Biology Students in the News
Florencia Rago speaks at two symposia.
Aug 21, 2009
Florencia Rago (BMB '10) has been on the "lecture circuit" this summer by being selected to speak about her work at two national meetings. First, as a second-year Beckman Scholar, she was chosen to give a talk at the 11th Annual Beckman Scholars Symposium sponsored by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. This was held in Irvine California from July 23-26, 2009. Florencia was chosen as one of six student speakers from among all the Beckman Scholars from across the country. Her talk highlighted her discovery of conformational changes in enzymes that respond specifically to binding of different molecules at the active site. She made this discovery working in the laboratory of Professor Dean Tolan (Biology), where she has worked since finishing her freshman year. Second, she was selected as one of five undergraduates from across the country to speak at the 23rd Symposium of the Protein Society, which was recently held in Boston (July 24-29, 2009) with over a thousand participants. This society, of which she is a member, is a leading international society devoted to furthering research in all aspects of the study of proteins. Her selection as a speaker in the Undergraduate Student Research Session reflects her accomplishments and the importance of her work in the field of protein science and enzymology.
Justin Touchon awarded Best Student Paper
Jul 31, 2009
Recent Ph.D. recipient, Dr. Justin Touchon, was recently awarded the Stoye Award for the Best Student Paper in Ecology and Ethology at the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists meeting in Portland, OR. His talk was entitled "Reproductive mode plasticity in the treefrog Dendropsophus ebraccatus." Justin studied with Prof. Karen Warkentin and received his Ph.D. in May 2009.
Justin Touchon, 2009 Belamarich Recipient
Jun 15, 2009
The Belamarich Award Committee is very pleased to announce the recipient of the 2009 Belamarich Award for Outstanding Work at the Doctoral Level: Justin Touchon.
Justin’s doctoral dissertation, “Developmental Ecology and Reproductive Mode Plasticity of a Neotropical Treefrog: Interacting Abiotic and Biotic Environmental Effects Over Three Life Stages,” was completed with Dr. Karen Warketin and defended this past April.
Since both Justin and Karen are presently continuing their field work in Panama, we plan an award ceremony some time in early fall.
Graduate student, Katie Stryjewsk, wins Dean's Award
Apr 03, 2009
Ecology, Behavior and Evolution graduate student, Katie Stryjewski, has won the 2009 CAS Dean's Award at Science and Engineering Day for her work in Dr. Mike Sorenson's lab.
Graduate Student Josh Doloff receives the Provost's Award
Apr 03, 2009
MCBB graduate student, Josh Doloff, received the 2009 Provost's Award at Science and Engineering Day for his work in Prof. David Waxman's lab.
Joel Buytkins awarded Dana Wright Scholarship
Jan 13, 2009
Joel Buytkins (PhD student in the Atema Lab) was awarded the Dana Wright scholarship in Summer 2008.
Louise Allen receives Outstanding Oral Presentation Award
Nov 13, 2008
Ph.D. candidate, Louise Allen, was the recipient of the Outstanding Oral Presentation Award (sponsored by Titley Electronics) on October 25th, 2008. This award was presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the North American Bat Society, held in Scranton PA. Her presentation was entitled, "Living Under the Bridge: A Comparison of Stress Levels and Health Status in Bridge- and Cave-Roosting Brazilian Free-tailed Bats (Tadarida brasiliensis)."
Adam Reitzel wins 2008 Belamarich Award
Nov 12, 2008
Adam Reitzel has won the 2008 Belamarich Award for Outstanding Doctoral Work for his dissertation, "Population genetics and life history evolution in the sea anemone family Edwardsiidae." A reception in his honor will be held Friday, November 14 at 4 PM in the Belamarich Seminar Room, BRB 113, 5 Cummington Street.
Jessica Rogge's research highlighted in JEB and on multiple websites
Nov 06, 2008
Boston University undergraduate Jessica Rogge is receiving a lot of attention these days. The research that she conducted with associate professor Karen Warkentin, has not only been featured on the cover the Journal of Experimental Biology, but it has also been picked up by numerous online science websites, such as Science Daily, Red Orbit, and e! Science News. While working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's laboratories in Gamboa, Panama, they discovered that frog embryos at a very early developmental stage actively respond to conditions in their egg, behaviorally positioning themselves to improve oxygen uptake. This early response of embryos to their environment may be critical for normal development.
Reitzel earns 2008 Belamarich Award
Jul 08, 2008
The Belamarich Award Committee is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2008 Belamarich Award for outstanding doctoral work in the Department of Biology. The 2008 Award goes to: Adam M. Reitzel, PH.D. whose doctoral dissertation, Population genetics and life history evolution in the sea anemone family Edwardsidae was completed with John Finnerty. Let us offer Adam our congratulations for a truly exceptional body of work. A date for the presentation of the 2008 Award will be announced shortly.
Touchon & Dr. Warkentin published in PNAS
Jun 23, 2008
Biology graduate student Justin Touchon and Associate Professor Karen Warkentin recently published an article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showing that a Central American treefrog lays both aquatic and terrestrial eggs, and chooses where to lay its eggs based on the threat of egg desiccation. This is the first vertebrate known to lay eggs both in water and on land, and may offer insight into the evolution of reproduction on land.
Their research was also featured in a BU Today article.
Meegaskumbura won the 2007 Frank A. Belamarich Award
Oct 26, 2007
The 28th annual presentation of the Frank A. Belamarich Award for outstanding doctoral work in the Department of Biology was held on October 26th . The recipient of the 2007 Award is: Dr. Madhava Meegaskumbura whose dissertation focused on the "molecular systematics, evolution, and ecology of Sri Lankan shrub frogs." Madhava conducted his research under the tutelage of Chris Schneider, principally in Sri Lanka.
Undergraduate Student Awards
- Hillary Braverman and Amanda Iveson, Laura Vincent Awards for the most original research in the Boston University Marine Program semester (Fall 2008).
- Dionne Fan Peacher, Senior College Prize for Excellence in Biology, Trustee Scholar
- Jessica Erin Chapuis, Senior Book Award
- Timothy Jeffrey Chu and Carrie Sheffield Soltanoff, Recognition of Academic Excellence
- Shannon Grace McCook, CAS/GRS Alumni Association Award for Writing Excellence in Natural Sciences, Frances Bacon Award
- Victoria Saccoccio, Harold C. Case Scholar
Graduate Student Awards
- Katie Stryjewski has won the 2009 CAS Dean's Award at Science and Engineering Day for her work in Dr. Mike Sorenson's lab.
- Josh Doloff received the 2009 Provost's Award at Science and Engineering Day for his work in Prof. David Waxman's lab.
- Kari Ryder Wilkie's research blog, The Ant Room was featured as a finalist in BU Today's Show Us Your Blogs contest.
- Joshua Doloff, 2007 recipient of Boston University's Office of Technology Development Award on Science and Engineering Day.
- Nicolás Pírez, the Don Tucker Memorial Award for poster presentation, "The effect of sniff frequency on presynaptic inhibition of receptor input to the olfactory bulb," at the 2007 AChemS meeting.
- Dr. Madhava Meegaskumbura is the recipient of the 2007 Frank A. Belamarich Award
- Daniel T. Starcyznowski is the recipient of the 2006 Frank A. Belamarich Award
- Jasmine Yang, East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute fellowship
- Madhava Meegaskumbura, Presidential Award from the Sri Lankan government for research
- Kevin Njabo, World Science Forum Essay Contest Winner presented in Budapest, November 2005
- Vikki Rodgers, NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant
- Minita Gupta, I. Alden Macchi Award for Excellence in Endocrinology and Regulatory Biology
- Jie Ma, Wetterhahn Best Student Poster Award, Annual New England Membrane Enzyme Meeting
- Ken Adams, President’s Award Poster at Boston University Science Day
- Kari Ryder Wilke, Boston University Women’s Guild Book Award
Grad Students
Tracy Pritchett works with Dr. Kim McCall reseacrching the process of cell death and the role of cell signalling. Dr. McCall is in the graduate Cell and Molecular Biology program.
Jeff DaCosta works with Dr. Michael Sorenson in the area of avian ecology and behavior. Dr. Sorenson is in the graduate Ecology, Behavior, & Evolution program.
Katie Kovitvongsa is interested in the bioacoustics of fish and works with Dr. Phil Lobel. She is a part of the graduate Marine Biology program.
Heather Yu has been studying the role of serotonin in the vocal behavior of Xenopus laevis (the African Clawed Frog). She is a part of the graduate Neurobiology program.