Asbury Students Present Research at National Conference

April 12, 2018

Asbury University’s Science & Health Department not only offers students incredible learning experiences within the classroom but also gives them hands-on opportunities that develop them as researchers and scientists in the real world. Last week, Department Chair Dr. Vins Sutlive took three Asbury students to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research at the University of Central Oklahoma.

The following Science & Health Department students presented research:

Andrea Dunlap ’18 (Oral Presentation): ‘Characterization of the Wnt Signaling Pathway in Calcific Aortic Valve Disease.’ [Dr. Malinda Stull, Faculty Mentor].
Bryce Forry ‘19 (Poster): ‘Determination of Ochratoxin A in Kentucky Black Walnuts’ [Dr. Bruce Branan, Faculty Mentor]
Emma Wittekind ’18 (Poster) ‘Impact of Nicotine on the Distribution of Cytokines in Each Trimester of Pregnancy.’ [Dr. Malinda Stull, Faculty Mentor]

“I was impressed by the quality of the research from all the participants at the conference,” Sutlive said. “It was exciting to see Andrea, Emma and Bryce presenting their research right alongside students from larger, well-known institutions. Each of them attracted a lot of interest from peers and faculty at other universities. That was great to see.”

These outstanding students presented at the conference with over 4,000 faculty, students and mentors from across the country in attendance April 4-7. The annual conference draws groups from large R-1 universities as well as smaller, private institutions like Asbury, giving students the chance to present with the best and the brightest in undergraduate research.

During the fall semester, interested students worked with their faculty advisors to submit their research proposals to the NCUR for review and were notified they had been selected to present in February.

This is the second year in a row that Asbury has participated in the conference. In 2017, students Mary Eastham ’17, Ronald Sams ’17, Thomas Otley ’17 and Nicholas Kulaga ’19 presented on a variety of research subjects at the University of Memphis.

Learn more about Asbury’s Department of Science & Health.