How many crates can you climb?

Quest, Bloomsburg's outdoor adventure and leadership program, is well-known for taking students on adventures in parks, rivers and streams. But they've also got a knack from bringing fun challenges right to campus. They recently spent an afternoon hosting a crate climb challenge outside of Carver Hall. Here, freshman Joe Riccardo (safety secured with a harness) of West Chester climbs ten crates stacked one upon the other (He's just placing the 10th here). The record at that time was 11.

Technical notes: Cameras are getting less important all the time as even basic (and cell phone cameras) become more capable. This was taken with a Panasonic LX5, which was purchased used fairly cheaply. I like it because the quality is good enough for many thin and  it's small. It's similar to the Olympus XZ-1, but the Panasonic's control layout works better for me.

URSCA: Creating public art in Danville

Bloomsburg University student Jo Thomson Pennypacker is creating a vast mural in Danville to celebrate that town's heritage as an iron producer.

Public organizations will be involved in the project at these times:

Wednesday, July 10, 3 to 7 pm 
Danville Area School District students and parents paint day with assistance of art teachers Jessica Noel (Lower Elementary Art Teacher) and Megan Heistand (Danville Middle School Art teacher). Rain date July 17.

Sat, July 13, 10 am to 2 pm
Open to the Public Paint Day *(alternate location in case of rain)

During Iron Heritage Festival Days: Thursday, July 18, 3 to 6 pm.
Open to the Public Paint Day (no alternate rain date)

Saturday, July 27, 10 am to 2 pm.Open to the Public Paint Day*(alternate location in case of rain)

The location will be the mural paint shed and tent on the north side of the Cole's Hardware in Danville.
*Alternate rain location for the two Saturday paint days will be inside the warehouse at Henry Voelcker Inc at 346-352 Ferry Steet or other specified location if necessary.

Volunteers will also be needed for the installation of the mural at the end of July to early August.

Project Sponsors: Danville Business Alliance, Henry Voelcker Inc (location for painting inside).
Location for mural paint days and project materials provided by Cole's Hardware of Danville,
Shed provided by Rocky Mountain Structures LLC www.rockymtnsheds.com,
Mural site at Route 11 and Mill Street by Royal Nails Salon, wall prep provided by Miller Bros Construction. Mural funding by Service First Bank, Merck, Bloomsburg University URSCA program.

Student studies bee ecology in Turkey

Corey Bower (pictured at left during his
2013 REU travels), a senior biology major at Bloomsburg University, is member of a team of undergraduate researchers in Greece and the Republic of Turkey.

After a three-day Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) mini-course in Oklahoma, students and faculty traveled to Istanbul to start an eight-week research expedition that studies the integrative biology of bees in Mediterranean habitats. Our team focuses on research significant to the recent phenomenon of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) that has struck Europe and America. The team will be studying the taxonomy of potential alternate native pollinators and how environmental factors and stress affect foraging behavior of bees. Studies will take place in Canakkale (Turkey), Lesvos (Greece) and Bursa (Turkey).

Appreciating the Language and the Culture

Learning the language and culture of the people we will be collaborating with helps us broaden our understanding and perspective to be better team players. Immediately after disembarking from the plane, you know you’re not “in Kansas anymore”… or in our case, not in Oklahoma anymore. Our first night was in Istanbul, a city that is a true melting pot of cultures from the west and east and offers Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Turkish influences (Blue Mosque pictured).

Our second night was in Canakkale, a city at the Hellespont (Dardenelles), a place of strategic importance from the times of the Trojan War to the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I (Trojan Horse from the 2004 movie Troy pictured). On Sunday June 9th, we toured the archeological site of Troy in the morning and the Gallipoli Memorial in the afternoon. What an amazing amount of history and culture in a 60-minute radius!


— Corey Bower 

URSCA: Student researchers hone scholarship skills

Students (pictured outside of Carver Hall) in the Undergraduate Research Scholarship and Creative Activities summer program bonded during their three-day training workshop in May. The workshop emphasized fundamental professional skills, ranging from responsible conduct of research to publishing research, that students will use to complete their projects. Over the 12-week summer session, students are supported by the URSCA Award to complete their projects. This year's research, scholarly, and creative projects are diverse and include the cellular and molecular biology of sperm, water chemistry of the Susquehanna River, behavioral research on diet-exercise-addictive response relationships, social surveys of the Bloomsburg community, audiology and speech pathology, and a mural painting for Danville's downtown. Since the workshop, students are working closely with their faculty mentors for excellent one-on-one individualized learning experiences tailored to the interests of the students.

URSCA: Exploring music, language and culture

For 31 BU students, summer will be a time for exploration, research and creativity. These students have been awarded stipends to participate in research, scholarship, or creative activities with faculty mentors through BU's Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity (URSCA) program.

While many of the projects will be focused in science labs, others will take students into the community. Student Dan Copes will travel to China to study the effects of music on language and culture. Copes performed with the Chinese Club at BU's annual International Banquet in April.

A funky fashion triptych

BU held it's ninth annual Personal Adornment Day and Makeup Extravaganza recently. The event, held at the Moose Exchange in downtown Bloomsburg, features wearable art created by students. Photo intern Katelin Bolig was a participant in the show, but she also captured this triptych of outfits.

Put on your dancin' shoes

Dance is a big deal at Bloomsburg. The university has a minor in dance and a very active student-run, student organized Dance Ensemble.

Photo intern Katelin Bolig captured their recent show, which has a joyous do-it-yourself vibe.

The minor in dance show directed by dance professor Julie Petry on Sunday and Monday, May 5 and 6, will tackle some serious themes and bring a professional focus to the performance.

Click on any photo to see them larger.

A sneak peek at 'The Underpants'

BU photo intern Katelin Bolig went behind the scenes at rehearsal for the Bloomsburg University Players production of The Underpants and captured some images of the makeup and costume as well as the rehearsal.

Details of the comedy adapted by Steve Martin from Carl Sternheim’s play. Showtimes are Wednesday, April 17, to Saturday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 21, at 3 p.m. at the Alvina Krause Theater, 226 Center St., Bloomsburg.

Admission is free with BU ID, $6 for adults and $4 for students and seniors.

Directed by David A. Miller, assistant professor of theatre, The Underpants tells the tale of Theobald Maske and his unusual problem: his wife’s underpants won’t stay on.

Advance tickets are available at Haas Center Box Office at (570) 389-4340. For more information, visit buplayers.org.

In a jazz mood

Every spring (this year, Friday, April 12), hundreds of high school and middle school students come to campus for BU's Jazz Festival.

BU has become a jazz destination in several senses of the word.

The festival offers the high school students the opportunity to hone their skills with guest artists and clinicians.

BU's own ensemble, directed by music professor and department chair Stephen Clickard, has been earning a higher profile in the jazz world. The ensemble was invited to New Orleans this March to participate in the Crescent City Jazz Festival.

Clickard — a player, composer and arranger — has been playing professionally since high school when he was invited to join a college band.

These shots were taken during a rehearsal before the New Orleans trip.

The first shot on the right shows Christian Smith on percussion. A multi-instrumentalist, Smith was first in the rehearsal room that day and promptly sat down at the piano and played very beautifully. The center photo shows saxophonists Brittany Baselice and Beth Meyers and the last shot is guitarist Matt Leese warming up before rehearsal.

Below is a short video interview with Clickard about what makes jazz special. (Editing for this one was done by me, so the edges are a little rougher than normal. —EGF.)

A field for those who love the outdoors

The term "networking" tends to be associated with strictly business fields. But it's just as important in other disciplines as well.

The College of Science and Technology hosts Career Day each spring. This year 70 science alumni came back to Bloomsburg to share their career insights.

Above, geologist Edward Banaszek '80, vice president of operations for Mogul Energy International, talks to a geology class on the Thursday before career day. Banaszek was featured in the spring 2007 issue of the Bloomsburg magazine and he's kept in touch with Bloomsburg ever since. His words of wisdom for the geoscience majors — there's jobs out there.

Field trips are a regular part of the curriculum in the Department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences. At right, are some photos taken by professors at various trips last fall.

The majors housed in the department lead to careers ranging from environmental protection, community planning, energy production and even space exploration.

Since the career often involves a lot of work in the field — it can be a fantastic career choice if you love the outdoors. If you own hiking boots, it's a definitely a major to check out. Click on any image to see them larger.

A curriculum in leadership

You don't necessarily expect to hear about college basketball in your typical MBA class. But Darrin Kass (far right) isn't really your typical MBA professor. Leadership is a big part of BU's MBA curriculum and Kass is fond of talking about basketball coaches to illustrate leadership styles.

BU's MBA program does some other things differently as well, such as going outside of the classroom and climbing a mountain to hone leadership and communication stills first-hand. The shots at right are  from a trip a couple of Septembers ago to Mount Katadihn in Maine.
(A documentary on the Katadihn climb can be found here.)



In the interview below (edited by BU student Audra Briggs), Kass talks about how leadership is important to business, why he loves basketball, and how students from all majors can benefit from an MBA.

PS: Another interesting point. When I was going to college, everyone would say, "Get some experience before getting a master's degree." Kass says that's no longer (if it ever was) true. Getting the MBA right after your bachelor's degree boosts your salary down the road. — EGF.

Finding connections

One of the things that Bloomsburg prides itself on is giving students opportunities to meet with 

successful graduates. A recent mixer for business students sponsored by the Zeigler Institute for Professional Development is a great example. BU alumni gave an evening to come back to Sutliff Hall and share their experience with dozens of students in an informal reception-style setting.

From a photographer's perspective, these events happen often enough in different colleges and departments that it could be easy to forget how special they are. Technical notes: This was shot with the Canon 7 and Tokina 16-50 without any sort of flash to intrude on the conversations.

The Canon 7 was also used to shoot the video interview with BU grad Ed Artim, who's a manager for Vanguard. Artim had come back to campus with a colleague in December to share insights with students. The video editing was done by BU student Audra Briggs.

Lets get a good look at those atoms

If you look at them really closely, what do atoms look like?

Physics and engineering technology professors John Huckans and Ju Xin, along with a group of about a dozen students are working on a project to find out.

Working with the professors, the students are learning the techniques to bring rubidium atoms to an extremely low temperature (100 microKelvin), where quantum mechanical properties of the atoms are more easily observed. The atoms will be cooled and held in place by laser beams and magnetic coils within an ultra-high vacuum system. Absorption images of ultracold atom clouds will be captured with a digital camera at near-infrared wavelengths.

The top photo shows the instrument — machined metal, hoses and clamps — that the group is constructing to observe the rubidium atoms.

The second photo shows the plan of the project on the lab's blackboard. Below that Huckans talks to the team at a regular 8:30 am group meeting. The next two photos are details of the instrument.

When it's all finished, maybe we'll be able to post the absorption images here.

Talking about TV

Campbell is interviewed by BU student Joe Fisher.

Not all television stars spend most of their time in front of the camera.

Television executive and Bloomsburg alumna Rebecca Campbell returned to campus in February to share her insights into the future of her industry.

Campbell, president of the ABC-Owned Television Stations Group, is responsible for the company’s local TV stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno. Based in Burbank, Calif., she also oversees other businesses within the group, including ABC National Television Sales, The Live Well Network and the syndicated series, “Live with Kelly and Michael.”

She gave an evening lecture and met with mass communication students and did a television interview the next morning. Her insights include: 

• The local TV market is relevant. For example, in some markets, local morning shows are competitive with network offerings.
• It's all about the content. Television was once largely  dependent on ad revenue. Today, the revenue streams are more disparate with licensing fees coming from outlets such as Netflix and Hulu.
• A bit of advice for ambitious students: Love the job you have — opportunity will follow.
• The most important qualities for success: intelligence, passion and integrity. And "without integrity, the other two don't matter."

A 1983 BU graduate with a dual major in journalism and political science, Campbell began her broadcasting career as a college student working on a local teen magazine show at KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh. Campbell previously served as president and general manager of WABC-TV, New York, and president and general manager of WPVI-TV, Philadelphia. She joined WPVI-TV as program director and also held programming and production positions at WFMZ-TV, Allentown, and WGAL-TV, Lancaster.

Students to discuss D.C. experience

The 10 Bloomsburg students who participated in The Washington Center Inaugural Seminar in January will discuss the experiences and what they've learned on Wednesday, March 6, at 6 pm in Andruss Library, Schweiker Room.

The participants are, from left: Mathew Sullivan, Abigael Moser, Jimmy Mowumbi, Tykirra Robinson, Spencer McHugh, Robin Segale, Samantha Smith, LaDeshia Maxwell, Olivia Miller and Matthew Kenny.

Students Jimmy Muwombi and Matthew Kenny were quoted in USA Today and  highlighted on C-SPAN (Muwombi at 39:30 and Kenny at 53:10).

How big did you want that playground?

Mat Parsons, a freshmen psychology major at Bloomsburg University, asks children what they'd like at Kidsburg.

Nearly 20 Bloomsburg students spent a morning with children at Central Columbia Elementary School to ask what features they'd like to see in the new Kidsburg at Bloomsburg Town Park. The Bloomsburg University students became involved through the Center for Community Research and Consulting and education professor Michael Patte.

The original Kidsburg was ruined in the 2011 flood. The new Kidsburg will be located on higher ground at the park. Volunteers steering the construction of the new park hope to start building in June. Learn more about the park at www.facebook.com/groups/kidsburg or www.kidsburg.org.

Science, old school style

When it comes to technology in the labs. Bloomsburg has tons. But there's nothing like the tactile coolness of old science stuff. A recent project for the STEM Magnet project took me into the physics department supply closets to photograph some objects for some sleek, high-key art.

Technical notes: These photos were taken fast with a Panasonic LX5 with just room and window light and a large white sheet of paper. Colors and exposure were shifted a lot to compensate for the mixed color temperature of the lighting. An advantage of small sensor pocket cameras is that that have a very large depth of field, which is very helpful when working close to objects like this. I've used both the Panasonic LX5 and the Olympus XZ-1 and personally, I give the edge to the Panasonic because the controls seem more intuitive to me. (Click on any image to make it larger.)