KU News Release

April 17, 2009
Contact: Jill Jess, University Relations, (785) 864-8858.

KU, Haskell students to present research projects April 28

LAWRENCE — Research related to cancer, genetics, conservation of prairie plants, the impact of hearing loss late in life on marriages and friendship with former romantic partners will be presented April 28 at the University of Kansas-Haskell Indian Nations University Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Twenty-nine students are expected to present posters of their science and engineering research from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Tecumseh Hall at Haskell. The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program and the Kansas student chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science are sponsoring the symposium.

Now in its ninth year, the KU-Haskell Undergraduate Research Symposium includes undergraduate and graduate students from programs at both universities. A brief awards ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m.

The presenters participate in one of four programs that encourage students from underrepresented ethnic groups to pursue research careers in biomedical science: the KU-Haskell Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program, Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement Program at Haskell, Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity at KU and the Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program at KU.

To learn more about the programs, visit the Office for Diversity in Science Training’s Web site, www2.ku.edu/~odst/.

Symposium participants are listed below by hometown, major, parents’ names, tribal heritage, high school/other degrees, program, faculty mentor and title of research project.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66044
Terra Katchina Lubin, senior in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Lawrence High School; bachelor’s in metalsmithing/jewelry from KU, spring 2000; IMSD; John Kelly, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology; “Mating System and Evolution in the Yellow Monkey Flower.”

From Lawrence 66046
Connie May Hudson, nondegree-seeking master’s student in social welfare; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; bachelor’s degree from Haskell; PREP; Venida Chenault, visiting scholar in social work; “Environmental Social Work: In Low-Income, Rural Areas of Oklahoma.”

From Lawrence 66046 and Yates Center
William Joe Rivie Gilbert, nondegree-seeking master’s student in engineering; Mississippi Choctaw; bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Haskell; PREP; Stevin Gehrke, professor of chemical and petroleum engineering; “Expression of the Thromoxane A2 Receptor in Cultured Sensory Neurons and Development of a Method To Assess Hypertrophy in an Isolated Heart Preparation.”

From Lawrence 66047
Onyinye M. Obiefule, freshman in chemical engineering, daughter of Theo and Carolyn Obiefule; Lawrence High School; bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo.; PREP; Cory Berkland, assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering; “Peptide Molecular Weight Affects Gene Delivery.”

Anthony Pokphanh, sophomore in chemical engineering, son of Roberta and May Pokphanh; Cherokee; Lawrence High School; IMSD; Kyle Camarda, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering; “Protein Aggregation Correlations with Protein Structure.”

From Lawrence 66047 and Manhattan
Johnie J. Gallagher, nondegree seeking master’s student in biology; Manhattan High School; bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from KU, fall 2008; PREP; Brian Ackley, assistant professor of molecular biosciences; “A Structure-Function Analysis of the LAR-Receptor Tyrosine Phosphatase in Synaptic Development.”

From Lawrence 66047 and Antioch, Ill.
Cierra Christin Martinez, doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology; bachelor’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago; PREP; Lena Hileman, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology; “Duplication and Divergence of Veronicaceae Floral Symmetry Genes: Implications for the Reduction/Loss of Floral Zygomorphy.”

From Lawrence 66049 and Brockton, Mass.
Francois Herve Jean-Charles, nondegree-seeking master’s student in pharmacy; bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst; PREP; Susan Lunte, the Ralph N. Adams Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry; “Electrochemical Investigations of Neuroactive Substances.”

ELLIS COUNTY
From Hays 67601
Rachel L. Debes, senior in mathematics, daughter of Ken and Debbie Debes; Hays High School; IMSD; Maria Orive, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology; “Dynamics of Viral Infection: A Model Combining Cellular Immune Response and Within-Host Structure.”

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66209
Molly M. McGraw, junior in biology, daughter of Tom and Marie McGraw; Chickasaw; Notre Dame De Sion High School, Kansas City, Mo.; IMSD; Robert Ward, assistant professor of molecular biosciences; “Cloning and Characterization of Blowhole, a Gene Required for Dorsal Closure and Tracheal Maturation in Drosophila.”

From Leawood 66224 and Overland Park 66210
Ashrita Anna Abraham, senior in microbiology, daughter of Vincy Abraham and Abraham Verghese; Olathe East High School; IMSD; Kristi Neufeld, assistant professor of molecular biosciences; “Generating Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts To Characterize the Function of the Tumor Suppressor, APC.”

From Lenexa 66215 and Shawnee 66217
Mahalet Candace Jiregna, doctoral student in audiology, daughter of Lemma and Genet Misgana; Shawnee Mission West High School, Overland Park; bachelor’s degree in speech-language-hearing from KU, fall 2008; PREP; Sarah Ferguson, assistant professor of speech-language-hearing and assistant scientist in gerontology, and Tracey LaPierre, assistant professor of sociology; “The Impact of Hearing Loss on Marital Relationships in Late Life.”

From Mission 66202
Zane Ali Jaafar, senior in microbiology, son of Laurie and Mahmoud Jaafar; Shawnee Mission North High School, Overland Park; IMSD; Scott Hefty, assistant professor of molecular biosciences; “Potential Role of CT584 As the Needle Tip Protein of the Type 3 Secretion System in Chlamydia trachomatis.”

From Olathe 66062
Yvonne Nyakio Kamau, junior in biochemistry preparing to study medicine, daughter of Godfrey Kamau; Olathe North High School; IMSD; Russ Middaugh, Takeru and Aya Higuchi Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; “Analysis of the Temporal Expression of CT009 in Chlamydia trachomatis.”

From Spring Hill 66083 and Paola
Timothy Paul Day, senior in microbiology, son of Kenneth and Linda Day of Paola; Spring Hill High School; IMSD; Sunil David, assistant professor of medicinal chemistry; “Examination of Synergism between Membrane-active Alkylpolyamines and Conventional Antifungal Agents.”

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
From Leavenworth 66048 and Guthrie, Okla.
Hilary S. Kelly, junior in biochemistry and geology; Cherokee and Choctaw; Shawnee Mission West High School, Overland Park; IMSD; John Frederick Devlin, associate professor of geology; “Effect of Mixed Anions SO42, ClO4-) on Fe0 Reactivity.”

MIAMI COUNTY
From Paola 66071 and Spring Hill
Timothy Paul Day. See JOHNSON COUNTY

NEMAHA COUNTY
From Bern 66408
Karanda Jean Hildebrand, senior in biology, daughter of Kenneth and Karla Hildebrand; Bern High School; IMSD; Brian Ackley, assistant professor of molecular biosciences; “Mapping and Cloning of ju496, an Enhancer of nid-1 synaptic Morphology Defects.”

RILEY COUNTY
From Manhattan 66503 and Lawrence
Johnie J. Gallagher. See DOUGLAS COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67226
Eric U. Iheme, senior in human biology, son of Doug and Franca Iheme; Wichita High School Heights; IMSD; Joseph Steinmetz, University Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biosciences and Psychology; “Sequential Trace-Delay Eyeblink Conditioning Is Only Modestly Impaired by Early Ethanol Exposure in the Developing Rat.”

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66604
Katherine A. Waugh, senior in microbiology, daughter of C. West Jr. and Shirley Waugh; Chickasaw; Topeka West High School; IMSD; Audrey Lamb, assistant professor of molecular biosciences; “Further Structural Characterization of Drosophila melanogaster Thioredoxin Reductase, a Glutathione Reductase Family Member.”

From Topeka 66616
Richard Aaron Martinez, nondegree-seeking master’s student in educational psychology and research; son of Kirsten Martinez; Topeka High School; bachelor’s degree in psychology from KU, spring 2008; PREP; Omri Gillath, assistant professor of psychology; “Exploring Friendship Between Ex-romantic Partners.”

WOODSON COUNTY
From Yates Center 66783 and Lawrence
William Joe Rivie Gilbert. See DOUGLAS COUNTY

WYANDOTTE COUNTY
From Kansas City 66103
Ibari Jumoke Ezekwe, senior in psychology, daughter of of Emmanuel Ezekwe; J.C. Harmon High School; IMSD; Omri Gillath, assistant professor of psychology; “Understanding the Underlining Mechanism of Suppression: Daily Diary of Suppression.”

From Kansas City 66104
LeAndrea Renee Wilson, sophomore in human biology, daughter of LeAnn Suber; Sumner Academy of Arts and Science; IMSD; Jennifer Gleason, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology; “The Genetics of Female Mate Choice in Drosophila simulans and Drosophila sechellia.”

COLORADO
From Littleton 80127
Joanne Hoang, senior in biology, daughter of Doug Hoang; Dakota Ridge High School; IMSD; Robert Cohen, professor and chair of molecular biosciences; “Defining the Ends of the Drosophila Eggs.”

ILLINOIS
From Antioch 60002 and Lawrence, Kan.
Cierra Christin Martinez. See DOUGLAS COUNTY

MASSACHUSETTS
From Brockton 02301 and Lawrence, Kan.
Francois Herve Jean-Charles. See DOUGLAS COUNTY

MISSOURI
From Oak Grove 64075 and Lagos, Nigeria
Faith Ighoyivwi, senior in biology, daughter of Mercy Ighoyivwi; IMSD; Jennifer Gleason, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology; “The Genetics of Male Mate Choice in Drosophila simulans and D. sechellia.”

NEW MEXICO
From Fruitland 87416
Becky A. Begay, nondegree-seeking graduate student in biology; Navajo; bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Haskell; PREP; Helen Alexander, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology; “Effect of Mid Summer Haying on Early and Late Flowering Prairie Plants.”

OKLAHOMA
From Edmond 73012
Preston L. Alltizer, senior in microbiology, son of Richard Alltizer; Andover Central High School, Andover, Kan.; IMSD; Kristi Neufeld, assistant professor of molecular biosciences; “Response of APC to UV Irradiation In Cultured Cells.”

From Guthrie 73044 and Leavenworth, Kan.
Hilary S. Kelly. See LEAVENWORTH COUNTY

From Locust Grove 74352
Danny Rowland, senior in environmental science at Haskell, son of Jim and Geneva Rowland; Cherokee; Locust Grove High School; Bridge; Jerry deNoyelles, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and deputy director of Kansas Biological Survey; “Kansas Flood Modeling.”

From Vian 74962
William Henry Bennett, nondegree-seeking master’s student in engineering; Cherokee/Creek; bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Haskell; PREP; Susan Williams, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering; “Relating Feed Stock to Fuel Properties.”

RHODE ISLAND
From Manville 02838
Samusi Adediran, nondegree-seeking master’s student in microbiology; bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Rhode Island College; PREP; Sunil David, assistant professor of medicinal chemistry; “Synthetic Strategies Toward a More Water-Soluble and Less Toxic Amphotericin B Analogue.”

NIGERIA
From Lagos and Oak Grove, Mo.
Faith Ighoyivwi. See MISSOURI.

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