Associate Professor, Coordinator of Medical Technology Program

RUTH A. GYURE

Associate Professor, Coordinator of Medical Technology Program

Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT 06810

PHONE: 203-837-8796; FAX: 203-837-8769

EMAIL: WEBSITE: www.people.wisc.edu/gyurer

EDUCATION

· Ph.D. 1986 Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; Microbiology/Microbial Ecology (Department of Biological Sciences).

· B.S. 1973 Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; Bionucleonics/Environmental Health (School of Pharmacy) Phi Beta Kappa, Full Academic Scholarship.

COURSES TAUGHT

· Microbiology (Bio215) Laboratory and lecture primarily intended for nursing and pre-nursing.

· General Microbiology (Bio216) Laboratory and lecture for biology majors.

· Microbial Ecology (Bio 598) Graduate course

· The Microbial World (Bio108) Microbiology for non-majors

· Environment and Health (Bio298H) Honors course

· Microbes, Disease, and Society (Bio298H) Lab and lecture microbiology course for honors students

· Introduction to Medical Technology (Met001) Introduction to medical technology program for interested students

· Graduate Seminar (Bio500) Seminar course for graduate students, microbiology topics

· Student Independent Study and Senior Research: Numerous projects related to microbiology

· Other courses taught before WCSU: General Biology, Introduction to Chemistry, Biochemistry, Ecology, Zoology, Genetics, Nutrition.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

· Fall 2000 - Present: Assistant/Associate Professor, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Western CT State University, Danbury, CT.

· Fall 1998 - Spring 2000: Guest Professor, Biology Department, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY. (Full-time teaching position, lectures and labs).

· 1993 - 1995: Assistant Professor, Edgewood College, Madison, WI.

· 1988-1993: Adjunct Professor, Edgewood College, Madison, WI.

· 1987-1988: Research Specialist, Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Molecular genetics (puf operon) of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, laboratory of Dr. T.J. Donohue.

· 1981-1982: Laboratory Technician, Biology Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. In vitro chromatin assembly in eukaryotic systems, laboratory of Dr. A. Stein.

· 1980-1981: Peace Corps, Freshwater Fisheries Consultant, Central African Republic.

PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS

(Asterisks indicate undergraduate or graduate student co-author)

· Leslie H. Wardwell, *Brooke A. Jude, *Jennifer Moody, *Aaron Olcerst, Ruth A. Gyure, Robert E. Nelson, and Frank A. Fekete. 2008. Co-selection of Mercury and Antibiotic Resistance in Sphagnum Core Samples Dating Back 2000 Years; Geomicrobiology (submitted).

· Allen, Mary and Ruth A. Gyure. 2008. Using Microbiology to Teach Experimental Design and Sampling Methods; MicrobeLibrary, American Society for Microbiology (accepted).

· Gyure, Ruth A. March 2008 (Spring issue). Helping Middle School Students Learn Science with "Mentor Constructed" Data Sets. Focus on Microbiology Education, American Society for Microbiology.

· Gyure, Ruth A. and Brad C. Goodner. 2006. "A Bioinformatics Problem Space to Study Clostridium difficile Outbreak," Focus on Microbiology Education, Fall 2006, American Society for Microbiology.

· Gyure, Ruth A. 2006. Field Sampling and Extraction of Biological Material from Soil. Report of Grant Activity to Science Applications International, part of Environmental Protection Agency Risk Management and Reduction Laboratory Project to Study Mercury Reduction at Barnum Court, Danbury, CT. July 2006.

· Kozuchowski, Jack, Rogers, G. and Ruth A. Gyure. 2006. Final Report, Environmental Protection Agency Risk Management and Reduction Laboratory Project to Study Mercury Reduction at Barnum Court, Danbury, CT. June 2006.

· Gyure, R. A., A. Konopka, A. Brooks, and W. Doemel. 1990. Microbial sulfate reduction in acidic (pH 3) strip-mine lakes. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 193-201.

· 73:193-202.Gyure, R., Konopka, A., Brooks, A. and W. Doemel. 1987. “Algal and bacterial activities in acidic (pH3) strip-mine lakes,” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 53 (9), 2069-2076.

· Konopka, A., Gyure, R., Doemel, W., and A. Brooks. 1985. “Microbial sulfate reduction in extremely acid lakes,” Konopka, A., Technical Report 173, Water Resources Center, Purdue University, October 1985.

· Klug, M., Boston, P., Francois, R., Gyure, R., Javor, B., Tribble, G., and Varavmurthy, 1985. “Sulfur reduction in sediments of marine and evaporite environments,” A. N.A.S.A. Technical Memorandum 87570, July 1985 (Washington, D.C.).

__________________________________________________________________________________

· Newspaper Article: Gyure, Ruth A. “Trees siphon toxins out of soil: Genetically engineered plants added to mercury-polluted area,” Poughkeepsie Journal, July 17, 2005.

PRESENTATIONS AND ABSTRACTS

(Asterisks indicate undergraduate or graduate student co-author)

· Ruth A. Gyure. The Microbial Ecology of Podostemaceae Biofilms. June 22, 2008. Meeting of Northeast. Microbiologist; Physiology, Ecology and Taxonomy (NEMPET), Blue Mountain Lake, NY.

· Allen, Mary and Ruth A. Gyure. May 2008. Using Microbial Ecology to Teach Experimental Design and Sampling Methods. Workshop at national Conference for Undergraduate Educators, American Society for Microbiology.

· Ruth A. Gyure. Bacterial Communities Associated with Podostemaceae Biofilms. March 29, 2008. Connecticut State Presentation at CT State University System Faculty Research Conference.

· Daniels, Russel and Ruth A. Gyure. April 2008. Phytoremediation of mercury-contaminated soil using Burkholderia cepacia encoded with the merA gene. Poster: Western Research Day (WRD) at WCSU.

· Gyure, Ruth A. 2007. Using a Case-Based Bioinformatics Project to Teach Prokaryotic Genetics and Disease Transmission in an Introductory Microbiology Course. Poster at national meeting of American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Conference for Undergraduate Educators, May 2007, (Buffalo, NY). And ASM Annual General Meeting, May 2007, Toronto CA.

· *Garren, Kristy and Ruth A. Gyure. 2007. A Study of Bacterial Communities Associated with Podostemaceae Biofilms. Poster: Western Research Day May 10, 2007 and Northeast Microbiology: Physiology, Ecology, Genetics (NEMPET) annual meeting, June 2007 (Blue Mt. Lake, NY).

· *Telman, Laura and Ruth A. Gyure. 2007.Isolation and Identification of Bacteria from Mercury-

Contaminated Soils. Poster at Sigma Xi Student Research conference, April 21,

2007 (Ithaca, NY) and Western Research Day (award-winner) May 10, 2007.

· Gyure, Ruth A. 2006. "Using Clickers in the Classroom to Strengthen ‘Just-In-Time’ Teaching," American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Poster at Conference for Undergraduate Educators, May 2006, (Orlando, FL).

· Gyure, Ruth A. and Laura Ovvitore. 2002. “Bringing Case Studies to Life in the Undergraduate Microbiology Laboratory,” Poster: ASM Undergraduate Microbiology Teaching Conference, Salt Lake City, UT. I received a competitive travel award from ASM to attend and present this work (see attached letter and press release).

· *Dunagan S.C., Gilmore M.S., Gyure, R.A. and J.C. Varekamp 2006. “Phytoremediation of Hg

contaminated Soils with Genetically-modified Cottonwood Trees,” Poster at 7th International Symposium on Environmental Geochemistry, Sept. 2006, (Beijing, China).

· *Ratajczak, W. and R. A. Gyure. 2005. “Community Metabolic Profiles and Enhancement of Mercury Volatilization of Cultivable Isolates from Mercury-Contaminated Soil,” Poster: American Society for Microbiology Region I and CT Valley Branch Meeting, Nov. 2005 (Hartford, CT) and Northeast Microbiology: Physiology, Ecology, Genetics (NEMPET) annual meeting, June 2006 (Blue Mt. Lake, NY). Wendi won a $100.00 award for the poster at the ASM meeting.

· *Ratajczak, W. and R. A. Gyure. 2003. “Substrate Utilization Patterns Across a Gradient of Mercury Concentration at a Phytoremediation Pilot Project in Danbury, CT,” 103rd Annual Meeting of ASM, May 2003 (Washington, D.C.). Wendi received 300.00 from an Esther Wagner Fund at WCSU to attend this meeting.

· *Fairchild, Shanna and Ruth A. Gyure. “Mercury Resistance and Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria Isolated from Mercury Contaminated Soil,” Regional Microbiology Conference, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY, May 2002. She won a 3rd place award for her poster. And also received a Sigma Xi Research award through our department for this work.

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AND AWARDS

· Thibeault, Jessica and Ruth A. Gyure. 2008. An Effective Model for Teaching Microbiology in the Middle School Classroom: Microbial Growth, Food Preservation, and the Mentor-Assisted Data Set.

ASM Undergraduate Teaching Fellowship Award. 3000.00.

· Connecticut University System, 2007 System-Level Annual Trustees Teaching Award

· Western Connecticut State University, 2007 University-Level Annual Teaching Award

· Scholar-In-Residence, 2006-2007, American Society for Microbiology, Program for Research and Advancement in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

· WestConn Institute for Science Teacher Research (WISTR), Faculty Research Mentor. July 2006- June 2007. Conduct teaching workshop for middle school and high school teachers and serve as curriculum mentor Fall 2006 and Spring 2007.

· Editorial Review Board, Focus on Microbiology Education, American Society for Microbiology publication. 2005-present.

· Curriculum Review Committee, American Society for Microbiology K-12 Curriculum Resources.

· Curriculum Review Committee, American Society for Microbiology, MicrobeLibrary online peer-reviewed article database. 2005-present.

· Convener, Microbial Ecology session for 42nd Annual Meeting for Region I: Northeast, Eastern New York, Connecticut Valley and New York City Branches of American Society for Microbiology; November 2007. Boston, MA.

· Convener, Session W-2: "Integrating Ecology into the Teaching of Microbiology," May 23, 2007, Annual General Meeting, American Society for Microbiology (Toronto, CA).

· Undergraduate Teaching Travel Award, to attend and present at 9th ASM Undergraduate Education Conference (ASMCUE), May 2002 (Salt Lake City, UT).

· Selected participant: American Society for Microbiology, BioQUest Consortium BEDROCK Bioinformatics Institute, Washington, D.C. Editorial Review Board, Focus on Microbiology Education, American Society for Microbiology, 2005-2007.

· Assistant Branch Councilor, Connecticut Valley Branch, American Society for Microbiology, 2006-2007.

· Selected participant: “Advanced Course in Molecular Microbial Ecology,” Alpine Center, Piora, Switzerland, July 12-19, 2003.

· Selected participant: “Microbes and the Global Sulfur Cycle,” NASA-sponsored research program, June-July 1984 (San Jose, CA).

GRANTS

· Recipient, Assessment of Learning for Educational Improvement Grant, Connecticut State University System, $1000.00, 2006-2007 academic year.

· Recipient, American Association of University Professors/Connecticut State University Research Awards: 25,992.00 between 2001-2006.

· City Of Danbury, Environmental Protection Agency Joint award for study of microbial ecology at a mercury phytormediation test site: $23,500.00 October 2002;

· Environmental Protection Agency subcontract award (Science Applications International Corporation) for $5000.00, October 2005.

INVITED TALKS, INTERVIEWS, PUBLICITY

· "Scientific Organization Names Gyure Scholar-in-Residence," Antonia Felicetti-Schachter, WCSU Communique 9(5) Feb. 2007

· "Teaching the Teachers: Instructors Brush Up on Science," Eileen Fitzgerald, Danbury News Times, July 16, 2006.

· "Cutting Edge Research at Newtown High School," Laurie Borst, Newtown Bee, Jan. 25, 2007.

· Interview: Phytoremediation Project for Cable TV program “Real to Reel” aired on Earth Day (April 22, 2006). 10 minute segment on CD-ROM attached. Catholic Communications, Springfield, CT.

· “Role of Bacteria in Phytoremediation of Mercury at a Brownfields Site in Danbury, CT”

Wesleyan University, April 9, 2004.

· “The Role of Microbial Communities in a Phytoremediation Pilot Project in Danbury, Connecticut,” Connecticut State University Faculty Research Conference, April 24, 2004

· “Microbial Ecology of a Mercury Phytoremediation Site,” April 19, 2002, Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY.

· “Microbes and Mercury,” Oct. 2002. Central CT State University, guest of Biology Department, Dr. T. Mione.

· “WCSU and City of Danbury use Biotechnology to Clean Up Toxic Waste,” Science at Night presentation, Western CT State University, October 6, 2004.

· ‘West Nile Virus – What’s the Risk?’ May 31, 2001, Sheldrake Environmental Center, Larchmont, NY; June 28, 2001, Trinity College, Hartford, CT; July 27, 2001, Danbury Hospital, Danbury, CT (Clinical Pathology Conference).

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

· New England Educational Assessment Network (NEEAN)

· National Association of Biology Teachers

· National Science Teachers Association

· American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

· Northeast Microbiologists: Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy (NEMPET)

· Connecticut Valley Branch of ASM

· Sigma Xi Research Society

· Association for Environmental Health and Sciences.