Main Menu
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Leah Jackson (jacksonl@nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
4/19/2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES - Kelly Franklin of Robeline and Elizabeth McNeil of Devers, Texas, were named recipients of Student Research Awards during 19th annual Research Day at Northwestern State University. The awards are presented to students to recognize outstanding research, distinguished artistic performance or creative work completed by a student or team of students while enrolled at NSU.
Franklin was presented the honor by her faculty sponsor, Dr. Steven Gabrey, professor of biological sciences. Franklin's research focused on intestinal parasites of American alligators in Louisiana. She and Gabrey studied the probability that an American alligator is infected by parasitic worms depending on its diet and not its weight and length.
Franklin is a graduating senior and has been accepted to attend Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine this fall. She previously earned an associate degree in veterinary technology at Northwestern.
"Most of the things she accomplished in her research were her own ideas," Gabrey said. "She applied things she learned in her classes.
"Parasites are something I've always been interested in," Franklin said, explaining that she is not squeamish about opening the stomachs of animals and studying the contents.
McNeil was presented the honor by her faculty sponsor, Dr. Rae Osborn, professor of biological sciences. McNeil is a double major earning degrees in biology and veterinary technology. Her research topic is "Microbial Control of Mosquito Larvae" and she recently present before the Louisiana Academy of Sciences in Lake Charles.
"She is one of the most hard-working students I've ever had," Osborn said of McNeil. "She doesn't need to be told to do the work. She has the initiative and the drive."
Through her research of mosquito control, McNeil investigated the use of bacterium, Baddillus thuringiensis (Bt) as a pest control agent of three mosquito species that carry West Nile virus. She discovered that a lower concentration of Bt was killing the mosquitoes and they could be exterminated in the larva stage before they hatch.
"You can use less of the chemical for pest control," she said. "Insecticides can be a high cost financially and a high cost to the environment."
Both Franklin and McNeil were presenters during Research Day, along with more than 70 other student and faculty presenters. Research Day proposals are evaluated for conceptual originality, design and methodology, impact on or contribution to the students academic field and potential larger impact.
Student Research Awards are sponsored by the NSU chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. Recipients are nominated by a faculty sponsor and receive a $500 cash prize.