NCC SciNews

Beckham is 2009 Outstanding Major

Allison Beckham was named the Outstanding Biology Major for 2009. Allison has been a Merck/AAAS Research Fellow, has presented her research at NCUR and at the Rall Symposium, and has been a preceptor and lab assistant for many courses. In addition, recognizing her college-wide accomplishments with CUAB, Cardinals in Action and other organizations, Allison was named 2009's Outstanding Senior Woman. Allison will be pursuing an MD degree at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine starting in Fall 2009, and she plans to incorporate her love of service into her medical career.

Outstanding Biochemistry Major

Amber Cibrario, shown here presenting research on protein repair at the Rall Symposium, was named the Outstanding Biochemistry Major for 2009. Amber was a Merck/AAAS Research Fellow for two years and presented her research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research as well as at North Central's Rall Symposium. Amber plans a career in medicine.

Tobias visits North Central

Sheila Tobias, author of several books on undergraduate science education, recently spoke at North Central, giving presentations to the education and science faculty, the Gender and Women's Studies program and a public presentation. Ms Tobias discussed women in science, how to reach a broader audience in mathematics and science and a new initiative to develop master's degree programs in Professional Science.

Harrington Receives ASM Fellowship

Sean Harrington, a junior majoring in Biochemistry, was awarded a summer research fellowship in the American Society for Microbiology's Undergraduate Research Fellowship program. Sean will be studying the role of the protein-repair enzyme PCM in repairing protein damage in E. coli, working with Dr. Jon Visick in the Biology department. The ASM URF program supports research in the laboratory of an ASM member and provides a $4000 stipend for 10 weeks of summer research as well as travel expenses to attend the 2010 ASM General Meeting in San Diego.

Albright honored with Goldwater Scholarship

Emily Albright, a junior majoring in Biochemistry, has won the 2009 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. This highly competitive national award provides $7,500 for tuition and is the highest national undergraduate award for achievement in the natural sciences. Emily was awarded an honorable mention in last year's competition.

Emily also competed successfully for a spot in the summer research program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she will be doing research on DNA repair this summer in the laboratory of Dr. Graham Walker. She plans to go to graduate school in Fall 2010 to earn a PhD and prepare for a career in biomedical research.

2005 Biochemistry graduate Zach Pratt, now a PhD student at the University of Wisconsin, was a previous recipient of the Goldwater award.

2009 Rall Symposium

The 2009 Rall Symposium for Undergraduate Research showcased the research of North Central College students across campus, including many science majors.

The symposium was part of the annual Honors Day events. Keynote speaker Dr. Gil Stein from the University of Chicago spoke on the Urbanization of Mesopotamia.

Shown here is Dorothy Tran, one of the many biology and biochemistry students who presented their research in oral presentation or poster sessions. Dorothy did her research on transposons and their rates of transposition in plants as part of a summer program at Michigan State University.