4 minute read

Undergraduate Student Awards

GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD WINNERS

Outstanding Master’s Degree Student Award

The Outstanding Master’s Degree Student Award recognizes a student who has distinguished themselves in all aspects of graduate performance.

Katherine F. Jarvis

Katherine Jarvis came to UMaine to meld her fascination with biochemistry and mathematics.

With the guidance of her advisors, Assistant Professor Joshua Kelley at the Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences and Associate Professor Andre Khalil at the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Jarvis uses her interdisciplinary mastery of pipettes and programming to study how cells communicate using computational modeling.

When the COVID-19 pandemic upended her first year study, Jarvis readily turned her efforts to developing an epidemiological model to help schools open safely. A paper she first-authored from that research is currently under review with the journal Scientific Reports, and is already ranked among the top 5 percent of all research articles scored by Altmetric.

Jarvis applied her experience with the COVID-19 project to a new model of receptor signaling where each protein is considered individually. The approach is already showing promise and a publication about the research is in development. After she graduates with a M.S. in Biochemistry, Jarvis plans to continue to harness the power of data science and visualization to advance biochemistry research. n

Jean A. and David A. Webb Outstanding Professional Master’s Degree Student Award

The Jean A. and David A. Webb Professional Master’s Degree Student Award recognizes a student enrolled in one of the college’s professional graduate programs who has a distinguished record of service.

Abby Frutchey

Abby Frutchey came to the University of Maine to develop her ability to shape substance use response efforts in her community and across Maine.

As Substance Use Response Coordinator for the Community Caring Collaborative, she works collaboratively to advance efforts for those impacted by substance use disorders. Frutchey balances the demands of this full-time role with the Master’s of Social Work program, which, in addition to coursework, requires more than 900 service hours with community agencies.

She also continued her tireless commitment to advocating on behalf of people faced with and recovering from substance use disorders. Her masterful written and verbal communication skills earned her an invitation to Washington, D.C. There, she shared her experience as a social worker and treatment court graduate with the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the U.S. Surgeon General and the Senior Counselor to the President of the United States.

After graduation, Frutchey plans to pursue her Licensed Master Social Worker- Conditional Clinical license and advance her work in substance use response in Washington County. n

GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD WINNERS

George F. Dow Graduate Scholarship Award

The George F. Dow Graduate Scholarship recognizes a graduate student associated with the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station with outstanding academic and research performance.

SuriyaPrakaash LakshmiBalasubramaniam

SuriyaPrakaash LakshmiBalasubramaniam seeks solutions to the plastic food packaging that is polluting our planet and bodies.

With his advisor, Denise Skonberg, professor of food science and human nutrition, LakshmiBalasubramaniam is developing a biodegradable, renewable food packaging film made from refined forest products called cellulose nanofibrils. A barrier to adopting these films is that moisture, either from food or the environment, degrades its strength.

LakshmiBalasubramaniam evaluates how different compounds from fatty acids to antioxidants affect cellulose nanofibrils and the films he would like to see replace plastic packaging. He also evaluates how the films may extend the shelflife of foods by inhibiting microbial activity or applying antioxidants to slow decay. A paper he first-authored from the research was published in Food Packaging and Shelf Life, and he has two more in development.

After he graduates with a Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition Sciences, LakshmiBalasubramaniam plans to establish a food science company that benefits the wellbeing of life on our planet. n

George F. Dow Graduate Scholarship Award

The George F. Dow Graduate Scholarship recognizes a graduate student associated with the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station with outstanding academic and research performance.

Wenjing Sun

Wenjing Sun works to help the environment by developing biodegradable products from renewable resources.

With the guidance of her advisor Mehdi Tajvidi, associate professor of renewable nanomaterials, Sun conducts research at the intersection of material science, biology and chemistry to harness the powerful bonding capability of natural fungi to produce environmentally-friendly composites. Her findings advance the design of novel materials for packaging, construction, microfluidics and other biotechnology and nanotechnology applications.

Sun’s first peer-reviewed paper established that a hybrid system of cellulose nanomaterials and fungal mycelium can be an effective binder for composite materials. In subsequent papers, Sun delved into the functionality of mycelium surfaces for wood bonding and discovered new methods to enhance or manipulate its hydrophobic properties. She has three additional manuscripts in development and has presented her findings at several scientific conferences.

After she graduates with a Ph.D. in Forest Resources, Sun plans to continue seeking new applications for mycelium and wood-derived bioproducts. n

This article is from: