College of Science & Technology Students Participate in WV Academy of Science

Fairmont State University students in the College of Science and Technology presented their research during the 90th Annual Meeting of the West Virginia Academy of Science was held at West Liberty University on April 11.

The following faculty mentors worked with students on research projects: Mark Flood, Donald Trisel, Steven Roof, Erica Harvey, Matthew Scanlon, Andreas Baur, Albert Magro, Phillip Yeager, Tony Morris and James Weekley.

Biology majors Devin Heitz, Kara McCullough, Lindsay Miller, Hallie Gunoe, Zach Ferguson and Sarah Metz gave oral presentations. In the general biology section, Amber Wooton won first place, Tim Pracht won second place and Emily Grant won third place. Tyler Murphy won first place in the math/miscellaneous section. In the ecology section, Elizabeth “Dannie” Arnold won first place, Shena Eye won second place and Ryan Houser won third place.

Forensic science majors Jennifer Clymer and Jackie Turner presented their research in poster form. Forensic science and chemistry double majors, Mitchell Haines and Brittany Aragon, presented posters. Chemistry majors Cayson Parker, Ashley Hoffmaster, Julia Oliveto, Andrew Philpott, science education major Danielle Grodi and biology major Jenni Perkins also presented posters. Sean Harwell, graduate student in education, also contributed research. Social science major Marquez Gibson gave an oral presentation, and biology major Andrew Leichliter presented a poster.

“Congratulations to our students who presented their research,” said Dr. Don Trisel, Dean of the College of Science and Technology. “Thanks to all of the faculty mentors who guided these students.”

Following are the research titles for the oral presentations:

• Sarah Metz, Zachary Ferguson, Steven Roof, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Determining the retention factor of ink to develop a laboratory to be used in an introductory non-science major’s class.
• Zachary Ferguson, Sarah Metz, Steven Roof, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Determining the retention factor of ink to develop a laboratory to be used in an introductory non-science major’s class.
• Lindsay Miller, Hallie Gunnoe and Donald Trisel, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Historical and current diabetes mellitus treatment using medicinal plants.
• Hallie Gunnoe, Lindsay Miller and Donald Trisel, Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Geoscience. The science and folklore of using medicinal plants to treat Diabetes Mellitus.
• Kara McCullough and Donald Trisel, Department of Biology. The science of medicinal plants used in treating fungal infections (Candida albicans) in humans.
• Amber Wooten and Mark Flood, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Determining the short and long term effects of 4-Methylcyclohexanol exposure on aquatic species.
• Timothy Pracht and Mark Flood, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Determining the impact of Marcellus well drilling on stream ecology in Randolph County, West Virginia.
• Tyler Murphy, Phillip Yeager and Mark Flood, Department of Biology. Determination of the effects of acid mine drainage remediation in the Three Fork Creek drainage.
• Elizabeth Arnold, Devin Heitz, Tyler Murphy, Phillip Yeager and Mark Flood, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Assessing the impact of Marcellus shale drilling on stream health using Daphnia magna and benthic macroinvertebrates.
• Shena Eye and Mark Flood, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Effects of prolonged exposure and short term exposure of different concentrations of bromoform on Daphnia magna.
• Devin Heitz, Dannie Arnold, Tyler Murphy, Phillip Yeager and Mark Flood, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Microbial testing of water quality near Marcellus shale drilling.
• Ryan Houser, Mark Flood and Tony Morris, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Determining the mutagenic effects of bromoform and its impact on the environment as a carcinogenic substance.
• Marquez Gibson, Andrew Leichliter, Alice Magro and Albert Magro, Department of Biology. Evolutionary basis for exaggerated anatomical proportions in artistic renditions of human form.
• Emily Grant and Steven Roof, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Osmosis investigations for elementary education majors.

The following are research titles for the poster presentations:

• Brittany Aragon, James Weekley and Matthew Scanlon, Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Geoscience. Gunshot residue (GSR) analysis using atomic absorption spectroscopy.
• Jennifer Clymer, Department of Forensic Science. Comparison of round nose and hollow point blood spatter analysis.
• Mitchell Haines and Andreas Baur, Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Geoscience. High performance liquid chromatography method development for the analysis of selected phenolic acids in plant extracts.
• Jackie Turner, Forensic Science Program. Analysis of GSR particles post firing and post laundering.
• Cayson Parker, Department of Chemistry; Martin Christ, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection; and Matthew Scanlon, Department of Chemistry. Diffusion of CO2, a novel method to analyze CO2 in acid mine drainage.
• Jenni Perkins, Julia Oliveto, Sean Harwell and Erica Harvey, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Solar Army, West Virginia Brigade: Beta-testing the Solar Hydrogen Activity Research Kit (SHArK) and new techniques for metal oxide distribution.
• Andrew Philpott, Ashley Hoffmaster, Danielle Grodi and Erica Harvey, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geoscience. Molecular dynamics simulations of detergent micelles.
• Andrew Leichliter, Marquez Gibson, Alice Magro and Albert Magro, Department of Biology. Temozolomide’s effectiveness upon the invasiveness of glioblastoma cells.

 

College of Science and TechnologyMark FloodDonald TriselSteven RoofErica HarveyMatthew ScanlonAndreas BaurAlbert MagroPhillip YeagerTony MorrisJames Weekley