“Science on the Bayou” – the 2005 National HBCU Undergraduate Program Conference – attracted twentyTuskegee University science and engineering majors to give oral and poster presentations.  The conference was held Feb. 10-13 in New Orleans, LA.

 

Junior Biology major Venus Welch earned First Place for her Environmental Science Oral Presentation titled “Optimizing RNA Recovery for Laser Capture Microdissection of Syncytia  Feeding Site) from Soybean Cyst Nematode Infected Roots for Gene Profiling Study.”

 

“I’m just glad I had the opportunity to participate,” commented Venus.  “It was an enhancement to my professional endeavors.”

 

In addition to giving presentations, students viewed informational sessions on preparing for graduate school, attended motivational talks about minorities in science and engineering, and visited graduate school recruiting booths.

 

“Attending the HBCU-UP conference gave me the opportunity to present my summer research, as well as to see what type of research is being conducted at other institutions,” said junior Chemistry major Christopher James. “Attending this conference also allowed me to gain valuable information about graduate school and summer research programs.”

 

Senior Psychology major Jasmine Darrington presented a poster titled “Is The Religiosity Of African American Women Living In Alabama Associated Their Breast Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes & Screening Practices?” from work she was involved with over the summer at University of Alabama at Birmingham.

 

About the conference, Darrington said, “This was a wonderful experience to look back on, and great preparation for what’s to come.”

All the support for twenty students to attend the HBCU-UP conference was provided by the Tuskegee University HBCU-UP grant from the National Science Foundation.