Biology
John P. McNulty Scholars Welcomed to Saint Joseph’s
09/26/2012
PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 26, 2012) - Saint Joseph’s University and Anne Welsh McNulty announced the fourth cohort of young women to receive the John P. McNulty Scholarship for Excellence in Science and Math. The three scholars, Christina Freeman of Hatboro, Pa.; Heidi Kurn, of Troy, Mich.; and Kathleen Logan of Springfield, Pa., will each receive a four-year, full-tuition, merit-based scholarship and will participate in an intensive mentoring and research program.
To Avoid Spreading Germs, Expert Recommends Hand Washing
11/05/2009
Fears of contracting the H1N1 virus this flu season have people steering clear of strangers with coughs and scolding friends who don’t sneeze into their crooked elbows. With everyone trying to stay germ free, hand sanitizer has become a popular means of protection. But although a quick pump from a Purell dispenser is the most convenient form of hand cleaning, is it the best?
How Many More Species Will Go the Way of the Dinosaur?
04/07/2010
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which is the oldest and largest global environmental network, governments have failed to meet targets to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. Their recent message says we are now witnessing the greatest extinction crisis since dinosaurs disappeared from our planet 65 million years ago.
Scientists Awaiting the Mutation of H1N1
10/05/2009
Infectious disease experts are awaiting an infinitesimal event of momentous importance: the mutation of the novel H1N1 influenza virus. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization are constantly monitoring the virus as it spreads,” says John Tudor, Ph.D., a microbiologist at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, “but there is no way to predict where, when or if mutation will occur.”
Oil Spill 101: What Have We Learned?
09/09/2010
Though the recent oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico caused by the BP/Deep Water Horizon oilrig explosion is no longer leading headlines, this fall, the disaster will be a major topic of conversation and study in environmental science classrooms around the country.
At School, It’s Easy Being Green
09/11/2009
For Kermit the Frog, being green is a burden. But according to Michael McCann, Ph.D., professor of biology and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, being green can be easier than it seems for America’s students.
McCann’s suggestions begin with transportation. He says the most carbon-free way to travel is walking or biking.
Educating Socially Engaged Environmental Scientists
04/03/2009
This year, Earth Day falls on April 22, and for its 39th anniversary, the eco-minded among us will be taking stock of advancements made by the green movement, as well as the challenges that remain.
St. Patrick Loves a Sustainable Parade
03/09/2009
As the patron saint of all things verdant, it should be no surprise that St. Patrick's eyes would smile at the thought of a truly green – or sustainable – parade in his honor.
Professor of Biology Michael (Patrick) McCann, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, urges organizers of the world's St. Patrick's Day parades to consider the three Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle – when planning their celebrations.
Happy 200th Birthday, Charles Darwin
02/05/2009
Charles Robert Darwin was born into a genteel family in Shropshire, England, on February 12, 1809. Scientists from around the globe will celebrate the bicentennial of his birth, as well as the 150th anniversary of his monumental work, On the Origin of Species on or about February 12, 2009.
How Winter Snow Will Affect Spring Gardens
03/07/2011
While beleaguered Americans continued to dig out from record snowfalls, the gardeners among them were secretly thrilled, watching the freezing flakes pile up. “They realized that snow cover can be good for many plants, especially perennial herbs and shrubs, because it provides insulation from freezing temperatures.
