Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) senior Kieran Kranzow has been honored with the prestigious John Van Zytveld Award in the Life Sciences for his outstanding research presentation at the 2024 Murdock College Science Research Conference. His presentation, titled “Sound of a New Species: Using Bioacoustics to Assess a Unique Population of Poison Frog,” captivated judges with its scientific rigor, creativity and poise when answering questions.
The award, which recognizes excellence in communication skills, knowledge and innovative analysis, highlights Kranzow’s exceptional work in the field of wildlife biology. His research focused on using bioacoustics to investigate the possibility of a new species of poison dart frog in Panama, employing genetic analysis, field recordings and physical measurements.
Dr. Jamee Nixon, Dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences at NNU, expressed pride in Kranzow’s achievement. “Winning the top award at a prestigious conference like Murdock is a phenomenal accomplishment. This is the first time an NNU student has achieved this recognition following nearly twenty-five years of participation. Kieran’s dedication and the mentorship of Dr. John Cossel bear witness to the strength of NNU’s biology program.”
The Murdock Charitable Trust, sponsor of the annual conference, awarded $1,500 as part of the recognition. Of this, $500 will support Kranzow’s educational expenses, including graduate school applications, and $1,000 will be allocated to NNU’s science department to promote undergraduate research. The award is named in honor of Dr. John Van Zytveld, longtime Senior Program Director at the Murdock Trust and a champion for undergraduate research and science education.
In a congratulatory letter, Dr. Moses Lee, Vice President of Scientific Research Grants & Programming at Murdock Charitable Trust, commended Kranzow’s work: “Kieran excelled in all aspects, from communication skills, knowledge and analysis of the material and creativity of the project, and significantly contributed to this year’s conference theme, ‘Saving Our Planet Through Scientific Research.’”
Kranzow, a wildlife biology and philosophy double major, looks forward to continuing research that integrates fieldwork and laboratory analysis in graduate school. His accomplishment stands as an inspiration for current and future NNU students and highlights the University’s commitment to excellence in undergraduate research.
For more information about NNU’s biology programs, visit nnu.edu/biology.
