State Discovered USC Aiken Researchers

Aiken, SC (05/30/2018) — During the annual Discover USC event in Columbia, 45 University of South Carolina Aiken students participated, many bringing home awards.

"Our students were wonderful and did such a great job," said Dr. Chad Leverette, director of sponsored research at USC Aiken.

"Kudos to all our students and faculty who participated. You represented USC Aiken so well."

Undergraduate researchers throughout the USC system participated in the day of discovery. Discover USC gives students a chance to share their scholarly work with peers from all over the state.

The list of Pacers selected for awards included:

Morning Oral Presentation

Social Sciences and STEM

First Place

Homologous recombination repair facilitates replicative transposition of the mPing element from rice

Lisette Payero, senior, biology major

Dr. Nathan Hancock, Department of Biology and Geology

Second Place-Tie

Nest monitoring of American wood storks via remote cameras

Michaela Day, senior, biology major

Dr. Kristina Ramstad, Department of Biology and Geology

Morning Poster Presentation

Biology and Biomedical Sciences A

First Place

The effect of HDAC inhibition on tbx5a and tbx5b expression in zebrafish

Alec Jones, Biology, senior, chemistry minor

Dr. April DeLaurier, Department of Biology and Geology

Afternoon Poster Presentation

Biology and Biomedical Sciences E

First Place

Using siRNAs to downregulate HIV-1 Tat expression and decrease viral production in siRNA-protected T lymphocyte populations

Christian Fay, senior, biology major

Dr. William Jackson, Department of Biology and Geology

Afternoon Poster Presentation

Biology and Biomedical Sciences F

First Place

Analyzing a Tol2-Based activation tag construct in zebrafish and yeast

Allison Swiecki, junior, biology major

Dr. C. Nathan Hancock, Department of Biology and Geology

Dr. April DeLaurier, Department of Biology and Geology

Second Place

Improving the Transposition Efficiency of the Harbinger3n_Dr Transposable Element

Sarah Zamiela, junior, biology major with a Spanish minor

Dr. C. Nathan Hancock, Department of Biology and Geology

Dr. Clint Page, Department of Biology and Geology

Afternoon Poster Presentation

Biology and Biomedical Sciences G

First Place-Tie

Analysis of F2 Activation Tagging Wheat Lines

Amanda Askins, junior, biology major

Dr. C. Nathan Hancock, Department of Biology and Geology

First Place-Tie

Comparison of a prototype remote monitoring system with conventional video observations for rat drinking behavior

Heather Nall, senior, psychology major with a biology minor

Dr. Derek Zelmer, Department of Biology and Geology

Dr. Michelle Vieyra, Department of Biology and Geology

Afternoon Poster Presentation

Biology and Biomedical Sciences H

First Place

Investigating the mPing Transposition Complex Through Overexpression of ORF1 and Transposase Proteins

Reese King, sophomore, biology major

Dr. C. Nathan Hancock, Department of Biology and Geology

Afternoon Poster Presentation

Biology and Environmental Sciences D

First Place

Assessing genetic population structure of American wood storks

Austin Herbert, junior, biology major

Dr. Kristina Ramstad, Department of Biology and Geology

Dr. Natalia Bayona, University of Georgia

Dr. Stacey Lance, Savannah River Ecology Lab

Afternoon Poster Presentation

Chemistry, Physics, and Math C

Second Place

An LC/MS Assay for the Quantification of Analytes in the DAD-Catalyzed Reaction

Catherine Cave, senior, chemistry major

Dr. Kenneth Roberts, Department of Chemistry and Physics

Afternoon Poster Presentation

Psychology and Neuroscience H

Second Place

Effects of facial expression and coloration on electrodermal activity

Gabrielle Gray, junior, psychology major

Sarah Przywara, junior, psychology major

Collytte Cederstrom, junior, psychology major

Dr. Adam Pazda, Department of Psychology

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