Expo exposes students to graduate research, the UAB way
Posted Jul 29 2011 4:17pm
Standing next to his research poster, UAB biophysics major Kuni Scissum appeared anxious. The 20-year-old Huntsville native was waiting for a judge to take a look at his presentation, which represented months of hard work studying a binding that helps with bone formation.
Scissum was on one of 61 students who participated in the 2011 Summer Research Expo at UAB. Undergraduate researchers from 12 states and 20 institutions, including UAB, displayed their projects as part of the expo on July 28 in the UAB Recreation Center .
Students came to UAB in May and were partnered with mentors in their field of study. They got a firsthand experience of what it would be like to be graduate students, working in labs and as part of research teams. Their final projects included everything from gene expression in breast cancer cells to differences in computer and Internet usage among the elderly to research on coronary stents.
“It’s fun to see their enthusiasm on the work they have done,” says Jeff Engler, Ph.D., associate dean for UAB Academic Affairs.
Nathaniel Wolanyk, a 21-year-old rising senior from Illinois Wesleyan University , said he was “mind-boggled” by the research and extensive materials available at UAB. He got to work with diamonds during his research of the superconductivity of iron-selenium compounds at high pressures.
“I walk away from this experience more confident in myself and have a larger appreciation of research,” said Wolanyk, who now plans to attend graduate school at UAB.
Yogesh Vohra, director of UAB's graduate program in physics, walked around the Expo like a proud dad.
“It brings out the best in UAB,” he said. “If you walk around this room it is truly interdisciplinary.”
Standing next to his research poster, UAB biophysics major Kuni Scissum appeared anxious. The 20-year-old Huntsville native was waiting for a judge to take a look at his presentation, which represented months of hard work studying a binding that helps with bone formation.
Scissum was on one of 61 students who participated in the 2011 Summer Research Expo at UAB. Undergraduate researchers from 12 states and 20 institutions, including UAB, displayed their projects as part of the expo on July 28 in the UAB Recreation Center .
Students came to UAB in May and were partnered with mentors in their field of study. They got a firsthand experience of what it would be like to be graduate students, working in labs and as part of research teams. Their final projects included everything from gene expression in breast cancer cells to differences in computer and Internet usage among the elderly to research on coronary stents.
“It’s fun to see their enthusiasm on the work they have done,” says Jeff Engler, Ph.D., associate dean for UAB Academic Affairs.
Nathaniel Wolanyk, a 21-year-old rising senior from Illinois Wesleyan University , said he was “mind-boggled” by the research and extensive materials available at UAB. He got to work with diamonds during his research of the superconductivity of iron-selenium compounds at high pressures.
“I walk away from this experience more confident in myself and have a larger appreciation of research,” said Wolanyk, who now plans to attend graduate school at UAB.
Yogesh Vohra, director of UAB's graduate program in physics, walked around the Expo like a proud dad.
“It brings out the best in UAB,” he said. “If you walk around this room it is truly interdisciplinary.”