ESU’s Sigma Xi Hosts 40th Annual Science Honors Banquet

Posted by: admin on June 3, 2015, No Comments

Sigma-XI-Awards-Banquet
Attendees at East Stroudsburg University’s 40th annual Sigma Xi Science Honors Banquet, from left to right starting with the back row, are: Andrew Yatsko, Daniel Vagie, Nicholas Lukow, Ray Shiue, Chris Powers, Devon Lukow, Eric Rosa, Jacob Lushinsky, John Herrmann, Jason Madison, Austin McKale, Hamza Masood, Devon McKale, Jennifer Heilakka, Scott O’Donnell, Nikolai Kolba, Jacqueline Cassaro, Christopher Cocuzza, Laura Gulliver, Kyle Hoffman, Kelly Dildine, Samantha Imler, Scott Cramb, Stephen Kloiber, Kathleen LaDuke, and Kacie Chern.

There’s a lot of talk about the STEM disciplines, but what exactly are they?  College graduates with the highest median earnings are working in the fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM).

Over the past 10 years, STEM jobs grew three times faster than non-STEM jobs. Seeming like they chose the ticket to success, college students enrolled in STEM majors continue to pursue careers in growing industries. Recently at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania STEM majors were honored for their successes to date.

The ESU Chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, hosted its 40th annual science honors banquet on May 1 at the Stroudsmoor Country Inn in Stroudsburg, Pa. At the banquet, Sigma Xi inducted four new members including Kathleen LaDuke ’15, biology, Ryan Baldwin ’15, environmental studies, Christopher Powers ’15, marine science, and Megan Napoli, M’15, biology. The recipients of the faculty memorial awards were Nikolai Kolba, a graduate student studying biology from East Stroudsburg, Pa., and Kyle Hoffman, a senior majoring in biology from Emmaus, Pa. The department of biological sciences presented awards to Christopher Powers ’15, Hop Bottom, Pa., Stephen Kloiber ’15, Pen Argyl, Pa., Megan Napoli, Devon Lukow,’15, Emmaus, Pa., Scott O’ Donnell ’15, Martins Creek, Pa., Kacie Chern ’15, Greentown, Pa. and Kathleen LaDuke; the department of geography presented an award to Xiaoyang Qin, a graduate student from Stroudsburg, Pa.; the department of chemistry presented awards to Kathleen LaDuke, Eric Rosa, a senior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., Christopher Symonds, a senior from Stroudsburg, Pa., Austin McKale ’15,  Reading, Pa., Hamza Masood ’15, Kendall Park, N.J., Kelly Dildine ’15, Stroudsburg, Pa., Samantha Imler ’15, Jonestown, Pa.; the department of computer science presented awards to Jacob Lushinsky, a senior from Stroudsburg, Pa., Andrew Yatsko, a senior from Shawnee on Delaware, Pa., Jason Madison, Stroudsburg, Pa.; the department of mathematics presented awards to Ray Shiue ’15, Pocono Summit, Pa., and Laura Gulliver, a senior from Colplay, Pa.; the department of physics presented awards to Daniel Vagie ’15, Bushkill, Pa., Jennifer Heilakka, a junior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., Jason Capper, a senior from Jim Thorpe, Pa., Devon McKale, a sophomore from Temple, Pa., Scott Cramb ’15, Bangor, Pa., Chris Cocuzza, a senior from Stroudsburg, Pa., and Nicholas Lukow ’15, Emmaus, Pa.; the department of psychology presented awards to John Hermann ’15, from Norwood, Pa., and Jacqueline Cassaro, a junior from Mongaup Valley, N.Y.

Additionally, two outstanding teacher awards were presented to Alexandra Roscher from Freedom High School, Bethlehem, Pa., and James Feuerstein from Clear Run Intermediate School, Tobyhanna, Pa. Ms. Roscher teaches Introduction Engineering and Algebra II at Freedom High School. She is also active in Project Lead the Way, a non-profit organization that promotes pre-engineering courses for middle and high school students. Mr. Feuerstein teaches elementary math and science. He provides enrichment activities in his environmental classes and has his students using materials from Cornell University to learn how to track migrating bird species.

For more information, contact Alan Shaffer, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, at 570-422-3796 or ashaffer@esu.edu.