Science Convocation in Ulmer Planetarium on Friday, October 23. Students received awards for academic achievement in biological sciences, chemistry, geology, physics, and nanotechnology.

It is truly gratifying to recognize these outstanding science scholars and their families each year," says Dr. Carina Howell, chair of the Fall Science Convocation Committee. "The awards ceremony, the talk from a distinguished scientist---it's truly the academic high point of the year for the science departments."

The tradition began in 1961 when the departments of biological sciences, chemistry and geology and physics met for the inaugural Annual Science Majors Mixer. In 1971, the name of this annual event was changed to the Science Convocation and it grew to recognize both student and faculty achievement and to celebrate the rapport among faculty and students.

The keynote speaker for this year’s convocation was Robert (Butch) Davey, who retired from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and has 41 years of experience as a District Forester in Pennsylvania. He discussed the perils and promises of forests in the West Branch Susquehanna Watershed.

Davey traced the history of logging and forestry in the region, noting that the harvesting of trees led to soil erosion and the sedimentation of streams and the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. This period of “peril” was followed by a growing interest in conservation and the restoration of the ecosystem, a period of “promise.” Now, according to Davey, the prospect of natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale may be a promise or a peril.

After the awards ceremony, the award winners posed for a group photo.

First row (l to r): Amanda Swartzlander, Tracy Swinger, Megan E. Newnam, Kenneth Snell, Morgan R. Olsen, Megan Kepler, Tiffany A. Allen, Krista Sitler, Nicole Kent and Rose Pasquale.

Back row (l to r): Eric W. Driscoll, Stephen E. Swiontek, Karisa Bowersox, Austin Mohney, Jacob Cox, Chris Edelman, Michael Walizer, Joshua D. Gilbert and Cree Flory.

Not pictured are Jennifer E. Williams, Shane P. Marion, Xeujio Tian, Matthew A. Pautz, Andrew Epps, Joshua Snook, Lauren Swiger, Joshua Tatham and Thaddeus Trybus.

The science convocation was chaired by Carina Howell and arranged by the departments of biological sciences, chemistry, and geology and physics.