Toby Michelena, Assistant Professor
Toby Michelena, Assistant Professor
OFFICE: GEH B421
EMAIL: tobmiche@kean.edu
COURSE TAUGHT:
General Biology (with Laboratory)
Microbiology (with Laboratory)
Biology and Society
Special Topics in Biology – Ecological Modeling
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Jan. 2007 – Dec. 2013 Ph. D. in Biology
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA
Sep. 1982 – Oct. 1984 Post Graduate Study in Environmental Toxicology
Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
Sep. 1978 – June 1982 Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology
Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
ACADAMIC EXPERIENCE:
Assistant Professor – Biology/Environmental Science, Sep. 2017 – Present
Wenzhou-Kean University – Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Courses: General Biology (with Laboratory)
Microbiology (with Laboratory)
Biology and Society
Special Topics in Biology – Ecological Modeling
Summer Science Program (High School Summer Science Experience)
Lecturer – Biology/Environmental Science, Sep. 2015 – June 2017
Wenzhou-Kean University – Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Courses: General Biology (with Laboratory)
Introduction to Environmental Science
The Biology of Food in Health and Disease
Environmental Health and Safety for Sustainability
Ecology
Lecturer – Biology, August 2014 – June 2015
Coordinator Discovery Degree
Environmental Studies Program
Adjunct Professor, December 2008 – July 2014
The Sage Colleges – Troy, NY, USA
Courses: Anatomy and Physiology II (Laboratory)
Discovery Program – Sage Summer-on-the-Hudson
Environmental Biology (Lecture: Class Room and On-Line sections)
Environmental Issues (Lecture)
General Biology I (Laboratory)
General Biology II (Lecture and Laboratory)
Human Biology (Lecture)
Microbiology (Lecture and Laboratory)
Senior Independent Research
Adjunct Professor, 2014 – June 2015
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – Troy, NY, USA
Courses: Introduction to Biology Laboratory
Microbiology Laboratory
Teaching Assistant, 2009 – 2012
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Courses: Biostatistics
Ecology
Cell Biology (Laboratory Instructor)
General Biology (Laboratory Instructor)
Awards: Henry L. Ehrlich Prize in Microbiology and Environmental Sciences. 2014. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Wenzhou Municipal Government Water Award “The Greatest Contributor to Water Harnessing”. 2017. Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government
Yandang Friendship Award. 2016. Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government
Grants: Meng, Y., Zhang, C., Michelena, T.M., Tian, X., Cai, F., Pan, X. 2017. Mechanism of a novel and efficient in-trans drug carrier K16ApoE across the blood-brain barrier. National Science Foundation of China. 282,500 RMB.
Wen-Rui Tang River Revitalization Assessment Project – Trophic System Modelling. 2016. Wenzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau. 150,000 RMB.
Student Partnering Faculty. 2016. Food-Web of the Wen-Rui Tang System. Wenzhou-Kean University. 29,140 RMB
Research Interests:
The Michelena Laboratory has two active research areas. The primary area of research is Ecosystem Impacts of Environmental Pollutants in Aquatic Systems with a secondary area of research being understanding and enhancing Biodiversity. The Ecosystem Impacts of Environmental Pollutants in Aquatic Systems undertakes research at a systems level to assess how environmental pollutants impact aquatic ecosystems. Further, it is the goal of the Laboratory to integrate basic and applied research with policy to drive solutions to pollution in aquatic system.
The systems approach to ecosystem science is a complex method of evaluating impacts to entire ecosystems. Instead of taking a more traditional focused approach of investigating specific mechanisms related to specific pollutants, we take a wholistic view and assess how the ecosystem responds to perturbations. Pollutants only rarely effect a single component of an ecosystem, rather they have effects throughout the entire ecosystem. The systems viewpoint asserts that it in order to make effective remediation and/or management decisions for an ecosystem it is necessary to understand the entire ecosystem. Failure to do so may result in decisions that can have a positive benefit on a single target but have a net negative effect for the entire system.
Publications:
Michelena, T.M., Xuechen, T., Zhou, X. and Meng, Y. 2018. The impact on the activity of acetylcholinesterase of a polylysine-ApoE peptide carrier targeting the blood brain barrier. Fundamental Toxicological Sciences. 5(4): 123-126
Leach, T.H., Winslow, L.A., Acker, F.W., Bloomfield, J.A., Boylen, C.W., Bukaveckas, P.A., Charles, D.F., Daniels, R.A., Driscoll, C.T., Eicheler, L.W., Farrell, J.L., Funk, C.S., Goodrich, C.A., Michelena, T.M., Nierzwicki-Bauer, S.A., Roy, K.M., Shaw, W.H., Sutherland, J.W., Swinton, M.W., Winkler, D.A. and Rose, K.C. 2018. Long-term dataset on aquatic responses to concurrent climate change and recovery from acidification. Scientific Data. 5:180059. DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2018.59
Michelena, T.M., Boylen, C.W. and Nierzwicki-Bauer, S.A., 2017. Impacts of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee on the Ecology of the Hudson River Estuary. International Journal of River Basin Management. DOI: 10.1080/15715124.2018.1476369
Michelena, T.M., J.L. Farrell, D.A. Winkler, C.A. Goodrich, C.W. Boylen, J.W. Sutherland and S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer. 2016. Aluminum Toxicity Risk Reduction as a Result of Reduced Acid Deposition in Adirondack Lakes and Ponds. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 188: 636-647
Michelena, T.M., J. Farrell, L.W. Eichler and C.W. Boylen. 2015. Distribution and cycling of chemical constituents in the pelagic zone of Lake George, NY: Two lakes instead of one. Northeastern Geoscience. 33: 25-33
Michelena, T.M., C. Ostman, C.W. Boylen and S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer. 2014. Records of Bryozoans in the Freshwater Reach of the Hudson River Estuary. Northeastern Naturalist. 21(3): 369-379.
Nierzwicki-Bauer, S.A., C.W. Boylen, L.W. Eichler, J. Farrell, C.A. Goodrich, T.M. Michelena, S. Percent, D.A. Winkler, D. Charles, F. Acker, B. Momen, W. Shaw, J.W. Sutherland. 2013. Chemical and Biological Monitoring of Adirondack Lakes to Examine Ecosystem Impacts and Recovery From Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition. Final Report. New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Albany, NY
Scientific Presentations:
Lu, L., T. M. Michelena, A. Wong, Zhang, C.J., Meng, Y., 2018. The Inhibition of Acetylcholinesterase by a Brain-Targeting Polylysine-ApoE Peptide: Biochemical and Structural Characterizations. 40th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Honolulu, HI, USA.
Michelena, T.M., 2017. Awareness enhancement on synergy of biodiversity conservation and economic development. International conference on Linking Biodiversity Conservation and Economic Development of Taishun County. November 26 – 28, 2017, Taishun, Zhejiang Province, China.
Michelena, T.M. 2014 March. Aluminum Toxicity Risk Reduction in Adirondack Lakes. Presented at the 11th Annual Adirondack Forum. Old Forge, NY.
Michelena, T.M. 2013 October. Acid Deposition in the Adirondacks: Ecosystem Response to Changing Environmental Policy. Presented at the 33rd Symposium on Lake Management. San Diego, CA
Michelena, T.M., Boylen, C.W., Nierzwicki-Bauer, S.A., 2013 February. Water Quality Impacts of Hurricane Irene on Ecosystems at the Confluence of Tributaries to the Hudson River Estuary. Presented at the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography 2013 Aquatic Sciences Meeting. New Orleans, LA.
Michelena, T.M. 2013 April. Acid Deposition in the Adirondacks: Ecosystem Response to Changing Environmental Policy. Presented at the 1st Annual Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Graduate Symposium. Troy, NY
Michelena, T.M. 2013 March. Water Quality Impacts of Hurricane Irene on Ecosystems at the Confluence of Tributaries to the Hudson River Estuary. Biology Department Seminar Series. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Troy, NY
Michelena, T.M. 2012April. Biotic and Abiotic Variation within the Hudson River Estuary: Implications for Pesticide Bioaccumulation. Biology Department Seminar Series. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Troy, NY
Michelena, T.M. 2010 May. Temporal and Spatial Variation of Ecosystem Components in the Hudson River Estuary. 2010. Biology Department Seminar Series. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Troy, NY
Michelena, T.M. 1984. Lead and Cadmium in the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). Biology Department, Western Washington University. Bellingham, WA
Michelena, T.M. 1983. Ecology and toxicology of the Samish Island Great Blue Heron. April, 1984 Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, WA.
Michelena, T.M. 1983. The general ecology of the Great Blue Heron. Biology Department. Western Washington University. Bellingham, WA
Driver, C.J., T.M. Michelena. June 1985. Histopathology of the tibia in embryonic Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus). Presented at the 14th Annual Conference of the International Society of Fluoride Research, Morioka, Japan.
Driver, C.J., T.M. Michelena, and M.H. Yu. November 1983. The effects of NaF on the embryogenesis of the Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus). Presented at the 13th Annual Conference of the International Society of Fluoride Research, New Dehli, India.
Academic and Public Presentations:
Michelena, T.M. 2018. The Opening of Wenzhou. Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government. Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Michelena, T.M. 2016. The Designs of Nature. Wenzhou-Kean University Graphic Design. Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Michelena, T.M. 2016. The Real America. Renxin Charity. Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Michelena, T.M. 2016. A View From Small Town America. Wenzhou YWHA English Education Volunteers Association. Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Michelena, T.M. 2016. Silent Spring. Wenzhou-Kean Community English Corner. Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Michelena, T.M. 2015. Wyoming…what is that? The West: A different view of the United States. Wenzhou-Kean English Speaking Club. Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Michelena, T.M. 2015. Welcome to College – What it is like to attend an American University. Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Michelena, T.M. 2012. “Lines through the Environment”. Founders Faculty Seminar Series. Russell Sage College, Troy, NY.
Michelena, T.M. 2011. “Encounter the Environment”. Founders Faculty Seminar Series. Russell Sage College. Troy, NY.
Michelena, T.M. 1994. Panelist. Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration Risk Management Roundtable. Idaho Falls, ID.
Posters:
Michelena, T.M., J. Farrell, L.W. Eichler and C.W. Boylen. 2013. Distribution and Cycling of Constituents in the Pelagic Zone of Lake George, NY: Two Lakes Instead of One. Poster. 1st Annual Graduate Symposium Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Troy, NY
Michelena, T.M., C.W. Boylen and S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer. 2012. Water Quality Impacts of Hurricane Irene at the Confluence of Tributaries to the Hudson River Estuary. Poster. Hudson River Environmental Society Conference: Impacts of Tropical Storms Irene and Lee on the Hudson River. Millbrook, NY
Michelena, T.M., S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer and C.W. Boylen. 2011. Ecosystem Component Variation in the Hudson River Estuary. Poster. Northeastern Naturalist Conference. Albany, NY
Academic Committees/Advising:
Faculty Advisor – Biology program students
Committee Member/Co-Chair – Hiring Committee, WKU Vice-Chancellor Position
Member – Dismissal Appeal Committee. College of Science and Technology Representative. 2018 to present
Committee Chair (2016) and Committee Member – Wenzhou-Kean Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture series. 2015 to present
Member – Faculty Senate – Wenzhou-Kean University Committee. 2017
Wenzhou-Kean Chemistry Club – Faculty Advisor. 2015 to present
Professional Affiliations:
American Advancement of the Association of Science
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Ecological Society of America
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography
World Spider Catalog Association
Additional Skills:
ARC Geographical Information System software
Stata and SPSS statistical software
Stella ecological modelling software
Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy
CHN Analyzer
Ecological/Environmental Field Methods
Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Power Point
