UD science undergraduates win recognition at research competition

3:05 p.m., Oct. 31, 2013--Nineteen undergraduate science students from the University of Delaware presented their research on Oct. 26 at the 16th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Chemical and Biological Sciences, a competition that drew nearly 200 students from 12 states.

UD students competed in 14 of the 34 groupings at the symposium, held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and received eight first-place and two second-place awards. 

Honors Stories

National Medal of Science

President Barack Obama recently presented the National Medal of Science to University of Delaware alumnus Rakesh Jain.

Warren Award

Rosalind Johnson, assistant dean for student success in the NUCLEUS Program in UD's College of Arts and Sciences, was presented the John Warren Excellence in Leadership and Service Award during a May 26 ceremony.

• Warren Award
• Athletic training accolades
• Outstanding student teachers
• Library recognition

The students' attendance at the symposium was sponsored by the University's Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Undergraduate Science Education Program.

“This continues a tradition of excellence established by UD students at this competition” over the past several years, said Hal White, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and director of the HHMI program at UD.

White and three other faculty members — David Usher, professor, and Carlton Cooper, assistant professor, both of biological sciences, and Jacqueline Fajardo, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry — accompanied the students.

First-place winners, their categories and faculty supervisors are:

Yuexing Cui, Chemical Sciences Group C, Andrew Teplyakov

Lauren Genova, Chemical Sciences T, Catherine Grimes

Fanta Kalle, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Z, Robert Akins Jr.

Thomas Keane, Chemical Sciences B, Joel Rosenthal

Douglas Kenny, Chemical Sciences D, Grimes

Benjamin Lefler, Chemical Sciences A, Rosenthal

Shaili Patel, Biological Sciences L, Salil Lachke

Seth Ritter, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology G, David Colby

Second-place awards went to:

Zachary Fox, Biological Sciences M, Abhyudai Singh

Brooke Palus, Biological Sciences Q, Erica Selva

Also presenting at the symposium:

Christine Dang, Biological Sciences HH, Lachke

Matthew Fischer, Biological Sciences HH, Selva

David Matera, Biological Sciences Q, Carlton Cooper

Ryan Meredith, Biological Sciences BB, Cooper

Melissa Morris, Chemical Sciences R, Mary Watson

Brittney Petel, Chemical Sciences E, Klaus Theopold

Ramya Sridharan, Biological Sciences M, Paul T. Fawcett

Anna Walter, Chemical Sciences A, Theopold

Kathie Wu, Biological Sciences HH, Patricia DeLeon

For more information and photos of UD students at the symposium, visit the website.

Photo courtesy of Hal White