Pictured: STEM Researchers and Mentors: (L to R) Dr. Drew Murphy, Audrey Ordonez, Xenia Esparza, Michelle Mejia, and Dr. Chris McAllister (not pictured Estefani Garcia).
More than 130 individuals attended the fall STEM Lunch and Learn which featured student research presentations. Audrey Ordo帽ez, Xenia Esparza, and Michelle Mejia presented to a standing-room-only audience in the Whatley Foyer on November 6. Audrey presented her research on Salmon DNA Organic Semiconductors. Participating in the Research Experience for Undergraduates program (REU), Audrey worked over 10 weeks this past summer at East Texas A&M University with Dr. Heungman Park in the Physics Department. The REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation and is intended to provide research opportunities for undergraduate students from smaller universities and community colleges where they may not have access to such research. East Texas A&M runs REU programs in Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy every summer, and 91快活林 has a long-running history of students doing summer research in these programs. Dr. Drew Murphy, 91快活林 Professor of Chemistry, served as Audrey鈥檚 mentor.
Xenia Esparza presented findings in her presentation titled 鈥淪ome Noteworthy Parasites of Fishes from the Lower Ouachita River Watershed, Arkansas.鈥 Afterward, Michelle Mejia presented her research titled 鈥淪ome Parasites of the Northern Cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus (Reptilia: Ophidia) from Western Arkansas.鈥 Both of these students are conducting their research, with Estefani Garcia, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Academic Cooperative course taught by Dr. McAllister at 91快活林 who serves as their mentor. These students traveled to Arkansas to collect specimens, many of which are novel and never before described in this area.
Due to travel commitments with the 91快活林 Honors Program, Estefani Garcia was unable to present her research at the STEM Lunch and Learn. On Estefani鈥檚 behalf, Dr. McAllister presented her research titled 鈥淎 Myxosporean Parasite from the Gills of Bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus(Centrarchidae) from Polk County, Arkansas.鈥 Estefani presented her research at the weekly meeting of the STEM Club.
