UT students attend National Conference on Undergraduate Research

May 5, 2009 | Research
By Megan Lewis



Seventeen UT students traveled to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse last month to participate in the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).

Kristin Stroud, a junior majoring in art and media studies, boarded the bus with one of her paintings inspired by African art.

Kristin Stroud, a junior majoring in art and media studies, boarded the bus for the conference with one of her paintings that was inspired by African art.

The conference promotes undergraduate student achievement and creative activity in all fields of study. Of the usual 3,000 applicants each year, only 2,000 are accepted.

This is the second year that UT’s student researchers achieved a 100 percent acceptance rate to the conference.

“Whenever 2,000 top undergraduate students from all over the United States meet at the NCUR site, they always bring with them a lot of excitement and energy to the event. The students from UT are always ready for this challenging opportunity, and their presentations are always very polished and well-received,” said Dr. Larry Connin, UT administrative coordinator for the Honors Program.

“Going to events like NCUR gives our students a big advantage in applying for graduate or professional schools as they look to continue their education at the next level,” Connin added.

Students who attended the NCUR April 16-18 and the titles of their research were:

• Anthony Bradfield, a junior majoring in economics — “Premiums to College Five, 10 and 15 Years After Graduation.”

• Brittany Brinley, a senior majoring in biology — “SH2B1BETA Actin-Binding Sites Needed for Enhancement of Growth Hormone Cell Ruffling.”

• Tan Carlin, a senior majoring in health sciences and public health — “Availability of Language Services in Retail Pharmacies in the State of Ohio.”

• Abdulmajed Dakkak, a senior majoring in computer science — “Concurrency and Programming Languages.”

• Alison Fedyna, a senior majoring in biology — “TCR Alpha-Chain Usage in the NOD Model of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.”

• Noah Gillespie, a senior majoring in economics — “Measuring Socially Just Development: Transforming the Failures of the Past Into the Promise of the Present.”

• Danielle Hayden, a senior majoring in biology — “Determining the Role of the Tail Domain IFA-2 Function and Localization.”

• Nicole Kahle, a senior majoring in kinesiology and exercise science — “The Effects of Core Stability Training on Balance Testing in Young, Healthy Adults.”

• Steven Lombardo, a junior majoring in biology — “The Development of Monoclonal Antibodies Against the Tumor-Associated Protein Muci.”

• Brian Muntean, a junior majoring in chemistry — “The Design and Synthesis of Quinone-Capped Molecular Wires as Electrocatalysts for Detection of Thiols.”

• Jessica Pellman, a senior majoring in pharmaceutical sciences and toxicology — “Development of M5 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor Antagonists.”

• Michele Phillips, a senior majoring in microbiology and immunology — “IL-13 Induced Regulation of Autoreactive T-Cells.”

• Sarah Siegel, a senior majoring in biology — “Role of C-Terminal Region of the G-CSF Receptor in Regulating ELA2 Expression in Myeloid Cells.”

• Stacy Snyder, a senior majoring in cell and molecular biology — “Deletion of SH2B1BETA Actin-Binding Sites Causes an Inhibition of Prolactin-Dependent Ruffling.”

• Amanda Stewart, a senior majoring in biology — “Interaction Between Mixed Lineage Kinase 3 and the Tumor Suppressor Protein Merlin.”

• Kristin Stroud, a junior majoring in art and media studies — “Acrylic on Canvas: A Series of Three Paintings Inspired by African Art.”

• Erin Swedish, a junior majoring in psychology — “Forensic Interviewer Fatigue: Does It Influence Interview Quality?”

Dr. Tom Barden, director of the UT Honors Program, who accompanied the students to the conference, said, “The University of Toledo was extremely well-represented this year. I know our reputation was enhanced by the quality of their presentations and the way these students answered questions at the poster sessions. I was very proud of them.”

Click to access the login or register cheese