2020 Summer Symposium Winners

Winner:  Functional and Genetic Analysis of an Esterase Gene Involved in Synthesis of Ergot Alkaloids. Kelcie N. Britton, Chey R. Steen, Jessi K. Sampson, and Daniel G. Panaccione. (Kelcie, an Immunology and Medical Microbiology major at WVU from Morgantown, WV, is a  2020 Beckman Scholar.)

Biological Sciences Category (8 poster presentations)

Winner:  Studying the Structure-Function Relationship of the Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Nicholas Walker and Blake Mertz. (Nicholas, a Biology major at WVU from Charleston, WV, was a participant in the  WVU SURE program.)

Engineering Category (8 poster presentations)

Winner:  Capturing Images of Fingerprints Using Smartphone Cameras. Markel Umphrey and Jeremy Dawson. (Markel, a Biometric Systems Engineering major at WVU from Wilmington, DE, was a participant in the SURE program and was funded via an  NSF LSAMP STEM Pathways and Research Alliance Phase III grant.)

Health Sciences Category (5 poster presentations)

Winner:  Aberrant Cortical Networks for Multi-Sensory Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Michelle M. Coleman, Paula J. Webster and James W. Lewis. (Michelle, and Exercise Physiology and Psychology double major at WVU from Symrna, DE, was a participant in the WVU SURE program.)

Math & Physical Sciences Category (7 poster presentations)

Winner:  Equations on the Effects of Anti-CTLA-4 Antibodies on Tumor Growth. Heidi Reichert and Qing Wang. (Heidi, a Mathematics major from Shepherd University, was supported in research by the West Virginia IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence.)

Winner:  Adolescent Girls’ Political Efficacy: Changes Across Time. Melanie R. Quick and Aaron Metzger. (Melanie, a Psychology major at WVU from Flemington, NJ, was a participant in the WVU SURE program.)