Maryville College

Student Organizations & Groups:

Beta Beta Beta National Biology Honor Society

Student American Chemical Society Chapter

Both of these organizations are very active, bringing outside speakers to the campus, and engaging in outreach to local schools and the community. The student ACS chapter has been voted with honorable mention and commendable chapter status by the National ACS organization over the past three years.

Quick Fact

Maryville College is an undergraduate member of Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and participates in the functions of this consortium which gives our students access to summer research opportunities. Dr. Bunde serves as the Maryville College representative to ORAU.

MAJOR RESEARCH AND TEACHING RESOURCES IN SUTTON SCIENCE CENTER

Special research laboratories for student senior research projects

  • Histology Laboratory for analysis of animal or plant tissues
  • 150-acre Maryville College wooded natural ecology laboratory
  • Multichannel and computer-interfaced physiographs
  • DNA and protein electrophoresis equipment
  • Video and fluorescence microscopes
  • Zeiss photomicroscope
  • PCR DNA amplification instruments
  • Fourier transform and dispersive infrared spectrophotometers
  • Ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectrophotometers
  • Laser-Raman spectrophotometer
  • Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers
  • Atomic absorption spectrometers and flame photometers
  • High performance liquid and gas chromatographs with multiple detectors
  • Computational chemistry hardware & software for spectral analysis, molecular modeling, spectral prediction and simulations
  • Computer-interfaced physics experimental workstations
  • Detailed anatomical models for human physiology instruction
  • Subzero (-80 o C) freezers
  • Centrifuges for low and high speed separation
  • Computer facilities in chemistry and biology for teaching and student research with discipline specific software
  • Wireless network in labs in chemistry and biology with laptop computers and USB-analog/digital sensor interfaces with potential for data collection in all teaching labs in chemistry and biology
  • GC-Mass Spectrometer
  • Digital balances down to sub-microgram range
  • Computer-interfaced plate readers for rapid colorimetric analysis
  • Smart classrooms for multimedia instruction
  • Questar 8-inch reflector telescope for astronomy classes
  • Field vehicle
  • Environmental chamber for controlled experiments

Meet The Students

Student Profile

Name: Ben Taylor
Hometown: Maryville, TN
Major: Biology; Minor: Chemistry

Dr. Cash, my advisor, always has his door open, and I can go in and shoot the breeze with him. It's a comfortable atmosphere for students. Having this kind of relationship makes working on my Senior Study even more exciting.

"My study, 'Basic Habitat Analysis of the Tellico Salamander, Plethodon aureolus,' builds on the discovery of a new species of salamander endemic to the Cherokee National Forest. Very little is known about it, and because of its low population numbers, it's at high rish for extinction. The goal of my study is to describe its habitat needs so that the Cherokee National Forest can make sure those requirements are met. Next semester, I'll be taking quite a few trips there. In fact, I'll be in the National Forest most weekends!"

Photo: Ben Taylor found himself deep in the rainforest of Ecuador during a summer research trip to study poinson dart frogs. Are those poison dart frogs on his glasses? You bet.

Student Research/Achievements:

Joshua Ennen (2003 - Biology) researched “Circadian calling dynamics of the wood frog, Rana sylvatica, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” resulting in a senior thesis on the topic.  Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Catherine Webb, (2003 - Biology) developed an interest in the control of growth and development of vertebrates through coursework in Developmental Biology and Animal Physiology. From this, she designed and conducted a thesis on “ The Effects of Malathion on Growth and Development of Xenopus leaves.”  Currently pursuing an M.S. at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Rachel Bowman (MC 2002 - Chemistry) conducted research with Dr. Kristi Kneas, culminating in a presentation at the national ACS meeting in 2002 and a publication in Journal of Microscopy.

Valerie Malyvanh (2001 - Chemistry) did senior thesis research on transferring an ion transport protein, which was presented at the Council of Undergraduate Research Meeting of Posters on Capitol Hill, Spring 2001.  She also completed a summer undergraduate research project, resulting in a paper in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

Elizabeth Hewitt (2001 - Biology) conducted research with Dr. Louis Guillette at the University of Florida on physiological changes in alligators induced by environmental toxins.  The results of this research were published in Chemosphere.