Maloney Dentistry

17901 Turners Drive

South Bend, IN

Human Resource Department

April 13, 2015

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am contacting you for lab technician position for Maloney Dentistry. I learned about this position through a career webpage.

I am interested in this position because I am passionate about working with others to improve the health and safety of others in my region. I have graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and minor in Environmental Studies. Along with my biology courses, I also have taken education courses and worked for 5 years at Elkhart Community Schools. I have done independent research on plant mating systems, which included maintaining plants in the greenhouse, maintaining data records, and some experience doing genetic lab work. I have experience making presentations to diverse audiences including scientific audiences and the general public. In summer 2014, I was an environmental technician for the Health Department in Elkhart. As part of this position, I was responsible for collecting mosquitoes, sorting them into species, and keeping careful records for submitting mosquito samples for disease testing. Within this position, I also was involved in water sampling of Elkhart County’s lakes, rivers and streams. I have experience identifying plants and participated in community plant identification projects through the BioBlitz at Bendix Woods and Unity Gardens in fall 2014.

I am very interested in the position as it would allow me to be more involved in my community. I appreciate the time taken to review my resume and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Brittany Duncan56150 Riverdale Drive, Elkhart IN 46514T: 574-389-6053 –E: duncanbl@iusb.edu

Brittany Duncan56150 Riverdale Drive, Elkhart IN 46514

T: 574-389-6053 – E: duncanbl@iusb.edu

Education● 2010-2015 Indiana University South Bend: Graduation May 2015

o Bachelors of Arts in Biology and minor in Environmental Studies● G.P.A = 3.03● Courses in Education

● 2007-2009 Kalamazoo Valley Community Collegeo General Studies

● 2006-2007 Southwestern Michigan Collegeo Attended while in High School

Research Experience● January 2015 - April 2015 Senior Seminar:

o Effects of coal-mining mountaintop removal and valley fills on local ecosystem. Wrote 20 page research review paper using primary and secondary scientific literature and presented 30 minute lecture to Biology faculty and colleagues.

● Fall 2014 - Assisted in data collection and identification of native plant species o Learned how to create a plant herbarium

▪ Pressing, mounting and familiar with use of dichotomous keyso Member of vascular plant team identifying prairie plants for BioBlitz inventory at

Bendix woods, St. Joseph County Park, Indianao Native plant inventory at Unity Gardens, South Bend, Indiana

● June 2013 - August 2013 Independent research: o Investigated the differences in the pollination biology of two Hibiscus species

from Kenya, Africa. ▪ Tested for fitness differences between plants produced through self-

pollination and plants produced through cross-pollination. ▪ Focused on developing and testing of molecular genetic tools to use in

assessing actual levels of self-pollination from natural populations.▪ Presented presentation “Mixed Mating Systems of Hibiscus aponeurus

and H. flavifolius at IUSB.

Grants, Honors, Scholarships ● 2012-2015 Cole Scholarship

o Requires GPA of 2.5 and above and being a full-time student

● 2012 – 2013 Fall/Spring Frank O’Bannon Granto Requires GPA of 2.5 and above and being a full-time student

Relevant Skills and Coursework

Field Skills● Techniques for obtaining insect species like mosquitos through light traps and gravid

solution● Ability to obtain larvae insects through dipping● Ability to identify species of mosquitos in adult and larvae stages● Sampling techniques of water in ponds, rivers and lakes using equipment● Plant Diversity surveys ● Plant pollination techniques● Plant measurement analysis

Instrumentation● Mass Spectrometry

o Absorptiono Fluorescence

● Microscopes: compound and dissecting● Computer software (comfortable working with PC and Mac platform; know Microsoft

Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop)

Laboratory skills● DNA extraction, PCR to identify plant species, DNA sequencing● Gel electrophoresis● Observations● Data entry● Fine-motor controls● Precise note taking

Work Experience● Hopman Jewelers (Summer 2014 – Current)

o Sales/Repair Consultant

● Elkhart County Health Departmento Environmental Tech (Spring - Fall 2014)

▪ Captured mosquitoes in local parks and Wastewater Treatment Plants along with larvae dipping in Elkhart County.

▪ Identified mosquito species using microscope and sent the organism and species name to the state to be further tested for viruses such as West Nile and Equine Encephalitis.

▪ Sampled water in Elkhart County along creeks, rivers and lakes.

● Elkhart Community Schoolso Substitute Teacher (Winter 2009 – Winter 2014)

Community Outreach ● Volunteered for Potawatomi Greenhouse and Conservatory from 2013-2014

o Plant inventory and maintenance of the plants● March of Dimes 2014 – South Bend, Indiana

o I walked for my niece and other infants of my community to raise money for research and programs to end premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality.

● Conservation Club – Elkhart o Our goal is to maintain the water quality and aid endangered species residing

in Cobus Creek and surrounding areas in Elkhart Indiana. ● Participated in discussions – 2014

o Deputy Mayor Mark Neal of South Bend, Indiana and Mayor Dave Wood on infrastructure of city and with

o Mayor Pete Buttigieg on building a sustainable city.References

● Dr. Deborah Marro Associate Professor Biologyo T: 574-520-5564o E: dmarr@iusb.edu

● Dr. Andrew Schnabelo Department Chair and Professor of Biological Scienceso T: 574-520-4413o E: ASchnabe@iusb.edu

● Ethan Ehlero Supervisor at Elkhart County Health Department for internship in summer

2014o 260-519-3308