Climate Course SP 2021

1. Shaad Ahmad
• Dr. Ahmad is a developmental biologist/systems biologist who uses integrated genetic,
genomic, and computational approaches to study organogenesis, with a focus on heart
development and transcriptional regulation. Using both Drosophila as a model system
and mammalian stem cells directed to differentiate along the cardiac lineage, his goal is
to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of cardiogenesis which incorporates both a
systems-level view of the underlying genetic network and detailed examination of the
roles of individual genes. Dr. Ahmad teaches Human Aspects of Biology (BIO 112) as
part of the Foundational Studies curriculum as well as courses in molecular biology, cell
biology, and embryology.
• Contact: Shaad.Ahmad@indstate.edu
• Website: https://indstate.edu/AhmadLab
• Funding: American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health
A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r o f B i o l o g y

2. Shelley Arvin
Shelley Arvin is the Research/Instruction Librarian Liaison to the disciplines of Nursing, Biology,
Science Education, Genetic Counseling, Economics, Chemistry & Physics at Indiana State University.
Arvin has a B.A. in Biology and an M.A. in Information Science from Indiana University Bloomington.
Information science examines how people find, manage, store, and use information and emphasizes
current and future information technologies. Arvin’s research interests include text analysis of health
terminology and its impact on successful searching; how research and scholarship is executed and
differs within the sciences, social sciences, & humanities; and new technologies as student learning
tools. She has worked for Indiana State University since 2007.
Arvin developed and maintains the COVID-19 for Scientists Subject Guide at
https://libguides.indstate.edu/covidsc and other guides.
In 1995 Arvin completed the course "Epidemics in History" at Indiana University taught by Dr. Ann
Carmichael, M.D., Ph.D. The course included an examination of the severe 1995 outbreak of Ebola
hemorrhagic fever (EHF) in Africa.
Contact: Shelley.Arvin@indstate.edu, website
A s s o c i a t e L i b r a r i a n ,
C u n n i n g h a m M e m o r i a l L i b r a r y

3. Christopher Fischer
Dr. Fischer specializes in the history of Germany and France. His
research has examined regionalism in France and Germany with a focus
on the disputed region of Alsace in the late 19th and 20th centuries. In
recent years, his research has explored World War I through a number
of projects including looking at French propaganda in the United States
and the experiences of ISU students during the conflict. He teaches a
wide range of courses on Europe, the World Wars, and Nazi Germany
including Foundational Studies courses focused on World War II
(History 213) as well as modern urban history (History 313).
A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r & A s s o c i a t e
D e a n , C o l l e g e o f A r t s a n d S c i e n c e s

5. Rusty Gonser
• Dr. Gonser is a behavioral ecologist who studies the polymorphic White-throated
Sparrow (WTSP). His long-term research project examines how ecology, behavior,
genetics, and physiology influence the evolution of life-history strategies, phenotypic
expression, relative fitness, and frequency of genotypes within a population. The
WTSP project focusses on the maintenance of polymorphism via disassortative mating
in the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). His research employs an
integrative approach using concepts and techniques borrowed from other areas of
biology for the field and laboratory such as molecular genetic techniques (e.g.
microsattelite DNA markers, bar coding & NexGen Sequencing), and other multi-
disciplinary techniques (e.g. Geographic Information Systems-GIS). Dr. Gonser teaches
Human Aspects of Biology (BIO 112) as part of the Foundational Studies curriculum as
well as upper division electives in Biology. His currently funded by the National
Institutes of Health.
• Contact: rusty.gonser@indstate.edu
P r o f e s s o r & D i r e c t o r o f T h e C e n t e r f o r
G e n o m i c A d v o c a c y

6. Robert Guell
• Contact: robert.guell@indstate.edu
• Scholarship: Issues in Economics Today 9e McGraw-Hill 2021
• Teaching: Basic Economics, Health Economics, Public Finance, Money
and Banking
• The textbook that I author is used at many colleges and universities
around the country for use in Issues and Survey courses. Its design
allows users to understand complex economic issues with little or no
prior economics training. I am authoring a Economics of Pandemics
chapter for it and for use across the McGraw-Hill platform.
P r o f e s s o r o f E c o n o m i c s
991929085

8. Jeff Kinne
• Associate Professor, Associate Chairperson of Computer Science
• Associate Director, The Center for Genomic Advocacy (TCGA)
• Contact: jkinne@indstate.edu, ISU directory, website
• Teaching: computer science bachelors, masters
• Research: algorithms/optimization, bioinformatics
• Collaborations: biology, geography, chemistry and physics
• Funding: National Institutes of Health, Indiana Academy of Sciences,
National Science Foundation
• Projects: gene analysis, covid-19
C o m p u t e r S c i e n c e

9. Marsha Miller
I provide instructional support to the College of Health and Human Services’ Applied Health
Sciences, Applied Medicine & Rehabilitation, Kinesiology/Recreation/Sport, and Social Work
departments. I also am responsible for purchasing books and media for those disciplines. I have
been at ISU since 1985 and have conducted more than 4,800 instruction sessions.
In addition to sessions with courses (virtual and on-campus), I create research guides for many
topics in the Health Sciences, music, multidisciplinary studies as well as general research
guides] [http://libguides.indstate.edu]
I run social media sites for the Library, the League of Women Voters of Vigo County, the Indiana site
for the national American Association of University Women. I am a member of the Library's
Marketing Workgroup and recently spear-headed development of the Library's Covid-19
information page at https://libguides.indstate.edu/Covid-19-LibraryInformation.
I play the clarinet. The best way to find me if you want to meet with me is through our Meet with a
Librarian form.
Contact: Marsha.Miller@indstate.edu
R e s e a r c h & I n s t r u c t i o n L i b r a r i a n

10. Nathan Myers
• Associate Professor, Political Science
• Director, Master of Public Administration Program
• Associate Director, The Center for Genomic Advocacy (TCGA)
• Contact: nathan.myers@indstate, web site
• Teaching: public policy, public administration
• Research: public health emergency preparedness and response,
genomic/biotechnology policy
• Collaborations (academic): biology, business, public health
• Collaborations (non-academic): West Central Indiana Area Health Education
Center, District 7 (Indiana) Preparedness Coalition
• Projects: Book, Peer-reviewed articles (1, 2), Professional publications
• Research Involving Students: Simulation Design
P o l i t i c a l S c i e n c e / P u b l i c
A d m i n i s t r a t i o n

11. Natasha Rascon
Dr. Rascon specializes in health communication in interpersonal contexts as
well as conflict management. Her areas of focus include delivering difficult
news and enhancing communication amongst interdisciplinary health care
teams. In recent years, her research has explored Diagnosis Delivery, Autism
Awareness, constructions of race, as well as understanding use of Wearable
Fitness Trackers. Rascon teaches a wide range of courses focused on health,
interpersonal, and organizational communication as well as the Foundational
Studies course, Introduction to Public Communication (Comm 101). She also
values service learning and includes collaborations with local nonprofits,
including Indiana Foster and Adoptive Parents, resource and advocacy group.
Contact: Natasha.Rascon@indstate.edu
A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r , D e p a r t m e n t
o f C o m m u n i c a t i o n

12. Kristopher Schwab
• Dr. Kris Schwab is a molecular developmental biologist who uses molecular,
genetic, genomic and bioinformatic tools to study cell differentiation and
development using Drosophila and pluripotent stem cells as experiment
models. His laboratory is interested in understanding the transcriptional and
epigenetic mechanisms regulating cell differentiation and organ
development. Dr. Schwab instructs several undergraduate and professional
courses and laboratories including Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, and
Pathophysiology (study of disease).
• Contact: Kristopher.Schwab@indstate.edu
• Funding: National Institutes of Health, Indiana Academy of Science
A s s i s t a n t P r o f e s s o r o f B i o l o g y