Eleven Marshall University undergraduate students have been selected to receive the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) fellowship.
SURE is aimed at undergraduates who are interested in performing research. This program, which has been conducted at Marshall since 2005, is funded through the West Virginia Research Challenge Fund and administered by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, Division of Science and Research.
Dr. Michael Norton, professor of chemistry at MU and director of the program, said SURE will fund 11 research projects that have been selected for support by the SURE proposal evaluation committee.
“We want students to know how strongly Marshall supports undergraduate research,” Norton said. “This is the time when these young minds start utilizing their research skills in preparation for graduate school.”
The awardees, their projects and their research mentors are listed below:
- Aaron Holland, Optimization of Lipid Production in Chlorella Vulgaris via Glycerol Dosing, Dr. Derrick Kolling
- Amber Bryant, Effects of Genetic Manipulation of Na/K-ATPase Genes on Growth in Mice, Dr. Sandrine Pierre
- Amrita Valluri, Ex vivo expansion and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, Dr. James Day
- Austin Akers, Anti-metastatic Activity of Capsaicin in Lung Cancer, Dr. Piyali Dasgupta
- Benjamin Hughes, Facilitating the adoption of innovative techniques in ceiling drywall installation, Dr. Priya Dasgupta
- Grayce Behnke, Modification of the Surface of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Order to Increase Efficiency of Solar Cells, Dr. Rosalynn Quinones
- Hari Vishal Lankhani, A Positive Correlation between High levels of Inflammatory Markers and Angiotensin in Obese Appalachian Females, Dr. Komal Sodhi
- Jordan Martinez, Synthesis of (Penta-4-pyridinyl)cyclopentadiene toward Tricarbonyl(n5-(penta-4-pyridyl)cyclopentadienyl)chromium(I), Dr. Michael Castellani
- Mary Bunten, Effects of CoPP and pNaKtide on Uremic Cardiomyopathy as a Result of Renal Failure Initiated by 5/6 Partial Nephrectomy in Mice, Dr. Menashi Cohenford
- Nicholas Kegley, Identifying C-Mannosylated Proteins Involved in Inflammation, Dr. John Rakus
- Samantha Garretson, Modification of Nitinol Nanoparticles with Self-Assembled Monolayers, Dr. Rosalynn Quinones
Students will receive stipends totaling $4,000 each for their research for a period of 10 weeks uninterrupted by classes during the summer. The SURE program, now in its 11th year, will begin today – Monday, May 16, and end July 29.
The SURE program also has a web page with more information, including last year’s awardees and their projects. Visit www.marshall.edu/SURE.
Dr. Michael Norton can be contacted at Norton@marshall.edu.