Charles F. Austerberry, Ph.D.
5036 Pinkney St.
Omaha, NE68104
Assistant Professor of Biology
CreightonUniversity, Omaha, NE, 68178
PERSONAL
Married to Gloria Joy Lohrmann, May 18, 1985
Sons David Charles (born November 14, 1989) and Michael James (born February 6, 1993)
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ATTENDED:
KalamazooCollege (Kalamazoo, MI), 1975–1979
WashingtonUniversity (St. Louis, MO), 1981–1987
DEGREES EARNED:
B.A. in Biology, magna cum laude, 1979, KalamazooCollege
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, 1987, WashingtonUniversity
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT:
Research Assistant, Michigan Cancer Foundation, Detroit, MI
June, 1979 to August, 1981
Graduate Fellow, FredHutchinsonCancerResearchCenter, Seattle, WA
December, 1986 to July, 1987
Assistant Professor of Biology, CreightonUniversity, Omaha, NE
August, 1987 to present
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
American Scientific Affiliation (Affiliation of Christian Biologists section) - current
Association for Biology Laboratory Education - current
Association of MidwesternCollege Biology Teachers
Great Plains States Society for Molecular Biology and Genetics
Institute for Theological Encounter with Science and Technology - current
NationalCenter for Science Education - current
NebraskaAcademy of Sciences
Nebraska Religious Coalition for Science Education (co-founder) - current
Phi Sigma, Gamma Beta Chapter of Nebraska
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions
FELLOWSHIPS, HONORS, AND AWARDS:
Phi Beta Kappa, KalamazooCollege Delta Chapter of Michigan, 1979
Walter & Lawrence Blinks Prize for best KalamazooCollege biology senior, 1979
National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Fellowship, 1981–1982
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, 1982–1985
CreightonUniversity Summer Faculty Research Award, 1989
Teaching and Research Program, Gordon Research Conferences, 1993
Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching, 1995
John Templeton Science & Religion Course Development Awards, 1995, 1998
Teaching for Tomorrow Award (Finalist: 1997, 1998, 1999; Awardee, 2007)
Outstanding Advisor Award, 1998
Robert F. Kennedy Teaching Award Nominee, 2000, 2001
TEACHING ATCREIGHTONUNIVERSITY, DEPT. OF BIOLOGY:
Biology of the Protists (BIO 455) lecture and laboratory, 1988-1994, 2003, 2004
Cell Biology: Regulatory Mechanisms (BIO 532) lecture/discussion, 1991-present
(Note: renamed Current Topics in Cellular and Molecular Biology beginning 2005)
Cell Biology: Structural Organization (BIO 534) lecture/discussion, 1991
Cell Structure and Function (BIO 362) lecture, 2004 - present
Freshman Seminar (FRS 111) discussion/advising, 1990, 1996, and 2002
General Biology: Molecular and Cellular (BIO 211) lecture, fall 2008 and summer 1991, 1992, and 2006-
present; laboratory summer andfall 2001-present
Human Biology (BIO 149) lecture/discussion, 2002
Molecular Biology Lecture (BIO 417/MIC 617) 1987-present
Molecular Biology Laboratory (BIO 419/MIC 619) 1987-present
Science and Religion (SRP/PHL/THL 420) lecture/discussion, 1995-present
Topics in Genetics (BIO 621) lecture/discussion, 1987
Topics in Molecular Biology (BIO 631) lecture/discussion, 1988-1990
OTHER TEACHING:
A. CreightonUniversityGraduateSchool, Department of Biomedical Sciences
Advanced Topics in Molecular Biology (BMS 704), 1998 & 2000
Molecular Biology (BMS 610), 1995
B. CreightonUniversity Health Careers Opportunity Program
Postbaccalaureate program courses (Biology; Biomedical Science), 2000-present
Undergraduate summer course in Cell Biology, 2001- 2005
C. CreightonUniversityGraduateSchool, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
Modern Times (MLS 636) discussion on evolution and faith, October 4, 2005
D. AugustanaLutheranChurch, Omaha, NE
Lay School of Theology, “Of Souls and DNA: God and the Human Genome”course, 1998
Adult Forum, various science and religion topics, from one to five Sundays each year, 1993 - present
Project Embrace Academics and Careers Exploration, AugustanaComputerCenter, summers from
2001 - present
PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES ATTENDED (since 1988):
41st Annual Meeting, Society of Protozoologists, Bristol, England,
July 18–22, 1988.
102nd Annual Meeting, NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE,
April 10, 1992.
5th International Conference on Ciliate Molecular Biology, Henniker, NH,
July 11–16, 1993.
104th Annual Meeting, NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE,
April 22, 1994.
106th Annual Meeting, NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE,
April 26, 1996.
12th National Meeting, National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions,
Inc., Reno, NV, June 12–16, 1996.
Central Association of Advisors for the Health Professions Spring Meeting,
Columbus, OH, May 29–31, 1997.
Institute for Theological Encounter with Science and Technology 1997 Workshop,
St. Louis, MO, October 17–19, 1997.
109th Annual Meeting, NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE,
April 23, 1999.
Southwestern and Rocky Mountain Division, American Association for the
Advancement of Science, Omaha, NE, November 2, 1999.
Great Plains States Society for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Omaha, NE,
May 19, 2000.
Southwestern and Rocky Mountain Division, American Association for the
Advancement of Science, Omaha, NE, November 13, 2000.
Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences Conference: Creative Vectors in
Science and Religion, Ashland, NE, October 28, 2000
Symposium on Cell Biology and Cloning: Structure and Function of a Cell Nucleus,
Omaha, NE, January 13, 2001
Great Plains States Society for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Omaha, NE,
May 21-22, 2001
Evolutionary Bioinformatics Education: A BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium Approach,
NSF Chautauqua Short Course, Atlanta, GA, May 8-10, 2002
NationalCenter for Science Education/University of CaliforniaMuseum of Paleontology Activists Summit,
Berkeley, CA, May 30-June 1, 2003.
Frontiers in Imaging Technologies for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, October 28, 2006
New Technologies in Biomedical Imaging, CreightonUniversitySchool of Medicine, Omaha, NE, September 27, 2007
Premedical Advising and Campus Letter Program Fact-Finding Visit to BostonCollege and Holy Cross
College, March 16-18, 2008
30thAnnual Conference, Assocation for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE), Univ. of Toronto-Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, June 3 - June 7, 2008
PUBLICATIONS, SPEECHES, INTERVIEWS, AND WEB SITES
A. Publications and Professional Presentations (since 1988)
Austerberry, C.F., R. Snyder, and M.–C. Yao, "Developmentally regulated DNA deletions in Tetrahymena
thermophila," 41st Annual Meeting, Society of Protozoologists, Bristol, England, July 18–22, 1988.
Austerberry, C.F., and M.-C. Yao, 1988. "Sequence structure of two developmentally regulated, alternative
DNA deletion junctions in Tetrahymena thermophila." Mol. Cell. Biol. 8: 3947-3950.
Austerberry, C.F., R.O. Snyder, and M.–C. Yao, 1989. "Sequence microheterogeneityis generated at
junctions of programmed DNA deletions in Tetrahymena thermophila." Nucl. Acids Res. 17: 7263–
7272.
Austerberry, C.F. "Genome reorganization in Tetrahymena thermophila: a review," Midwest Regional
Conference on Comparative Endocrinology, Omaha, NE, May 4, 1990.
Austerberry, C.F., J.L. Buescher, J.J. Brunkhorst, and J.A. Klesney, "A cryptic junction for regulated DNA
splicing in Tetrahymena thermophila,"102nd Annual Meeting, Nebraska Academy of Sciences,
Lincoln, NE,April 10, 1992.
Buresh, B., R.W. Belknap, C.F. Austerberry, and R.V. Andrews, "DNA fingerprinting of Peromyscus
maniculatus," 102nd Annual Meeting, Nebraska Academy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE, April 10, 1992.
Cech, D.M., C.F. Austerberry, and P. G. Hamblin, "Localization of sequences responsible for apparent DNA
bending in a cloned segment of micronuclear DNA from Tetrahymena thermophila," 102nd Annual
Meeting, NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE, April 10, 1992.
Stock, T, and C.F. Austerberry, "Conformational analysis of micronuclearDNA sequences from
Tetrahymena thermophila," 102nd Annual Meeting, Nebraska Academy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE,
April 10, 1992.
Santucci, R. D., V. P. Schlueter, C. F. Austerberry, R.V. Andrews, and R. W. Belknap, "Nonradioactive
DNA fingerprinting of the white–footed deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus," 104th Annual
Meeting, NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE, April 22, 1994.
Dixon, C. and Westrich, J., "Comparison of two DNA typing methods for measuringgenetic relatedness in a
wild population of white–footed deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus," 106th Annual Meeting,
NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE, April 26, 1996.
Surdell, D., C. F. Austerberry, D.H. Nichols, and B. Fritzsch, "Innervation of Extrinsic Ocular Muscles in
Wnt–1 Knockout Mice," 106th Annual Meeting, NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE, April
26, 1996.
Austerberry, C.F., C. Kaura, J. E. Platz, C.T. Ngo, V. Bansal, and C. Prepose, "Amplification of inter-
transposon DNA from frog toes for species identification, cladistic analysis, and population structure
assessment,"Southwestern and Rocky Mountain Division Meeting, American Association for the
Advancement of Science, Omaha, NE, November 2, 1999.
Austerberry, C.F., C. Kaura, J. E. Platz, C. T. Ngo, and V. Bansal, "Amplification of inter–Tc1 DNA for
species identification, cladistic analysis, and population structure assessment of anurans. " Great Plains
States Society for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Omaha, NE, May 19, 2000.
Austerberry, C.F., C.Kaura, J.E. Platz, S. Kaura, L.S. Bacchus, A. Desai, M. Vesely, and V. Bansal, "PCR
amplification of DNA between Tc1-like elements in anurans: effect of primer target, annealing
temperature, and polymerase fidelity." Southwestern and Rocky Mountain Division American
Association for the Advancement of Science, Omaha, NE, November 13, 2000.
Austerberry, C.F., N.Kaura, S. Kaura, J.E. Platz, S. Kaura, L.S. Bacchus, A. Desai, and V. Bansal, "Species
Typing of a NacapuliCanyon Frog via Inter-Tc1 PCR. "CreightonUniversity Biology Research
Colloquium, May 2, 2002
Austerberry, C.F., "The Nebraska Religious Coalition for Science Education." 113th Annual Meeting,
NebraskaAcademy of Sciences, Lincoln, NE, April 25, 2003.
Austerberry, C.F., "The Nebraska Religious Coalition for Science Education." NationalCenter for Science
Education/University of CaliforniaMuseum of Paleontology Activist Summit, Berkeley, CA, May 30-
June 1, 2003.
Austerberry, C.F., "How Can the Nebraska Religious Coalition for Science Education Assist the Teaching of
Evolution?" 43rd Annual Fall Conference, Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science, Fremont,
NE, October 25, 2003.
Austerberry, C.F. "What Darwin Didn't Know: How Genetic Mutations Can Increase Complexity and
Diversity," Annual Darwin Day Lecture, Center for the Advancement of Rational
Solutions/University of Nebraska Campus Freethought Alliance, Lincoln, NE, February 12, 2004.
Austerberry, C.F. "What Darwin Didn't Know: How Genetic Mutations Can Increase Complexity and
Diversity," Annual Darwin Day Lecture, Rationalists, Empiricists, and Skeptics of Nebraska
(REASON), Omaha, NE, February 10, 2005.
Austerberry, C.F. “Evolution Education in Nebraska and the Nation,” Biology Department Seminar, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha, NE, November 2, 2005.
Austerberry, C.F. “Managing Your Inheritance: Human DNA and Genetic Engineering,” Creighton
Preparatory High School Honor Society, December 13, 2005
Austerberry, C.F. "Are ‘Problems with Evolution’ Evidence for Intelligent Design?" Annual Darwin Day
Lecture, Brownville Lyceum, Brownville, NE, February 12, 2006.
Austerberry, C.F. "Are ‘Problems with Evolution’ Evidence for Intelligent Design?" Annual Darwin Day
Lecture, Rationalists, Empiricists, and Skeptics of Nebraska (REASON), Omaha, NE, February 13,
2006.
Austerberry, C.F. “Catholic Perspectives on Creationism, Evolution and Intelligent Design” Adult Faith
Formation Lecture, St. Margaret Mary Church, Omaha, NE, September 14, 2006.
Austerberry, C.F. (2007) Review of “Evolution and Christian Faith: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist” by Joan Roughgarden (WashingtonDC: Island Press, 2006) for Reports of the National Center for Science Education Vol. 27, Numbers 1-2 (Jan. - Apr. 2007), pages 49-50.
Austerberry, C.F. , Witbrodt, B., and Nickla, H. (2007) General Biology: Molecular and Cellular Laboratory, 4th edition, Version a (used fall 2007).
Austerberry, C.F. (2007) Editor for testbank questions to accompany Biological Science, 3rd Edition, by Scott Freeman (San Francisco, Pearson Education Benjamin Cumming, 2008).
Austerberry, C.F. , Witbrodt, B., and Nickla, H. (2008) General Biology: Molecular and Cellular Laboratory, 4th edition, Version b (used summer 2008).
Austerberry, C.F. , Witbrodt, B., and Nickla, H. (2008) General Biology: Molecular and Cellular Laboratory, 4th edition, Version c (used fall 2008).
B. Additional Invited Lectures and Panel Presentations on Molecular Genetics (MG) or Science &
Religion (SR)
AugustanaLutheranChurch, Omaha, NE, February, 1996. (SR)
CreightonUniversity Alumni Reunion, September 28, 1996. (SR)
BethelLutheranChurch, St. Louis, MO, October 19, 1997. (SR)
Critical Issues Forum, CreightonUniversity, Feb. 25, 1997. (SR)
Association of Christian Pharmacists, Omaha Chapter, Sept. 11, 1998. (SR)
Critical Issues Forum, CreightonUniversity, September 30, 1999. (SR)
Golden Key Kiwanis Club, Omaha, NE, June 1, 2000. (SR)
Omaha Morning Rotary Club, Omaha, NE, August 22, 2000. (MG)
Omaha Wednesday Morning Kiwanis Club, Omaha, NE, May 9, 2001 (MG)
SarpyCounty Kiwanis Club, Bellevue, NE, September 13, 2001 (MG)
NationalCenter for Science Education,Berkeley, CA, May 31, 2003. (SR)
Holy Family Catholic Church Adult Forum, Omaha, NE, March 20, 2004 (SR)
First LutheranChurch Adult Forum, Omaha, NE, September 16, 2004 (SR)
REASON Fall Forum, University of Nebraska-Omaha, September 7, 2005
Critical Issues Forum, CreightonUniversity, October 27, 2005 (SR)
The Scopes Trial Symposium, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, November 3, 2005 (SR)
Evolution Sunday Forum, AugustanaLutheranChurch, Omaha, NE, February 10, 2007 (SR)
Shepherd of the HillsLutheranChurch, Omaha, NE, March 28, 2007 (SR)
Evolution Weekend, AugustanaLutheranChurch, Omaha, NE, February 10, 2008 (SR)
AugustanaLutheranChurch, Omaha, NE, April 13, 2008(SR- History & Philosophy of Science)
AugustanaLutheranChurch, Omaha, NE, April 20, 2008(SR - Origin and Evolution of the Universe)
AugustanaLutheranChurch, Omaha, NE, May 4, 2008(SR - Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth)
C. Articles and Opinion Editorialson Science and Religion
"Question of Life's Origin Is Still Open to Science." Omaha World-Herald, April 22,1998.
"Science Class Isn't Church." Omaha World-Herald, September 5, 1999.
"Creation and Evolution: Do Science and Religion Necessarily Clash?" The Lutheran, January 2000.
"Creation, Evolution, and Teaching in the Public Schools." CreightonCenter for the Study of Religion
and Society Newsletter, Spring 2000.
"Teaching Evolution while Respecting Faith in the Creator." Perspectives on Science & Christian
Faith (Vol. 52, Issue #3, Sept. 2000, pp. 187–189).
Review of "God After Darwin: Evolution and the Question of Divine Providence." (lecture delivered
February 12, 2001 by John Haught), published in theCreightonCenter for the Study of
Religion and Society Newsletter, 2001.
" 'Intelligent Design' Isn't Objective Science." Omaha World-Herald, May 23 2002.
"On Science and Religion." Omaha World-Herald, January 8 2004.
"Human Evolution, Meaning." Omaha World-Herald, June 13 2004.
"Evolution Passes Test." Omaha World-Herald, February 2 2005.
“Evolving Sequel to Bryan's Last Campaign.”Lincoln Journal Star, March 7 2005.
“Raising the Level of Evolution Education.” Science and Theology News, October 14 2005
“Designs on Science.” (invited review), Science and Theology News, January 2 2006.
“God Can Use Chance.” Lincoln Journal Star, February 6 2006
“Church-State Separation.” Omaha World-Herald, March 18 2006
“Evolution Education.” Omaha World-Herald, August 20 2006
D. Radio
Genetics and the Human Person, KIOS-FM (Omaha, NE), September 21, 1998
Cloning, KIWR-FM (Council Bluffs, IA), January 16, 1998
Creation and Evolution, KKAR-AM (Omaha, NE), December 1, 2002
Are Christianity and Evolution Compatible?, KCRO-AM (Omaha, NE), February 13, 2003
Evolution Education in the Public Schools, KIOS-FM (Omaha, NE), November 10, 2005
E. Web Sites (in addition to course-specific web sites)
Nebraska Religious Coalition for Science Education, 2001 - present
Creighton Pre-Medical Society, 2008 - present
1