NHS Student Research Fund Recipients

The College of Natural and Health Sciences (NHS) launched in spring 2006 a new UNC Foundation account entitled the NHS Student Research Fund, which is intended to support research and research-related travel by NHS students. The fund has been supported through generous donations by faculty, staff, and friends of the College, as well as proceeds generated by the NHS Student Research Celebration. This new Foundation account is still in the building stages; however, the College designated some funds in order to allow a funding competition in the current academic year. To make a donation to the Student Research Fund, please visit the UNC Foundation website at http://www.uncalumni.org/Foundation/.

We are pleased to announce that NHS Student Research Fund investments will be used to support purchase of software, equipment, reagents, and supplies, and to support student travel to present research results at three professional conferences.

The recipients of the NHS Student Research Fund for spring 2012 are:

School of Biological Sciences

Laura Heiker, graduate student – Project: Bat community composition in relation to habitat fragmentation in southwestern China and the southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado

Anthony Saviola, graduate student – Project: Snake Venom Disintergrins-Biological roles and anti-cancer effects

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Michael Mingroni, undergraduate student – Project: Synthesis of Acceptor Ligands for Donor-Chromophore-Acceptor Complexes

School of Earth Sciences and Physics

Travis Day, undergraduate student – Project: Liquid Crystal and Biophysical Applications Using Optical Tweezers

Miles Wentland, undergraduate student – Project: Architecture of oolitic sand bodies of the Upper Sundance Formation in the Big Horn Basin, Wyoming

School of Human Sciences

Kathleen Kinter, graduate student – Project: Traditional Conditioned Play Audiometry versus Visually Reinforced Operant Conditioning Audiometry

School of Mathematical Sciences

Rebecca-Anne Dibbs, graduate student – Project: Authority Dynamics in Mathematical Discussions

School of Sport and Exercise Science

Brent Peterson, graduate student – Project: The Effects of a Twelve Week Aerobic and Cognitive Training Intervention on Cognitive Function in Cancer Survivors

Colin Quinn, graduate student – Project: Evaluation of the Human Activity Profile for Use with Cancer Survivors

The next funding opportunity is Fall 2012.