July 26, 2002

Contact: Barbara Schowen, chemistry, (785) 864-4614; (785) 864-3939; Helen Alexander, (785) 864-3221; or Robert Hanzlik, (785) 864-3750.

Undergraduate scientists present summer research projects July 29, 30 at KU

LAWRENCE -- About 70 undergraduates participating in programs funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and other sources at the University of Kansas have spent the summer in research labs with projects that may help launch their careers in science.

On July 29 and 30, students in several KU departments will wrap up research projects funded by programs focused on undergraduate research. Five students received the first summer scholarships offered by Kansas Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network, or K-BRIN. Others were funded by NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates, or REU, and KU's Lila and Madison Self Graduate Fellowship Program.

At 10 a.m. Monday, July 29, 27 REU students in chemistry, 10 in molecular biosciences, 14 in pharmacy and five K-BRIN scholars will present poster sessions of their work in the main corridor connecting Malott and Haworth halls.

At 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 30, 14 REU students in the ecology and evolutionary biology department will present their work in 15-minute sessions during an oral symposium in 2023 Haworth Hall.

"The nation needs talented young people to enter scientific research careers," said Barbara Schowen, KU professor of chemistry. "The purpose of these programs is to provide students with a genuine research experience and help them make informed career decisions.

"For a student planning on further study in graduate school, having research experience is at least as important as having good grades."

This is the 15th consecutive year KU's chemistry department has been an NSF REU host, the 10th year for molecular biosciences and the second year for ecology and evolutionary biology. This is the first year K-BRIN has offered a summer research program for undergraduates.

In chemistry, REU students have been working on projects ranging from studies that offer the potential to develop new therapeutic drugs to working on techniques to analyze drugs to learn, for example, how much of a drug may be in a person's bloodstream. Schowen and Cynthia Larive, a KU professor of chemistry, direct the NSF REU program in the chemistry department, with a three-year grant of about $153,000.

In ecology and evolutionary biology, several REU projects are based on Kansas habitats or organisms, but other research has worldwide connections such as research on plants from the Canary Islands and studies of tropical leaf-cutting ants from Central America. Helen Alexander, KU professor in ecology and evolutionary biology directs the REU program in that department.

"One student in our program conducted part of her REU research by spending a week in Panama," Alexander said.

KU's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology funds the summer program with a $181,550 NSF three-year grant.

The National Institutes of Health Center for Research Resources funded K-BRIN to strengthen biomedical research and train researchers in Kansas. This year K-BRIN established a program providing summer scholarships each worth $3,500 to KU undergraduates studying science and interested in careers in biomedical research.

Robert Hanzlik, KU professor of medicinal chemistry,coordinates K-BRIN at KU. K-BRIN links eight institutions on nine campuses in Kansas, including regents universities in Manhattan, Emporia, Hays and Pittsburg; Washburn University; and Haskell Indian Nations University.

REU students are from universities around the country, including KU and Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence. The NSF REU program provides students $3,000 stipends, room and board, and travel expenses. REU students work with a faculty research adviser and are assisted by other researchers on selected projects. Eligible REU students also applied for the $3,500 Madison & Lila Self REU award through KU's Self Graduate Fellowship Program.

The students, their home universities and summer research programs are:

DOUGLAS COUNTY
Lawrence
Megan M. Brown, Haskell Indian Nations University; REU ecology and evolutionary biology
Alisha Russell, Baker University; Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

ELLIS COUNTY
Hays
Amy Hladek, Fort Hays State University; REU molecular biosciences and Summer Self Fellowship

JOHNSON COUNTY
Lenexa
Ann Morris, Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.; REU molecular biosciences and Summer Self Fellowship

Olathe
Heath W. Cartwright, KU junior in biology and in Spanish; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

Overland Park
Anna Baldwin, KU Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry
Felipe Rosso, KU junior in human biology; REU chemistry. Rosso also will present his research at the SACNAS National Convention Sept. 26-29 in Anaheim, Calif., and at the 37th Midwest regional meeting of the American Chemical Society on Oct. 23-25 in Lawrence. KU's Minority Student Development program funds his research.
Dyan Vogel, KU sophomore in biology; REU molecular biosciences

Prairie Village
Sarah Bunnell, Middlebury College in Vermont; REU molecular biosciences

KEARNY COUNTY
Deerfield
Leticia Camacho, KU senior in genetics; REU molecular biosciences

PAWNEE COUNTY
Larned
Andrew J. Giessel, KU senior in biochemistry and in computer science; Lawrence HS graduate; K-BRIN

SHAWNEE COUNTY
Perry
Jarad P. Mellard, KU senior in ecology and evolutionary biology; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

Topeka
Susan Banks, KU junior in biology; K-BRIN

SEDGWICK COUNTY
Wichita
Katie Rose Mitchell, KU senior in chemistry; K-BRIN Catherine M. Wiegand, Benedictine College; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

ALABAMA
Trussville
Justin Vaughn, Samford University in Birmingham; REU molecular biosciences

ARIZONA
Flagstaff
Stephanie Hammond, Northern Arizona University; Self-REU chemistry

CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles
Sung Jung Hong, University of California, Los Angeles; Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

COLORADO
Durango
Amy Carr, Fort Lewis College; NSF-REU chemistry

GEORGIA
Ellijay
Lacey D. Loudermilk, Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn.; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

HAWAII
Waipahu
Char Fajardo, Chaminade University of Honolulu; REU molecular biosciences and Summer Self Fellowship

IDAHO
Lewiston
Nicholas Dickson, Lewis-Clark State College; NSF-REU chemistry

ILLINOIS
Freeport
David Francis Miller, KU junior in biology, Freeport Senior HS; K-BRIN and Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

IOWA
Bettendorf
Nicholas D. Levsen, Beloit College in Beloit, Wis.; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

Cedar Falls
Ryan Shook, University of Northern Iowa; NSF-REU chemistry

Dubuque
Jason D. Schatz, Iowa State University; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

Pella
Ryan Van Maanen, Central College; Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

KENTUCKY
Madisonville
Ryan Rutledge, Kentucky Wesleyan College; Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

MAINE
York
Sarah Andrews, Clemson University; REU molecular biosciences and Self fellow

MASSACHUSETTS
South Hadley and Thailand
Surangkhana Martwiset, Mount Holyoke College; Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

MICHIGAN
Rochester
Emma I. Greig, Oakland University; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

MINNESOTA
Minneapolis
Matt O'Meara, Saint John's University/College of Saint Benedict; Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

Morris
Joy R. Lichtsinn, University of Minnesota, Morris; Self-REU chemistry and the Summer Self Fellowship

MISSOURI
Independence
John Hershberger, University of Missouri-Rolla; NSF-REU chemistry

Liberty
Kristin Roberts, William Jewell College; NSF-REU chemistry

Lookout Point
Sara Lilley, College of the Ozarks; Self-REU chemistry

Kansas City
Brendan Duede, Truman State University, Kirksville; REU molecular biosciences and Summer Self Fellowship

St. Charles
Becky Wimbish Rockhurst University, Kansas City; REU molecular biosciences

NEBRASKA
Chadron
Thaddaus Hellwig, Chadron State College; NSF-REU chemistry
Tim Kamerzell, Chadron State College; Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

Omaha
Josh Waetzig, Creighton University; Self-REU chemistry

NEW YORK
Hubbardsville
Norman L. Dart, State University of New York Environmental Science and Forestry; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

NORTH CAROLINA
Belmont
Kyle Kanipe, North Carolina State University in Raleigh; REU molecular biosciences and Summer Self Fellowship

OHIO
Kent
Amanda N. Brothers, Kent State University; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

OKLAHOMA
From Jenks
JohnMark Derryberry, senior at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa; NSF-REU chemistry

PENNSYLVANIA
Erie
Brandon Galan, Penn State University; NSF-REU chemistry

New Alexandria
Kelly A. Karstaedt, Gannon University; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

SOUTH DAKOTA
Lower Brule
Camie L. Quilt, Haskell Indian Nations University; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

TENNESSEE Adams
Tiffany G. Cummins, Western Kentucky University; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

TEXAS
Huntsville
Christie Nicole Jones, Sam Houston State University; NSF-REU chemistry

VIRGINIA
Radford
Brian O'Neal Ingram, Radford University; NSF-REU chemistry

WISCONSIN
Janesville
Emily L. Grman, Beloit College; REU ecology and evolutionary biology

Madison
John Laszewsk, University of Wisconsin; Undergraduate Research Program pharmaceutical chemistry

Stevens Point
Nathan Eddingsaas, University of Wisconsin; NSF-REU chemistry

PUERTO RICO
Mayaguez
Mrisa Sahai-Hernandez, Universidad de Puerto-Rico Recinto Universitario de Mayaguez; NSF-REU chemistry

EL SALVADOR
San Salvador
Miguel A. Ramirez, KU senior in genetics; K-BRIN. Ramirez also will present his research at the 37th Midwest regional meeting of the American Chemical Society, Oct. 23-25 in Lawrence.