More than 80 students from West Virginia and around the country embarked on research projects this summer at West Virginia University. Mentored by WVU faculty, the students enhanced their education and strengthened their resumes for careers and graduate school.
“Undergraduate research is not limited to science and engineering majors but rather encompasses all disciplines,” said Michelle Richards-Babb, the director of the West Virginia University Office of Undergraduate Research. “The students are required to present their findings to the campus in a symposium where they get experience talking about their research.”
This year the following students were recognized for outstanding work:
Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Category
Emily C. Bushman of Martinsburg, an Honors College student and geology major, for “Understanding change in tree ring growth over time without using method of detrending.”
Biological Sciences Category
Sarah Peterson of Scott Depot is an Honors College student and a biology major, for “Examining the neurodevelopmental expression patterns of gsx1 and gsx2 in zebrafish.”
Audrey Biega of Wheeling, an Honors College student ad biology major, a runner-up in this category for “Polymorphisms in DIP5 contribute to glyphosate resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.”
Engineering Category
Soofia N. Lateef, of Bridgeport, an Honors College student and chemical engineering major, for “Comparison of pristine and thermally degraded nanoclay toxicity in human lung epithelial cells.”
Catherine G. O’Hearn of Buckhannon, an electrical engineering major was a runner up in the category for Electroluminescent characterization of on-orbit III-V nitride-based LEDs.”
Health Sciences Category
Sundus S. Lateef of Bridgeport, an Honors College student and a chemistry and biology double major, for “High fructose corn syrup-55 consumption changes hypothalamic AGRP gene expression in female Sprague-Dawley rats.”
Oliver Lin from Morgantown was a runner up in this category for “Incorporation of benzalkonium chloride to improve the antimicrobial properties of lignocellulosic material.”
Nanoscience Category
Kathrine Curtin, a chemistry major at Saint Vincent College, for “Fabrication of hierarchical nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman scattering biosensor.”
Jordan D. Sosa, an engineering and physics double major at the University of Tulsa, was a runner up in this category for “Optical imaging of dipole ordering in nickelate polar metal.”
Physical Sciences Category
Kayla Kroner, a chemistry major from Drake University, for “Functionalizing vinyl arenes to produce new derivatives of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals.”
Caitlin M. Embly, a chemistry major Northern Virginia Community College/University, was a runner up in this category for “Synthesis of silver (I) complex intermediates.”
Social Sciences and Non-STEM Category
Conrad S. Trump of Berkeley Springs, an Honors College student and world languages double major, for “In-group and out-group interactions explained with truth default theory.”
For details on faculty mentors and research funding, visit http://undergraduateresearch.wvu.edu/blog/2016/09/02/2016-wvu-symposium-winners-runner-ups.
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lpr/09/16/2016
CONTACT: Michelle Richards-Babb, Undergraduate Research Office
304.293.9354; mrichar2@mail.wvu.edu
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