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. 1977 Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; Bionucleonics/Environmental Health (School of Pharmacy) Phi Beta Kappa, Full Academic Scholarship.
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. 2009. Co-selection of Mercury and Antibiotic Resistance in Sphagnum Core Samples Dating Back 2000 Years. Geomicrobiology 26: 238-247.
· Allen, Mary and Ruth A. Gyure. Feb. 2009.Using Microbial Ecology to Teach Experimental Design and Sampling Methods; MicrobeLibrary, American Society for Microbiology.
· 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.
· 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. 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. N.A.S.A. Technical Memorandum 87570, July 1985 (Washington, D.C.).
PRESENTATIONS AND ABSTRACTS
(Asterisks indicate undergraduate or graduate student co-author)
· *Thibeault, Jessica and Ruth A. Gyure. 2009. An Effective Model for Teaching Microbiology in the Middle School Classroom: Microbial Growth, Food Preservation, and the Mentor-Assisted Data Set. Conference for Undergraduate Educators, American Society for Microbiology. May 2009, Fort Collins, CO.
· Ruth A. Gyure. 2009. What’s New in Microbiology Education at ASM? Meeting of Northeast. Microbiologist; Physiology, Ecology and Taxonomy (NEMPET), Blue Mountain Lake, NY. June 27, 2009.
· Ruth Gyure, Deborah V. Harbour, Liliana F. Rodriguez, and David R. Wesner. 2009. The Role of the American Society for Microbiology in Science Education Reform: The Committee on K-12 Education. ASM Annual General Meeting, May 2009, Fort Collins, CO.
· Ruth A. Gyure. 2008. 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.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AND AWARDS
· Connecticut University System, 2007 System-Level Annual Trustees Teaching Award
· Western Connecticut State University, 2007 University-Level Annual Teaching Award
· Chair-Elect starting July 2009, Division W (Education), American Society for Microbiology
· American Society for Microbiology –UNESCO 2009 International Outreach Program selected mentor.
· American Society for Microbiology, Connecticut Valley Branch Councilor, 2009-2010.
· 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.
· Scholar-In-Residence, 2006-2007, American Society for Microbiology, Program for Research and Advancement in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
UNIVERSITY INVOLVEMENT:
Honors Council
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Ombudsman
Mediation Committee
Research and Development Committee