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Faculty Profile of the Week
by Hal D. Coffey
News Editor
Mussels and midges and algae,
oh my.
Dr. Pamela Botts, assistant
professor of biology, is working
on two projects that involve
these types of organisms at
Presque Isle.
The first project looks at small
invertabracs (midges). The
midges arc aquatic in their imager
(immature) forms, while they are
aerial in their more mature forms.
On Presque Isle, the shore birds
feed on the immature midges.
Botts is researching how much
food the midges are providing for
these birds.
Zebra mussels are the subject
of her second project.
"We know they settle on hard
surfaces, but they are also
settling on the aquatic plants,"
Botts said. "This is intersesting
because they (the mussels)
benefit the plants by filtering
algae out of the water so more
light can reach the plants, but
being covered doesn't help the
plants."
Botts wants to find out how
bad the mussels are for the plants
and what they do.
So this Is what
The lab is located
Overall, she wants to record
spatial and temporal patterns and
how organisms respond to
changes in the environment.
As for classes, Botts teaches
some 810 101 labs and BIOBD
410, which is luminlolgy-- the
study of inland waters.
She believes it is her
responsibility to do whatever she
can to help people learn, but she
has high expectations.
"I have pretty high standards
for myself and my students, but
I'm willing to give a student
every oppourtunity to meet those
standards," Botts said.
Botts said she likes to battle
large class sizes by offering "one
on-one" instruction as much as
possible.
"If an explanation is unclear, I
try different approaches until the
student understands it," Botts
said. "I really enjoy teaching."
Unlike some other professors,
Botts does not believe in just
giving facts for students to return
at test time.
"I don't believe in spoon
feeding information for the
students to regurgitate back on an
exam," Botts said. "It is
important to connect concepts
Plastics Department
Receives Accreditation
they d 0...: A student prepares an item for further work in the Plastics Lab
downstairs in the Hammermill Building.
and put together diverse pieces of
information. That takes
problem-solving skills, and that's
what college learning is all
about."
Botts received her undergraduate
degree at Trenton State College
in New Jersey, majoring in, of
course, biology.
"Biology tics everything
together. Chemistry plus
physics plus math gives you an
incredibly diverse learning
system," Botts said.
She parlayed that education
into a 10 year job as a medical
technologist.
After the birth of her second
son, she decided to go back to
school. She finished her Ph.D.
work a year ago at the University
of South Florida-Tampa.
This is her first year teaching
at Behrend, and Botts is enjoying
it.
"I get paid to play in the mud,"
Botts said. "I always wanted to
know how things worked."
For the future, Botts hopes to
find a site to do some long term
research, because there are Slot of
questions of space and time
which require a large data base.
Botts is married and has two
children, ages 8 and 12.
Amel Bali:kWCollegian Photo
Faculty Profile of the Week: Dr. Pamela S. Botts
by Terry Rucker
Collegian Staff
The plastics engineering
technology baccalaureate degree
program at Behrend was recently
accredited by the Technology
Accreditation Board (TAB) of the
Accreditation Board for
Engineering Technology (ABET).
Behrend is only the second of
its kind in the United States to
receive accreditation from ABET.
TAB evaluated the program by
sending a field team to interview
faculty, student administration,
and board. The team reviewed the
laboratories, the library, and the
computer room. They also
evaluated the facilities and the
curriculum.
With the accreditation of
plastics engineering technology,
the ABET reaccredited Behrend's
four-year mechanical engineering
technology and electrical en
gineering technology programs,
making all five engineering
programs
accredited.
Dr. Richard Progelhof, director
of the School of Engineering and
Engineering Technology believes
the accreditattion was the result of
a group effort.
"Our accreditation is an
indication chat the combined
efforts of the plastics technology
faculty and the regional plastics
industry result in a high-quality
Thursday, October 14, 1993
education for Penn State-Behrend
students," Progelhof said.
"I am committed to seeing that
all the programs are accredited by
ABET," Progelhof said. "It
signifies that we are offering
high-quality programs."
Students also have comments
about the plastics program.
Jesse Shrock, senior plastics
major, said, "It's a really flexible
program. It lets you pick ..what
you want to specialize in. The
students decide what type of
research projects they want to
work on, and the professor guides
the idea along."
Greg Dunham, another senior
plastics major, agrees, "I can say
it's an excellent program. It's
difficult and time-consuming, but
it's worth it."
Since 1988, plastics
engineering technology graduates
have received 100 percent job
placements and one of the highest
starting salaries university-wide.
Shrock attests to the success of
the graduates.
"Students also make contacts
within the industry which ensures
quality jobs for them in the
future."
The only other accredited
plastics engineering technology
program in the country is at the
Pittsburg State University,
Pittsburg, Kansas.