November 17, 2008

BCU Student Presents Sioux City Prairie Research at National Conference

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Briar Cliff University’s Adam Varenhorst recently presented his research on the Sioux City Prairie at the Prairie Invertebrate Conference in Newburg, Wis. The conference, which was held at the River’s Edge Nature Center, showcases entomological studies conducted by prairie researchers.

 In his work, Varenhorst, a senior biology major at Briar Cliff, surveyed insect populations in the Sioux City Prairie.   He also co-presented at the conference on methods of collecting insects for citizen scientist.

BCU’s Lance Herrmann, a junior biology major, also attended the conference.  Varenhorst and Wilson will continue their research to better understand insect diversity and behavior in the prairie ecosystem.  Iowa currently has less than one tenth of one percent of native prairie remaining.

 “This was a great opportunity for Adam to gain experience in presenting to other researchers,” said Ted Wilson, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at Briar Cliff University. “This type of experience helps prepare students for work after college and for post-graduate educational experiences.”

 The Sioux City Prairie, located next to the Briar Cliff campus, is comprised of 150 acres of native prairie and the largest prairie in a suburban setting in the United States.  “I consider it to be an extremely valuable resource for both research and teaching,” Wilson said.

Briar Cliff University is a Catholic institution with an enrollment of more than 1,100 students from 24 states and four countries.  Students are educated in the Franciscan tradition of excellence in the liberal arts and career preparation in an environment of care and compassion.For more information, please visit briarcliff.edu.