College of Science & Engineering Alumni Newsletter

Spring 2001

News From Your Classmates

Rochelle Goldfarb (BA ’86, Mathematics) joined the Troy Hudson Valley Community College’s (HVCC) staff in 1997. As the Minority Orientation Program Educational Specialist in Mathematics, Rochelle works with incoming minority students in one-on-one and small-group settings. She helps them make a smooth transition and assists them with development of college study skills. Rochelle also offers assistance for every math class taught at Hudson Valley and is always there for students. She recently received an Award of Appreciation at a surprise banquet for her and a colleague, Roy Pompey. HVCC’s students organized this banquet to honor Rochelle and Roy for being such wonderful mentors.

Entomologist and behavioral ecologist Sue Opp (BA ’79, Biology) is currently a Cal State Hayward professor.  While teaching ecology, evolution, entomology and animal behavior in the classroom, Dr. Opp is leading the research on wiping out Mediterranean fruit flies (Medfly), the most tightly regulated and quarantined pest in the state. Medfly invated California and infected about 1,400 acres in Santa Clara County in 1981. Its potential to ruin nuts, fruits, and vegetables can be very costly to California agriculturists and consumers. Dr. Opp started the fruit flies research while she was working toward her doctorate at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Although Dr. Opp’s current research concentrates on walnut husk flies and Medfly, her students in the lab have done studies in primate paternity analysis and reproductive behavior, invasion biology of cordgrass, heavy metal uptake in clams, and nematode assemblages in San Francisco Bay.
 
 

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