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Congratulations to Senior Summer Scholars

Campus Announces Senior Summer Scholars Awards for 2005
Kudos to Anika Colopy and Sean Bartlinski

So, you're quietly exploring a forest in New Guinea when you chance upon an odd structure - a 'bower', a strategic element in the courtship of Ptilonorhynchidae, or bowerbirds. Sitting there is a female waiting to 'select' a mate. What are her criteria? How consistent is she from year to year? Those questions prompted Anika Colopy, senior ANSC-PreVet (with a double major in Philosophy) to write her proposal on "Male Choice Decisions and Prior Experience in Female Satin Bowerbirds" and enter the 2005 Senior Summer Scholars competition. For her project, Anika will work in Dr. Gerald Borgia's lab (in Biology) and review years of videos taken in the field of the mating rituals of these birds. She will look for clues suggesting the characteristics each identified female seems to use to make the selection of a mate (and if you'd like to learn a bit more about bowerbirds, check out Dr. Borgia's Page).

Meanwhile, another ANSC major, Sean Bartlinski, became interested in factors that affect cell differentiation in in-vitro production of embryos. Specifically, Sean wondered about the chance of transcripted strands of anti-sense DNA interfering with subsequent translation of mRNA. "Validation of siRNA in Bovine Pre-implantation Embryos" is the title of the project that will look at small interfering RNA (siRNA) in an in-vitro system. Sean will work with Dr. Carole Keefer (ANSC) for the summer on this project.

Both of these students are high-achievers in the academic arena, and both opted to put their ideas before a panel of scholars to determine if they were worthy of the honor that goes with a campus Senior Summer Scholar award, not to mention the financial support it provides. Of numerous projects proposed, these two stood the test and are AGNR's newest entries into the roster of Senior Summer Scholars.

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources extends sincere congratulations to both of these fine students and to the faculty who are providing such a rich, mentored experience for them.

Senior Summer Scholars is a competitive program currently operated under the auspices of the Maryland Center for Undergraduate Research [visit MCUR]. The program recognizes academic excellence and worthy scholarly projects. About 25 awards are made from the over 100 applicants each year. There is a stipend provided for the summer and awardees will present their work at the following year's Undergraduate Research Day. Projects often cross college boundaries and the possibilities are limited only by the imagination of applicant. For information related to this year's competitive process check out Senior Summer Scholars. And, start thinking now about what YOUR project might be for the competition next Spring!

For more information, contact Elizabeth Weiss

Last updated: 03/20/2008