Dr. Loganathan

Dr. Bommanna Loganathan  was invited to present his research results at two international symposia, one held at Nellore, India and the other at Cairns, Australia this summer.

The International Symposium on Environmental Impacts, Health Implications and Therapeutic Approaches (ISHET, 2012) was held at Vickrama Simhapuri University, Nellore, India during July 15-17, 2012. At this symposium, Dr. Loganathan delivered a plenary lecture on “Global Contamination Trends of Persistent Organic Chemicals and their Effects on Wildlife and Human Health” and chaired a scientific session on “Environmental Transport, Fate and Effect”.

The 32nd International Symposium on Halogenated Environmental Persistent Organic Pollutants (Dioxin 2012) was held at Cairns, Australia from August 26-31, 2012. Dr. Loganathan and Dr. Jana Klanova from Czechoslovakia co-chaired the session on “Environmental Monitoring”. Additionally, Dr. Loganathan presented a talk on glyphosate contamination levels in agricultural soils in the session. MSU undergraduate students: Dylan Benningfield and Sudan Loganathan who conducted research under Dr. Loganathan’s mentorship presented posters at this symposium.

Dr. Loganathan, also attended the 244th Annual Meeting of American Chemical Society held at Philadelphia, PA during August 19-22nd, 2012 and presented his research. The above presentations would not have been possible without the support from the symposia organizers, MSU’s Department of Chemistry, Watershed Studies Institute, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, the Karl Hussung Professorship award and the facilities of the Jones/Ross Research Center at MSU. Dr. Loganathan holds joint appointment with the Department of Chemistry and Watershed Studies Institute. 

Scot Peterson

Scot Peterson, a Watershed Science graduate student, has been awarded a prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.  The fellowship, which is awarded to only 10% of applicants, will provide three years of support, including salary and tuition.

Scot’s research is aimed at understanding the biodiversity of a degraded western stream and he will be conducting experiments that will allow land managers to better restore the stream and the surrounding watershed.  His work is funded by the High Lonesome Ranch (DeBeque, Colorado), where the research is being conducted, and by Murray’s Watershed Studies Institute and CSET.  He was also a 2011-2012 recipient of Murray State’s Graduate Innovation Assistantship.

Dr. Paul Gagnon

Dr. Gagnon has been awarded $200,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to examine the ecological processes that influence plant dominance and species diversity in longleaf pine savannas.  This endangered, fire-dependent ecosystem was once the most common ecosystem of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains but has been reduced by an estimated 97% from its historical range.  Pine savannas contain some of the highest rates of species richness and plant endemism in North America.  Dr. Gagnon will be collaborating with Dr. Kyle Harms at Louisiana State University and Dr. Jonathan Myers at Washington University in St. Louis, who also received collaborative grants.

Dr. Gagnon will use a series of experiments to explore interrelated effects of fire and pine fuels on bunchgrass dominance and species richness; he is now seeking one or more graduate students to contribute to the study.

Dr. Michael Flinn

Michael Flinn, along with graduate students Adam Martin and Jared Militello and undergraduate students Bradley Richardson (2013) and Chaise Gilbert (2013) attended the Kentucky State Chapter of the American Fisheries Society meeting at Lake Cumberland State Park held on Feb. 8 2012. Adam Martin was awarded "Best Student Paper" for an oral presentation entitled "Recruitment of Crappie Populations in Kentucky Lake - Martin* and Flinn" , and Jared received runner up for Best student paper" for an oral presentation entitled" Movement, Habitat Use, and Diet Selectivity of Re-introduced Juvenile Alligator Gar, Atractosteus spatula, in Clarks River, KY - Militello* and Flinn". They were awarded $100 and $50 respectively.

Dr. Michael Flinn

Dr. Michael Flinn, Assistant Professor of Biology is leading a critical part of a new collaborative project to conduct research on water quality and to understand aquatic ecosystems across North America.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded eight universities (Kansas State University, Murray State University, University of Kansas, University of Vermont, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, University of Georgia, University of New Hampshire and Southern Illinois University) $3.3 million to conduct experiments and complete the Stream Consumers and Lotic Ecosystem Rates (SCALER).

Dr. Flinn's research will explore the consequences of removing top predators on community structure and ecosystem function in streams. Dr. Flinn's experiments, which will be conducted 350 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska, will last up to four weeks, and include continuous sampling and manipulation of arctic streams.