Damselflies of Chicagoland, a new photo field guide by biology instructor, Marla Garrison

Odonates are yummy!  Dragonflies can bite (and sometimes even draw blood!) - but, the thing is, I bite back. If you look closely at this Swamp Darner's abdominal tip you can see that I'm actually scaring the you-know-what out of him.  I'd like to assume that it was fear of predation and not my breath that caused this reaction.

So, after four summers of sloshing through wetlands, mud, and muck--covered in ticks, leeches, mosquitos and swimmer's itch--swollen with creeping hives from stinging nettles and hyper reactions to deer fly bites-- and slipping, sliding and submerging myself in rivers, creeks and streams--I am finally finished with my first photo field guide in what I hope will be a series of natural history guides for our area and the Chicago Wilderness. My first book, entitled Damselflies of Chicagoland, can be accessed as a free downloadable pdf file on the Chicago Field Museum website: http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/plantguides/damselflies .

McHenry and Lake Counties are blessed with some of the few remaining wetlands in Illinois. They contain some unique, and in some instances high quality, aquatic habitats where aquatic invertebrates like damselflies and dragonflies (who spend most of their life in a larval form under the water) can thrive. There are 39 species of damselflies (part of the order of insects to which dragonflies belong) in McHenry County. They are colorful, thin as a straight pin, little beasties that flit low amongst the grasses and emergent vegetation at the edge of waterways. Squat down, look closely and your world will brighten before your eyes--I promise!

My plan is to have the next installment Dragonflies of Chicagoland up and published in two to three more years (depending on whether my knees and energy level stay intact).  Submitted by M.G.

Congratulations, Amy Ortiz!

August 10, 2010 was a day of celebration for Amy. The University of Wisconsin-Madison conferred a Ph.D., Art History/Material Culture on her and we offer hearty congratulations! Amy's specialization is in American outsider, visionary, self-taught, and vernacular art. Pictured is a creation of hers featuring tramp art. Amy prepared the catalog for the exhibition, Tramp Art: Cultural Expression, Visual Splendor (Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art, College of Lake County). The exhibition and catalog were designed to accompany her doctoral dissertation. Amy is an Instructor of Art History & Art Appreciation.

Science instructors trek Alaska through Chautauqua Institute program

Bev Dow and Kate Kramer framed by Mt. McKinley

Bev Dow (Biology instructor and MCCFA president) and Kate Kramer (Geology instructor) traveled to Alaska in June to participate in a program sponsored by the Chautauqua Institute. Before their classes began they took a three-day trip from Anchorage to Denali National Park. They were among the 15% of tourists to see Mt. McKinley (pictured) on a clear day. Upon returning to Anchorage, Kate and Bev took a course in the ecology of south-central Alaska.

During their three days with two instructors from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, they studied the tundra, taiga, and coastal rainforest ecosystems. Following the class, they took a one-day cruise of the Kenai Fjords, seeing humpbacked whales, Steller sea lions, sea otters, puffins, common murre (birds that look and sound like penguins), and an actively calving glacier. Kate stayed on for a class on glaciers and another class on earthquakes and tsunamis. (submitted by B.D.)

Science Department scores bull’s eye at Catapult Contest

Photo credit: Rob Twardock from College of Lake County

Instructors Steve Socol, Ph.D. (chemistry) and Joe Nothnagel (chemistry, physics) helped organize the second annual Suburban Chicago Intercollegiate Catapult Contest, held at the College of Lake County on May 2nd, and served as judges. The catapult contest is an annual competition for engineering students from some of the local community colleges.

This year MCC, College of Lake County, Oakton Community College, Harper College and College of DuPage competed. Students design and build their own catapults; each team may spend a maximum of $100 on materials. Teams also must adhere to size limitations in creating the catapults which are designed to shoot tennis balls. The teams compete in three events: distance, accuracy, and precision. The MCC team won the precision event placing fifth out of the 12 entered teams. Congratulations to Steve and Joe!

Marla Garrison and student represent MCC at STEM science competition

Biology instructor, Marla Garrison, stands proudly with her student, Maria Nellessen, at the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) STEM Poster Contest. Marla was an advisor to Maria during her microbiology independent study. Maria competed with other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students from Skyway Conference community colleges at this event hosted  Waubonsee Community College on April 16th. Maria won a bronze medal for her poster entry, "The Effect of Osmotic Upshock on UV Radiation Resistance in Escherichia Coli." Her entry was one of 30 submitted in the general science category.

New book by Todd Culp

Todd Culp, Ph.D., history and political science instructor, has a new book out through Kendall Hunt Publishing. The Friends Whose Names I Will Never Know (ISBN 978-0-7575-7951-6) is the culmination of Todd's years of travel to the Middle East.

Todd has lived in the West Bank and spends time each year there working with peace activists and leading Americans on educational tours of the region. His stories come to life in this book as they do in the re-telling in his classrooms. Thank you for sharing your stories to a wider audience, Todd.

Matt Irie Art Exhibitions

Matt Irie, Fine Art Department, has many works represented in print and on display at exhibitions. As an MCC Instructor of Two-Dimensional Art, Matt demonstrates his creativity through many outlets. Matt and long-time collaborator, Dominick Talvacchio completed Lamppost at the MetroTech Center for the Public Art Fund in New York City.

It is featured in the July/August edition of Sculpture Magazine (available in the MCC Library). This same project is also featured in the Summer 2010 edition of American Airlines’ Celebrated Living Magazine. It is one of eight international outdoor cultural attractions named in the article. The Public Art Fund also released a catalogue for the Double Take exhibition representing Matt and the other artists exhibiting through September 10, 2010.

Matt had other collaborative work featured in the Twelve Galleries Project: Quarterly Site #3: Stay in Your Lane! exhibition currently on view through August 22nd at the Swimming Pool Project Space in Chicago.

Lamppost photo by James Ewing, courtesy of the Public Art Fund

Doug Goostree at Camp I Am Me 20th Anniversary

MCC Fire Science Instructor, Doug Goostree, recently returned from Camp I Am Me. As a board member of the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance board, Doug once again joined other volunteers and counselors at the YMCA Camp Duncan in Lake County, Illinois. (Doug on the left, fellow IFSA Board member, Terry Pluta on the right)

Once called The IFSA Burn Camp, Camp I am Me, was renamed by the campers themselves at the suggestion of a young burn victim who was trying to escape the labels these young survivors contend with on a daily basis. This annual camp offers an atmosphere of casual camaraderie and FUN for these young burn victims who often feel the stares and hear the comments of others because of their burn scars.

Doug is joined by other firefighters (current and retired) as well as by teachers and other professionals as trained volunteers who are very sensitive to these children and the emotional, physical and social scars they bear.
Through fun camp activities and opportunities for the kids to bond with each other and with camp volunteers, this special place is a wonderful summertime respite for healing young bodies and souls and renewing self confidence and trust. Camp I am Me celebrated its 20th anniversary this summer and convenes the third week in June each year.

Geology Class Field Trip to Wisconsin

On April 30th, 2010 the Physical Geology (GEL 101) class took a field trip to Devils Lake State Park, located just outside of Baraboo, Wisconsin. The purpose of this field trip was to show students geology outside of the classroom. The course was lead by Kate Kramer, Instructor of Earth Science and Geology, and Bev Dow, Instructor of Biology.

The students had a wonderful time examining the ancient quartzite of the area, as well as the more recent glacial topography. Students identified glacial end moraines, ripple marks, various rock types, and an angular unconformity representing a 1 billion year gap in the rock record.

We also had the opportunity to visit Parfrey’s Glen Nature Preserve, where the students were able to view hurricane deposits, and stream erosion. As one student put it, “This was an AWESOME field trip, and a great chance to see geologic processes.” (submitted by K.K.)

Ann Esarco appointed to IRS Advisory Council

Ann Esarco, Ph.D., CPA, EA, and MCC Instructor of Accounting, has recently been appointed for a three year term to the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC). IRSAC provides an organized public forum for IRS officials and representatives of the public to discuss key tax administration issues. IRSAC also suggests improvements to IRS policies, programs and procedures and contributes to discussions of concerns originating with IRS executives.

Read more about Ann’s contributions to McHenry County College and to the community at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=221545,00.html.