The Russell Mixter Award
Given to a junior or senior Biology major with a GPA of 3.5 or above who exhibits the qualities of exemplary character, Christian witness, and academic promise to which faculty, students and other campus personnel should attest. Funds for the Russell Mixter Award was provided by a Wheaton graduate to honor Dr. Russell Mixter, Professor of Zoology at Wheaton from 1928-1979. As Chair of Biology, Dr. Mixter played a significant role in the development of biology at Wheaton College and was a respected member of the Wheaton College community.
The David Bruce Memorial Research Award
Established in 2003, this award is in honor of the department's beloved physiologist here at Wheaton for over 20 years, Dr. David Bruce.
The criteria for this award are:
- A Biology major junior or senior who has done collaborative research with a Wheaton Biology Department faculty member
- A presentation at a national meeting or authorship in a peer reviewed paper resulting from this research.
- A stated desire to continue in some type of scientific career in the future will also be an advantage. This may include, for example, biological research, teaching, medicine or other careers that are clearly facilitated by the student's experience of doing biological research as an undergraduate.
Beaver-Schmale Award
The Beaver-Schmale Award is awarded to a student who excels in effort to conduct research in Biology, who has exhibited professionalism in work with a written research paper and has presented the work to the Biology Department or to an outside audience (ACCA).
The Raymen & Ruth Johnston Family Botany Scholarship Award
Established in May of 2009, this award will be given to:
- Students majoring in Biology who have demonstrated an interest and aptitude in Botany through Botany classes taken and participation in Botany research, management or restoration efforts.
- Recipient(s) must have a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5 through their Freshman year and be in good academic, spiritual, and moral standing to receive the award.
- The Department of Biology Faculty will recommend potential recipient(s) to the Financial Aid Office, who will make the final determination.
- The Department of Biology Faculty can recommend that a recipient(s) receive the award for more than one year.
- The annual award can be distributed to either one or two recipients per the recommendation of the Department of Biology Faculty.
Biology Award Recipients Academic Year 2011-12
The Biology department held their 4th Annual Biology Banquet on Saturday, April 21, 2012. This was an occasion to celebrate the accomplishments of students and faculty in Biology, to congratulate both new majors and graduating seniors, and to give awards to students who have achieved honors during their education at Wheaton. Kathryn Meyer received the Russell Mixter award and medal, given to an outstanding biology student who exhibits exemplary Christian character and witness, and excellence in academics. David Lee received the Beaver Schmale Award, given to a student who excels in effort to conduct research in Biology, who has exhibited professionalism in work with a written research paper and has presented the work to the Biology Department or to an outside audience (ACCA).
Kathryn Meyer '12, Chosen for the Distinguished Russell Mixter Award in Biology
Each year, we award the Russell L. Mixter Prize and Medal to a student who exhibits the qualities of exemplary character, Christian witness, and academic promise. Dr. Mixter was a faculty member in the Department of Biology at Wheaton College from 1928 to 1979. He played a significant role in the development of biology at Wheaton College and in the Black Hills, as well as a voice for understanding creation and evolution among the larger community of Christians in science. You can see a picture of him on the mural outside the Stupe, peering through the jaws of a shark. He died in January 2007 at the age of 100 years. The recipients of the Mixter Prize can be seen on the plaque outside the seminar room in the Biology department, and includes our own Dr. Jennifer Busch.
The recipient of this year’s Mixter Prize and Medal is Katie Meyer.
Dr. Raymond Lewis presented this award to Katie at our Biology Awards Banquet and had this to say about Katie, "I was fortunate to be Katie’s adviser from her very first semester, and to have her as a student in Biology 241 that first semester. A year later, I had her as a student in Biology 252, a course we call Introduction to Biological Research, where she developed her ability to do research while working with kelp gametophytes. She and her lab partner did a high-quality research project that involved both studying hybridization among different species of kelps and exploring the differences in DNA sequence in a gene amplified from the same species. This was one of the most successful research projects that I have seen, and in this course, I was particularly able to see Katie’s academic abilities in her research and writing, as well as her ability to present this work orally in an engaging and accurate manner.
But, it takes more than being a smart biologist to be awarded this Prize. Katie is also completing a second major in Spanish, and has been accepted into medical school. Her plans to serve Christ as a doctor reflect her deep commitment to helping people for Christ’s sake. She has also served the Department of Biology as a teaching assistant and as a part of the Biology Student Advisory Council, which does so much to support the work of our department through working with the faculty, providing mentors, and planning this banquet. I have found Katie to be passionate in both learning and life, and as a Christian who takes her calling as a Christ-follower seriously.
Katie, congratulations on being awarded the Russell Mixter Prize."
David Lee '12, Awarded the Beaver-Schmale Award
The Beaver-Schmale Award is given to a student who excels in research in Biology, exhibits professionalism in her work, and presents this work to the Department of Biology or an outside audience. The winner of this year’s Beaver-Schmale Award is David Lee, who is not here because he is presenting a poster on the research project to which he contributed at the Experimental Biology meetings in San Diego.
David did his research on bioinformatics with Dr. Pattle Pun, analyzing the noncoding sequences of human chromosome over the past two years. This poster being presented is entitled “Analysis of the positively and non-positively selected non-coding sequences of human chromosome 16,” and there are plans to submit this work for publication later this year. In his nomination of David for this Award, Dr. Pun noted:
He has been productive in collecting the initial sequences for our collaborative projects with the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is resourceful in identifying technical problems in our data collection process.
His involvement in the project demonstrates quality academic work. He demonstrated analytical ability in sorting out necessary data for graphical/statistical representations and contributing innovative ideas/methods in carrying out the project.
He clearly understands the broader implications of the project. He has a good grasp of the subject matter and the meaning of the project as evidenced in his discussion and other writing projects related to this project
Congratulations to David for this award.
Honors in Biology
An honors program in the biology department requires at least six hours of biological research credit or its equivalent, an overall GPA of 3.5 and a biology GPA of 3.7 (supporting courses may also be considered in the biology GPA).
The research requirement can be met by either:
(1) six credits in BIOL 495 or
(2) a research experience off campus* or as a Summer Researcher at Wheaton.
In either case, communication of results in a publishable paper (in preparation, in review, or in press) or communication of results at a scientific meeting (NCUR, CUR, ACCA, or any professional society meeting) or an equivalent professional accomplishment as determined by the Department of Biology is also required.
Participation in departmental and college activities also is considered in awarding of departmental honors. An application for honors consideration in biology can be obtained from the departmental office. Application for honors must be made by February of the student’s senior year or by October 30 for a December graduation.
*Approval of the off-campus research must be granted by the department prior to the experience in order to receive BIOL 495 credit or for inclusion of the experience as a consideration for honors.
Morgan Manchester '12 Awarded Honors in Biology
Dr. Nadine Rorem presented Morgan with the Biology Honors award at the Biology Awards Banquet, “The recipient of Biology Honors this year has met the honors criteria academically and began conducting research with Dr. Page during her junior year. In addition, Morgan has served on the Biology Student Advisory Council (BSAC), been an exceptional role model to all our bio majors and has been a cheerleader for our athletic teams. It has been a real joy for me to get to know Morgan as my advisee, and it is my pleasure to present departmental honors to Morgan Manchester!”