Five alumni earn special recognition

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS

Barb Dutrow, Ph.D.

Dr. Barb Dutrow has become a prominent member of the earth science community since graduating from Chadron State College.

She is the Adolphe G. Gueymard Professor in the department of geology and geophysics at Louisiana State University. She received her bachelor’s degree from CSC in 1974.

She also earned a master’s degree in 1980 and a doctorate in 1985 from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. During this time she worked for Mobil Exploration and Producing Services, Inc. in Dallas where she evaluated the hydrocarbon potential of many of the world's oil fields.

After graduation, she pursued her research in experimental mineralogy at the Ruhr-University in Bochum in the former West Germany as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow. Prior to joining the faculty at LSU, she furthered her education by a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona and as a visiting Professor at the University of Iowa.

In addition to teaching classes in mineralogy, geochemistry and petrology, her research involves both field studies of metamorphic rocks as well as computational experiments on how these rocks form. Computational studies are in collaboration with colleagues from Los Alamos National Lab in New Mexico.

She was elected as the 2007 President of the Mineralogical Society of America, the largest international organization of mineralogists, petrologists, and geochemists in the world. She was only the second woman to be elected president in the Society's 90 years.

She has served on a number of National Academy of Sciences Committees, including the National Research Council Board on Earth Sciences and Resources that advises Congress and the President.  Most recently she was invited to coauthor the "Manual of Mineral Sciences," the most widely used mineralogical textbook in the world, and one that she used as a sophomore earth sciences student at CSC.

She is a former CSC Distinguished Young Alumni Award recipient.

John Moulds

John Moulds of Marshall, Texas, has completed 44 years of service in transfusion medicine since earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology from Chadron State College in 1965.

Included in his years of service, accomplishments include 96 scientific publications, consistent participation on technical advisory boards and committees and numerous national awards. Among his honors are the 1983 Ivor Dunsford Award from the American Association of Blood Banks, the Sally Frank Award/Lectureship with the National Blood Foundation and AABB in 2003 and the L. Jeans Stubbins Memorial Lectureship of the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2007.

His area of professional interest has been immunohematology, red cell membrane biochemistry, adverse hemolytic transfusion reactions and population genetics. In 1973 he formed the Serum, Cells and Rare Fluids Exchange that he continues to direct. SCARF’s worldwide membership includes more than 150 immunohematologists who exchange unusual and rare specimens.

Moulds has presented numerous lectures throughout North America and on every continent except the Antarctic. He serves as a peer reviewer for several professional journals and serves on the editorial board for “Immunohematology.”

Following his degree from CSC, Moulds completed his medical technology degree at St. John’s McNamara Hospital in Rapid City, S.D. He then went to Minneapolis War Memorial Blood Bank and completed graduate studies in blood banking and was certified as specialist in blood bank by the American Society of Clinical Pathology.

He has two daughters, Dr. Terri Moulds Bowen and Dr. Christine Moulds-Merritt. He lives in the country with his wife, Dr. Joann Moulds, and six rescued dogs.

Dirlene (Steffe) Wheeler

Dirlene (Steffe) Wheeler is highly involved in a number of Wyoming’s educational endeavors while serving as principal at Sheridan, Wyo.

While at Sheridan, she has served on the State Assessment Task Force, was an original trainer for the high school reform movement, “Breaking Ranks II,” and was Wyoming High School Principal of the Year in 2008-2009.

She was selected to serve on the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Advisory Council for three years and is serving on its board of directors.

Wheeler, a Chadron native, graduated from Chadron State College in 1976 with a degree in biology education. Her first teaching job was in Stapleton where she taught grades 6-12 science classes and coached volleyball. Two years later, she joined the Adams Junior High staff where she taught physical sciences and coached swimming and gymnastics.

The remainder of her teaching career was at North Platte High School, where she received several community and instruction awards while teaching sciences and coaching.

Wheeler became assistant high school principal at Sheridan in 1997, after earning a master’s degree in secondary administration from CSC in 1995. Three years later she became interim high school principal and took the position on a permanent basis the following semester.

She and her husband, Neil, have two children, Molly and Zach.

DISTINGUISHED YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS

Zach Even

Zach Even, a graphic designer for a large outdoor products company, developed a reputation as an accomplished wildlife artist while at Chadron State College and has put his talents to good use since graduating from the institution.

Even, who works for Gerber/Brunton knives at Lander, Wyo., said his artwork is fueled by a passion for the outdoors that he developed while growing up in Green River, Wyo. The artist graduated from Chadron State College in 2003 with an emphasis in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art and graphic design.

Prior to working for Gerber/Brunton, Even was employed four years as an art director for Cabela’s at its corporate headquarters in Sidney. In 2006, a painting of his was featured on the cover of the company’s fly fishing catalog. Also that year, he won the 2007 Nebraska Habitat Stamp competition with a painting of a pronghorn antelope.

During his time at Cabela’s, he also hosted an episode of the Cabela’s Outfitter Journal television show.

In July 2006, he reached the summit of Mount Rainier. In the spring of 2007, he spent three weeks on Alaska’s Mount McKinley. After battling whiteouts and horrendous conditions for most of the climb, Even and his climbing partners reached the summit and made it off the mountain safely.

While a member of the CSC track and field team, Even qualified for nationals twice. He still holds the CSC hammer throw record.

Even met his wife, Anne (Frates), while attending CSC and they married in 2005. In December 2008, they welcomed twins to their family, their son Brooks and daughter Adlyn.

Tim Kamerzell, Ph.D.

Tim Kamerzell has established a successful career as a scientist since graduating cum laude from Chadron State College in 2002.

Kamerzell works in the department of pharmaceutical research and development at Genentech, a San Francisco, Calif., biotechnology company. His research interests include protein folding thermodynamics, spectroscopy and photophysics of condensed matter, and nonlinear dynamics of complex systems. He has published more than 10 peer reviewed manuscripts in top scientific journals and has been has spoken at scientific conferences around the world including a recent presentation in Poland.

Kamerzell became employed at Genentech after earning a doctorate from the University of Kansas in 2007.

A native of Alliance, Kamerzell was involved in numerous extracurricular activities while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology at CSC. He was a member of the basketball team, Natural Sciences Club and Health Professions Club. He also was a member of the honorary societies Beta Beta Beta and Blue Key.

He is a member of multiple professional societies, including the American Chemical Society, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists and the Biophysical Society. He is chairman-elect and executive committee member of the California section of the American Chemical Society, which has more than 5,000 local members. He also is chairman of the organization’s younger chemists committee.

Kamerzell lives in San Francisco with his wife, Maryam. He also is a freelance writer who enjoys running, hiking and traveling the Midwest.