LEWISBURG, Pa. — The following are Bucknell University story ideas that may interest you in May.
CHASING FIREFLIES – The warming days of approaching summer are frequently accompanied by the blinking light of fireflies against the night sky. Their fascinating luminous courtships have been the subject of childhood wonder and inspired scientific curiosity for centuries. And few scholars know more about fireflies and their bioluminescence than Bucknell biology professor Sarah Lower, who was among a team that first sequenced genomes of two firefly species. Catching fireflies is synonymous with childhood curiosity and Lower has some tips to help in the capture. First, get a red filter for your flashlight. “The light pollution can actually throw off their mating habits which is a growing problem in urban and suburban communities,” she said. Second, don’t cut holes in your jar to store them. “The jar itself holds plenty of air for them for at least a full day,” Lower said. “Holes can actually make them dry out faster. Instead, place a slice of apple in the jar and seal it tightly to maintain the humidity.” And third, release them after a day, “because many species only live two weeks,” she said. “This is the only time they have to find a mate and produce the next generation. Any time lost due to capture could mean lost mating attempts and fewer fireflies in years to come.” CONTACT: Lower, 570-577-3145, s.lower@bucknell.edu
EMPLOYMENT ESSENTIALS – A new crops of job seekers is entering the employment market this month following their college graduations. Gaining post-graduation employment is a good problem to solve and according to Pam Keiser, executive director of Bucknell’s Career Development Center, employers are consistently seeking strong skills in problem-solving — along with the ability to work successfully within a team environment, strong written and verbal communications skills, and proven leadership experience. “They also seek students who present themselves well and have a strong work ethic,” Keiser said. “Computer skills and being comfortable with using technology and/or systems within daily work is also often a required skill in many entry-level job listings.” This year, Keiser reports seeing a number of fields that are offering a broad range of summer internships and entry-level opportunities to undergraduates. One of the most popular areas is within the STEM fields. “We are seeing many job postings in a variety of engineering fields, finance and accounting, data analytics, consulting, technical sales, scientific research and pharma/healthcare fields,” she said. Some students may also pursue a gap year experience, or taking a year or more to volunteer in a well-known service program such as the Peace Corps, CitiYear, or Teach for America for a postgraduate internship or fellowship. CONTACT: Keiser, 570-577-1238, pamela.keiser@bucknell.edu
SHOW & TELL – Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and this summer, Bucknell’s Samek Art Museum is inviting anyone to contribute objects they consider to be beautiful to an exhibition. The exhibition, entitled “Show & Tell,” will be on view at the Samek’s Downtown Gallery, 416 Market Street, from Tuesday, June 4 through Sunday, October 13. Each participant is asked to share one object, anything they consider to be beautiful and include a short statement (max. 150 words) about what makes their object beautiful. “It needn’t be art — and, in fact, I personally think it would be more interesting if it wasn’t,” said Theresa Engelbrecht, registrar and exhibition manager, Samek Art Museum. Objects must be ready to display. Additional requirements can be found here. Note that objects are not covered by the museum’s insurance policy and while they’ll be handled with care by the Samek’s professional staff in a secure gallery, the museum is not held liable for lost or damaged items. CONTACT: Engelbrecht, 570-577-3282, tme008@bucknell.edu
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CONTACT: Mike Ferlazzo, 570-577-3212, 570-238-6266 (c), mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu