NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Leah Jackson (jacksonl@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

5/18/2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Two long-time professors of science are retiring from productive careers at Northwestern State University. Dr. Jerry Allen and Dr. Dick Stalling have each been on the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences for more than three decades and have witnessed tremendous advancements in the world of science.

Allen has been at Northwestern for 35 years. He joined the faculty in 1970 teaching microbiology and biochemistry. He was head of the Microbiology Department from 1974 until it merged with the Biology Department in the mid-1980s. During those years, the department received a rare commendation of excellence from the Louisiana Board of Regents, the only microbiology program in the state to earn such an award.

A native of Calvin, Allen became interested in science through agriculture, which introduced him to genetics and his curiosity grew from there.

"I loved teaching tremendously. I'll miss the students," he said.

During his tenure at Northwestern, Allen was a well-known for his research in immunology. He published numerous articles in professional journals. Before joining the faculty at NSU, he conducted research at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton, Mont., and was a post-doctoral fellow of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He served in Philadelphia as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Albert Einstein Medical Center and as an assistant instructor or research at Temple University Medical Center.

Much has changed in the science world since Allen began his career.

"The sheer amount of knowledge out there has exploded in the last 15 years. The technology available for study has expanded tremendously. We're able to do things in a few minutes that used to take days or weeks. There are always new avenues, new ideas, new discoveries."

Many of Allen's students left Northwestern to become physicians, veterinarians, researchers and crime lab experts.

"The thing I'm proudest of is the success my students," he said. "I have current students who are going to do well and I look forward to what they're going to accomplish. I like to think I had a little hand in it."

Allen plans on a lot of gardening and spending time with children and grandchildren in retirement.

Stalling is retiring this year to close a career that began in 1960.

Stalling has been at NSU since 1967. He was coordinator of the Department of Biology from 1996-2002 and has taught classes in many life science disciplines, including zoology, microbiology, physiology, mammalogy, ecology, anatomy, botany and biometry. He holds several professional and academic memberships in organizations including Louisiana Academy of Science, National Geographic Society, The Sierra Club and the Smithsonian Institution.

Over the course of his career, Stalling has authored numerous publications and presented dozens of papers at professional meetings. For several years, he wrote book reviews for the Association of College and Research Libraries and at one time conducted drug tests for the NSU Athletic Department. Stallings personal research interests include rodent and rabbit population and behavior, rodent physiology and anatomy and morphological adaptations of native plants. He was presented with the NSU Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003 and 2004.

Stalling said he "came from a teaching family" and became interested in science during his years at a small high school where there was "no chemistry, no physics, and biology was taught by the coach." He loved biology from the start and considered becoming a dentist.

Stalling said his ideal students were hard workers willing to put in the time it takes to excel. The arrival of the computer age has been a mixed blessing.

"Modern kids think everything should be instantaneous and you can't do that with an education," he said. "With all the electronic gadgets, students feel that when they learn, they have to be entertained and don't like the drudgery of learning."

Stalling described himself as "a frustrated carpenter" and has projects building and remodeling projects to complete. He and two other retired colleagues have discussed collaborating on a book project.

Looking back on his career, Stalling said the most rewarding part was the years he worked with the graduate program and helping students as pre-med advisor.

"Several former students are now medical doctors. Knowing the students who went on and are now successful at other institutions and seeing how well they've done, that is rewarding," he said.

Note: Stories on other NSU faculty who are retiring this year are forthcoming.

Main Menu