Planting a SEED for science research

A handful of local high school students are getting the opportunity to research alongside Calvin professors this summer. The program is called Project SEED, and it offers paid research opportunities to students who wouldn't typically have those opportunities.

See full story: http://www.calvin.edu/news/archive/learning-lab-techniques-through-project-seed

Chemistry professor and SEED administrator Mark Muyskens said that the program is intended to foster a love of research in students before they attend college.

"It gets a whole new group of students involved with research at Calvin. We hope the experience motivates these young people to consider a career in science," said Muyskens.

High school students will be spending the next eight weeks in Calvin's DeVries Hall. Each student is paired on research projects with a Calvin professor:

Justin Mason, 16, from City High School, will work on splice variants in Zebrafish with chemistry professor Eric Arnoys.

Fabiola Enriquez, 17, also from City High, will work on the impact of bacterial infections on fetal membranes with biology professor Amy Wilstermann.

Ashlee Alexander, 17, from Ottawa Hills High School, will work on noncovalent interactions with chemistry professor Chad Tatko.

Matt Igo, 17, from Hudsonville High School, will research tyrosine and systine crosslinks with chemistry and biochemistry professor David Benson.

Nieca Flikweert, 18, a recent graduate of the Potter's House who will attend Calvin this fall, is researching DNA quadriplexes with Kumar Sinniah.

The students are finishing up a one-and-a-half week course in basic lab techniques and will begin their summer research projects on Thursday, June 23.

The American Chemical Society and the Integrated Science Research Institute sponsor the SEED program.

For more info, contact Muyskens at 616-526-6269.

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Received on Wed Jun 22 13:21:31 2011