Spring 2020
IBA, LSAMP and Science Alliance Newsletter
Save the Date
In this Issue Spring and Summer Graduates
2-5
IBA Summer Program June 8th - July 31st
News and Events Page
5-6
Seminars on Wednesdays 1:00-2:00pm (Central) via Zoom
Senior Capstone Project
7
Seminars and Conferences
8
About Us
9
2019-2020 has been a year of challenges. Although students were sent home in March due to the Coronavirus our students continued working on research remotely. We are so proud of the 44 IBA, LSAMP and Science Alliance students and what they have accomplished! Please check out what our graduating seniors will be up to this Fall.
June 10th June 17th June 24th July 1st July 8th July 15th July 22nd July 29th
Stay Connected
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Spring 2020 IBA and LSAMP Spring and Summer 2020 Graduates IBA and LSAMP have twelve students who are graduating either this Spring or Summer. We will miss this group of amazing students and can’t wait to see what they accomplish as they move through their education and careers!
Tartil Ali BA Psychology – Summer 2020 Mentor: Daniel Tranel, Department of Psychology Attending University of Iowa in the Fall to pursue Masters Degree in Science
I really didn’t know anyone when I first came to college, like most of us. IBA provided me with some of my closest friends. It’s been amazing just to get to know everyone in the program” – Camille Jaime
Vanessa Alizo BS Neuroscience – Spring 2020 Mentor: Ryan LaLumiere, Department of Psychological and Brain Science Starting PhD in Neuroscience at the University of California – Irvine this Summer Thank you to Kellie Nett (LaLumiere Lab) who is amazing and has been mentoring me throughout my time in the lab!
“The influence IBA has had in my career goes beyond what anyone could think. I am extremely thankful for all the skills I was able to learn through IBA, they have become the building blocks of my career as a researcher. I do not think I would not be going to the places I am if LSAMP and IBA had not been part of my life.” - Vanessa Alizo
Anamar Blanes Diaz BS Chemistry – Spring 2020 Mentor: Tori Forbes, Department of Chemistry Starting PhD Program for Chemistry at Georgetown University in the Fall
“For me coming to Iowa was a really, really big change. At times I thought I couldn't make it. I actually thought about coming back to Puerto Rico because I was like, this is too much for me, I'm not meant to be here. But then just all of the experiences and everyone supporting me it
made me stronger and it made me realize that I am capable of doing it and I am capable of getting into grad school.” – Anamar Blanes
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Spring 2020 IBA and LSAMP Spring and Summer 2020 Graduates
Tatiana Castillo BS Human Physiology – Summer 2020 Mentor: Dale Abel and Young Do Koo, Department of Internal Medicine Accepted an Internship at the Cluj School of Public Health in Romania this summer that was postponed due to Coronavirus. Applying for Medical School. I would like to thank Dr. Dale Abel, Dr. AJ Hinton, and my research mentor Dr. Young Do Koo for their support and guidance throughout the last three years.
“I have had amazing opportunity after amazing opportunity and so much of that is because of this program, is because of IBA. I have gotten so far and done so much and what I want to say is thank you, genuinely and from the bottom of my heart.” – Rikki Laser
Camille Jaime BS Microbiology – Spring 2020 Mentor: Ashutosh Mangalam, Department of Pathology, Immunology, Molecular Medicine Starting PhD in Immunology at Johns Hopkins in the Fall
“I think being at university and just
being in science, in the last four years I’ve learned a lot about understanding that I am where I am supposed to be. And that I can be sure that I am following something that I can be confident in. I it brings me peace to know that and it makes me excited for the future.” - Camille Jaime
Rikki Laser BS Neuroscience – Spring 2020 Mentor: Mark Blumberg, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Cassandra Coleman, James (Jimmy) Dooley and Greta Sokoloff Starting PhD in Psychology at Cornell University this Fall Special Thanks to: Lori Adams, Brinda Shetty, Bob Kirby, ICRU and Melinda Licht, ICRU
“Because of the amazing people that I have had a chance to work with. Greta, Mark and all of the people in the in lab that I work in, and all of my peers and Lori and Brinda you all have helped me realize that I am a competent person, and I have gained so much confidence and love for science and for other people and for outreach and teaching and research. This is what I am supposed to be doing and where I am meant to be doing it.” - Rikki Laser
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Spring 2020 IBA and LSAMP Spring and Summer 2020 Graduates
Margaret Mungai BS Biology/Neurobiology– Spring 2020 Mentor: Dale Abel, AJ Hinton and Renata Pereira - Department of Internal Medicine and Biochemistry Awarded Fulbright Research Grant in Biology 2020-2021 at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Dr. Antonio Zorzano’s Lab – Barcelona Spain After completing her Fulbright research plans on starting in a MD/PhD Program
Chi Chi Nwakama BSE Computer Science and Engineering – Spring 2020 Mentor: Thomas Casavant, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering Starting MSE in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Iowa in the Fall. Plans to start PhD program in the Fall 2021 “I am grateful for all my fellow seniors who are graduating. Knowing what they are doing with their lives, continuing on in higher education, some people they have a nice future path even in the time of the Coronavirus. We all have something bigger after this. We see a light at the end of the tunnel and I am grateful for that.” Chi Chi Nwakama
Ally Peroutka BSE, Chemical Engineering – Spring 2020 Mentor: Tori Forbes, Department of Chemistry Starting PhD program in Chemistry at Colorado School of Mines in the Fall
“I am relentlessly and
endlessly thankful for everyone here, because you have all supported me and helped me to become the person that I am.” - Rikki Laser
“Dr. Forbes helped foster an environment where we felt welcomed and supported by everyone, both professionally and personally. You helped us through our graduate school process and you supported us with our decisions and that means so much to us. Getting to learn from you was incredible and we will continue to use the advice that you have given us in the future and we will miss being in your group. – Ally Peroutka
Megan Powers BA Biology – BS Environmental Science – Spring 2020 Mentor: Gregory LeFevre, Civil and Environmental Engineering Starting PhD program in Biology at the University of Washington this Fall.
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Spring 2020 IBA and LSAMP Spring and Summer 2020 Graduates
Lynn Wang BS Psychology – Spring 2020 Mentor: Susan Lutgendorf, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences Starting MA Program in Mental Health and Counseling at University of Missouri – Kansas City, then plans on pursuing a Doctoral program in Counseling Psychology.
Jesse Weiss BSN, Nursing – Spring 2020 Mentors: Debra Brandt, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Mark Santillan and Dr. Donna Santilla Received the William and Elizabeth Pennigroth award for all-around superior achievement. Starting Nursing PhD Program at the University of Iowa in the Fall and accepted a Graduate Assistantship in the College of Nursing.
News and Events
IBA/LSAMP/SA Students - Research Labs will begin Ramp-Up Phase 2
Please check with your PI for more details for your specific lab and how it will impact you. Please note: the University is still encouraging students to continue working from home if it is possible. There will be a gradual and limited reopening of several research buildings, laboratories and support facilities. The tentative schedule: Friday, June 5: Van Allen Hall, Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratory, Seamans Center, College of Dentistry Monday, June 8: Chemistry, Communications Sciences and Disorders (in the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center), IIHR–Hydroscience & Engineering labs, Pharmacy (the College of Pharmacy Building and the Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Building) Wednesday, June 10: Biology and Biology East, and the Psychological and Brain Sciences Building Friday, June 12: Department of Health and Human Physiology (in the Field House), the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (including Trowbridge Hall and Halsey Hall), and the College of Nursing
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Spring 2020 News and Events
The IBA/LSAMP Summer Program - Monday, June 8th through Friday, July 31st We are excited to kick-off this summer’s program. All IBA, LSAMP and Science Alliance students are welcome to join our Wednesday Zoom Seminars, even if you can’t participate in research. Zoom Seminar - Each Wednesday from 1-2pm Attendance is required for students receiving IBA/LSAMP or Science Alliance pay for their research. Research Participants are expected to work 30-40 hours per week (40hr maximum) if available Students taking online summer courses – weekly max hours will be based on the number of credits you are enrolled in Payroll - Hourly for IBA and Science Alliance, Stipend for LSAMP IBA and SA students continue to enter hours in the payroll system (electronic timecard) ALL students will send an email with your hours and brief description of what you are working on to your lab supervisor • IBA and Science Alliance Students – copy laura-kowalski-bliss@uiowa.edu • LSAMP Students – copy chelsey-gates@uiowa.edu
Fall Recruitment We are looking for new students to join our programs this Fall. Pass the word along! IBA and Science Alliance – Underrepresented Minority or Disadvantaged students enrolled in a Bioscience Degree, interested in pursuing career in Research. GPA 3.0 IBA – Juniors/Science Alliance – Freshman and Sophomores See Website https://iba.biology.uiowa.edu for more details and online application LSAMP Underrepresented Minority students (African American, Alaskan Native, American Indian, Hispanic American, Native Hawaiians, Native Pacific Islanders enrolled in a STEM Degree. GPA 3.0 See Website https://ui-lsamp.sites.uiowa.edu for more details and online application
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Spring 2020 Senior Capstone Project Salma AshShareef For her Senior Capstone project Salma chose to describe her experiences as an undergraduate researcher through art. Each quadrant below depicts a year in college.
Freshman year through the research perspective. Organizations like UIBIO events offer opportunities to meet students and professors which open the door for possibilities of joining a lab. The small plant in the pot resembles a bud that will be growing and eventually bloom by the end of the painting. The books represent the knowledge the student has and its growth is shown by the size of the stack throughout the years.
This section portrays junior year, where the student works with their mentor(s) to collect data from their experiments thus far and begins a draft of the research paper they look plan to publish. The student makes graphs to make visual sense of their data, writes the abstract to explain the project and its purpose. They also write out the materials and methods used in the experiment as well as the its results and what they concluded from the results. They need to be able to communicate their work in a clear, concise manner that is organized nicely with the data in the paper. The flower and book stack increase in size, continuing the central theme of growth.
A lab bench shows a natural sciences wet lab with examples of model organisms and protocols. This depiction of a specific type of research lab setting illustrates the sophomore’s exploration into the world of science and whether or not they decide to change labs as they learn new techniques pertaining to their field. The flower on the books grows relative to the first square to portray the undergraduate’s growth from freshman to sophomore. The books represent the increase in the student’s knowledge as the book stack is taller. This develops the theme of growth that is carried out throughout the canvas and ties all the quadrants together.
In their final year, the undergraduate completes their research draft after rounds of editing before finally publishing their paper. They are also graduating at the end of the year, so they prepare for graduation. Here, the flower is portrayed in full bloom (with the thickest books underneath it relative to the previous sections). The cap and the diploma are a symbol of graduation as well as success in the undergraduate journey. The publication represents success in their research path. Both portray the result of hard work, perseverance, and dedication that was put in throughout the four years of undergraduate education and research involvement.
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Spring 2020 Seminars and Conferences For seminars specific to your areas of interests, please see: Biochemistry: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/biochemistry/news-events/seminars Biology: https://biology.uiowa.edu/about/seminars Biomedical Engineering: https://bme.engineering.uiowa.edu/events Carver College of Medicine: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/news Chemical and Biochemical Engineering: https://cbe.engineering.uiowa.edu/news Chemistry: https://chem.uiowa.edu/news/colloquium-seminar-schedule Computer Science: https://cs.uiowa.edu/resources/events Engineering: https://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/events Genetics: https://genetics.grad.uiowa.edu/weekly-announcements-updates Health and Human Physiology: https://clas.uiowa.edu/hhp/news-and-events Math: https://math.uiowa.edu/seminars Microbiology: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/microbiology/news-events/seminar-series Neuroscience: https://neuroscience.grad.uiowa.edu/seminar-series/about Nursing: http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/events Physics: https://physics.uiowa.edu/resources/upcoming-events Psychology: https://psychology.uiowa.edu/resources/events
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Spring 2020 About Us
Summer Birthdays 6/4 6/9 6/12 6/16 6/21 6/28
June Tori Forbes Mackenzie Curran Anamar Blanes Alessandra Dutra Yasmin Segura Madison Anae
7/5 7/6 7/13 7/13 7/14 7/23 7/29 7/30 7/30
July Adelisa Dedic Jesse Weiss Lynn Wang Michelle Krumm Yvette Hernandez-Vazquez Quinn Mattison Floyd Evans Mikayla Eppert Brinda Shetty
8/1 8/5 8/5 8/8
August Rikki Laser Camille Jaime Anna Ptacek Dustin Fykstra
IBA/LSAMP/Science Alliance Staff Lori Adams Co-PI and Director, Iowa Biosciences Academy Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of Biology lori-adams@uiowa.edu
Jeff Murray Co-PI, Iowa Biosciences Academy Professor, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics jeff-murray@uiowa.edu
Vincent G.J. Rodgers Co-Investigator, Instructor for Iowa Biosciences Academy Professor and Director of Graduate Studies vincent-rodgers@uiowa.edu
Brinda Shetty Associate Director, Iowa Biosciences Academy brinda-shetty@uiowa.edu
Chelsey Gates Graduate Research Assistant chelsey-gates@uiowa.edu Laura Kowalski-Bliss Administrative Services Coordinator laura-kowalski-bliss@uiowa.edu
Devon Dawson Graduate Research Assistant devon-dawson@uiowa.edu Iowa Biosciences Academy 169 Biology Building Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1324 Phone: 319-335-0964 iba@uiowa.edu
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