Person

“This is a real honor,” Person said. “Others on the commission include presidents and officials from such highly regarded institutions as Princeton University, Spelman College, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Arizona.”

With members representing approximately 1,800 accredited, degree-granting colleges, universities and higher education-related associations, ACE provides a unifying voice on key higher education issues at the federal and state level. It also offers programs aimed at developing leadership in higher education, lifelong learning and institutional effectiveness.

• Jaime Howell, director of forensics and lecturer in communication arts, is the coach of the IU Kokomo Speech Team, which competed in the Dominata Tournament at IUPUI Feb. 5 and qualified two students, Grace Keith of Kokomo and Chad Andrews of Sharpsville, to compete in the 35th annual Forensic Association tournament at the University of Akron on April 14–17. The team is slated for two more competitions before nationals: the State of Indiana Championships at the University of Indianapolis on Feb. 26 and a tournament at Ohio State University March 5-6.

Chauret

• Christian Chauret, biology, and IU Kokomo student Marley Griffin are continuing research on E. coli 0157-H7, a dangerous bacterial contaminant that can be found in Indiana rivers and creeks. Working under an IU Undergraduate Research Summer Institute grant in 2004, Griffin and Chauret tested two different methods to detect the E. coli in surface sources of drinking water.

“Once the different bacteria are isolated, we perform genetic comparisons of them,” Chauret said. “Very far down the road, this knowledge can lead to detecting the origin of a bacterium and possible preventative or disinfection methods.” The work continues Chauret’s many years of studying E. coli and other microorganisms in surface water and advising communities on how to detect and deal with contaminants in these sources of drinking water. He also worked last year with three utilities in Indiana checking the quality of their water distribution systems. “We were looking at biofilms (colonies of bacteria, algae, and fungi on water surfaces), effective concentrations of disinfectants, patterns of water quality affected by seasonal changes and other factors,” Chauret said. The systematic scientific study of contaminants in sources of drinking water only started in the early 1990s, he said. “We used to just treat whatever water came into a municipal drinking water plant. But, once you know a bacterium is in your watershed, then you can do something about it.”

In April, Chauret will present some of his findings at the Indiana conference of the American Society for Microbiology. In November, he spoke at the American Water Works Association’s Water Quality Technology conference in San Antonio, Texas, attended by some 1,500 drinking water regulators and water treatment plant managers. His presentation covered emerging problems of E. coli O157-H7 and the disinfection of the bacterium.

“A lot more is known about E. coli in foods than in water,” he said. He sees possible links of water contaminants to the “strange weather patterns” the U.S. has experienced in recent years. “A lot of rain creates more run-off of manures and chemicals from fields, and overflows of sewage systems. This can contaminate wells,” he said.

Overall, he said, water quality in the Midwest is good. “The United States’ main water concerns are shortages in the south and southwest, as well as along the eastern seaboard, in states such as New Jersey, where the population is dense,” he said. Professionals concerned with water quality are seeking solutions to the shortages, he added. “Southern communities are talking about using highly treated wastewater for non-consumption purposes, such as watering golf courses.”