OSU students invited to present research at Montana conference

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

OSU scholars who will be attending the National Conference on Undergraduate Research at the University of Montana in Missoula this month are, front row, Alesia Hallmark, Chandler; Lauren White, Idabel; Lydia Meador, Broken Arrow; back row, Dalton Kelley, Carnegie; Ryan Jordan, Bartlesville; Morgan Kinsey, Stillwater; and Andrew Mock, Edmond.

Six Oklahoma State University students in the Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program and one student from nutritional sciences, have been invited to present their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research at the University of Montana in Missoula on April 15-17.

The conference is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study.

“This annual gathering welcomes up to 2,600 scholars and their faculty mentors from throughout the United States,” said Kay Porter, OSU program manager. “NCUR creates a unique environment for the celebration and promotion of undergraduate student achievement.”

OSU OK-LSAMP students who will attend are Andrew Mock, Edmond architectural engineering senior; Ryan Jordan, Bartlesville geology senior; Lydia Meador, Broken Arrow botany/biochemistry/molecular biology senior; Dalton Kelley, Carnegie mechanical engineering senior; Lauren White, Idabel environmental science junior; Alesia Hallmark, Chandler zoology and botany senior.

Also invited to present from OSU is student Morgan Kinsey, Stillwater nutritional sciences sophomore.

The OK-LSAMP program works with minority students in the STEM disciplines, science, technology, engineering and math, providing opportunities to interact with faculty and scientists, participate in research activities, present at national conferences and prepare for transition into graduate programs or the workforce.

The program is directed Dr. Gordon Emslie, Regents Professor of Physics, dean of the Graduate College, and associate vice president for research, and is a part of the Division of Institutional Diversity under the guidance of Interim Associate Vice President Jason Kirksey.

OSU’s OK-LSAMP scholars also recently attended the Women in Science Conference in Oklahoma City where they worked with young women in junior high and school who wanted to learn more about pursuing careers in the sciences. OSU’s EPSCoR office was a sponsor of the conference.

Eleven institutions in Oklahoma are part of the OK-LSAMP, and OSU is the lead institution for this $2.5 million National Science Foundation Grant that was awarded in 2009. This award begins the 16^th year Oklahoma has been a part of the LSAMP program.