Westminster professor invited to speak at Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh meeting

A member of Westminster College’s biology faculty discussed American kestrels at the January meeting of the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) held at Duquesne University.

The Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) recently hosted guest speaker Dr. Kerri Duerr, associate professor of biology, during its January monthly meeting held at Duquesne University.

Dr. Kerri Duerr, associate professor of biology, presented “Birds as a Tool for Environmental Monitoring and Life-long Learning” to the membership of the SSP and the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP) as part of the technology forum program.

“Her work on American kestrels is fascinating,” said Heather Juzwa, president of the SSP. “She took us on a journey from their evolution from dinosaurs to describing efforts to overcome climate change.”

Duerr’s research aims to understand the demographics of American kestrels in west central Pennsylvania and to advance kestrel conservation.

“I was honored to be invited to speak at the meeting to promote science education,” said Duerr. “Gaining knowledge of birds connects information from all aspects of biology, chemistry, physics and math which helps individuals connect with the living world around us.”

Duerr is currently teaching the Westminster cluster course Tweetspeak with Bradley Weaver, lecturer of broadcast communications. The course combines the biology of birds with a digital media essentials course allowing students to satisfy their science and cluster requirements.

Duerr, who joined the Westminster faculty in 2010, earned her undergraduate at Hartwick College, her master’s at Villanova University and her Ph.D. at the University of Vermont.

The SACP and the SSP are non-profit organizations dedicated to furthering science education both locally and nationally.

For more information on the biology department, click here.

For more information on the broadcasting department, click here.

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