Fall 2002
New faces in the Biology Department,

	Dr. Ralph Butkowski Ralph came to Augsburg in September 2001 as an adjunct instructor in Biology. In fall of 2002, he began full time teaching Biochemistry and Biological World at Augsburg. Prior to coming to Augsburg, he worked in Research and Development at DiaSorin, Inc., a medical diagnostics company. There he was responsible for development of testing devices primarily for autoimmune diseases including lupus and Grave’s disease. Prior to this, his professional experience was in academia. He was an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, at the University of Minnesota, where he ran a research program specializing in structure and function of autoantigens in the kidney. He also held positions in the Departments of Biochemistry and Anatomy at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where his work on proteins involved in renal autoimmune disease started. Ralph is a native of St. Rosa, in central Minnesota where his early experiences on the family dairy farm fostered an interest in the natural world and a career in science. He obtained a B.S. degree in chemistry and biology from St. Cloud State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota. Horticulture and fishing are among his current interests. He lives in Roseville with his wife, Janet and daughter, Ann.
	Dr. Cassandra Moe I am adjunct faculty teaching introductory biology for non-science majors (The Biological World). Before coming to Augsburg this semester I taught biology at Metropolitan State University. I completed my B.S. in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior from the University of Minnesota and my Ph.D. in Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Sciences from the University of Maryland. My dissertation work focused on the characterization of a common vertebrate gastric enzyme, chitinase. As a researcher, I consider myself to be a physiological ecologist – meaning that I am interested in how the biochemical and physiological processes at the cellular level are translated through the organismic, population, and community levels. As a teacher, I really enjoy teaching non-biology majors and I take this endeavor very seriously. I think that a basic knowledge of science is crucial for every person, especially as our daily lives become increasingly technical and our natural world is subjected to increasing pressure. When I’m not wearing a lab coat or writing on a chalkboard, I teach Pilates at my local YMCA branch, volunteer for the Dayton’s Bluff District Forum, and am the servant of my two canines.