NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Leah Jackson (jacksonl@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

4/1/2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University student researchers and their instructors participated in the Best Student Paper (Oral Presentations) competition during the annual meeting of the Louisiana Academy of Sciences. Three of the students who participated are graduate students and three are undergraduates.

Anna Westergard of Glenmora placed third in the competition. The session included six individuals selected from more than 20 abstracts submitted. Westergard's topic was "Divalent Cation Control of Flagellar Motility in African Trypanosomes." Michelle Foley of Coushatta attended as co-author. Angela Rivers Ezernack of Zwolle gave a presentation on "Flagellar Dynamics and cell motility in African Trypanosomes." Robert Stewart of Jennings attended as co-author.

Mark Doolittle of Natchitoches, who graduated from NSU in 2002, worked in the lab for a year before beginning his master's work at Nicholls State University. He presented his work on termite repellents in the competition.

"The students have spent nearly a thousand hours each on their respective projects over the past three years," said Dr. Nathan Hutchings, assistant professor of biology at NSU. "They began working in my lab as freshmen and have consistently grown in their knowledge, expertise and research potential over the past three years."

All oral presentations in the Best Student Paper Competition are limited to 20 minutes and include time for answering questions. Judging criteria includes originality, purpose, methods, conclusions, presentation and answered questions.

Several NSU faculty attended the meeting. Dr. Jonathan Akin (biology) chaired a zoology session. Dr. Rae Osborn (biology) and a research student presented a poster. Dr. Darrell Fry (chemistry) and Ifrah Jamil of Natchitoches presented an oral presentation in chemistry.

The Louisiana Academy of Sciences unites the scientists of the state to encourage research, disseminate scientific material and apply science to address problems of humanity. Membership is open to anyone engaged in the advancement of science. The Academy hosts a meeting every March for scientists from all of Louisiana's public and private colleges and universities to present results of their research.

Ezernack, Westergard and another student, Kelly Franklin of Robeline, will present their work at the National Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society meeting in Oklahoma.

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