Angelo State University Science Students Win State Research Awards

SAN ANGELO, TX – Angelo State University undergraduate science majors Garrath Vetters of Kingsland, Emily Maxey of Heber, Arizona, and Doyeon Kwon of South Korea all won top prizes for their research presentations at the recent annual meeting of the Texas Academy of Science hosted on the ASU campus.

The Angelo State students competed against research entries submitted by students from universities across the state. More than 150 research posters were displayed in ASU's Ben Kelly Center for Human Performance for the various student contests.

Vetters, a physics major, won first place in the Physics and Engineering Poster Contest for his presentation of his research project titled "Constructing and Testing a Large-Scale Diffusion Cloud Chamber." His ASU faculty advisor is Dr. Kenneth Carrell, associate professor of physics.

Maxey, also a physics major, won first place in the Physics and Engineering Oral Presentation Contest for her presentation on her research project titled "Dipole Transition Calculations Between Hydrogen Quantum States." Her ASU faculty advisor is Dr. Trey Holik, associate professor of physics.

Kwon, a chemistry major, took second place in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Poster Contest for her presentation of her research project titled "Identification of Affibody Molecules that Target Phospholipase A2." Biology major Jiyun Jeong of South Korea also contributed to the project, and their ASU faculty advisor is Dr. Edith Osborne, professor of chemistry.

"Hosting the Texas Academy of Science annual meeting was a great opportunity for Angelo State and the College of Science and Engineering to show off our facilities, our faculty, the strength of our programs, and especially our students," said Dr. Paul Swets, dean of the college. "The research presentations were exceptional, across the board. Angelo State students made nearly 50 presentations during the meeting, and several of our students were singled out for special praise. I'm proud of all our students and especially those who won awards. Our Core Values of Significance and Commitment were on full display during the entire event."

ASU astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, geology and physics students presented 47 research projects at the TAS meeting that was attended by more than 450 students, faculty and scientists from throughout Texas. Dr. Ben Skipper, ASU associate professor of biology, was the principal organizer for the meeting, and he was named a Fellow of the Texas Academy of Science at the closing awards banquet.