OK EPSCoR Summer 2011 ROA and REU Award Recipients Announced

Four Oklahoma regional university faculty members and eleven undergraduate students from across the state have been selected to participate in the Oklahoma EPSCoR Summer 2011 Research Opportunity Award (ROA) program and the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.  The fifteen award recipients and their lab sponsors will perform bioenergy research during the collaborative summer programs.

The EPSCoR ROA program offers regional university faculty members from primarily undergraduate institutions the opportunity to perform summer research in laboratories at comprehensive research campuses in Oklahoma. ROAs enhance regional faculty members’ personal research experiences, while also supporting the development of ongoing collaborations with faculty at the comprehensive research campuses.  These collaborations expand and enhance Oklahoma’s research efforts across the state.

Summer 2011 ROA Recipients:

• Research Title
  The Development of Catalytic Ionic Liquids for the Effective Processing of Cellulosic Biomass
  Regional Faculty Member
  Jude Abia, Northeastern State University
  Lab Sponsor
  Ruya R. Ozer, University of Tulsa

• Research Title
  The Sequencing of a Transferable, Photosynthetic Endosymbiont
  Regional Faculty Member
  Stephen Fields, East Central University
  Lab Sponsor
  Tyrrell Conway, University of Oklahoma

• Research Title
  The Development of Potent Au-Pt Nanoparticle Catalyst for the Selective Hydrogenation of Acrolein to Allyl Alcohol: A Density Functional Theory Study
  Regional Faculty Member
  Doug Linder, Southwestern Okla. State University
  Lab Sponsor
  Alberto Striolo, University of Oklahoma

• Research Title
  The Study of Virus Type and Biomass Correlation in Panicum virgatum
  Regional Faculty Member
  Julieanna Rohde, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
  Lab Sponsor
  Ulrich Melcher, Oklahoma State University

The EPSCoR REU program strengthens and encourages undergraduate students' early participation in the university and scientific communities.  Students experience hands-on STEM research and one-on-one guidance from faculty mentors at Oklahoma’s comprehensive research institutions through the program.

Summer 2011 REU Recipients:

• Research Title
  Analysis of a Rice Cell Wall Cross-Linking Mutant for Improved Biomass Quality
  Student Researcher
  Meagan Anderson, Oklahoma City Community College
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Laura Bartley, University of Oklahoma

• Research Title
  Utilization of Soft Drink Wast for Production of Ethanol
  Student Researcher
  Sydney Herlocker, Oklahoma State University
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Danielle Bellmer & Hasan Atiyeh, Oklahoma State University

• Research Title
  Determination of Energy Contents from Stored Oklahoa Biomass
  Student Researcher
  Morgan Garrison, Oklahoma State University
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Michael Buser & Anthony Megel, Oklahoma State University

• Research Title
  Isolation of Growth-Stimulating Compounds from a Dinoflagellate
  Student Researcher
  Brent Biddy, East Central University
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Stephen Fields, East Central University

• Research Title
  Scale-Down Design and Testing of H2S Scrubber for Fuel Cell Biogas Pretreament
  Student Researcher
  Kylea Boyd, Oklahoma State University
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Scott Frazier & Ajay Kumar, Oklahoma State University

• Research Title
  Proof of Princple:  Heterogenization of Metal Complex Catalysts for the Catalytic Deoxydehydration of Biomass-Derived Polyols to Hydrocarbons
  Student Researcher
  Alana Denning, University of Oklahoma
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Friederike Jentoft & Ken Nicholas, University of Oklahoma

• Research Title
  Study of Soot Structure and Size in Biofuel Oxy-Flames
  Student Researcher
  Tyler Nguyen, University of Oklahoma
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Wilson Merchan-Merchan, University of Oklahoma

• Research Title
  Exploring the Celluloytic Capabilities of Bacteria from Novel Phyla Found within the Norman Landfill Research Site
  Student Researcher
  Aaron Tyler, University of Oklahoma
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Bradley Stevenson, University of Oklahoma

• Research Title
  Metabolics and Genome Wide Association Mapping for the Elucidation of Triterpene Saponin Molecular Biochemistry in Medicago
  Student Researcher
  Amanda Jantz, Cameron University
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Lloyd Sumner, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

• Research Title
  Enhance Biomass Yield of Trangenic Switchgrass
  Student Researcher
  Jennifer Wolf, Oklahoma State University
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Zeng Yu Wang, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation

• Research Title
  Understanding Plant-Soil-Microbial Processes to Enhance Soil Carbon Sequestration in High Diversity Bioenergy Feedstock Production
  Student Researcher
  Stephanie Grischkowsky, Oklahoma State University
  Faculty Mentor & Lab Site
  Gail Wilson, Oklahoma State University