June 18, 2008
Twenty undergraduates win research awards
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale recently honored 20 outstanding undergraduate students with research money as part of its annual Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity Awards.
The one-year awards, known as REACH awards, pay up to $1,500 to select undergraduates who perform research, scholarly or creative projects while under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Awarded on a competitive basis, REACH awards pay for expenses and a 10-hour assistantship during fall and spring semesters of each year, with funding starting in July. REACH awards are the primary means by which the University funds undergraduate research.
Award recipients must present their research and a poster outlining their efforts during the annual Undergraduate Research Forum, held each April at SIUC.
This year’s winners, by hometown, are:
Illinois
Aurora
• Elizabeth M. Patterson, sophomore in biological sciences, $1,449 for “Discovering the Role of Forkhead Transcription Factor Foxj 1 and its role in Pituitary Development and Maintenance.” Her adviser is Buffy S. Ellsworth, assistant professor of physiology in the SIU School of Medicine. She is the daughter of John L. and Nancy E. Patterson.
Breese
• Shanna M. Strieker, junior in physiology, $1,500 for “Cell Models for Embryogenesis and Tumorigenisis.” Her adviser is Jodi Huggenvik, associate professor of physiology, SIU School of Medicine. She is the daughter of Michael G. and Jane M. Strieker.
Carbondale
• Lisa L. Furby, junior in mechanical engineering, $1,450 for “Novel Sensor for the Extracation of Potassium and Sodium in Biomedical Applications.” Furby’s adviser is Ajay M. Mahahan, professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes, College of Engineering. She is the daughter of Thomas H. and Leanne M Furby.
• Sarah E. Heck, junior in geography, $1,500 for “McTBI: Does a Fast-Food Diet Worsen Behavioral Outcome Following a Traumatic Brain Injury?” Her adviser is Michael R. Hoane, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts. She is the daughter of Margaret S. Stockdale.
• Kevin W. Loyd, senior in psychology and elementary special education, $1,500 for “The Effect of Self-Generated Versus Externally Imposed Rules on Human Learning.” His adviser is Eric A. Jacobs, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts. He is the son of Elvis M. and Alta F. Loyd.
Channhon
• Joseph F. Batir, junior in geology, $1,500 for “Verification of Grave Sites Using Geophysical Methods at the Holiday Cemetery.” Batir’s adviser is Harvey Henson, research project specialist in the Department of Geology, College of Science. Batir is the son of Gregory P. and Sonia K. Nagel.
Du Quoin
• Gary D. Vancil Jr., senior in geology, $737 for “Antarctic Foraminiferal Taphonomy and its Effect on Paleoenvironmental Proxies.” His adviser is Scott E. Ishman, associate professor in the Department of Geology, College of Science. He is the son of Sandra Redman.
East Moline
• Andrew J. Dennhardt, sophomore in zoology, $1,221 for “Ultraviolet Radiation Perception as a Foraging Technique for two nocturnal avian species: The Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl.” Dennhardt’s adviser is Michael W. Eichholz, assistant professor in the Department of Zoology, College of Science. He is the son of Eugene G. and Beri L. Dennhardt.
East St. Louis
• Chastity B. Love, junior in chemistry, $1,475 for “Study of the Adsorption of Small Copper Clusters on the Surface of Zinc Oxide.” Her adviser is Lichang Wang, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Science. She is the daughter of Yolanda L. Love.
Lincoln
• Sarah B. Wells, senior in physiology, $1,500 for “CPEB Zinc Finger Domain Structure and Interactions with mRNA, Symplekin and CPSF.” Her adviser is Brian M. Lee, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Science. She is the daughter of Barney B. and Marcia S. Wells.
Marissa
• Robert Ham, senior in physiology, $1,500 for “Production of Taxol Precursors in the Moss Physcomitrella.” Ham’s adviser is Aldwin Anterola, assistant professor in the Department of Plant Biology, College of Science. He is the son of Robert G. Ham.
Modoc
• Alicia K. Guebert, art history and museum studies, $1,497 for “The Creole House: Research, Preservation and Interpretation.” Guebert’s adviser is Stacey Sloboda, assistant professor in the School of Art and Design, College of Liberal Arts. She is the daughter of Scott and Laurie Becker of Modoc and Chris Guebert, of Imperial, Mo.
Monticello
• Merry K. Lanker, senior in art education, $1,497 for “Art and Literature.” Her adviser is Sally A. Gradle, assistant professor in the School of Art and Design, College of Liberal Arts. She is the daughter of Dr. William K. and Sheila K. Lanker.
Murphysboro
• Ann M. Womack, senior in microbiology, $1,425 for “Synergistic Tumor Suppressor Activity of DEAF-1 and p53 in a Conditional Mouse Model for Prostate Cancer.” Her adviser is Michael W. Collard, associate professor of physiology, SIU School of Medicine.
Naperville
• Lauren I. Kacz, junior in chemistry, $1,500 for “Use of Volume Sensitive Organosilica Sol-Gels in Dynamic Modulation of Protein Folding-Unfolding Pathways.” Her adviser is Bakul C. Dave, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, College of Science. She is the daughter of Walter S. and Carol A. Kacz.
St. Joseph
• Mame S. Redwood, junior in plant biology, $1,400 for “Biological and Artistic Illustration of Plant Life Cycles.” Her advisers are Jane Geisler-Lee, adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Plant Biology, College of Science; and Erin Palmer, associate professor in the School of Art and Design, College of Liberal Arts. She is the daughter of Erik S. and June M. Redwood.
Shiloh
• Stacie R. Wallace, junior in psychology, $1,500 for “We Were Only Playing: An Exploration of Playful Aggression and Gender and its Impact on the Initiation of Aggression.” Her adviser is Rebecca J. Weston, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts. She is the daughter of Stacie A. McKinney-Wallace.
Springfield
• Jennie M. Irwin, senior in rehabilitation services, $1,500 for “Enhancing Treatment Outcomes for Methamphetamine Abusers Utilizing Contingency Management Techniques.” Her adviser is Darwin S. Koch, associate professor at the SIUC Rehabilitation Institute, College of Education and Human Services. She is the daughter of Jarret K. and Theresa A. Irwin.
Woodridge
• Heather M. Foslund, senior in zoology, $1,450 for “Sediment Toxicity of Pyrethroids in Urban Creeks.” Foslund’s adviser is Michael J. Lydy, professor in the Department of Zoology, College of Science. She is the daughter of James A. and Teresa L. Foslund.
South Africa
Gauteng
• Gareth M. McGee, senior in microbiology, $1,250 for “Molecular Investigation of Perchlorate-Reducing Bacteria Associated with Native Illinois Plants.” McGee’s adviser is Laurie A. Achenbach, professor in the Department of Microbiology, College of Science. McGee’s parents are Hilton and Debbie McGee.