FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 26, 2007
For More Information: Annette Barnette
Public Relations & Marketing Director
Glenville State College
(304) 462-4115
Glenville State College Student Scientist Gina Cottrill traveled to the West Virginia Academy of Sciences recently with a purpose. She planned to win the Academyâs prestigious undergraduate presentation award during the competition held at Marshall University in Huntington. Cottrill, a Glenville junior majoring in chemistry and biology, knew her research based on a summer of work with the WV-INBRE program, was solid. She knew she had the presentation experience: she had given a full seminar at Glenville State College in October and had been first runner-up at the state academy meetings in 2006. This year she wanted to win, and she did! Cottrill wowed judges with her poise, articulation and fifteen minutes of great biochemistry. Her talk, Immune Response to Polysaccharide Conjugates Following Exposure to an Endocrine Disrupter, Propanil, won the best undergraduate presentation award, the only award presented to any undergraduate speaker.
Cottrill was in good company at the WV Academy meetings. Nine Glenville State College students and five faculty members attended the meetings. Fellow GSC students Brenton Drake and Sarah Ramezan presented a poster of chemistry research conducted in Dr. Kevin Evanâs organic chemistry lab. Dustin Wagoner, Beth Gregory and Jeremy Connolly presented early results of on-going DNA research from Dr. Amanda Stewartâs genetics lab. Michael Cunningham poster explained the fuel wood potential of an invasive tree. Representing Dr. Castleâs entire botany class, Krista Duncan and Betsy Riffle, stood by a poster and explained risks of over-harvesting plants to scientists from across the state.
GSCâs large 2007 delegation to the state academy meetings (second in size only to Marshall) reflects Glenville State Collegeâs increasing commitment to undergraduate research in the sciences. With GSCâs $3.7 million grant from NASA to expand research, state-of-the-art equipment and new research initiatives, expect to see more from Glenville State College Sciences, not just at the 2008 WV Academy of Sciences meetings, but in the field, in the lab, and in the classrooms across the Mountain State.
