Mary Allen

Professor of Biology

Recent courses taught:

• BIOL 293 Introduction to Organismal Biology
• BIOL 306 Microbiology
• BIOL 245 Fermentation and the Re-localization of Food Systems (in Portugal)
• FLP 104 Building Sexual Wellness

Distinctions (awards, fellowships, grants)

• 2022 Recognized by the American Society for Microbiology for distinguished service as an Senior Editor of the Journal for Microbiology and Biology Education.
• 2022 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Inclusive Excellence 3 Undergraduate Science Education Grant. With faculty in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
• 2020 and 2009 Margaret B. Bunn Award for Excellence in Teaching, Hartwick College.
• 2015 Hartwick College Women’s History Month Faculty Award Recipient (for serving as a mentor who has been inspirational to students and who has contributed to the progress made by women at Hartwick College).
• 2008 Hartwick College Teacher Scholar Award

Selected Grants Awarded to Student’s for Collaborative Projects

• 2022 D. Tupponce (’23) Hartwick College Research in Science and Health Fund. Microbial Communities Colonizing Barley Grain Used for Brewing from Diverse Geographic Regions in the United States.
• 2017 K. Blake (’17) Hartwick College Freedman Prize. MINI-plate: Adapting the MEGA-plate for more practical use as an educational tool.
• 2016 S.N. Cole (’16) American Society for Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship. The Microbial Community Colonizing Different Varieties of Fresh and Dried Hop (Humulus lupulus) Cones as Determined by Next Generation DNA Sequencing.
• 2014 T. Benziger. (’15) Hartwick College Freedman Prize Honorable Mention. Analysis of the Microbial Community Colonizing Fresh Hops (Humulus lupulus) Cones With High-Throughput DNA Sequencing Technology.
• 2013 Kuzma. (’13) Registration Award from Douglas Eveleigh through the Fenton Chair Fund for attendance and presentation at the North Eastern Microbiologists: Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy Conference, Blue Mountain Lake, NY. Presentation title: “Antimicrobial Properties of Capsaicin in Raw Peppers and in Tabasco Sauces.”

Selected Publications:

Peer-reviewed publications

• Allen, M.E., Piefer, A.J., Cole, S.N.*, Werner, J.J., Benziger, P.T.*, Grieneisen, L. and Britton, S.J. 2019. Characterization of Microbial Communities Populating the Inflorescences of Humulus lupulus L. Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, DOI: 10.1080/03610470.2019.1667739
• Elliott, S., M.E. Allen, L. Brancaccio-Taras, J.J. Byrd, M. Peteroy-Kelly, P. Mixter, H. Seitz, M. Segarra-Totten, and K. Wester. 2017. Welcome to the 2017 JMBE Spotlight Issue. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. Print edition
• Elliott, S., M.E. Allen, J.J. Byrd, M. Peteroy-Kelly, P. Mixter, H. Seitz, and K. Wester. 2016. Welcome to the 2016 JMBE Spotlight Issue. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. Print edition.
• Allen, M. E. and Mark L. Kuhlmann. 2014. “Search for the Missing Sea Otters: an Ecological Detective Story.”  In Science Stories You Can Count On:  51 Case Studies With Quantitative Reasoning in Biology.  Editors:  Clyde Freeman Herreid, Nancy A. Schiller and Ky F. Herreid.  NSTA Press Book.
• Allen, M.E. and J.R. Stuligross (’13). 2013. A Cautionary Tale of Damage to the Public Health from Miscommunication and Willful Misunderstanding. A review of The Panic Virus.  A True Story of Medicine, Science and Fear; Seth Mnookin; (2011).  Simon and Schuster, New York, NY.  427 pages.  Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, Vol 14 (2):  279-280.  DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v14i2.664.
• Allen, M.E. and R. A. Gyure. An Undergraduate Laboratory Activity Demonstrating Bacteriophage Specificity.  Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, Vol 14 (1): 84-92. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v14i1.534.
• Allen, M.E. and R. A. Gyure. “Using Microbial Ecology to Teach Experimental Design and Sampling  Methods.”  The American Society for Microbiology MicrobeLibrary.org.

Other Selected Presentations (the last five years – * denotes former Hartwick student)

Talks

• December 2019. Keynote Address. “Active Learning to Improve Student Learning and Faculty Engagement in the Undergraduate Science Classroom.” Microbiotec’19, Coimbra, Portugal.
• June 2015. *Benziger, P.T. (Hartwick ’15), Allen, M.E., Britton, S., Piefer, A.J., *Balnis, J.M. and Grieneisen, L. “The Microbial Community Associated with the Hops Plant, Humulus lupulus, Revealed by Next Generation DNA Sequencing.  North Eastern Microbiologists:  Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy.  Blue Mountain Lake, NY.
• May 2014. Allen, M.  “Incorporating Evolutionary Theory About Spices and Investigation of their Antimicrobial Properties Into Traditional Microbial Growth Activities.  21^st Annual American Society for Microbology Conference for Undergraduate Educators, Danvers, MA.
• June 2013. Allen, M. and Fauth, P.   “Evolution of Spice Use by Humans:  Exploring the Assumption that Spices are Antimicrobial.”  North Eastern Microbiologists:  Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy.  Blue Mountain Lake, NY.

Posters

• June 2017. * Cole, M. E. Allen, A. J. Piefer, S. J. Britton, P. T. Benziger.  “The Microbial Community Colonizing Different Varieties of Fresh and Dried Hop (Humulus lupulus) Cones as Determined by Next Generation DNA Sequencing.”  ASM Microbe 2017, New Orleans, LA.
• March 2015. *Meuer, K. (Hartwick ’15), Piefer, A.J., Allen, M.E. and Balogh-Brunstad, Z.  “Isolation and Classification of Bacteriophages in Untreated and Treated Sewage to Test Effectiveness of Water Treatment Methods.”  American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting.  Boston, MA.
• April 2013. Allen, M. and Ficano, C.  “Collaborative Teaching Across Academic Divisions:  A Course Model on the Biology and Economics of Fermentation.”  PKAL Upstate NY Regional Network Meeting, Nazareth College, Rochester, NY.

Workshops 

• May 2022. Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) Summer School on Microbiology Education, Kassandra Peninsula, Greece. 3 sessions: 1) Identifying Goals for Students and Using A Backward Design Approach to Map the Paths toward Student Achievement, for In-Person and Remote Instruction, 2) Active Learning to Improve Student Knowledge and Performance. What we knew before the emergence of SARS-CoV2 and what we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, 3) Active Classroom Engagement for In-Person and Remote Students: Methods, Resources and Professional Development.
• June 2018. With Ann M. Stevens, Co-Moderator for “Growing Your Data and Reaching More Students Through Course Based Research Experiences.” ASM Microbe meeting. Atlanta, GA.
• May 2013. “Collaborative Teaching Across Academic Divisions:  A Course Model on the Biology and Economics of Fermentation.”  Susquehanna University’s Center for Teaching and Learning Annual Spring Workshop.  With C. Ficano (Economics, Hartwick College).

College service and professional affiliations:

• Member, ASM Subcommittee for Undergraduate Education, 2023-present.
• Senior Curriculum Editor, ASM Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, since 2014-2022.
• Section Editor, ASM Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 2012-2013.
• Member, Nominating Committee, Chair-Elect of ASM Education Division (Division W), 2012.
• Member, Atlas Protocol Review Board, ASM, 2007-2010.
• Member, Curriculum Review Board, curriculum submissions ASM MicrobeLibrary.org., 2005-2008.
• Coordinator for the Assessment of General Education, Hartwick College, 2019-2022.
• Member, Hartwick College Committee for Assessment of General Education, since 2015-2019.
• Co-Chair Hartwick Planning Leadership Group, 2013-2014.
• Member, Health Professions Advisory Committee, since 2012.
• Member, Hartwick College Faculty Development Committee, 2011-2013.
• Chair of Hartwick College Biology Department, 2009-2015.
• Member, Hartwick College Faculty Council, 2007-2011.