{"id":117,"date":"2021-07-13T20:03:24","date_gmt":"2021-07-13T20:03:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/?page_id=117"},"modified":"2025-04-25T18:38:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T18:38:47","slug":"leo-w-parks-distinguished-lectureship","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/homepage\/leo-w-parks-distinguished-lectureship\/","title":{"rendered":"Leo W. Parks Distinguished Lectureship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"153\" height=\"204\" src=\"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2021\/07\/unnamed.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-195\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"history-of-dr-leo-w-parks\">History of Dr. Leo W. Parks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Leo W. Parks,&nbsp;<em>Professor Emeritus<\/em>, was born in Wetaug, Illinois, and raised in the Chicago area. He received his B.S. with honors from the University of Illinois, Master\u2019s degree from Indiana University, and Ph.D. from the University of Washington. Under the auspices of a National Academy of Sciences Fellowship, he was a post-doctoral research associate in biochemistry at the Argonne National Laboratory. This was interrupted for active duty service in the US Army. After his service, Dr. Parks joined the faculty at Oregon State University (OSU) as an assistant professor and progressed through the ranks to professor. Dr. Parks came to NC&#160;State in 1985 as a professor and the head of the Department of Microbiology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During his career, thirty-two graduate students earned their doctoral degrees under his supervision. His research focused on the biosynthesis of ergosterol in the yeast&nbsp;<em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae<\/em> as a target for antifungals. Dr. Parks regularly taught the undergraduate and graduate courses in Microbial Physiology, and he served as Head of the Department of Microbiology from 1985 through 1993. At the commencement ceremony in May 2001, the graduating microbiology undergraduate students presented Dr. Parks with a plaque to recognize his outstanding teaching and to express their gratitude to him. Dr. Leo Parks has since retired, and he currently lives with his wife, Nancy, in Seattle, Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Leo W. Parks Endowment in Microbiology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-leo-w-parks-distinguished-lectureship-in-microbiology\"><strong>L.W. Parks Distinguished Lectureship in Microbiology<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The lecture series was created to honor Dr. Parks in perpetuity for his selfless attitude and many contributions to the NC\u00a0State community.\u00a0The Lectureship is made possible by the generous donors who helped establish a permanent endowment in the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc., with matching support from the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology (PMB) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at North Carolina State University.\u00a0<em>Special thanks to Warren Casey and Hosni Hassan for their leadership role in the creation of the endowment.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-blockquote\"><p><em>We extend our gratitude and many thanks to all the generous donors to the endowment, including alumni, family, friends, NCSU and corporations, that make this Lectureship possible.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The next lecture will occur in October 2025, with more details forthcoming!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"m_1575601107004841985gmail-2021-2022-l-w-parks-lecture-schedule\">L.W. Parks Microbiology Research Awards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We are pleased to announce the 2025 student recipients of LW Parks Research Awards in Microbiology.\u00a0 The following project proposals are recognized for their scientific merit, with financial awards of up to $1,000 provided to help achieve the described goals.\u00a0The awardees are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-accordion ncst-accordion\"><div class=\"accordion\" id=\"ncst-accordion-19\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-accordion-item ncst-accordion-item panel\"><a class=\"accordion-item__header collapsed\" href=\"#ncst-accordion-item-19-37\" id=\"ncst-accordion-item-heading-37\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#ncst-accordion-item-19-37\" aria-controls=\"ncst-accordion-item-19-37\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"accordion-item__expansion-indicator\"><span class=\"ncst-plus-minus-toggle\"><\/span><\/span><h2 class=\"accordion-item__label h5\">Graduate Student Awards<\/h2><\/a><div class=\"collapse panel-collapse accordion-item__content-container \" id=\"ncst-accordion-item-19-37\" aria-labelledby=\"ncst-accordion-item-heading-37\" data-parent=\"#ncst-accordion-19\"><div class=\"accordion-item__content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Nicole Burroughs<\/strong>\u00a0<em>Quantifying microbial dispersal to decode microbial community assembly<\/em>\u00a0(Mentor: W. Petry)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lisa Metzge<\/strong>r\u00a0<em>USF1 Regulates Expression of the Anti-Apoptotic Gene Dpp7<\/em>\u00a0(Mentor: M. Sikes)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Micaela Robson<\/strong>\u00a0<em>Investigating Heterotrophic Nitrification \u2013 Aerobic Denitrification in\u00a0<\/em>Acinetobacter calcoaceticus<em>\u00a0for Improving<\/em> <em>Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation Applications<\/em>\u00a0(Mentor: A. Grunden)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-accordion-item ncst-accordion-item panel\"><a class=\"accordion-item__header collapsed\" href=\"#ncst-accordion-item-19-39\" id=\"ncst-accordion-item-heading-39\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#ncst-accordion-item-19-39\" aria-controls=\"ncst-accordion-item-19-39\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"accordion-item__expansion-indicator\"><span class=\"ncst-plus-minus-toggle\"><\/span><\/span><h2 class=\"accordion-item__label h5\">Undergraduate Student Awards<\/h2><\/a><div class=\"collapse panel-collapse accordion-item__content-container \" id=\"ncst-accordion-item-19-39\" aria-labelledby=\"ncst-accordion-item-heading-39\" data-parent=\"#ncst-accordion-19\"><div class=\"accordion-item__content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Matthew Clayton<\/strong>\u00a0<em>Characterizing salinity tolerance of bacterial isolates from a natural saltwater gradient<\/em>\u00a0(Mentor: M. Choudoir)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sarah Harvey<\/strong>\u00a0<em>Investigating the mechanisms of cAMP secretion in Mycobacterium tuberculosis<\/em>\u00a0(Mentor: M. Gazdik Stofer)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Yvette Wittenborn\u00a0<\/strong><em>Comparing Antimicrobial Resistance in Meat and Seafood from North Carolina State Farmers<\/em> <em>Market and Retail Stores<\/em><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>(Mentor: S. Thakur)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations to all of the award recipients!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-accordion ncst-accordion\"><div class=\"accordion\" id=\"ncst-accordion-27\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-accordion-item ncst-accordion-item panel\"><a class=\"accordion-item__header collapsed\" href=\"#ncst-accordion-item-27-55\" id=\"ncst-accordion-item-heading-55\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#ncst-accordion-item-27-55\" aria-controls=\"ncst-accordion-item-27-55\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"accordion-item__expansion-indicator\"><span class=\"ncst-plus-minus-toggle\"><\/span><\/span><h2 class=\"accordion-item__label h5\">Prior Student Awardees<\/h2><\/a><div class=\"collapse panel-collapse accordion-item__content-container \" id=\"ncst-accordion-item-27-55\" aria-labelledby=\"ncst-accordion-item-heading-55\" data-parent=\"#ncst-accordion-27\"><div class=\"accordion-item__content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2024: Graduate &#8211; Samantha Kisthardt, Sivaranjani Palani, Aurora Toennisson<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2024: Undergraduate &#8211; Rachel Edwards, Daniel Richard, Emily Sontag<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Past Presenters in the Leo W. Parks Distinguished Lectureship Series<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Caroline Ajo-Franklin, Mary K. Firestone, Manu Prakash, Susan S. Golden, Dennis Dean, Martin Warren, Russell Rodriguez, Matthew Chapman, Allan Konopka, Rodolphe Barrangou, Nicholas Ornston, Peter Greenberg, Derek Lovely, Caroline Harwood, Patrick Dennis, and many other extraordinary researchers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"alignwide wp-block-heading\" id=\"contact-information-for-l-w-parks-lectureship\">Contact Information for L.W. Parks Lectureship&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chris Cammarene-Wessel<\/strong><br>North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc.<br>North Carolina State University <br>Box 7645<br>Raleigh, NC&nbsp; 27695 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>919-515-7678<br><a href=\"mailto:chris_wessel@ncsu.edu\">chris_wessel@ncsu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>History of Dr. Leo W. Parks Dr. Leo W. Parks,&nbsp;Professor Emeritus, was born in Wetaug, Illinois, and raised in the Chicago area. He received his B.S. with honors from the University of Illinois, Master\u2019s degree from Indiana University, and Ph.D. from the University of Washington. Under the auspices of a National Academy of Sciences Fellowship,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"parent":6,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/floating-box-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"backgroundColor\":\"red_400\",\"boxPosition\":\"left\",\"ctaNum\":\"one\",\"useCTA\":false,\"imageURL\":\"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2021\/07\/holladay-medal-2020.jpeg\",\"imageID\":190}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-117","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/117\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2151,"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/117\/revisions\/2151"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/units.cals.ncsu.edu\/microbiology-graduate-program\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}