Wood frogs top undergraduate research competition

Submitted by Jenn Wagaman
Phone: (907) 474-5082
04/16/07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

University of Alaska Fairbanks biology student Don Larson took top honors last week at the UAF Undergraduate Research Symposium with his project "Parasite Overwintering Strategies in Intermediate Hosts."?

Larson’s project investigated the effects of overwintering and freezing in Alaska wood frogs on the survival ability of their parasites. His work reflected the depth of research being conducted by undergraduate students on the UAF campus.

Larson was one of 10 top UAF undergraduate researchers who competed at the April 11 symposium, where students presented their research to a panel of judges. The five-minute presentations reflected the culmination of each of the students’ work, accomplished with the help of a competitive $2500 research grant co-sponsored by the UAF Center for Research Services and Flint Hills Resources.

"This was a tough competition,"? said Buck Sharpton, UAF’s vice-chancellor for research. "We were very impressed with the work that each of the 10 grant recipients accomplished."?

Prizes of monetary credit for UAF campus books, tuition or fees were awarded to the top three students in the competition. The winners included:

First place: Don Larson, Institute of Arctic Biology mentor Brian Barnes. Project: "Parasite Overwintering Strategies in Intermediate Hosts."?

Second place: Danielle Mondloch, Institute of Arctic Biology mentor Jonathan Runstadler. Project: "Prevalence and Diversity of Avian Influenza Virus in Alaska Migratory Bird Ponds."

Third place: Matthew Dillon, Institute of Northern Engineering mentor Daniel Fortier. Project: "Microtomography Scanning of Frozen Soil- a Laboratory Methodology"?

CONTACT: Jenn Wagaman, UAF Center for Research Services outreach coordinator, at (907) 474-5082 or jenn@alaska.edu.