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Each year, student
researchers from Tennessee Board of Regents institutions are
invited to present their findings in poster format to state
legislators in Nashville as part of “Posters at the State
Capitol Day.” This year, East Tennessee State University
sent six outstanding undergraduates to explain their work in
the fields of biology, physics, adult nursing, biochemistry,
and literature.
Each undergraduate student had
conducted an independent and original research project under
the direction of a faculty mentor. Their work was conducted
at sites including the ETSU main campus, the ETSU James H.
Quillen College of Medicine, the James H. Quillen Veterans
Affairs Medical Center, Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina, and
a research institute in Hawaii. After obtaining their
bachelor’s degrees, two of the students will enter medical
school, one will attend optometry school, another will
become a nurse, and two will go on to graduate studies.
Dr. Foster Levy, Director of
Undergraduate Research within ETSU’s Honor College, notes,
“The ETSU undergraduate researchers demonstrate a level of
accomplishment and professionalism that will allow them to
become out region’s future leaders, teachers, scientists and
health professionals.”
Although
ETSU’s undergraduate research program is administered by the
Honors College, funding is available for all ETSU
undergraduates. Grants provide support for projects and for
travel to professional meetings.
The students and the topics of their
research are:
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Courtney Blevins of Bristol, an English major,
demonstrated ways the Dominican novelist, Jean Rhys,
highlighted the suppression of Dominican culture in
favor of the strong British rule and influence.
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Tanya Cox, a nursing major from Kingsport, investigated
how healthcare professionals tend not to retain the
principles of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation despite
required refresher training, and she advocated more
frequent re-certification training.
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Sabrina Hurlock, a physics major studying astronomy, is
from Kingsport. She has been analyzing data to learn
about the characteristics and intensities of solar
storms that occurring in space. Some of her research was
conducted in Hawaii.
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Haley Klimecki, a biochemistry major from Hixson,
conducted her research at ETSU’s James H. Quillen
College of Medicine. She is studying an enzyme in white
blood cells that helps the natural immune system in
humans, but poorly regulated production of the enzyme
can cause disease.
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Laura Lusk of Burnsville, N.C. and a biology major,
studied the balsam woolly adelgid disease of Fraser fir
trees on Mt. Mitchell.
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Whitney Trotter of Johnson City is a biology major whose
work has shown how and when the skeletal system of
snakes incorporates calcium to harden bones.
For further information, contact Levy
at (423) 439-6926 or
levyf@etsu.edu.
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