E ight Georgia College & State University students—majoring in biology, chemistry, math and environmental sciences—expanded their horizons this summer at Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs).

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), REUs and International Research Experience for Students (IRES) provide Georgia College students the chance to professionally network while working on algebra and graph theory, synthesizing molecules, investigating fatty acid proteins, researching curves in geometric space and testing toxic soils in Zambia.

Chair of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy Dr. Sayo Fakayode said these summer experiences allow students to further their research at other institutions, enabling them to use facilities not available here.

Georgia College has a longstanding record of students being accepted for REUs, which are highly competitive. In recent years, about 30 students were chosen for these transformational experiences.

The high number is due to Georgia College’s focus on undergraduate research where students conduct original investigations as early as freshman year.

“This gives our students a competitive edge and the ability to make creative contributions early in their educational years,” said Dr. Donovan Domingue, professor of physics and astronomy.

Research is generally conducted at another university or online and lasts seven to 10 weeks. Students practice high standards of work ethics and research techniques, use state-of-the-art equipment and learn to take ownership of their work, often acquiring leadership skills and self-assurance.

“That our students are selected for these competitive REU experiences speaks very well for Georgia College, and for the way in which we are able to engender in our students a love of learning and a passion for exploration,” said Dr. Robert Blumenthal, chair of Mathematics.

                                                                                           Math

Two math majors accepted REUs this summer.

Senior Monica Lichtenwalner of Cumming, Georgia, did a virtual math REU with Virginia Commonwealth University, involving connections between graph theory and Lie Theory.

Lichtenwalner had never applied for anything like this and was happy to learn she got in. Investigating various ways to “construct a Lie algebra from a graph” intrigued her. The group’s goal was to simplify the study of complex Lie algebras.

“I definitely learned a lot throughout this experience,” Lichtenwalner said, “about the actual topic we were looking at and math research in general. The idea of mathematical research was somewhat intimidating beforehand, and this experience has made it a lot less so.”

Lichtenwalner plans to get a Ph.D. in math and pursue a career in academia. The REU confirmed her desire to get into research.

Sophomore Anna Marti of Loganville, Georgia, did her REU at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. The project, called “Incidence Geometry Over Finite Fields,” was developed specifically for first-year students who hadn’t done mathematical research before.

Marti felt prepared, because “even before I stepped on campus, GCSU provided unique one-on-one support from student mentors, faculty and professors. So I knew GCSU would be there to help me succeed.”

Her classes in geometry and linear algebra II last spring were especially helpful. She was already familiar with the terms, symbols and procedures.

Her group was tasked with finding bounds “on the proportion of curves in finite affine planes that are transverse-free.” To do this, they read published studies, analyzed different strategies, wrote computer code, drew diagrams, made guesses and collaborated with other groups to solve the problem. They hope to present their findings in January at the Joint Mathematics Meeting in San Francisco, California.

Marti wants to further her knowledge in math after graduation and conduct research for a career.

“Mathematics research can be very stop-and-start,” Marti said. “One minute you’re excitedly following a new path, and the next you’re banging your head against the wall in frustration. It’s important to pace yourself, record any and all ideas you have—even the stupid ones, and take breaks to walk around and rest your brain.”

                                                                                            Biology

Senior Sophia McNeill of Dacula, Georgia, is majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. Her REU was on molecular biology and genetics at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

McNeill chose to attend Georgia College specifically because of its “emphasis of diversifying the curriculum to broaden students’ experiences in the classroom” with high-impact practices like REUs.

Cornell’s REU was competitive. McNeill and her cohort of 11 were selected from more than 660 applicants. She credits Dr. Ellen France for taking an interest in her and preparing her for the rigors of research.

 “I knew I wanted to be a scientist,” McNeill said, “but I didn’t know the proper steps to get there. Dr. France really took me under her wing and saw potential in me.”

Her REU focused on “fatty acid transport proteins.” The team used techniques to bind and isolate a protein. They cloned the gene responsible for encoding the protein into a replicating plasmid, cultivated cells in a dish and took various other scientific steps.

Dr. Arnab Sengupta’s course on cloning and cell cultures prepared McNeill for this exploration. She was able to participate more confidently, too, because of France’s biology of cancer and cellular/molecular physiology class.

She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular biology, cell biology or chemical biology and do research in industry or a government organization like the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

                                                                                         Chemistry

Senior Nicole Snyder of Marietta, Georgia, is majoring in chemistry with a minor in dance. She came to Georgia College, where she knew she’d be “a name and not a number.”

Her REU was at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—another competitive program. Snyder was one of nine chosen in a pool of more than 200. She and her mentor worked to synthesize “a type of molecule called ‘PROTAC’” that could someday lead to a cure for cancer.

“I learned so much from this experience, both inside and outside the lab,” Snyder said. “I learned new lab techniques, how to operate new instruments and how a graduate lab works.”

“In addition, I learned being a chemist doesn’t always mean you’ll get the right answer,” she said. “It means you have the background knowledge and skill to make an educated guess and figure out how to move forward with your project. It means collaborating with those around you and knowing when to ask for help.”

Snyder was pleased she’d already been exposed to many REU instruments and procedures at Georgia College. This helped her produce four products for biological testing, instead of one.

Snyder plans to get a Ph.D. and become a chemistry professor. She feels confident of reaching this goal, thanks to the REU and her time at Georgia College.

“I have a clear picture of what my future academic path looks like,” she said. “The various volunteer opportunities that I’ve had at the GCSU Science Education Center helped me realize I thoroughly enjoy explaining different topics and working with students of all ages.”

                                                                                  Environmental Science

This was the second cohort of Georgia College students to go to Zambia on an NSF IRES grant. Four Georgia College environmental science majors accompanied Dr. Samuel Mutiti to mining towns that suffer from heavy-metal pollution.

They conducted research on phytoremediation, value addition to plants and carbon sequestration in an effort to cleanse soil of contaminants.

“This was a great group of students who rose above every challenge we faced and carried out the research with great professionalism and enthusiasm,” Mutiti said. “They were able to learn, adapt, collaborate, network and collect a lot of good data that we’re still analyzing.”

“I believe this experience has impacted their lives and will continue to have an impact on them, myself and the people in Zambia for many years to come,” he said.  

The students were seniors Shannon Northen and Wiley Bundy, first-year graduate student Tori Morgan and graduate assistant Ashley Clark. Working to find a sustainable solution to the problem, they analyzed soils and plant samples to determine heavy metal concentrations and hyperaccumulation potential. They assessed a plant’s ability to store soil carbon and tested methods for extracting heavy metals and energy from plant biomass.

Students also learned how to use scientific equipment like a resistivity meter for profiling and surveys. They attended the Zambia Water Forum Exhibition (ZAWAFE) international conference in Lusaka and volunteered to distribute clothing and shoes to local school children.

Their work will help improve the health of residents in polluted areas and provide alternative sources of energy for Zambians. Working in a different country and collaborating with other university faculty and students from the University of Zambia and Eden University was great experience too.

“The best takeaway from this trip for me was being submerged in a completely new culture,” Bundy said. “We talk about different cultures and we see things on the news and we learn a little in school, but there is nothing that compares to being completely in a different culture. Every part of it was amazing.”

The group also worked with government agencies, political leaders and community members in Zambia. This helped them become critical thinkers, problem solvers and global contributors, Mutiti said.

“This trip,” Morgan said, “has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.”