Some Ferris State University students have been granted fellowships to spend their
summer gaining valuable research experience.
The university’s Student Research Fellowship program supports intensive full-time research projects between faculty and students during the 10-week summer semester. The fellowships offer students a focused research experience and prepare them for additional opportunities in their chosen field, said Karen Strasser, director of Academic Research and Grants.
“The program is intended to increase on-campus summer research, contribute to the professional development of faculty and provide Ferris students with another mechanism to gain research experience,” Strasser said.
Since it began in 2011, students from several disciplines offered at Ferris have researched
a wide range of topics, from architectural theories to racial tolerance to sunlight’s
role in melanoma. Lauren Clements, a Biotechnology major from Alto, was granted another
fellowship to continue her cancer research efforts in Biology professor James Hoerter’s undergraduate research lab.
Student Research Fellows for the Summer 2013 semester are:
- Melanie Ronquillo of Waterford, Graphic Design major: “Empathy in Design Research” with faculty mentor
Peter Zakrzewski, assistant professor of Graphic Design (College of Business)
- Daniel Tiesman, of Grand Rapids, Doctor of Pharmacy major: “Develop a Bariatric In Vitro Dissolution
Method” with Kim Hancock, professor of Pharmaceutics (College of Pharmacy)
- Scott Kollmeyer, of Tustin, Doctor of Pharmacy major: “Determination of Estriol Concentration in
Various Non-Pharmaceutical Preparations of Topical Estrogen Cream” with faculty mentors
Stephen Lee, associate professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Kim Hancock, professor
of Pharmaceutics (College of Pharmacy)
- Trevor Fosso, of Pennock, Minn., Doctor of Optometry major: “Investigation of the Common Factors
that Contribute to Multifocal Contact Lens Success” with Amy Dinardo, assistant professor
of Optometry (Michigan College of Optometry)
- Tyler Felty, of Cedar Springs, Psychology major: “Menerva in Etruscan Art: Warrior-hood, Motherhood,
and the Role of Women in Ancient Tuscany” with Rachel Foulk, assistant professor of
Art History and Humanities (College of Arts, Sciences and Education)
- Lauren Clements, of Alto, Biotechnology major: “Autofluorescent Melanocyte Damage Probe Test” with
James Hoerter, professor of Biology (College of Arts, Sciences and Education)
- Ashley Wachowicz, of Brant, Biology major: “The Effect of UVB on UVA-Damaged Regenerated Adult Melanocytes”
with James Hoerter, professor of Biological Sciences (College of Arts, Sciences and
Education)
- Spencer Crittenden, of Rockford, Biotechnology major: “The Effect of Yeast Available Nitrogen (YAN)
Level on Fermentation and End Product Characteristics in Wine and Beer” with Mark
Thomson, associate professor of Chemistry (College of Arts, Sciences and Education)
- Shaughna Langerak, of Howard City, Biotechnology/Environmental Biology major: “TGF-B Signaling Mediated
Aging Process in Adult Fruit Flies” with Changqui Zhu, associate professor of Biology
(College of Arts, Sciences and Education)
- Catherine Plischke, of Grosse Ile, Pre-Med/Forensic Biology major: “The Effect of Spinal Cord Injury
on Learning and Memory: Enhancement with Exercise” with Mary Zimmer, associate professor
of Biology (College of Arts, Sciences and Education)
- Nathan Richmond, of Big Rapids, Technical and Professional Communication major: “Assessments of Content Quality: Comparing Typed and Voice-to-Text Technologies” with Paul Zube, assistant professor (College of Arts, Sciences and Education)
Students will present results of their work to the Ferris community during the SRF Summer Symposium at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21 in Room 120 of the Interdisciplinary Resource Center.
Applications for the Summer 2014 semester will be available in early September. Applications are collaborative: Faculty members submit the application along with a statement from the student. A committee of faculty and administrators selects the recipients in what has become an increasingly competitive process.
For additional information on the Student Research Fellowship program, visit here or contact Strasser at (231) 591-3856 or [email protected].