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09.01.05 From left, Dr. Stefanie Baker, Brandon Brown and April Clayton. Erskine science students devote summer to research At least 18 Erskine College students have spent the summer break engaged in scientific research, some working with Erskine faculty mentors and some with professors at other institutions. Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Stefanie Baker said rising senior Brandon Brown, a biology major, and April Clayton, a rising sophomore double majoring in biology and chemistry, have worked with her on the Erskine campus, in collaboration with Dr. Lesly Temesvari and a group at Clemson University. "We received a grant from SCICU (South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities) in order to conduct the research," Brown said. Baker said the project, involving the study of molecules that regulate cell adhesion, "may offer insight into the progression of cancer," since cell adhesion plays a role in metastasis. Rising sophomore Lee Day and rising junior Caleb McMahan have been studying Eastern box turtles under the direction of Professor of Biology Dr. Mary Lang Edwards. "The research is being funded by a grant from SCICU," Edwards said. "We are trying to determine whether relocation of box turtles from one site to another is a viable conservation strategy." Another biology major, rising senior Julie Jefferson, has been working at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine under Dr. Wayne Carver, Edwards reports. Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Nora Espinoza said rising junior Stephanie Cirilo and rising sophomore Steven Hill, both biology majors, have been working with her on "Limb Bone Strain in Jumping Frogs" in the Department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University. They have been conducting research in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Blob. Working at the Medical College of Georgia this summer in the STAR (Student Training and Research) program were rising junior Andrea Clarke, a biology major, and rising senior Renee Bozard, a chemistry major. Professor of Chemistry Dr. Howard Thomas reports that several other chemistry majors have been busy with research this summer. Rising sophomore Zach Davis has been working on campus with Dr. Chrystal Bruce on DNA recognition and computer modeling; and rising junior Jong-In Lee has been working on a project related to drug synthesis with Dr. Rachel Smith, also on campus. Rising junior Jenny Blakely has been working with Thomas on the campus of Furman University as part of the FURP (Furman Undergraduate Research Program). "Using a gas chromatograph instrument, we examined the reactions between various gases and a solid graphite surface," Blakely said. "It was a good learning experience, and I learned a lot of techniques and problem-solving skills." Three more chemistry majors are doing off-campus research: rising senior Jennifer Boyd has been at the University of Pittsburgh; rising senior Susanna Downing has been at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston; and rising junior Patrick Martin has been at Clemson University. Two physics majors, rising junior Kristine Malson and rising senior Robert Blackmon, have been involved in research this summer. Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Rich Schelp said Malson, who is looking at a problem in physics that she will probably continue studying next summer, "has been building up her background in quantum field theory." Blackmon has been working less formally on a project to take digital photos of the moon over a period of months in order to examine characteristics of the moon's orbit. Rising senior Zach Barnett, also a physics major, reports he has been working on a neutrino physics project at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., and at Fermi National Lab in Batavia, Ill.
Lee Day attaches a transmitter to a turtle.
Caleb McMahan |
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