The Department of Biology at East Stroudsburg University recently participated in three conferences allowing students to present research they\u2019ve completed during their studies at ESU.<\/p>\n
The Northeast Natural History Conference was held in Springfield, Mass. April 4-6. Five students and their faculty mentors presented research during the conference. Kelly Murman, a graduate student from Avoca, Pa., gave an oral presentation on A Dietary Analysis of Four Streamside Salamander Species in Eastern Pennsylvania. Audrey Sauter, a graduate student from Cincinnati, Ohio, gave an oral presentation on Health and Demographics of Chelonian Species Utilizing Herbicide-Treated Retention Ponds. Peter Kaires, a graduate student from Dingmans Ferry, Pa., presented a poster on Effects of Urbanization on Spring Ephemeral Phenology. Adrianna Kaplinski, a senior from Long Valley, N.J., presented a poster on Scientific Illustrations of Pennsylvania Treehoppers. Samuel Does, a January 2025 graduate from Pen Argyl, Pa., presented a poster on Camera vs. Live Traps: Comparing Methods for Small-Mammal Detection. Faculty mentors from the biology department included Emily Rollinson, Ph.D., associate professor and co-chair; Sandy Whidden, Ph.D., professor; Jennifer White, Ph.D., associate professor; Terry Master, Ph.D., professor emeritus; Thomas LaDuke, Ph.D., associate professor; and Matthew Wallace, Ph.D., professor and co-chair. Darlene Farris-LaBar, professor and chair of art + media + design, was also a mentor for Kaplinski.<\/p>\n
The56th Annual Meeting of the Commonwealth of PA University Biologists (CPUB) was held on the campus of Bloomsburg University on April 5.<\/p>\n
During the conference, Gianna Donahue, a senior from Nanticoke, Pa.; Grace Freda, a senior from Oak Ridge, N.J.; and Evan Simmons, a senior from Cresco, Pa.; presented Preliminary analysis reveals increased activity of oxidative stress enzymes post exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles in Daphnia magna.<\/em> Their project was developed from course-based research the students conducted in the Animal Physiology lab course. Nathan Schuessler, a senior from Rixford, Pa., presented Generation of CKL (cyclin-dependent kinase-like) mutant plants expressing a Pi biosensor via cross-pollinations. Their faculty mentors from the biology department were Tracy Whitford, Ph.D., assistant professor; Shiqi Zhang, Ph.D., assistant professor; and Bernardo Mesa Cruz, Ph.D., assistant professor.<\/p>\n During the conference, student awards were also given out. Schuessler received the 2025 Outstanding Student Award for ESU and 2nd<\/sup> place in Cellular and Molecular Biology platform presentations. Donahue, Freda, and Simmons earned 2nd<\/sup> place in Ecology, Evolution and Organismal poster presentations. Two students were awarded funding through the CPUB student research grant. Carter Gambill, a senior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., will research the Development of a Brachypodium-specific genetically encoded nitrate fluorescent biosensor for AM symbiosis research. Heidi Free, a graduate student from Washington, N.J., will conduct research on Characterization of lipidome profile to evaluate the hibernation and reproductive physiology of American black bears (Ursus americanus<\/em>).<\/p>\n During the 100th<\/sup>\u00a0Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, held in Harrisburg April 11-13, Nicholas Aiello, a junior from Hawley, Pa., presented a poster tilted Efficacy of Phage K on killing Staphylococcus aureus<\/em>\u00a0grown in biofilm” with Josh Loomis, Ph.D., associate professor of biology.<\/p>\n