Awards Will Help A&S Students Pursue Research Projects

Eleven of the 21 students receiving 2013 Ohio University Student Enhancement Awards are studying College of Arts & Sciences majors or working with A&S faculty. The students received  funding for their original research, scholarship and creative work.

The Student Enhancement Awards are funded by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Creative Activity and administered by the Council for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity, which is appointed by Faculty Senate. Read the entire story in Compass.

“The search for new knowledge and understanding is at the heart of a liberal arts education, and we are proud to see our graduate and undergraduate students exploring the natural world as well as the social sciences through these awards,” says Dr. Robert Frank, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.

• Jason Bourke, a graduate student in biological sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences, received $5,392 for the project “Use of airflow dynamics to reconstruct nasal soft tissues and physiology in dinosaurs.” His adviser is Larry Witmer, biomedical sciences/Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Anne Dawson, a graduate student in psychology in the College of Arts & Sciences, received $6,000 for the project “Conflict in parent-teacher relationships: initial scale development.” Her adviser is Dr. Brian Wymbs, Assistant Professor of Psychology.
• Sam Drerup, a graduate student in environmental and plant biology in the College of Arts & Sciences, received $5,479 for the project “Using stable isotopes to evaluate stream remediation efforts.” His adviser is Dr. Morgan Vis, Professor of Environmental and Plant Biology.
• Amanda Dunson, an undergraduate student in biological sciences/Honors Tutorial College, received $6,000 for the project “Regulation of OmpA and its effect on Shigella virulence.” Her adviser is Erin Murphy, biomedical sciences/Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Emily Ellerbrock, an undergraduate student in biological sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences, received $5,932 for the project “Validation of the accuracy of mechanical response tissue analysis (MRTA) in cadaveric human arms.” Her adviser is Dr. Anne Loucks, Professor of Biological Sciences
• Vincent Farallo, a graduate student in biological sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences, received $6,000 for the project “Exploring below the undergrowth: The role of microhabitat in the evolutionary ecology of Plethodontid salamanders.” His adviser is Don Miles, Professor of Biological Sciences.
• Jen Kowalsky, a graduate student in psychology in the College of Arts & Sciences, received $5,628 for the project “Evaluation of a novel respiratory intervention for use with whole blood donors to attenuate syncopal symptoms.” Her adviser is Dr. Christopher France, Professor of Psychology.
• Ashley Morhardt, a graduate student in biological sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences, received $5,140 for the project “Brain reconstruction and evolution in dinosaurs and their modern-day relatives.” Her adviser is Larry Witmer, biomedical sciences/Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Yanrong Qian, a graduate student in chemistry and biochemistry in the College of Arts & Sciences and Edison Biotechnology Institute, received $5,993 for the project “Anticancer activities of new generation of novel glucose transport inhibitors.” Her adviser is Xiaozhuo Chen, biomedical sciences/Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine/Edison Biotechnology Institute.
• Ryan Felice, a graduate student in biological sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences, received $6,000 for the project “Taking bird evolution by the tail: Exploring the relationship between bird tail feathers and tail skeleton.” His adviser is Patrick O’Connor, biomedical sciences/Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Elizabeth Jensen, an undergraduate in biological sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences and Edison Biotechnology Institute, received $5,936 for the project “Understanding the effect of weight cycling on aging through cellular senescence.” Her adviser is Ed List/Edison Biotechnology Institute.