By Mary A. Durlak

The panda is the newest addition to the list of animals that Edward A. Standora, professor of biology, has helped scientists understand. Last summer, he spent two weeks in China sharing his experience in biotelemetry with researchers interested in studying panda behavior.

Standora has spent many years studying both freshwater and sea turtles, and has served as a co-principal investigator with the Earth Watch Institute on a leatherback sea turtle project in Costa Rica. He is currently a co-PI on a grant studying the continuing viability of the diamondback terrapin, a turtle species of special concern that lives in the estuaries along the New Jersey coast.

However, Standora has an international reputation for his pioneering work in biotelemetry, which has been the constant in his four-decade-long career. As a graduate student at California State University, Long Beach, he developed a telemetry system for studying sharks. Then, while earning his doctorate at the University of Georgia, he studied alligators inhabiting nuclear reactor cooling reservoirs.

His encounter with giant pandas took place last summer. Longtime colleague and former Buffalo State faculty member James R. Spotila, professor of biology and Betz Chair Professor of Environmental Science at Drexel University, invited Standora to join a group of researchers traveling to China as part of an intellectual exchange program through theGlobal Cause Foundation.

The panda is considered to be a “conservation-reliant species,” meaning that its decline in the wild is so severe that its survival depends on active wildlife management and conservation. Estimates of the wild panda population range from 1,000 to 3,000. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding “focuses on the advancement of wildlife conservation in China,” especially the panda, according to its Web site.

Standora’s first stop was at the Chengdu base, where he spent three days and earned himself the nickname “Father Tracker.” One of the projects under way at Chengdu is the breeding of pandas in captivity, with the intention of releasing them to the wild. “One of the early Chinese efforts failed,” said Standora, “when the wild pandas killed the newcomer.”

Scientists plan to enclose a square mile around a soon-to-be-built research base that will act as a “halfway house,” according to Standora, where pandas bred at the base will learn the social skills necessary for survival. Using biotelemetric devices, researchers hope to learn more about panda behavior, including collecting data from pandas during their stay within the sanctuary and then in the bamboo forests that are their native habitat.

Besides describing various projects that have direct potential applicability to the study of pandas, Standora led a hands-on demonstration of telemetry tracking, GPS plotting of movement data, and the use of remote video cameras for recording animal behaviors. Standora also flew to Beijing, where he attended the 23rd International Congress for Conservation Biology and the third International Symposium of Integrative Zoology. He conferred with panda researchers to exchange ideas involving the newest technologies for monitoring the behaviors of rare animals.

By Tony Astran

Behind the scenes at Buffalo State, a few watchful eyes are constantly monitoring pollutants and safety issues on campus. Members of the Environmental Health and Safety Office, under the aegis of Campus Services, diligently ensure that the college complies with hundreds of regulations and, at the same time, make the campus more environmentally friendly.

The office began in 1985 with one fire safety officer and has since evolved into a team of five that oversees fire, radiation, lab, and occupational worker safety; public health protection; environmental programs; training; and waste-stream management. Duties are currently grouped under four categories: general health and safety, lab safety, environmental programs, and fire safety.

“Part of our growth earlier this decade came as a result of increased regulations and inspections on college campuses by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation,” said David Miller, director of environmental health and safety. “There are many regulations to follow, and we have to be ready for inspectors. We also conduct numerous reports for permits throughout campus, particularly at the power and boiler plants.”

The Environmental Health and Safety Office maintains 1,500 fire extinguishers and all smoke detectors and AED (automated external defibrillator) units in each building. Staff members offer consultations for new construction—for example, proper chemical storage in the new science and mathematics complex. They also move four shipments of hazardous waste from campus each year, carefully packaging and tracking everything from electrical equipment to radioactive materials.

The office’s efforts also affect the surrounding community. Staff members and students from the Geography and Planning Department pay close attention to the campus’s 400 catch basins and 300 manholes, ensuring proper water drainage and tracking runoff into nearby Scajaquada Creek. EVERGREEN, another group under Campus Services that focuses primarily on recycling efforts, works closely with the office to label and monitor storm water drains to prevent other liquids or contaminants from entering.

Miller said that while his office works with all academic departments on campus, it tends to work most with Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Art Conservation, monitoring items such as chemicals, radioactive materials, and x-ray machines. The staff routinely inspects fume hoods, chemical storage areas, and safety equipment in labs across campus.

Environmental Health and Safety also plays a major role in fire-safety training. They train all resident assistants and resident directors about fire-safety issues and how to properly use fire extinguishers.

With support from Sodexo and the Hospitality and Tourism Department, the office purchased a propane machine that creates contained fires for training purposes. Since fall 2002, more than 500 students in the HTR 380: Advanced Training in Hospitality class have been trained in fire safety. Members of CERT, the Community Emergency Response Team, also have undergone the training.

The office conducts four fire drills a year for each building on campus, including at least one evening drill for residence halls. Miller reminds all faculty and staff to be mindful of long or frayed extension cords, as they are main culprits of college fires.

In addition to meeting compliances and regulations, the office engages in community outreach and public health protection. Staff members work regularly with University Police and Weigel Health Center for bloodborne pathogen training. They also uphold OSHA regulations through programs such as asbestos management, mold control, and ergonomic awareness.

The list of tasks for the Environmental Health and Safety Office is long, but it’s all in a day’s work for the staff. “We take pride in what we accomplish,” Miller said. “So much of what we do is behind the scenes to keep the college running.”

Join us as students from the Buffalo State writing major read from their creative works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, today, Thursday, December 3, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Donald Savage Theater and Communication Building's Flexible Theatre.

All faculty and professional staff at Buffalo State have been sent a notice inviting them to enroll in the 10th edition of the Directory of Faculty and Professional Staff with International Qualifications.

Congratulations to the following individuals who won door prizes at the Bengal Bazaar, sponsored by the Buffalo State Alumni Association:

Put next Wednesday, December 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Thursday, December 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on your calendar! This fabulous School of Arts and Humanities event features student work from the Art Education, Design, and Fine Arts departments. Not only is there a wide range of medias, but prices are reasonable. Decorate your home or office or give as gifts—either way, you will be supporting our students. 

The Provost’s Office is sponsoring training during the Intersemester break for development of online courses.

Two one-day training sessions will be offered on January 14 and January 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in CyberQuad 318 (lunch provided). They will be extended presentations about how one plans and prepares an online course. Sessions are open to all faculty members, but each session is limited to 22 people. Please register early by clicking on this link http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/registration/default.asp?cat=21&month=01&year=2010

An incentive is being offered to faculty interested in developing a general education course into an online format. To receive the incentive you must attend one of the January sessions and engage in further training during the spring semester in order to finalize the course. There is funding on a first-come, first-serve basis for the creation of 10 general education courses. People will receive $500 for the creation of the course and an additional $500 if they teach the course during summer 2010. After registering for the course, send a note to Carolyn Martino indicating interest in the incentive.

Buffalo State congratulates Dean Ronald Rochon of the School of Education on his appointment as provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University of Southern Indiana, beginning July 2010.

Rochon has been the founding dean of our School of Education and has provided leadership there for the past five years, bringing special focus to our urban mission and a renewed commitment to our goal of educating all children for the twenty-first century. We wish him and his wonderful family—Lynn, Ayinde, and Nia—the best in their new venture.

Rochon will continue to provide leadership for our NCATE-focused visit in April 2010, working closely with the NCATE coordinator and the unit assessment coordinator, and for the School of Education through the spring 2010 semester. The Provost’s Office will work closely with the faculty from the School of Education to develop a process to provide leadership for the school.

By Phillip Weiss

Being a parent is not easy, but having to manage college classes and parenting at the same time is a feat in itself. College students with children must balance their lives to accommodate both a commitment to higher education and family life.

A unique program at Buffalo State has allowed students with families to do just that. Started in 1997, Family College was designed to provide housing on campus for full-time students who are parents. As the only SUNY institution to offer this program to undergraduates, the campus has set aside apartments in Moore Complex to accommodate up to 20 undergraduate students and their families.

“Buffalo State College was beyond its time in 1997,” said Toni Phillips, complex director of Moore Complex and Tower 1. “Look at where we are now; the culture of a student fits no particular mold. Today, we have displaced workers and military personnel wanting to go back to school or come for the first time, and a lot of these people come with families. Buffalo State has the accommodations to meet the needs of such families.”

According to Phillips, an important feature of Family College is the integration of students with families and more-traditional students. Students with families are not segregated; instead the residence hall population is intermingled, creating a diverse community for the families and for other residents. Moore Complex also provides a family-friendly environment for the students and their children with a child play center, and activities such as holiday events and family programming. Family programming activities have included stress management, healthful eating, and story time, Phillips said.

The housing has a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments that include a living room and kitchen area with a stove and refrigerator. The cost of a family dorm, like any campus housing, can be paid for with financial aid.

“I am excited about Family College and hope to continue to expand initiatives for the program,” added Phillips.

Phillips has presented at various workshops around the region and believes “that Buffalo State can be the benchmark on how other institutions can begin to meet the needs of an ever-changing student demographic.”

“The parent-student is not a new phenomenon,” she said, “but being able to accommodate the needs of that student demographic is far and few, and Buffalo State’s Family College program has been and continues to do just that.”

Though highly unusual for this time of year, Family College does have vacancies this semester, but Phillips points out that this is actually a positive for the program.

“This is a happy sign, as this means the program is aiding these students to be able to graduate and pursue a career, which not only changes one life but changes a family and even a generation,” said Phillips.

Phillips noted that there are always opportunities for students to grow and learn. She invites any faculty or staff members interested in creating workshops or opportunities for these students to aid with their family or school responsibilities to contact her. For more information, contact Phillips, 878-3809.

By Mary A. Durlak

The panda is the newest addition to the list of animals that Edward A. Standora, professor of biology, has helped scientists understand. Last summer, he spent two weeks in China sharing his experience in biotelemetry with researchers interested in studying panda behavior.

Standora has spent many years studying both freshwater and sea turtles, and has served as a co-principal investigator with the Earth Watch Institute on a leatherback sea turtle project in Costa Rica. He is currently a co-PI on a grant studying the continuing viability of the diamondback terrapin, a turtle species of special concern that lives in the estuaries along the New Jersey coast.

However, Standora has an international reputation for his pioneering work in biotelemetry, which has been the constant in his four-decade-long career. As a graduate student at California State University, Long Beach, he developed a telemetry system for studying sharks. Then, while earning his doctorate at the University of Georgia, he studied alligators inhabiting nuclear reactor cooling reservoirs.

His encounter with giant pandas took place last summer. Longtime colleague and former Buffalo State faculty member James R. Spotila, professor of biology and Betz Chair Professor of Environmental Science at Drexel University, invited Standora to join a group of researchers traveling to China as part of an intellectual exchange program through the Global Cause Foundation.

The panda is considered to be a “conservation-reliant species,” meaning that its decline in the wild is so severe that its survival depends on active wildlife management and conservation. Estimates of the wild panda population range from 1,000 to 3,000. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding “focuses on the advancement of wildlife conservation in China,” especially the panda, according to its Web site.

Standora’s first stop was at the Chengdu base, where he spent three days and earned himself the nickname “Father Tracker.” One of the projects under way at Chengdu is the breeding of pandas in captivity, with the intention of releasing them to the wild. “One of the early Chinese efforts failed,” said Standora, “when the wild pandas killed the newcomer.”

Scientists plan to enclose a square mile around a soon-to-be-built research base that will act as a “halfway house,” according to Standora, where pandas bred at the base will learn the social skills necessary for survival. Using biotelemetric devices, researchers hope to learn more about panda behavior, including collecting data from pandas during their stay within the sanctuary and then in the bamboo forests that are their native habitat.

Besides describing various projects that have direct potential applicability to the study of pandas, Standora led a hands-on demonstration of telemetry tracking, GPS plotting of movement data, and the use of remote video cameras for recording animal behaviors. Standora also flew to Beijing, where he attended the 23rd International Congress for Conservation Biology and the third International Symposium of Integrative Zoology. He conferred with panda researchers to exchange ideas involving the newest technologies for monitoring the behaviors of rare animals.