Pacific University Professor Appears on NBC's The Today Show

By Billy Merck

Dr. David Scholnick, Professor of Biology, appeared on NBC's "The Today Show" on Tuesday November 25. The segment featured work Dr. Scholnick has done studying respiratory systems of lower vertebrates and invertebrates.

The last 48 hours have been quite a ride for biology professor Dr. David Scholnick. He's traveled to New York, been on "The Today Show" early Tuesday, and made it back in to work Wednesday morning at his office on Pacific's Forest Grove campus. For anyone, it would be hard to put the whirlwind of attention and media coverage into perspective so soon. Yet Dr. Scholnick seems to have as firm a grasp on it all as anyone could expect.

"It's nice that we've had an opportunity to highlight some of the science going on at Pacific University and College of Charleston," Dr. Scholnick said. "But what's truly satisfying is that all this work has been done with undergraduate participation, and the attention could lead to further opportunities for the project and the students Lou and I work with." The work Scholnick refers to is the study of respiratory systems of lower vertebrates and invertebrates.

Scholnick and research partner Lou Burnett of the College of Charleston started the study at the College's Grice Marine Laboratory and Hollings Marine Laboratory (also in Charleston). The central hypothesis driving the research is that infectious disease can compromise the respiratory systems of lower vertebrates and invertebrates and thereby limit the ability of animals to sustain and recover from normal activities.

At Pacific, many of Dr. Scholnick's students have access to the tools of the study, and it is just one of many creative ways Dr. Scholnick is encouraging and facilitating hands-on scientific research for his students.

This summer, some Pacific undergraduate students may have the opportunity to work at the College of Charleston's Grice Marine Laboratory. The science department at Pacific has applied for a Murdock Foundation Grant for funding undergraduate research, and part of the grant could be used to assist students working with the crustacean project with salary and housing support.

In a release before the appearance on "Today," Scholnick said he and Burnett hope to "draw some attention to how our work may help us gain a better understanding of the health of marine organisms and their importance to our oceans."

The appearance has garnered plenty of attention. Below is a partial list of the coverage and a video clip from "Today."

Forest Grove News-Times

MSNBC / The Today Show

The Huffington Post

College on the Record

The Oregonian

For more information on Dr. Scholnick's work and to see a video that illustrates the treadmill in action, see: http://www.pacificu.edu/as/biology/faculty/DavidScholnick.cfm.

Posted by Billy Merck (merc0452@pacificu.edu) on Nov 24, 2008 at 11:31 AM

Related Websites

Pacific University Professor Appears on NBC's The Today Show