Seven 91短视频 students heading to careers in science and medicine have earned funding for summer research, provided by the Kauffman-Miller Research Awards and the CT Assist Summer Experiential Learning Program.

鈥淲e are pleased that we can work with such a large group of students this summer, since these opportunities were so limited last summer.鈥� said, a biochemistry professor who holds the Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair. 

* Erin Clayton and Graciella Odelia  will work with Professor Jeff Copeland to measure gene activity in a Parkinson鈥檚 disease model in the fruitfly. 

* Hannah Giagnocavo and Cheyenne Suamatae’a-Te’o will work with Professor Kristopher Schmidt, solving the many puzzles of roundworm development.

* Theo Yoder and Nicole Miller will travel to Hawaii with Professor Matt Siderhurst to develop and assess new methods of tropical agricultural pest control.

* Rebekah Amstutz will work with Professor Jim Yoder on an investigation of the possibility of institutional nitrogen tracking.

The Kauffman-Miller Research Awards are named for emeritus professors Glenn Kauffman (chemistry) and Roman Miller (biology), each of whom were 鈥渃hampions of undergraduate involvement in authentic scientific research at 91短视频,鈥� said Cessna. 鈥淭hese awards from the Daniel B. Suter Endowment Fund provide opportunities for biology, chemistry and environmental science students to build the key skills of scientific inquiry from writing the proposal to presenting and potentially publishing their findings.鈥�

Over their 30-plus year tenures, Kauffman and Miller each worked with more than 40 undergraduates on research projects ranging in topics from organic blueberry production to the synthesis of new cyclic organic compounds.

The CT Assist Health Experiential Learning Program awards funds to pre-professional health science students at 91短视频 to support clinical experiences that help prepare students for professional health programs. is a Harrisonburg-based healthcare staffing business owned by two alumni. 

Traditionally, funds from CT Assist鈥檚 program have supported overseas clinical experiences [read about 2018 and 2019]. As that priority is limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year鈥檚 award supplements the research project and clinical shadowing experiences of awardee Erin Clayton.

Have you ever crushed the needles of a spruce or pine tree between your fingers and inhaled the crisp refreshing scent? The smell is created by the release of volatile organic compounds, which are a kind of chemical 鈥渇ootprint鈥� that trees use to communicate, defend themselves and otherwise react to stressors.

A team of 91短视频 students and professors has piloted a new, efficient analytical process to speedily analyze these volatiles, which has implications for forest management and climate change modelling, among other applications.

Their using headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was published this month in the international journal Phytochemistry. 

The team analyzed volatiles from samples taken from blue and Norway spruce and cedar of Lebanon trees around campus while under different environmental conditions.

鈥淲e developed a technique for analysis and then were able to differentiate species based on their 鈥榝ingerprint,鈥� or chemical profile,鈥� said Alex Raber, a senior biology major who is the first author on the paper.

Raber, who has been accepted to medical school next fall, has worked on the research for the past three years. Senior Reuben Peachey-Stoner and professors Steve Cessna and Matt Siderhurst are co-authors.

Raber began working on the project with Cessna during her second year at 91短视频. 鈥淚 essentially walked into his office and asked if there was any research I could be part of,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his project started with Steve and eventually included Matt.鈥�

One of Cessna鈥檚 research interests is plant physiology, specifically how plants react to stresses. Siderhurst brought expertise with instrumentation and compound analysis to the project, which eventually expanded from including data from just two spruce trees to 23 total trees from three species over a study period stretching from September through April. 

鈥淭his was an exciting research collaboration for all of us,鈥� Siderhurst said. 鈥淪teve provided the big-picture vision for this project.  Alex and I worked on developing the techniques and then we go back to Steve and say 鈥楬ere鈥檚 what we found. What鈥檚 next?鈥� We worked with the how and Steve is driving the why.鈥�

Peachey-Stoner, a senior chemistry major, joined the research team in the latter stages of the project through an analytical chemistry class mini research project that expanded past the end of the course. 

鈥淢any of the pleasant-smelling spruce compounds analyzed have two very similar forms, analogous to how our right and left hands are similar but are mirror images of each other,鈥� said Siderhurst. 鈥淭hese compounds can be difficult to separate but Reuben was successful in this endeavor and found further differences between the tree species using this analysis.鈥� 

Raber presented some of the research at a poster session during the American Chemical Society conference in fall 2019.

She said the opportunity to participate in and publish research definitely helped her aspirations to attend medical school.

鈥淢y interviewers [during the medical school application process] were pretty impressed that I had done something like this as an undergraduate,鈥� she said.

For the next three years Ruth Maust 鈥�13 will continue her doctoral research in Professor Ramesh Jasti鈥檚 lab in the University of Oregon鈥檚 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. As a fellow, she will receive an annual stipend, education allowance for tuition and fees, and opportunities for international research and professional development.

Maust researches the incorporation of 鈥渃arbon nanohoop鈥� molecules into polymers and materials, essentially 鈥渕aking new molecular structures, then studying their properties, and figuring out how to design materials with the properties we want.鈥� Carbon nanohoops, she said, 鈥渉ave surprisingly different properties than the analogous linear molecules, making them fascinating as potential sensors, membranes, organic light-emitting diodes, and environmental remediation agents 鈥� to name a few!鈥�

鈥淚 love that chemistry combines logical thinking and creativity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also really cool to be able to make molecules and materials that have never existed before.鈥�

Named an 鈥渙utstanding chemistry student鈥� her senior year as a chemistry major at 91短视频 鈥� 鈥渄efinitely give a shoutout to Tara Kishbaugh and Matt Siderhurst!鈥� she wrote in a recent email 鈥� Maust completed a materials chemistry lab internship at the Graz University of Technology in Austria.

After graduating, she worked at the Green Building Alliance for a year through the Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience (PULSE).

Following earning her PhD in 2021, Maust plans 鈥渢o work on developing and translating sustainable chemistry solutions for the chemical, consumer products, building materials or other industries.鈥�

Eight presentations were made by 14 biology, , and students that showcased the breadth and depth of research opportunities available at 91短视频.

The symposium provided an opportunity for students to share their research with an audience of general science majors, said department chair and professor of chemistry . One of the skills of a scientist, she says, is 鈥渢o be able to present technical terminology and processes in accessible language. It鈥檚 great if a scientist can study climate change, for example, but if we can鈥檛 explain the results of a climate change study to someone who doesn鈥檛 have the background, that doesn鈥檛 help us share and discuss our findings.”

The evaluation 鈥� led by , professor of chemistry at James Madison University 鈥� included three criteria: collection of data, thoroughness of research design and analysis, and clarity and accessibility of the oral presentation.

Second place was awarded to junior Hannah Daley for her presentation about her National Science Foundation-sponsored research, in partnership with two professors at James Madison University, on the effects of caffeine on athletes.

Sophomore Kat Lehman and junior Diego Barahona were awarded third place for their research on utilizing radio-tracking to locate coconut rhinoceros beetles鈥� breeding sites, which was conducted under the direction of chemistry professor in Guam. Siderhurst has worked for several years on research projects involving the development of attractants for invasive and agriculturally important pests.

Students find their niche in grant-funded studies

Research projects often pair students with professors engaged in long-term studies. The competition winners, Ferguson and Fernandez, were research assistants to Professor , who earned a $100,000 Jeffress Trust grant to study a multi-year investigation into the causes of hypertension. In Ferguson and Fernandez鈥檚 project, rats were fed a high fructose, high salt, low salt, and no salt diet and measured the activation of genes involved in disease.

The STEM symposium is also offers students like Hannah Daley and Janaya Sachs, who both earned grants to engage research opportunities off campus, to share what they鈥檝e learned. Sachs explored a new ligand for synthesizing copper, a summer project she engaged in through the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates. She worked at .

The bioorganic copper project is just one of several research opportunities she鈥檚 been involved in. Her freshman year, she joined , led by , director of the MA in biomedicine program, and supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She and Hannah Daley are both currently involved in evaluating the effects of hydrofracking on stream and well water, a project under the direction of and Kishbaugh.

Among the research shared, a unique transdisciplinary project was conducted by biology major Samuel Miller and computer science major Alex Bender, advised by Siderhurst and computer science professor . Miller conducted a chemistry project that involved identification and quantification of volatiles released by the noni fruit during ripening that provided a complex data set that was difficult to analyze. Bender and Miller have both used a mathematical technique called Principal Component Analysis to analyze the results in a simpler manner.聽 Bender is documenting their methodology for PCA usage, simultaneously evaluating software programs Cluster 3.0 and SPSS for their ability to simplify the data set.

Flavenoids, genetics, mold…

Professor , who teaches courses in genetics, cell biology, microbiology and immunology, advised several research projects. Biology major Chris Miller researched the effect of anthocyanins, richly concentrated plant colorants that may have protective effects, on mouse fetal development when the mice are exposed to a significant amount of alcohol.

Derek Harnish and Eli Wenger presented their research on the neuronal basis of aging in flies. Harnish, a biology major, and Wenger, a biology and biochemistry double major, worked with Copeland on his ongoing project to identify specific types of that have the potential to extend lifespan in flies when the mitochrondrial electron transport chain is disrupted.

Biology majors Viktor Kaltenstein and Seth Suttles teamed up to study mold growth in a vacated section of the Suter Science Center campus using the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI).

And in participating in the Spring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Celebration poster session in the , Stoner practiced a few more practical skills he will need: graphic design and public speaking.

Stoner and partner Sarah Carpenter were winners of the upperclass division for their research titled 鈥淏ergton Stream Restoration: Stream Health Assessment Using Macroinvertebrate Sampling.鈥�

The poster session, which is preceded by an informal multidisciplinary science quiz-off and pizza feast, offers students 鈥渁 chance to share their research with fellow students, faculty, and the larger 91短视频 community in a fun, social setting,鈥� says physics professor , who judged the contest with biology professor .

Poster sessions are commonly held at scientific conferences, in which 鈥渟cientists and students present and explain their own findings to those who are interested but are not necessarily experts in that field,鈥� said King, who is also an assistant professor in the program.

Posters were judged on quality of experimental design, quality of research analysis, and quality of presentation, said Herin, also with the biomedicine program. 鈥淭he presentation included the appearance, accuracy and clarity of the poster, as well as the presenters鈥� knowledge and explanation of the project.鈥�

Coursework and independent study represented

91短视频鈥檚 poster session featured more than 90 participants showcasing research from a variety of courses such as electronics, general chemistry, organic chemistry, statistics for natural sciences, and environmental toxicology. Students in Herin鈥檚 advanced human anatomy class (BIO 437) also contributed 3-D visualizations of body systems.

Carpenter and Stoner were among several students presenting water quality research in the nearby Bergton area as part of . Biology professors and are supervising teams of environmental sustainability students working on water quality monitoring and stream restoration in two tributaries of the Shenandoah River and the Chesapeake Bay, with other facets of the project involving and graduate students.

Students in professor 鈥檚 general chemistry class focused on phytoremediation of a variety of plants, including carrots, forsythia, corn, cattails, and radishes.

Professor 鈥檚 statistics class explored the widest range of topics, including electronic devices owned by students; the fuel economy of cars driven by 91短视频 faculty and staff versus those driven by James Madison University faculty and staff; cereal shelf placement based on sugar and price at Food Lion and Kroger; sustainability effectiveness in 91短视频 residence halls; and a statistical analysis of the 鈥淪ettlers of Catan鈥� game.

Two unique projects with professor Steve Cessna explored the rhetoric of science and instructional techniques in the science classroom. In their plant ecophysiology course, Hannah Chappell-Dick, Eli Wenger, and Emma Beachy analyzed plant physiology research literature for changes in the 鈥渁ssignment of agency.鈥� For his biochemistry research course project, Kyle Storc investigated student comprehension and retention of biochemistry topics through the use of two-dimensional tools.

Several posters were the result of independent research that students conducted with faculty members. Camille Williams worked with biology professor to analyze the effects of fermented milk supplementation on gut microbacteria in mice.

Rachel King, who will be a research assistant on this summer, worked under chemistry professor on 鈥淎 Mixed Methods Approach to Green Chemistry Knowledge Gains in the Organic Laboratory.鈥� Kishbaugh also worked with Ben Stern, who studied the effects of barium toxicity on zebrafish.

Underclass winner links research to upcoming internship

Amanda Williams and Nader Alqahtani paired up to win the underclass division with their project that compared phytoremediation between native and invasive species.

For Williams, a first-year biology and secondary education major, the research project reminded her of how much she cares about the environment.

鈥淚 live in the wetlands in Delaware, surrounded by the plants we were experimenting on, cattail and phragmites,鈥� she said, adding that she鈥檒l continue her research in a summer internship with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to understand the possible negative effects of invasive species, but also to know that sometimes they are just as important as native species.鈥�

Alqahtani, a sophomore biology major who is interested in medical research, said the hands-on learning experience 鈥渨as a more fun and exciting way to learn than reading and studying.鈥�

And the presentation? That was 鈥渢he exciting part,鈥� he said, even though English is his second language. 鈥淲e were聽confident that we knew everything about our project and we trusted each other’s ability to make a perfect presentation 鈥� when we started presenting and I saw how well we were doing, I got comfortable and started to enjoy telling our audience about our research.鈥�

Poster Session Winners: Upperclass Division

1st: Bergton Stream Restoration: Stream Health Assessment Using Macroinvertebrate Sampling – Sarah Carpenter and Sam Stoner

2nd: Keyless Entry – Stephan Goertzen and Jordan Leaman

3rd: Bergton Stream Restoration: Ecological Monitoring Using Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) – Jonathan Drescher-Lehman and Ryan Keiner

Honorable Mention: An ecophysiological study determining how three different invasive evergreen vines handle the varying winter temperatures by measuring their photosynthesis, transpiration, and Fv/Fm levels – Jonathan Drescher-Lehman, Chris Miller, and Abby Pennington

Honorable Mention: The Effects of Barium Toxicity on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) – Ben Stern

Poster Session Winners: Underclass Division

1st: 聽Comparing Phytoremediation between Native and Invasive Species – Nader Alqahtani and Amanda Williams

2nd:聽聽Phytoremediation in Forsythia – Tyler Denlinger and Jeremiah Robinson

3rd: Electronic Devices Owned by 91短视频 Students – Sammy Kauffman, Josh Miller, and Roy Ruan

Honorable Mention: Phytoremediation in Various Plants – Aaron Dunmore and Kat Lehman