Dr. Christopher Ruhland, professor of biology, finds mentoring students in the research process one of the most rewarding aspects of his job.
Dr. Christopher Ruhland loves getting students excited about research. Developing a mentoring relationship with his students is one of his responsibilities as a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences, but it also yields great rewards. "Fostering a relationship with these students is gratifying," says Dr. Ruhland. "Preparing them to move on in the world provides me with a sense of accomplishment."
And that gratification is heightened when research that his students contributed to gets published—something that's fairly unusual for undergraduates. "It takes a certain kind of student to put the time in outside of class," says Dr. Ruhland. "Research like this requires a lot of commitment."
During the 2001–2002 academic year, Dr. Ruhland received a Faculty Research Grant and an NSF grant to examine the effects of varying levels of ultraviolet–B radiation on field–grown crops. He employed the help of two undergraduate students—Mitch Fogal and Chris Buyarski—throughout the experiment, which allowed Dr. Ruhland to complete parts of the project he wouldn't have had time to do by himself.
But the students didn't just complete routine daily tasks such as plant care and data collection. They also provided significant insight throughout the experiment. "There was no hand holding with this project," says Dr. Ruhland. "All of the authors had meaningful input; they all had their own ideas, and a lot of times we went with those ideas."
For example, part of the experiment involved examining the antioxidant capabilities of certain chemicals extracted from the plants. Because the extraction process was not specific, Buyarski wanted to verify that the other compounds in the extract were not interfering with the analysis. "It actually strengthened our paper because it helped eliminate an alternative explanation for the data," says Dr. Ruhland.
Being published is never a guarantee, but because this particular experiment employed a novel hypothesis, Dr. Ruhland believed it was likely the results would be scientifically significant. And they were: In the summer of 2007, the results were published in the international chemistry journal Molecules.
Consequently, not only were his students exposed to what life in the sciences is like, they were also offered an experience that may have separated them from their peers. "A project like this, especially the publication, gives students a leg up," explains Ruhland. "It puts their name out into the field, gives them experience presenting their ideas and research, and helps them receive admission into graduate programs more easily."
Case in point—after graduating, Chris Buyarski pursued a master's degree at West Virginia University (WVU), where he worked on an NSF–funded experiment that will likely lead to more publications. "Because of Dr. Ruhland's networking and guidance, I was accepted into WVU and was able to continue my work on similar projects," explains Buyarski. "Ultimately, scientists are deemed successful by the quantity and quality of publications they produce. Being able to publish so early has advanced my career as a scientist."
Buyarski recently accepted a job at the University of Minnesota, where much of his interview focused on his research here at Minnesota State Mankato and the resulting publication. It seems his dedication and commitment as an undergraduate student has truly paid off, which makes Dr. Ruhland a very satisfied mentor.
