WSU Honors College Students Participants in Three Undergraduate Research Events; Eight Land Awards

PULLMAN, Wash.— Washington State University Honors College students made up large percentages of the participants in three separate research events this spring.  Seven Honors students earned awards at one event.

Honors students accounted for 50 percent of undergraduates participating in the university-sponsored WSU Academic Showcase annual poster event March 26.  They made up 62.5 percent of participants of the oral presenters at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, hosted by Undergraduate Research office of the University College.  And, they accounted for 26 percent of students in the Science and Engineering Poster Competition, held by the colleges of Science; Engineering and Architecture; and Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences; both of these events were on March 29.

“We are very proud of the Honors students who participate in mentored research at WSU, and that so many of them make time in their busy schedules to disseminate their results and findings at public events such as these,” says Libby Walker, dean of the Honors College.

Only the Symposium and the Poster Competition feature judging and awards.  Recipients of Symposium awards will be honored April 13 at the University College awards ceremony.

Seven students received awards at the Poster Competition.  By category, those students, their project titles, and their faculty mentor/coauthor(s) are:

Center for Reproductive Biology Award

Meghan Munter, “Cell Mechanisms Regulating Oocyte Quality and Reproductive Success Following Estrus Synchronization in Ewes,” Derek McLean

Travis Kent, “The development of BDADs as oral male contraceptives,” Michael Griswold

Physical Sciences and Engineering Category

Sarah Miley (1st Place), “Optimization of Nd(III) Pre-Concentration on a Rotating Disk Mercury Film electrode in Aqueous Solution,” Sue Clark

Kyle Welch (2nd Place), “Theory of electromechanical critical points and phase transitions in ionic networks and solutions,” Fred Gittes

Kaori Graybeal (3rd Place), “Atomic Force Microscopy for the Characterization of Cells and Biological Materials,” Nehal Abu-Lail

Biological Sciences Category

Nichole Owen (1st Place), “Weakening the Ties that Bind: Does Heterozygosity for Meiotic Cohesins Contribute to Chromosome Abnormalities,” Terry Hassold

Gianne Souza (2nd Place), “Immobilized CpG DNA Assay to Determine DNA Access at the Cell Surface by Chimeric Toll-Like Receptor,” Gregory Barton

Four students received awards at the Oral Synposium.  Those students, their project titles, and their faculty mentor/coauthor(s) are:

Crimson Award ($500)

Kara Mowery, “Setting Out for the West: Mary Richardson Walker, Women, and Place in the Nineteenth Century American Missionary Movement,” Jennifer Thigpen

Gray Award ($250)

Leah Jordan, “Posture and Trumpet Playing: How Body Alignment Affects Musicians,” David Turnbull

Gianne Souza, “Immobilized CpG DNA Assay to Determine DNA Access at the Cell Surface by Chimeric Toll-Like Receptor,” Gregory Barton


CONTACT: Beverly Makhani, Communications Director, Honors College, 509-335-6679, makhani@wsu.edu
Libby Walker, Dean, Honors College, 509-335-4505, walkerl@wsu.edu