BRIGHTEST MINDS IN BIOLOGY CONVERGE IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY

Contact: Miriam Kannan
513-833-5767 (m)

BRIGHTEST MINDS IN BIOLOGY CONVERGE IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY

Highland Heights, KY/May 12, 2008—Companies and post-graduate programs from local universities looking to recruit top science talent stand to benefit as the top college Biology majors from around the country are coming to Northern Kentucky University this week.

The Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society holds its 2008 Biennial National Convention May 28 through June 1 at NKU's Natural Science Center. Three hundred students soon to be college undergraduates are expected with about 200 of those outside the immediate Tri-state including some from as far away as Arizona, California and 40 from Puerto Rico.

Event organizer Miriam Kannan, NKU Regents Professor, Department of Biological Services, and event coordinator says a key element of the convention will be a Career Fair Wednesday evening May 28th from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

"The Fair will also include panel discussions. Graduate schools can set up exhibit tables for free. Students can talk about careers in botany, dentistry, ecology, environmental science, microbiology, molecular genetics, zoology and more. We are also aggressively marketing the event to local companies who are seeking talent in these areas as well and are promoting sponsorships, which allow the firms to advertise in our Career Fair Program," Kannan added.

While here, students will take part in a national competition with peers presenting research papers in the style of graduate meetings. Awards are given for outstanding individual and chapter accomplishments. NKU's student chapter is a regular winner of such national and regional competitions.

In addition to the research competition, attendees will hear from two noted local biologist who have become industry celebrities. Doctor Elizabeth Murray, a biological and forensic anthropologist from Mount St. Joseph, has seen her work featured on the National Geographic Channel, the Discovery Health Channel and Court TV, will speak Thursday evening, May 29th at 7 p.m. on the topic, At the Crossroads of Life and Death: An Interdisciplinary Career Journey.

Dr. Hazel Barton, an NKU biology professor with over 20 years experience in cave exploration speaks Friday evening, May 30th at 7 p.m.on Playing to Your Strengths: My Life as a Cave Biologist. Dr. Barton has seen her research profiled in such magazines as Outside, National Geographic Adventure, Forbes and Geo. She's appeared on CBS's The Early Show, The Real Lost World (Animal Planet), the History Channel and in the IMAX Film "Journey into Amazing Caves."

One other additional wrinkle to the agenda—career-oriented field trips involving free tours of local sites to investigate innovative occupations:

• Independence, KY horse farm, May 31 from 9-1, to learn more about becoming an equine veterinarian or an equine chiropractor/acupuncturist;
• River Metals Recycling and Sanitation District No. 1 for environmental engineering jobs.

The mission of the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau is that of an aggressive sales, marketing, service and informational organization whose primary responsibility is to positively impact the Northern Kentucky economy through conventions, meetings and visitor expenditures. The direct economic impact of visitors' spending in Campbell, Kenton and Boone Counties in 2007 was $325 million.