Murphree Shares Expertise at Adventure Science Center

Posted in Faculty & Staff on Apr 20, 2012

On April 14, Dr. Steve Murphree, entomologist and professor of biology at Belmont University, along with more than 20 scientists and local research students, participated in the Adventure Science Center’s Got Science? Program. The scientists were there to share their area of expertise using hands-on demonstrations and interactive activities.

Topics included DNA, nanotechnology, neuroscience, entomology, alternative energy, genetics, astrophysics, forensics, materials science, the human body, microbiology, engineering and pharmacology. Murphree let guests have a close-up encounter with his collection of ticks and educated visitors about the behavior of ticks, how botanical extracts can be used as tick repellents and human diseases carried by ticks.

Visitors also learned to recognize commonly encountered tick species, how to avoid ticks and how to remove ticks once attached. Murphree was joined by Libby Thorndike, one of his undergraduate research students, who provided great assistance in describing her research on tick repellency to the public.


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Ranked No. 7 in the Regional Universities South category and named for the fifth consecutive year as one of the top “Up-and-Comer” universities by U.S. News & World Report, Belmont University consists of approximately 6,650 students who come from every state and 25 countries. Committed to being a leader among teaching universities, Belmont brings together the best of liberal arts and professional education in a Christian community of learning and service. The university’s purpose is to help students explore their passions and develop their talents to meet the world’s needs, a fact made evident in the University’s hometown, Nashville, where students served more than 60,000 hours of community service (valued at $450,000) during the last academic year. Belmont is also home to the World Cup champion Enactus team, a group of 42 student leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. With more than 80 areas of study, 23 master’s programs and five doctoral degrees, there is no limit to the ways Belmont University can expand an individual's horizon. For more information visit www.belmont.edu