UNK Professor of Biology Paul Twigg is the featured speaker at the annual Last Lecture event presented by the Xi Phi Chapter of Mortar Board at University of Nebraska at Kearney.
The event, which is open to the public, is at 7 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 11) in Copeland Hall 142. Twigg’s talk is titled “Dancing Phospholipids, Handcuffs and Mummified Twinkies: There’s Always An Explanation.”
The purpose of the Last Lecture is to honor a member of the UNK faculty, staff or administration by inviting them to give a lecture on any topic of their choosing.
Last Lecturers are instructed to think about insights and wisdom they would like to share if given just one chance to address an audience. The Last Lecture concept is billed by Mortar Board as an uplifting and inspirational message delivered to the campus community.
Established in 1918, Mortar Board is a national honor society recognizing college seniors for their exemplary scholarship, leadership and service. UNK’s Xi Phi Chapter is one of 230 chartered chapters nationwide.
The Last Lecture series has occurred at UNK for more than 20 years.
Paul Twigg
Title: Professor of Biology
College: Natural and Social Sciences
Education: Bachelor of Science in biology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1987; Ph.D. in botany, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, 1993.
Years at UNK: 22
Career: Teaching assistant, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, 1987-89; Research assistant, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, 1989-92; University of Nebraska at Kearney, 1992-present.
Family: Wife, Janet Steele, UNK professor of biology.
Hobbies/Interests: Gardening and plants, avid runner, cycling, Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, motorcycle riding, owner of six cats and a bunny, can memorize music first time he hears it.
Honors/Awards: Current applicant for Pratt-Heins Award, UNK Mentoring of Student Research Award, 2006; Two-time winner of UNK Faculty Mentoring of Graduate Student Research Award.
Areas of research/specialization: Molecular biology of nitrogen fixing plants (plants that can use bacteria to absorb nitrogen from the air in a usable form), biofuel plants and algae, plant-insect interactions, and plant-virus interactions.
Courses taught: Cell Biology, General Biology, Biology 105/106 (Majors Biology), Plant Physiology, Mycology Regional Field Study, Molecular Biotechnology, Forensic Biology, Plant Systematics, Plant Pathology, Inside Your Genome, Dangerous Plants, Cancer Biology, And Biology 420 (Senior Research).
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