News stories, recent publications or featured projects.
2025
DJW Featured on S&T Faculty Faces in February
Ella Kadyk, and Kaitlyn Thole, and Kinsey Zimmermann join the lab as First Year Research Experience (FYRE) students
2024
DJW appeared as a guest on Mark Martin’s “Matters Microbial” podcast
Amelia Markwell was featured about her research in the lab over the summer
DJW featured in an Atlas Obscura article on Agar Art
Nicole Militante presents her research at the S&T College of Arts, Sciences, and Education FYRE Showcase
Amelia Markwell and Nicole Militante earn first place in the science poster presentation category of the S&T Undergraduate Research Conference
Amelia Markwell is selected to receive an Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Fellows award
Sarah Fakher successfully defends her MS thesis on “Metal-ion doped Borate Bioactive Glasses- A Novel Direction in Minimizing Healthcare-acquired Infections and the Clinical Emergence of Antibiotic-resistant Genes”
Sophia (Nicole) Militante joins the lab as a First Year Research Experience (FYRE) student
2023
Teaching with Games, Storytelling, and Humor recorded at ASM Microbe 2023 in Houston
Sarah Fakher earns the Missouri S&T John W. Claypool Fund for Medical Research Fellowship.
Shay Pelfrey earns first place in the Undergraduate Research Conference Sciences Oral Presentation category
Gabrielle Hightower and Shay Pelfrey present their research at the Missouri State Capitol on April 6
Amelia Markwell joins the lab as a First Year Reseach Experience (FYRE) student
Yaroslav Rynza and Brooke McCartney join the lab as undergraduate research students
2022
DJW Named Curators Distinguished Teaching Professor
Sarah Fakher joins the lab as a Masters Thesis student
DJW invited to record a podcast for the BioBuilder Podcast
DJW participated in a panel discussion on “Teaching insights from ASM Carski Award Recipients”
Alex Daniels and Gabrielle Hightower successfully complete their OURE Fellows and Gabrielle selected for OURE Fellows award for the 2022-2023 school year
Natalie Cummins joins the lab at a First Year Reseach Experience (FYRE) student
2021
Alex Daniels and Gabrielle Hightower selected for OURE Fellows award for the 2021-2022 school year
Interview by Dr. Justine Dees for the Joyful Microbe Podcast
Interview by Dr. Jennifer Tsang for the Addgene blog
2020
Catalina Vega Hurtado defended her MS thesis “Evaluation of the Symbiotic Relation Between Endophyte and Poplar Trees Exposed to Landfill Leachate”
Dr. Westenberg earns the UMSystem President’s Award for Community Engagement
Dr. Westenberg selected to serve as a UMSystem Presidential Engagement Fellow
Plenary lecture for the 2020 ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators (ASMCUE)
Dr. Westenberg awarded the 2020 ASM Carski Award for Undergraduate Education
Mel Magazine article on corona virus risks from spitting while running (DJW quoted)
Mel Magazine article on individual height and social distancing (DJW quoted)
Interview by Healthline magazine for article on cleaning cell phones (DJW quoted)
Campus PSA message recorded for coronavirus information page
Mel Magazine article on hand washing (DJW quoted)
2019
Dr. Westenberg selected as a finalist for the NCAA Dave Pariser faculty mentor award
Mel Magazine article on getting sick after weddings (DJW quoted)
Mel Magazine article on faking illness (DJW quoted)
Mel Magazine article on microbes in bathrooms (DJW quoted)
Mel Magazine article on house temperatures and illness (DJW quoted)
Mel Magazine article on swimming pool microbes (DJW quoted)
Mel Magazine article on cleaning your hands on surfaces (DJW quoted)
2018
Dr. Westenberg’s TedX Missouri S&T talk on microbes for the TedX YouTube channel.
Article on the creditcards.com website about microbes on credit cards. (DJW quoted)
Dr. Westenberg participated in a panel discussion on science communication at ASMicrobe in Atlanta.
Blog on the HHMI Biointeractive website on using HHMI resource for community engagement.
2017
Dr. Westenberg selected as the Academy of Sciences, St. Louis Science Educator of the Year
Muscle and Fitness Magazine article on locker room germs. (DJW quoted)
Research on Tap presentation at the Rolla Public House.
ASM Blog on Mentoring through iGEM competition. (DJW quoted)
Story in Science and Technology Research News on the Westenberg lab antibacterial glass research.
2016
blog for NISE net on the Summer Solutions for Girls activities.
Summer Solutions blog also appeared on the Building with Biology website.
Blog on the 2016 USA Science and Engineering Festival, for ASM Microbe Magazine.
2014
Missouri S&T Alumni Magazine article on healing glass antimicrobial glass research
2012
2011
New Scientist article on a recently discovered metabolic pathway (DJW quoted)
2001
MSM-UMR Alumnus Magazine article on quorum sensing research
2000
MSM-UMR Alumnus Magazine article on bioactive glass research