Five Receive Outstanding Poster Awards
Fifty College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics majors presented the results of their research projects at UH鈥檚 11th Annual Undergraduate Research Day on October 22. In all, 175 UH students participated.
Experience in undergraduate research helps students decide whether to pursue a graduate
degree and can increase the competitiveness of their graduate/professional school
applications. The event included poster and oral presentations of research completed
either with UH mentors or mentors at other institutions.
NSM faculty members are actively involved in mentoring students in their labs. This year, 30 faculty members had anywhere from one to five students participating in Undergraduate Research Day.
Research Experience Enhances Classroom Learning
鈥淥ne of the biggest benefits of undergraduate research is that we get hands-on application of everything that we鈥檝e learned in our science classes,鈥� said Ziba Colah, a biochemistry major working for two years in the lab of Daniel Frigo, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry. 鈥淚n my biology classes, I learned about western blotting, extracting RNA and extracting proteins, but I never really did it until I got into a lab.鈥�
Preparation for graduate school is another motivating factor for research exposure.
鈥淢y ultimate goal is to apply to master鈥檚 or Ph.D. programs in geology. Potential graduate advisors look for people with experience and who understand what it takes to be a graduate student,鈥� said Andrew Steier, a post-baccalaureate student in geology working with Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Professor Paul Mann. 鈥淭he great thing about undergraduate research is that you learn so much more and you learn it more quickly than you would in a classroom.鈥�
Five NSM Students Win Outstanding Poster Awards
Sixteen Outstanding Poster Awards were presented during Undergraduate Research Day with five NSM students recognized.
- Thao Do 鈥淭he Effect of Metabolic Syndrome on Cornea鈥�
- Dillon Kopecky 鈥淕old Single Crystal Electrodes as a Support for Cobalt Monolayers to Study the Electrochemical Evolution of Oxygen鈥�
- Hoang Luu 鈥淭he Cost of Immunity on Fecundity Evolution in Infected Populations鈥�
- Andrew Steier 鈥淓valuation of Previously Published Kinematic Plate Models for the Opening of the South Atlantic Ocean Using a GIS Compilation of Geologic and Geophysical Information鈥�
- Sheiva Vakili 鈥淭argeting Androgen Receptor Mediated Sugar Metabolism in Prostate Cancer Through Inhibition of Glucose Transport鈥�
- Kathy Major, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics