Baltimore, Md., January 2, 2008  ---  College of Notre Dame of Maryland mourns the passing of Nancy Kreiter, Ph.D., associate professor of biological sciences. Dr. Kreiter died unexpectedly December 30 in the Florida Keys, collapsing after scuba diving.

Dr. Kreiter was an 11-year member of the biology department and was highly regarded for both her teaching and her research. She was well-known for her research of spiders and coordinated the American Arachnological Society’s annual conference at College of Notre Dame in June 2006. The five-day conference attracted 145 members from 30 states and four countries.

Her research at College of Notre Dame received grant support from various organizations. One of the grants, awarded by NSF International Cooperative, Ecosystem Studies, was for collaborative research on "Effects of Past and Present Human Activities on Soil Biodiversity." Dr. Kreiter was one of six researchers from around the world to receive the grant.

Dr. Kreiter was presented in 1999 with the Faculty Advisor of the Year Award from the student-led Inter-Organization Council. She had been faculty advisor to the Student Environmental Organization for the past 10 years.

In addition to her involvement in student activities, Dr. Kreiter chaired a Middle States Assessment Team self-study committee and served on Faculty Issues Committee; Legacy of Leadership Campaign, Family Division; Judicial Review Board and Project Chrysalis.

Prior to her appointment to College of Notre Dame, Dr. Kreiter was a biostatistician in the Department of Neurogenetics at Kennedy Krieger Institute; a research statistical analyst at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Addiction Research Center; research assistant in the neurophysiology laboratory of Dr. Terry Viancour, department of biological sciences, at University of Maryland Baltimore County; and assistant instructor in Indiana University’s Department of Psychology.

Dr. Kreiter received a doctorate in biological sciences from University of Maryland Baltimore County in 1997. She held a master of arts in psychology (emphasis on animal learning and behavior) from Indiana University and a bachelor of arts in biology and psychology from Simpson College in Iowa.

Her research interests focused on the behavioral ecology of spiders, including sexual conflicts and the importance of behavioral trade-offs in determining ecological outcomes. Since 1999, Dr. Kreiter was the PI of a biology department study of food limitation, sexual conflict and cannibalism in the fishing spider. Eleven undergraduate students and two high school interns worked in the laboratory.

She was widely published in journals such Oecologia, Journal of Arachnology, Annals of Neurology and Journal of Comparative Psychology.

Dr. Kreiter made presentations at various scientific meetings with undergraduate students, particularly at the American Arachnology Society annual meeting.

She made presentations on ecology, arachnology and science careers at various schools including Bel Air Middle School and Free State Montessori School and judged science fairs for Anne Arundel County Public Schools and the Annual Baltimore Science Fair.

Additionally, she served on the board of Free State Montessori School in Fork, Md., where she worked on alumni relations, fundraising and chaired the annual fall fundraiser.

Dr. Kreiter served as a research mentor for a student from Towson University from 2003-05; Maryvale Preparatory School (2003) and Towson High School (2005-06).

Also, she appeared on Discovery Channel's Discovery Magazine program on cannibalism in January 1999.

Dr. Kreiter was a member of the American Arachnological Society, Animal Behavior Society, Baltimore Ecosystem Study, Ecological Society of America, International Society for Behavioral Ecology and International Society for Arachnology.

"Any of us who worked with Nancy knew of her incredible commitment to her students and to the College. Most of all, we were blessed by her warmth and caring," said Mary Pat Seurkamp, president of College of Notre Dame. "She was well-loved and admired by her students and colleagues."

Dr. Kreiter, who lived in Bel Air, Md., is survived by her husband, Dave Clissold; daughter, Kara Clissold; and son, Tyler Clissold.

A receiving of friends will be held Saturday, January 5, from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Schimunek Funeral Home, 610 West MacPhail Road in Bel Air. Messages of tribute to Dr. Kreiter may be posted to www.ndm.edu/kreiter.

At the family’s request, memorial contributions may be made to College of Notre Dame of Maryland for the Nancy A. Kreiter Fund. Donations should be sent to the Office of Institutional Advancement, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, 4701 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21210.

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