Feature Dissecting the Biology Department \LT B Steih ocher The biology department here at Highacres has a uni que mixture of professors. They are each different but they have one thing in com mon, the love of biology. Dr. Orbin hails from Western Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. He did his undergraduate work at Ot terbeirn. College in Ohio, which is a small liberal arts college of about 1,100 students. While at Ot terbeirn, he was involved in dramatics and also worked as a lab assistant. He graduated from there with a B.S. in Biology. Dr. Orbin went on to Auburn in Alabama to do his graduate work. There he got his doc torate in Plant Pathology. At Highacres, Dr. Orbin teaches Biology 111, 112, 113, which are freshman courses; Environmental biology; Botany; Micro. and a course balled Plants, Places and People. Dr. Or bin is also involved in the Computer Science Club, which sponsors the Com puter Fair. He is vice president and editor of their newsletter. Before coming to Highacres, Orbin taught one year at the New Kens ington campus. Dr. Orbin is also involved in an indepen dent project, with two stu dent helpers, that studies kinds of microorganic animals in sewage treat ment. Or. Min Dr. Orbin lives in Con yngham with his wife and two children. When he is not teaching,. Orbin enjoys camping and traveling. He said that he likes teaching here and that it is a good place to live. Dr. Orbin is proud of a published piece of work on a project he and many other professors were involved in three years ago at Stanford University in California. The project was done in conjunction with NASA and concerned an orbiting micro laboratory. He ex plained that it was designed to study dangerous life forms or substances from other planets outside the earth's atmosphere, rather than bringing it back into our atmosphere. Dr. Frankel Dr. Frankel is from Mon treal, Canada. He did his undergraduate work at McGill University in Canada, which is the major English university. He graduated from there with a B.S. in Genetics. Frankel went on to do his grad uate work in genetics, biochemistry, atid zoology at Michigan State, where he got his doctorate. While there, he was involved in Enurro, political activities, Gay Rights, and was a volunteer working with disabled children. At Highacres, Frankel teaches Biological sciences, Zoology, all biologies, Genetics, Biochemistry, and he taught a special course with Dr. Marchesani last year called Science Technology Society. Dr. Frankel is also involved in organizing the Street Hockey league and has put on the dramatic plays here. Dr. Frankel also is working on an independent project involving•two organisms. Dr. Frankel resides >in Hazleton. When he is not teaching, he enjoys sleep ing, hiking in the woods with his dog and friends, reading, gardening, and entertaining friends. Penn State student in dab• Dr. Covert Dr. Covert comes from Western Pennsylvania. He completed his first two years of undergraduate work at Grove City College, and finished with a B.S. in Biology at Edinboro State. After graduating from Edinboro, Covert taught 7-9 grade general science and tenth grade Biology for three years at Mt. Pleasant. Then he got a National Science Foundation_ Grant to get his doctorate from Penn State. At Highacres, Covert teaches 'Bi Sci 1 and 4, Micro 1,2, 6, 7 and Bio 29, 41, and 42. He was involved in starting the MIT pro gram which works Berwick and St. Joseph's hospitals. Covert is also the advisor for the Outings Club and Biology Club. He is on the Student Affairs Committee, and Yis a senator in the University Senate, in which he is serving his third term. Covert has published research papers in the areas of Histamine, which affects antibody produc tion, development of fevers in infectious animals, and an isolated virus that in fects a bacterium called Aeromosas hydrophile. He is also chairrrian of the board that approves the Baccalaureate Programs, is on 11 the Steering Commit tee, and Panel modulator for the conference on the general education held at University Park spring term. When Dr. Covert is not at committee meetings or teaching, he resides in Nuangola Station with his wife. He enjoys gardening, running, ice skating, fishing, canoeing, eating dinner in New York City, traveling to warm climates, and traveling with his wife on their motorcycles. Each professor agrees that they all work well together, and that the lab facilities are adequate for a two-year campus. Covert stated, however, that there is a need for an update in equipment, especially when the switch is made to semesters. Covert said that they have a cohesive program; Orbin said that each of their skills complement each other, and Frankel said that they have a "neat team." When the professors were asked a general question about attitudes in biology, each one had a different response: Orbin stated that students are curious about themselves, and after tak ing biology, their level of perception is changed. Frankel stated that students should have dif ferent areas of specialty, but should learn biology as a whole as related to other areas. He sees biology teachers as "generalizers." He felt it important for any student to have a rational scientific comparison, to love living creatures, and not to look at biology as "cold hard facts." Covert agrees with this and adds that people should know themselves before others, and to know themselves as a wide general area and how we fit into the world. Page
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers