David L. changed a Contact section.
David L. changed an About section.
David L. changed a Contact section, an About section.
David L. "The eastern lotus, or Nelumbo nucifera, as proposed by Spess(2000), is the only plant species that satisfies all of the mythical and metaphorical attributes of the Aryan's mystery plant (Soma) in t... more
Faculty Member, Biology
University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Archaeology and Anthropology
Currently Adjunct Faculty, Biology, University of New Mexico at Taos
Department of Sciences, Environmental Studies and Mathematics
About
My गुरु in भरत gave me the नमः नारायण महसिद्धसोमप
इमे ये नार्वां न परश्चरन्ति न बराह्मणासो नसुतेकरासः |
त एते वाचमभिपद्य पापया सिरीस्तन्त्रं तन्वते अप्रजज्ञयः ||
UNM Faculty Website: http://taos.unm.edu/old/faculty/faculty_details.php?recordID=spess
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On some of the psycho-activity (Ecstasy Inducing Properties) of the blue water lily at low dosage ----see this video link by Dr. Andrew Sherratt below:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4nqKu3_kwVsZTQ3NWIxMWMtNDBkOC00MzZiL
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A few links and references to some journal articles that discuss my work on soma in Ethnobotany. Some quotes from the journals are given below:
1.
Author: Dr. A. B. Damania, Genetic Resources Program, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
Title: The Origin of Soma-Another Theory
Publication date: 2006
Published in: Asian Agri-History 10, 3, 245p-248p.
Description: The author proposes the lotus, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., as an appropriate candidate for soma. This is the same as Spess' earlier proposal in the year 2000.See the link: http://www.agri-history.org/volume10.asp
2.
Author: Dr. Andrew McDonald, University of Texas at Austin, Plant Resources Center, 78712
Title: A Botanical Perspective on the Identity of Soma (Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn.) Based on Scriptural and Iconographic Records.
Publication date: 2004
Published in: Economic Botany 58 (sp1):S147-S173
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1663/0013-0001(2004)58%5BS147%3AABPOT
"Since the soma plant was probably an aquatic angiosperm that bore the aspect of a sun, we may reasonably reject all but one of the aforementioned plant candidates that have been identified as soma candidates over the last two centuries. The eastern lotus, or Nelumbo nucifera, as proposed by Spess(2000), is the only plant species that satisfies all of the mythical and metaphorical attributes of the Aryan's mystery plant in the Vedas, Brahmanas and Upanisads. Moreover, this is the only plant candidate proposed thus far that can claim a sacred status among Brahmanic and Zoroastrian communities."
3.
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1663/0013-0001(2002)056%5B0113:CABDOT
"More recently Spess (2000) has identified the western and eastern lotus (i.e., Nymphaea and Nelumbo, respectively) as psychotropic plants, suggesting that both plants have played a crucial role in the shamanistic practices of ancient Egypt and Asia."
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EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, RESEARCH, SKILLS, AND ASSOCIATIONS
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B.S. Degree - Microbiology - OSU
M.S. Degree - Micro/Molecular Biology - OSU
I studied Sanskrit at Naropa Institute, Boulder, Colorado - Instructor: Larry Mermelstein
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Ph.D. Degree - Archaeology at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology
Supervising Professor, David Austin, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Archaeoastronomy, Ethnobotany, and Cosmology in the Rig Veda Soma Ritual - Thesis Turned in on December 21, 2011
My thesis when completed should be available through UMI ProQuest Digital Dissertations. I will post the link here.
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1. MASTERS DEGREE:
O S U
Masters of Science, Molecular Biology
Received M.S. Degree
Thesis Title – Incorporation of D-Serine into the Peptidoglycan (mucopeptide) of Erwinia carotovora
Supervising Professor-E.A. Grula, Ph.D.
I conducted research in cell division, filamentation, and the action of antibiotics on bacterical cell walls. I proposed a new model of D-serine incorporation and attachment site in the peptidoglycan layer in the bacteria Erwinia carotovora that led to a better understanding of the mechanism of D-serine in cell division inhibition, cell elongation, and the action of antibiotics.
To Review my M.S. Thesis – go to OCLC FIRST SEARCH Accession No: OCLC: 5664224
Under world catalog pull down menu select WorldCatDissertations
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2. RESEARCH ASSOCIATE:
Food and Drug Administration, Washington, D.C.
Research Microbiologist/Mycologist at the Food and Drug Administration, Washington, D.C., Division of Microbiology
Supervisor-P.B. Mislivec, Ph.D.
I conducted research at the FDA in environmental mycology, microbiology and toxicology with the distinguished scientist, Dr. Abraham Z. Joffe, (see Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Z._Joffe), of the Hebrew University in Israel. I was privileged to be his main research associate during his two-year stay at the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Joffe is the world authority on Fusarium molds and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in medicine for his work on discovering the etiology of “Alimentary Toxic Aleukia”. This disease had been the cause of unknown deaths of hundreds of thousands of humans in various parts of the world, especially Russia. We found high levels of toxic Fusarium spores in wheat samples from U.S. silos. The exotoxin from this mold is so strong that it is now used in biological warfare. The Russians used it in Afghanistan.
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3. LECTURER:
University of Colorado at Boulder
Educational Institution; Higher Education industry
Two Departments:
Lecturer- Molecular, Cellular And Developmental Biology Dept.
Lecturer- Environmental, Population, And Organismic Biology Dept.
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Supervising Professor/Head of Dept EPOB -Robert Eaton, Ph.D.
At the University of Colorado, I had a full time instructor/lecturer position in two different departments.
1. I taught an advanced level lecture and microbiology laboratory course for students entering medical and nursing schools.
2. I taught an advanced level embryology lecture and laboratory course. These above 2 courses were in the Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology Department.
3. I taught four freshman level biology labs in the Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology Department.
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4. CURRENT RESEARCH:
Archaeastronomy and Ethnobotany in Old World ritual settings, Medicinal and Ritual Plants, Ethnobiology, Vedic Botany, Archaeoastronomy, Indological Studies, Science and Religion, Quality Assessment and Control, Skin Care Product Research, Formulations and Development, पुनर्जागरण
(On going research on human DHEA, HGH, and other hormone levels as well as telomerase levels, mitochondrial enhancement,and boosting the immune system - research papers and ppt talks to be presented soon on these subjects.)
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5. SPECIALTIES:
Undergraduate Teaching of:
Anatomy and Physiology, Molecular Biology, Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Embryology, Mycology, Botany, Ethnobotany, Ethnobotany of Aquatic Plants, Archaeoastronomy, Quality Control,
Plus:
Project Design and Management and/or Manager, Administrative Management or Supervising
Plus:
WebCT, Blackboard, Animation Concept Creation, Distance Teaching. I have Lots of experience in diverse teaching methods both classroom and online. I have detailed experience in both virtual and wet labs.
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A few societies I belong to:
1. AAAS: American Association For The Advancement of Science
http://www.aaas.org/
2. HAPS: Human Anatomy & Physiology Society
http://www.hapsweb.org/
3. ASBMB: American Society for Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology
http://www.asbmb.org/
4. ASM: American Society For Microbiology
http://mcb.asm.org/
5. ASPB American Society of Plant Biologists
http://my.aspb.org/?CFID=1463465&
6. HPS: History and Philosophy of Science
http://www.hopos.org/
7. AOS: The American Oriental Society
http://www.umich.edu/~aos/
Contact Information
| Homepage: | http://taos.unm.edu/old/faculty/faculty_details.ph |
| Address: | सिद्ध सोमपा siddha somapā |
