Science Poster Day allows students to showcase research

By Joy McMasters

Daily Bruin Staff

Thousands of hours of research drew to a conclusion Monday as
about 100 undergraduates displayed their work at the third annual
Science Poster Day.

The participating students have worked on research in either the
life or physical sciences for at least the past year, and discussed
their research with onlookers throughout the afternoon without
knowing who the judges were.

“Any chance I get to talk about my project I enjoy,”
said microbiology and molecular genetics student Dianna Maar. The
graduating senior was recognized with one of nine Dean’s
Prizes for her poster titled “Ribosomal Decoding at the P
site.”

Maar researched the largely unknown mechanism of mRNA
translation in the ribosome and said her findings can be used in
creating the new antibiotics, which will be necessary to fight
emerging strains of bacteria resistant to current antibiotics.

She spent a year on her research and 20 to 30 hours planning her
poster, but Maar does not yet have any plans for her prize
money.

“I haven’t really even thought about it,” Maar
said. “I’m so pleasantly surprised.”

According to College of Letters and Science Vice Provost Judith
Smith, many of the students have spent two or more years working in
campus labs and this has increased the quality of their work.

“One of the things all of us have been impressed about is
the quality of the abstracts and posters,” Smith said.
“Each of the judges commented to me about how difficult the
decision was.”

Award presenters commended the professional quality of the
posters, most of which had been designed with computers and printed
in full color.

Johnson Hua, another Dean’s Prize winner, became
interested in how blood vessels work a few years ago after his
grandmother suffered from a stroke. He then learned about this
research project while volunteering the emergency room with Dr.
William Mower, his research adviser.

Working with Mower, Hua used computer models and engineering
software to look at the amount of stress created when pressure is
applied to aortas of different sizes and shapes.

Hua called the prize a good reward for the work he plans to
publish soon.

“It’s a good encouragement to continue working and
look for new discoveries,” Hua.

After reviewing students’ self-statements, abstracts and
posters, and talking with the students about their work, the
anonymous judges selected nine Dean’s Prize winners.

Hua said if students knew who the judges were they might try to
impress them, inhibiting the presentation of their projects.

“It was a lot better because it allowed students to be
themselves,” said Hua, a third-year biochemistry student who
wants to be a cardiologist.

In recognition of their work, the winners received a framed
certificate and a $500 prize from the offices of the provosts and
deans of the College of Letters & Science and the School of
Medicine, and the office of the vice chancellor for research.

Two other winners, Gilmer Youn and Petros Giannikopoulos are
students within the chemistry and biochemistry department.

Participants also came from a number of departments, and other
winners were neuroscience student Jeremy Cholfin, physiological
science students Carey Ng and Amir Kazerouninia, and psychology
student Panteha Abdollahi.

Smith called all of the students honorees, though there was only
enough prize money for nine winners.

“Perhaps next year we can get even more money and award
even more Dean’s Prizes,” Smith said, glancing over to
the deans.