Twenty-two Roanoke College students presented at MARCUS (Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference of Undergraduate Scholarship) on October 8, 2012. After some directional difficulty, both RC vans and several student-driven cars made it just on time for the first presentations of the day. For a $25/student registration fee, presenters received a continental breakfast, a free lunch, and a full day of student and faculty camaraderie.
Roanoke College Student Presenters:
Bryan Piatkowski: Roanoke College
Examining the Evolution of Polar Auxin Transport in Bryophyte Gametophytes
Sam Bsasley: Roanoke College
A Psychological View of Love
Amanda Newman: Roanoke College
Intimacy and Texting Behaviors
Alyssa Bostrom: Roanoke College
Immigration and the Media
Sarah Ahlbrand: Roanoke College
The Biosynthesis of the Chemotherapeutic Agent ET-743 Focusing on the Heterologous Expression of Key Biosynthetic Genes
Julia Boudrye and Lauren Schwabe: Roanoke College
Smartphone Use in College Students: Implications and Impact
Margaret Anderson: Roanoke College
The Executive Office of the President: Analyzing the Influence on Policy-Making
Ariel Firebaugh: Roanoke College
Lymantria disp-erse! The Effect of Landscape Structure on Male Gypsy Moth Densities
RC Student Presenters
Will Bader: Roanoke College
Examining the Effect of Forest Fires and Increased Nutrient Levels on Algal Blooms in Marine
Ecosystems.
Jonathan Perkins: Roanoke College
Ethers and Fluoroethers from Pentafluorophenyl-Substituted Cyclopentadienes
Caroline Hunter: Roanoke College
Gene Cloning in the Purine Biosythetic Pathway in Archaeoglobus fulgidus
Jeremy Johnson: Roanoke College
Bisamine Boron Cations from 1,4-Dimethylpiperazine
Meagan Tolley: Roanoke College
A Study of Purine Biosynthesis in Sulfolobus solfataricus
Colin David Briggs: Roanoke College
Adsorption and Release of Organic Dyes in Mesoporous Silica Spheres
Sara Blankenship: Roanoke College
Creation of a Substrate Phage Display Library to Study Enzyme-Substrate Interactions of Plasmepsins IX
and X in P. falciparum
Paul Vines: Virginia Bioinformatics Institute
A Computational Approach to Iron Metabolism in Breast Epithelial Cells
Casey Wojtera: Roanoke College
Investigations of the Active Site of 5, 10-methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFS) from
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Kayla R. Muncy: Roanoke College
Cloning Plasmepsins IX and X to Find Their Function in Malaria
Matthew Corbicz: Roanoke College
Examining Polar Auxin Transport in the Moss Gametophyte of Dicranium scoparium
Kacy Dillon & Steven Huffman: Roanoke College
Students’ Perceptions of Professors
Welcome new URAP Scholars! The Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP) would like to welcome our newest batch of freshmen to the program:
Elsa is seated
Elsa Weiboldt will be working with Dr. Rachel Collins on “Assessing the Role of Exotic Earthworms on Forest Understory Diversity”
Annie is standing
Annie Shreckhise will be working with Dr. Matt Rearick on “Understanding the Choices We Make: A Psychological, Physiological and Kinematic Examination of Human Motion”
Logan
Logan Brown will be working with Dr. Vern Miller on “Reactions of Amine Iodoboranes with Carbon-Carbon and Carbon-Oxygen Double Bonds”
Ashley
Ashley Nyitray will be working with Dr. Tim Johann on “Investigations of the Enzyme 5,10-Methenyltetrahydrofolate Synthetase”
Michelle is on the right
Michelle Pasier will be working with Dr. Cathy Sarisky on “Purine Biosynthesis in Archaea”
Davalyn
Davalyn Pugh will be working with Dr. DB Poli on “A Rock Garden: Understanding Botany through Natural History”
(not pictured) Nathan Sliwa will be working with Dr. Chad Morris on “Community-Based Public Health Promotion: Diet and Non-Communicable Disease in Palau”
We hope to see you next Friday, September 30 from 6-7:30 in the Colket Center for the Showcase of Student/Faculty Research & Creativity. Download program
Please feel free to enter and leave any of the presentation rooms in order to catch presentations of interest to you.
Session 1: Oral Presentations
6:00-7:30 | President’s Dining Room (2nd floor of Colket Center)
Presentations in Public Affairs, Sociology, Religion & Philosophy, & English
Session 2: Oral Presentations
6:15-7:30 | Kime (2nd floor of Colket Center)
Presentations in English & Psychology
Session 3: Oral Presentations
6:15-7:30 | Garrett (2nd floor of Colket Center, down the hallway)
Presentations in Biology, Economics, Mathematics, & Chemistry
Session 4: Poster Presentations
6:00-7:30 | Ballroom (2nd floor of Colket Center)
Psychology (1-4), Biology (5-15), Environmental Studies (16-18), Chemistry (19-36),
Computer Science (37), Health & Human Performance (38), Physics (39-41), English (42-43), History (44-45), Fine Arts (46), Sociology (47), Religion & Philosophy (48)
Maggie Anderson Presenting in June 2011 in St. Louis
Roanoke College students have been busy presenting their research across the country at a variety of regional and national conferences. Here is a look back at the presentations since January, 2011:
Sarah Witt presented at MathFest 2011 in Lexington, Kentucky in August 2011 on “Using Graph Theory to Analyze Social Networks. This was an independent study project under the direction of Dr. Karin Saoub from the Math, Computer Science, and Physics Department.
Brandi Neifert presented at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in Minneapolis, Minnesota in July 2011 on “A comparison of tooth breakage rates in Miocene carcharhiniform sharks from the Carmel Church Quarry, Caroline County, Virginia.” This was an independent study project under the direction of Dr. DorothyBelle Poli from the Biology Department.
Maggie Anderson presented at the CUR Conference for Undergraduate Research Program Directors in St. Louis, Missouri in June 2011 on “Summer research programs: Towards deeper reflection”. Maggie worked on this project through URAP under the direction of Dr. Kimberly Filer from Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment and Dr. Julie Lyon from the Business Administration Department.
Ashley Briggs presented at the Mid-Atlantic Society for Developmental Biology Regional Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in June, 2011 on “The effect of 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, an aromatase inhibitor, on heart size in zebrafish (Danio rerio).” This was an independent study project under the direction of Dr. Chris Lassiter from the Biology Department.
Sarah Cohen presented at the Mid-Atlantic Society for Developmental Biology Regional Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in June, 2011 on “17-β Estradiol Causes Defects in the Craniofacial Cartilage and Nerves of Danio rerio.” This was an honors project under the direction of Dr. Lassiter from the Biology Department.
Kenneth Lampert presented at the Mid-Atlantic Society for Developmental Biology Regional Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Friday, June 3, 2011 on “An androgen receptor:green fluorescent protein Construct for Producing Transgenic Zebrafish (Danio rerio).” This was an independent study project under the direction of Dr. Chris Lassiter from the Biology Department.
Rachel Naylor presented at 2011 Mid-Atlantic Society for Developmental Biology Regional Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in June, 2011 on “Effects of an Aromatase Inhibitor on heart size in embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio) using cardiac myosin light chain-2 (cmlc2).” This was an independent study project under the direction of Dr. Chris Lassiter from the Biology Department.
Julia Boudrye presented at the Association for Psychological Science in Washington, D.C in May, 2011 on “Reserving Quiet Time Predicts Face-to-Face Cell Phone Manners with Friends.” Julia is a URAP scholar under the direction of Dr. Denise Adkins from the Psychology Department.
Matthew Tripp presented at the Association for Psychological Science in Washington, DC in May, 2011 on “Predicting Interaction with Facebook Friends: Examining Personality, Gender, and Friendship Strength.” This was the continuation of a Summer Scholars project under the direction of Dr. Denise Adkins from the Psychology Department.
Amy Roberts presented at the Association for Psychological Science in Washington, DC in May, 2011 on “Using Objective Methodology to Examine How Teacher Immediacy Influences Student Participation.” This was an honors project under the direction of Dr. Denise Adkins from the Psychology Department.
Maggie Anderson and Jennie Blaney presented at the Association for Psychological Science in Washington, DC in May, 2011 on “Teaching research skills outside the classroom: Institutional assessment by undergraduate researchers”. Maggie and Jennie were research assistants under the direction of Dr. Kimberly Filer from Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment and Dr. Julie Lyon from the Business Administration Department.
Michael Bankert presented at Eastern Psychological Association in Cambridge, Massachusetts in March 2011 on “Examining the relationship between individual differences in musical knowledge and music preference.” Michael was a research assistant under the direction of Dr. Chris Buchholz from the Psychology Department.
Chava Urecki presented at Eastern Psychological Association in Cambridge, Massachusetts in March 2011 on “The complexity of melancholy: Music preference and the perception of music.” Chava was a research assistant under the direction of Dr. Buchholz from the Psychology Department.
Tyler Rinko presented at National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Ithaca, New York in March 2011 on “The European Debt Crisis’ Influence on U.S. Exchange Rates.” This was an independent study under the direction of Dr. Alice Kassens from the Economics Department.
Giovanni Forte presented at the Virginia Association of Economists in Richmond, Virginia in March 2011 on “The Tiger Woods’ Effect: The Impact of Tiger Woods on Golf Participation and Sales.” This was a class assignment under the direction of Dr. Alice Kassens from the Economics Department.
Nomin Baasandavaa presented at the Virginia Association of Economists in Richmond, Virginia on March, 2011 on “The Effect of Air Pollution Exposure on US Health.” This was a class assignment under the direction of Dr. Alice Kassens from the Economics Department.
Katherine Kurtessis presented at the Society for Applied Anthropology Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington in March, 2011 on “From Exile to Colonialism: The Changing Role of the Expatriate Community in Bocas del Toro, Panama.” This was an independent study project under the direction of Dr. Chad Morris from the Sociology Department.
Kelly Mortland presented at the Society for Applied Anthropology Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington on March, 2011 on “Assessing the Needs and Experiences of Roanoke Valley Senior Companions.” This project was a class assignment under the direction of Dr. Chad Morris from the Sociology Department.
Kayla Klingensmith presented at Alpha Chi National Convention in San Diego, California in March, 2011 on “Immune Response to Acute Bacterial Exposure in the American Lobster.” This was an independent study project under the direction of Dr. Dar Jorgensen from the Biology Department.
Brent Cox presented at Alpha Chi Honor Society National Convention in San Diego, California in March, 2011 on “Adherence and Awareness of Evidence-based Design: Single-patient versus multi-occupancy patient rooms.” This was an honors project under the direction of Dr. Alice Kassens from the Economics Department.
Nicholas Bonenfant presented at Alpha Chi National Convention in San Diego, California in March, 2011 on “Characterization of both a shortened root phenotype and a caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) fusion protein in Arabidopsis thaliana.” This was an Honors Project under the direction of Dr. Len Pysh from the Biology Department.
Kayla Drawdy presented at VATA Conferance in Richmond, Virginia in January, 2011 on “Case Study on the Post-Concussion Anomaly in a College Soccer Goalie.” This project was under the direction of Mr. Jim Buriak from the HHP Department.
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. – Colket Center
Friday, September 30, 2011
Students and faculty from across the college will be showcasing their professional work, such as research projects, books, artwork, etc. Summer Scholars will be showcasing their summer research projects. Presentations will be in multiple formats, including a poster session (come and go as you please) and scheduled oral presentations (15 minutes each—see program for listings). This is your chance to interact with faculty members and to find out how our most outstanding students spend their time outside of the classroom. For more information, please contact Dr. Julie Lyon at 540-375-4939 or [email protected].
To have your research or creative work featured, please submit your proposal by Friday, Sept 16 at https://tiny.cc/ehr4x
Artist: Elizabeth Rothera, Roanoke College student
We hope to see you this Saturday, March 19 in the Colket Center for the RC Conference on Student Research & Creativity. Download Program (pdf)
Keynote Address Women of Walmart: Pay Less. Live Worse.
Hilary J. Gettman, J.D., Ph.D.
1:00-2:15 p.m. Wortmann Ballroom
Dr. Hilary Gettman will explore the causes and consequences of the class action lawsuit against Walmart. Her talk will highlight the research findings on propensity to negotiate, the gender pay gap, sexual harassment, and discrimination.
Dr. Gettman is a graduate of Harvard Law School and received her Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Maryland. She is an Assistant Professor of Management at Stonehill College and an Executive Fellow at the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Gettman practiced securities law in the private sector for over five years before deciding to change careers and move in the direction of organizational psychology and leadership development. Dr. Gettman has extensive training and both consulting and academic/research experience in managerial/leadership assessment and development, executive coaching, motivation, and behavior change.
Oral Presentations
Session 1 (9:15-10:15) – Kime
9:15 | Nicole I Donohue (Dr. Edward Whitson): Personality, Ink Blots, Hidden Figures, and Health Practices
9:35 | Lizzie M. Proctor (Dr. David Nichols): Synesthesia: A Play on the Senses
9:55 | Hailey Brooke Doss (Professor Elizabeth Heil): Printmaking: A Comparison of Two Worlds
Session 1 (9:15-10:15) – Patterson
9:15 | Jessica E. Pease (Dr. Katherine O’Neill): Microinvertebrate Assessment in Loblolly Pine Plantations Managed for Biofuels
9:35 | Giovanni Forte (Dr. Alice Kassens): The Tiger Woods’ Effect: The Impact of Tiger Woods’ on Golf Participation and Sales
**New time – switched with Nomin B.
9:55 | Nicholas Ryan Wright (Dr. Alice Kassens): Determinants of Renewable Energy
Session 1 (9:15-10:15) – President’s Dining Room
9:15 | Cynthia G. Bryant (Dr. Julie Lyon): Women Leaders in the Roanoke Valley: Challenges and Opportunities
9:35 | Anne M Whitesell (Dr. Heath Brown): Online Mobilization and Maintenance: A Study of Women’s Interest Groups
9:55 | Hayleigh E Phillips (Dr. Tom Carter): Edward R. Murrow: The Importance of Linguistics in Journalism
Session 2 (10:30-11:30) – Kime
10:30 | Brent E. Cox (Dr. Alice Kassens): Single-occupancy patient rooms: Administrator awareness of outcomes of implementation
10:50 | Sara M. Caudle (Dr. Alice Kassens): Are healthier college students the most productive?
11:10 | S. Jane Slusher, Brent Cox, Devan Logwood, Megan Rhodes, & Tiffany Schlotthober : Blue Ridge Urgent Care
Session 2 (10:30-11:30) – Patterson
10:30 | Sarah E. Ahlbrand (Dr. Steven Powers): Conservation genetics of Etheostoma Cinereum (Percidae) with emphasis on a newly rediscovered population in the Elk River, Tennessee
10:50 | Laura E. Kellam, Dr. Alton Dooley, Jr., & Vince Schneider (Dr. DorothyBelle Poli, & Dr. Katherine O’Neill): Nearly Complete Balaenula Skull from the Late Pliocene Bear Bluff Formation of Lake Waccamaw State Park, North Carolina
11:10 | Rachel Naylor (Dr. Chris Lassiter): The effect of 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, an aromatase inhibitor, on heart size in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Session 2 (10:30-11:30) – President’s Dining Room
10:30 | Jenna M Jones (Professor Jeanne Fishwick): Vampires across the Ages: The Analysis of Depiction and Popularity across the Centuries
10:50 | Samantha J. Wittig (Professor Jeanne Fishwick): The Novel Writing Adventure: The Process of Writing a Manuscript
11:10 | Jordan Henderson (Dr. Lisa Warren): Directing: A Challenge
Session 3 (2:30-3:30) – President’s Dining Room (Winners of the Gender & Women’s Studies Paper Contest)
Ceremony: Presentation of the Gender & Women’s Studies Winners
Molly Howser (1st Prize: Long Paper): “What sways the female shopper?” Advertising and the Female Consumer 1955-65 & 1975-85
Ashley Honig (1st Prize: Creative Work ): Series of Untitled Paintings
Lindsey Van Leir (on behalf of FEMMES) (1st Prize: Service Project): Females Excelling More in Math, Engineering, and Science (FEMMES)
Josephine Debrah (Honorable Mentions: Long Paper & Creative Work): Lasting Marks: Examining the Issues and Controversy Behind Female Circumcision & Creative: Esmeralda’s Destiny (Children’s Story)
Jenna Cullins (Honorable Mention: Short Paper): Why Psychological Oppression is the Worst Type of Oppression
Session 3 (2:30-3:30) – Kime
2:30 | Natalie R Horvath (Dr. Adam Childers): Should I Stay or Should I Go: An Optimal Solution to the Ride and Tie Problem
2:50 | Nomin Baasandavaa (Dr. Alice Kassens): The Effect of Air Pollution Exposure on US Health
**New time – switched with Gio Forte
3:10 | Tyler A. Rinko (Dr. Alice Kassens): The European Debt Crisis’ influence on U.S. Real Exchange Rates and Real Interest Rates
Session 4 (3:45-5:05) – Kime
3:45 | Bryan T. Piatkowski & Geoff A. Bader (Dr. DorothyBelle Poli): Examining Polar Auxin Transport Evolution in Bryophyte Gametophytes
4:05 | Stephanie I. Vogel (Dr. DorothyBelle Poli & Dr. Alton Dooley, Jr.): Effects of fire on Lycopodium: A good witch or bad witch?
4:25 | Brandi L. Neifert (Dr. Alton C. Dooley, Jr. & Dr. DorothyBelle Poli): A comparison of tooth breakage rates in Miocene carcharhinid sharks from the Carmel Church Quarry, Caroline County, VA.
Gallery & Poster Presentations
Gallery Session (11:45-12:45) – 1st Floor Atrium
1. Elizabeth M. Rothera (Professor Kate Shortridge): Identity
2. Diane M. Vankevich (Professor Kate Shortridge): March of the Sea
Poster Session (11:45-12:45) – Pickle (1st Floor)
3. INQ 250 Class (Dr. DorothyBelle Poli): Understanding INQ 250: How do living things evolve? through creative processes
4. Matthew J Corbicz (Dr. DorothyBelle Poli): Understanding limestone fines’ water retention: Applications for reclamation
5. William M. Bader (Dr. DorothyBelle Poli): Using Boxley Fines as an Exfoliate in Traditional Botanical Based Soaps
6. Jessica N Branning (Dr. DorothyBelle Poli): Examining polar auxin transport in the moss gametophyte of Dicranium scoparium
7. Sydney M. Webb & Kendra Boyd (Dr. Marilee Ramesh): Characterization of Class II Transposons within Coprinopsis cinerea
8. Kendrick Chittock, Austin Mowles, Keith McHugh, & Garrett Schaperjahn (Dr. Jon Cawley): Biochar-Based Soil Composition for Application in Urban
9. Ivan A. Zuidhoek (Dr. Jon Cawley): The Moorish Garden as a Memetic Permaculture System
10. Tucker S. Prisley (Dr. Jon Cawley): The Book of Days
11. Lyndsey M Jones (Dr. Jon Cawley): RC Electric
12. Alexander Roy & Lea Lupkin (Dr. Jon Cawley): Power Shift
13. Daniel J. Waters, Charles M. Leonard, Eric M. Lefevers, Brett A. Lawrence, Justin T. Morgan, Jessica E. Pease, Wesley C. Sturdivant, & Charles T. Utterback (Dr. Jon Cawley): The Creation of a Research and Teaching Apple Orchard on Elizabeth Campus
14. Daniel J. Waters (Dr. Rachel Collins): Do invasive species facilitate other invasive species?
15. Kathleen C. Ouyang (Dr. Mark Miller): Academic Freedom and the Elson Controversy at Roanoke College
16. Amanda N. Newman (Dr. Denise Adkins): Texting Behaviors in Romantic Relationships
17. Steven L. Huffman, Jared T. Johnson, Sean R. Sottolano, Robyn T. French, & Lauren O. Marszal (Dr. Denise Adkins): Internet Usage
18. Kacy L Dillon & Steven L Huffman (Dr. Denise Adkins): What Predicts Whether College Students Will View Their Professors Positively or Negatively?
19. Alicia L. Clem (Dr. Edward Whitson): Changes in Students’ Perceptions of Creativeness Following a Creative Thinking Skills- Training Course
20. Chava Z. Urecki, Kiel L. VanNess, Brooks K. Hoover, Michael J. Bankert (Dr. Christopher T. Buchholz & Dr. Gordon Marsh): The complexity of melancholy: Music preference and the perception of music.
21. Jennie Blaney (Dr. Julie Lyon): Women Leaders: Flexible Hours or Advancement Opportunities
Poster Session (11:45-12:45) – Garret (2nd Floor)
22. Megan E. Erdmann (Dr. Rachel Collins): Habitat use by black bear and white-tailed deer around Carvins Cove
23. Ariel L. Firebaugh (Dr. Rachel Collins): Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) oviposition preference and performance on an invasive host plant, Alliaria petiolata (Brassicaceae)
24. Caitlin E. Giles & Kirby E. Davis (Dr. Dar Jorgensen): Lactate excretion during exercise in the lobster, Homarus americanus
25. Jonathan C. Perkins & Peter-Philip M. Booth (Dr. Gary Hollis): Novel, highly-fluorinated derivatives of 1,2,3,4-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)cylcopentadiene
26. Caroline A. Hunter (Dr. Jack Steehler & Dr. Benjamin Huddle): Chemistry and Crime: Laboratory Improvement Assessment
27. Kayla R. Muncy (Dr. Tim Johann): Cloning the Gene Escherichia coli K-12 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase
28. Maura C. Belanger (Dr. Cathy Sarisky): Purine Biosynthesis in Modified E. coli
29. Heather N. Anthony (Dr. Ben Huddle & Dr. Jack Steehler): Guided Inquiry Laboratory Improvement Project: Comparing Two Years of Assessment Data
30. Jeremy A. Johnson (Dr. Vernon Miller): Synthesis of Bisamine Boron Cations
31. Paul L Vines (Dr. Rama Balasubramanian): Synthesis and Characterization of Nanophase Maghemite
32. Nicholas Guendel (Dr. Kelly Anderson & Dr. Matt Fleenor): An Investigation of MgSiO¬3 at High Temperature and Pressure
33. John T Balint (Dr. Rama Balasubramanian): Examining Morphologies in Nanocrystals
34. Anne F. Kyner (Dr. Rama Balasubramanian): Mars-Mossbauer Spectroscopy Analysis
35. Casey R. Wojtera (Dr. Tim Johann): Activity Variation from Codon Mutation at Position 123 in 5,10-Methenyltetrahydrofolate Synthetase.
Students: Submit a short description (abstract) of your research or creative work (art, music, theater) to show/perform on-campus on Sat, March 19. Submit via: tiny.cc/1kim5 before Spring Break (Mar 5)
Roanoke College invites abstracts from RC students for the “RC Conference
on Student Research & Creativity”, which takes place on Saturday,
March 19, 2011 at the Roanoke College Colket Center. Students from all
disciplines are invited to share their research and creative works on any
topic. We strongly encourage submissions from the Fine Arts and Humanities.
Help promote the event by printing and posting these flyers (pdf):
sciencey poster (8.5×11) (11X17)
artsy poster (8.5×11) (11×17)
For more details, contact Dr. Julie Lyon, Director of Student/Faculty Research
by Bethany Olsen, Roanoke College PR Writer for the Office of Student/Faculty Research
One of the benefits of attending a smaller school like Roanoke College is the opportunity to work closely with a faculty member on research. In working on research with Dr. Marilee Ramesh over her four years, senior Sydney Webb has created a strong relationship that has provided immeasurable experience, knowledge, and support.
Ramesh and Webb have worked together since Webb was a freshman through the Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP), a 4-year research experience unique to Roanoke College. Webb attributes much of her impressive resume to her involvement in URAP. “URAP has allowed me to build my research lab experience,” she said.
Being active in URAP has allowed Webb to accumulate a vast number of lab hours over the years, experience that is very attractive to graduate schools. These hours have given Webb a lot of experience: “I’ve been able to work in the lab since freshman year, where as in many bigger schools you can’t start working in the lab until your junior year.” she said. “URAP has allowed me to manage my own research projects and actually apply techniques that I have only learned about in science classes.”
Ramesh and Webb have developed a strong relationship. “When I write letters of recommendation I am able to go into more detail about the student because I really know how they work and have multiple examples to give of things they have done. The letters become more in-depth because I know them so well,” Ramesh said.
Webb also worked with Ramesh over the summer between freshman and sophomore years through Roanoke College’s Summer Scholars Program, in which Webb was paid to work with Ramesh full-time over the summer. She also received a free tuition credit and free housing. At the end of the eight weeks of research, Webb had accumulated close to two hundred hours of lab time. It was during this summer that Webb was able to start the research program that she continues to work on to this day.
Ramesh has not only helped Webb make connections beyond Roanoke. “Part of my job working with students is to help them find other experiences working outside of our campus. It is important for them to get some experience elsewhere,” Ramesh said. Ramesh encouraged Webb to spend the following summer at Texas A&M as part of an NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.
“The program gives undergrad students a chance to work on research in a lab with graduate students,” she said, “URAP was instrumental in getting me into the REU program.” She worked in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department at Texas A&M, where got the “big lab” experience. “In bigger schools you may only be able to meet with a professor if you have a question once a week, if that, while at a smaller school like Roanoke you can work one-on-one with a professor almost every day of the week,” she said.
Webb is currently applying to graduate schools in hopes of studying Cancer Biology. “It’s great to see students improving over the years and to see them mature. It’s my job to help them take advantage of as many opportunities as possible along the way,” said Ramesh. At Roanoke, the connections will last well beyond graduation.
Congratulations to three Roanoke College graduates and Dr. Chris Lassiter for their recognition by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) for a recent peer-reviewed publication.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) androgen receptor: sequence homology and up-regulation by the fungicide vinclozolin.
Journal
Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol., 2010;151:161-166, Smolinsky AN, Doughman JM, Kratzke LT, Lassiter CS. Roanoke College
Description
In this study, we demonstrate the evolutionary conservation between the genomic structure of the human and zebrafish androgen receptor (ar) genes and find that ar mRNA expression increases in zebrafish embryos exposed to vinclozolin, a fungicide and endocrine disruptor. At 48 and 72 hours post-fertilization, vinclozolin-treated embryos express ar mRNA 8-fold higher than the control level. These findings suggest that zebrafish embryos attempt to compensate for the presence of an anti-androgen by increasing the number of androgen receptors available.
Faculty
Christopher Lassiter is an assistant professor of biology.
Student
Amanda Smolinsky, Jennifer Doughman, and Lien-Thanh Kratzke were biology majors and received independent study credit and defending the work in senior theses. Jennifer Doughman is working as a research technician at the University of Virginia. Lien-thanh Kratzke is completing her MD at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Fund
The research was supported by Roanoke College Summer Scholars program and a Roanoke College Faculty Research Grant.
Faculty/Student Research Luncheon
