Our commitment to the application of knowledge comes alive at the College of Letters & Sciences every day in the form of student research projects. These projects are opportunities for students to work individually with highly-respected experts, to apply the knowledge they’ve gained in the classroom, and to position themselves as rising stars in their particular field.
In many cases student projects culminate with co-authored articles in national journals and presentations at national conferences. Some recent examples of student projects include…
Combining Focal Male and Transect Data to Investigate Color Polymorphism Maintenance in the Tropical Fish Telmatherina Antoniae
Student: Samuel F. Miller
Faculty: Dr. Jeffrey S. McKinnon
Male Color Polymorphisms (MCPs) are hypothesized frequently to play a key role in speciation, particularly in the explosive divergence of some model fish systems. The study of MCPs is important both to understand such explosive speciation events and to link the processes maintaining variation within species with those causing reproductive isolation.
Replicated Evolution of Male Coloration in Stream and Anadromous Pairs of Threespine Stickleback
Student: Sara Aurit
Faculty: Dr. Jeffrey S. McKinnon
Color has been implicated in the evolution of reproductive isolation in a distinct stickleback system. This project investigated the evolution of male coloration in speciating pairs of stream-resident and anadromous threespine stickleback.
Studies of the Cell Death Machinery of Pancreatic Tumor Cells
Students: Sam Armstrong, Emily Schreenberger, Jeremy Sturgill
Faculty: Dr. Pete Mesner
In recent years Dr. Mesner has identified a tumor cell line missing many of the components that are thought to be essential for cell suicide to occur. These students are working to define which components of the cellular “suicide” machinery are absolutely required for chemotherapy drugs to kill cancer cells.
Study of the Prevalence of Leptospirosis Among Local Dogs
Student: Erin Greuel
Faculty: Dr. Pete Mesner
Leptospirosis, which can be fatal, is suspected to be present in many domestic animals—even those that are asymptomatic. This project seeks to develop a screening test for the animal/human pathogenic bacteria responsible for this disease.
Evolutionary Studies of the Cell Death Machinery
Student: Erika Sorensen
Faculty: Dr. Pete Mesner
This project involved analyzing the biochemical and molecular-level aspects of cell death processes in reptilian cells. This was the first study of its kind in the world, providing information about the similarities and differences between mammalian and reptilian cells.
A Spitzer Investigation of Star Formation in the Inner Galaxy
Student: A.J. Heroux
Faculty: Dr. Bob Benjamin
This project involved analyzing data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, focusing on infrared images in the area surrounding Galactic Center. A.J. was the first person in the world to get a good look at a well-known star formation region named NGC-6357.
A Comparison of Spitzer Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory Observations of the Galactic Plane
Student: Heidi Gneiser
Faculty: Dr. Bob Benjamin
This project involved combining data from the Spitzer Space Telescope with that from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, looking for new findings on the Galactic Plane, located 20,000 light-years from Earth.
Near Infrared Star Count Studies of Galactic Structure
Student: Eric Phillips
Faculty: Dr. Bob Benjamin
Eric worked extensively to download and process a Galactic infrared survey that it is hoped will be used to study issues of Galactic structure, following up on Dr. Benjamin’s research that was recently featured in Discover and Astronomy magazines.