ESU Chapter of Scientific Research Society, Sigma Xi, Honors One Outstanding Science Teacher, 34 Students

Posted by: admin on June 23, 2014, No Comments

The East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Chapter of Sigma Xi, the international scientific research honor society, recently honored one area teacher and 34 ESU students for excellence in scholarly pursuits of the sciences. Awards were presented during the 39th annual Sigma Xi honors banquet on May 2 at the Stroudsmoor Country Inn in Stroudsburg, Pa.

Teacher Award

Joseph Fluhr, a science teacher at Lehman Intermediate School in Dingman’s Ferry, Pa., was the recipient of the 2014 Sigma Xi Outstanding Science Teacher Award. Fluhr is a passionate, dedicated teacher who has demonstrated excellence in science teaching at Lehman during the past 10 years. He has served on the district science curriculum committee and participated in rewriting the curriculum at Lehman. Visitors to his classroom are impressed by his astounding knowledge of his material and his ability to make connections to his students’ everyday lives.

Fluhr conducted an innovative project that involved the entire school and facilitated learning across the curriculum. He arranged to have a Smurf figurine and a photograph of all the students at Lehman Intermediate sent into space where the photograph orbited on the International Space Station for four months. Students tracked the station as it circled the Earth and learned about the space program of the U.S. and Russia. The project engaged students and teachers, and generated excitement across disciplines, providing inspiration for a variety of lessons including studies of the geography of Russia and the application of mathematics to analyzing distances traveled.

Student Awards

Award-winning students in each specific area of study within the academic science and math departments at ESU were selected by the faculty. Student honors awards presented at the banquet included:

Faculty Memorial Award

The Faculty Memorial Award was presented to Janine Umberger, from Mohnton, Pa., and graduated in May with her degree in biology and Nikolai Kolba a graduate student who is seeking his master’s in biology.

Department of Biological Sciences:

Environmental Studies award was presented to Chris Ingulli, a senior from Hawley, Pa., and is majoring in environmental studies.
Marine Science award was presented to Lucasz Niemoczynski, from Saylorsburg, Pa., and graduated this May with his degrees in marine science and biology.
Graduate Research award was presented to Katie Barnes, from Cannonsburg, Pa., and got her master’s in biology this May; Nicole Chinnici, from Shawnee, Pa., and got her master’s degree in biology this May; Meaghan Bird, from Easton, Pa., and got her master’s degree in biology this May; and Larry Laubach, from Nazareth, Pa., and got his master’s degree in biology this May.

Department of Geography:

Physical Geography award was presented to Hannah Jin, from Henan, China, and got her master’s degree in general science this May.

Department of Chemistry:

American Chemical Society awards were presented to Rachel Parise, from Saylorsburg, Pa., and got her bachelor’s degree in chemistry this May, and Luisa Londono, from Garfield, N.J., and got bachelor’s degrees in chemical biotechnology and biochemistry this May.
American Institute of Chemists award was presented to Parise.
Sigma Xi Chemistry award was presented to Parise.
Biochemistry award was presented to Londono.
Chemical Biotechnology award was presented to Milena Rashkova, a senior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., and is pursuing dual degrees in biochemistry and chemical biotechnology.
Pre-Pharmacy award was presented to Londono.
Organic Chemistry award was presented to Amber Bell, a junior from Elkins Park, Pa., who is majoring in chemical biotechnology and biochemistry.
Elizabeth Kurtz Scholarship was awarded to Blake Tran Nugen, a sophomore from Eatontown, N.J., and is majoring in chemical biotechnology.
Michael Droney Turner Scholarship was awarded to Kelly Dildine, a senior majoring in chemistry and secondary education from Stroudsburg, Pa.
Department Service award was presented to Parise.

Department of Computer Science:

M.S.-Information Security award was presented to Michael Grima, from Budd Lake, N.J., and is seeking his master’s in information security.
M.S.-Computer Science award was presented to Edgardo Gho, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is seeking her master’s in computer science.
Computer Science award was presented to Alek Liskov, from East Stroudsburg, Pa., graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in computer science and economics and applied mathematics.
Computer Security award was presented to Joshua Soberg, from Matamoras, Pa., and is a senior pursuing dual degrees in computer science and computer security.

Department of Mathematics:

B.S.-Mathematics Education award was presented to Alexander Flores, from Beachwood, N.J., and graduated in May with his degree in mathematics-secondary education.
B.A.-Mathematics award was presented to Amber Dickey, from Bethlehem, Pa., and graduated in May with her degree in mathematics.
B.S.-Applied Mathematics award was presented to Liskov.

Department of Physics:

B.S.-Physics award was presented to Jason Moody, a senior from Cresco, Pa., who is majoring in physics.
Elizabeth Kurtz Scholarship was awarded to Constantine Bakalexis, a senior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., majoring in physics, and Kienda Phillips, a senior from Milford, Pa., majoring in secondary education-earth and space science.
Miller Masker Scholarship was presented to Phillips.
B.S.-Physics/Earth and Space Science Track award was presented to Michael Riley, from Tannersville, Pa., and graduated this May with his degree in physics with an earth and space science track.
B.A.-Earth and Space Science award was presented to Sal-Lee Patti, from Phillipsburg, N.J., and graduated in May with her degree in earth and space science with a concentration in secondary education.
Engineering Transfer Program award was presented to Daniel May-Rawding, a junior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., majoring in physics with a concentration in engineering.
Sigma Pi Sigma Honor Society award was presented to Moody.
M.S. Mid-Level Education/Science Concentration award was presented to Jessica Zur, a senior from Albrightsville, Pa., who is majoring in mid-level education.

Department of Psychology:

B.S. Program award was presented to Lisa Koskulics, a senior from Hackettstown, N.J., majoring in psychology and computer science.
B.A. Program award was presented to Joseph La Tassa, from Hellertown, Pa., graduated in May with his degree in psychology.