Faculty News

Honors Freshmen Conduct Research Through Holster Scholars First Year Program

Holster Scholars with Robert Holster '68 (CLAS)
Robert Holster ’68, Julianne Norton ’15, Lior Trestman ’15, Xiao Li ’15, Kaila Manca ’15, Katrin Acuna ’15, and Xu Zheng ’15 outside the Dodd Center on Sept. 20, 2012. (Photo: Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

By Mirofora Paridis ’13 (CLAS)

This summer, six Honors freshmen pursued their passion through individualized, self-designed research projects with funding from the Holster Scholars First Year Program.

The Holster Scholars First Year Program, funded by an endowment established by Robert ’68 and Carlotta ’68 Holster, provides Honors freshmen with the opportunity to pursue independent and individualized learning experiences. Prospective scholars must complete a highly selective application process in the fall of their freshman year, submitting an innovative and thorough project proposal. Holster Scholars are eligible for up to $4,000 in funding, and spend the spring semester fine-tuning their project plans.  They carry out their research in the summer. Continue reading

UConn Alumnus John Yearwood, “Dispatches from a World in Need of Healing”

UConn Alumnus John Yearwood, “Dispatches from a World in Need of Healing”Come hear a lecture by UConn alumnus and award-winning multimedia journalist, John Yearwood entitled, “Dispatches From a World in Need of Healing,” on Friday, October 12, at 3:00 p.m. in Konover Auditorium. Mr. Yearwood will discuss his personal journey through some of the past and present major conflicts that have occurred around the world, and his meetings with leaders who offer insight into their behavior, such as President Assad of Syria. He will also discuss other people with whom he’s met—Nelson Mandela in South Africa and Haitian dancer Jeanguy Saintus—who, in their own way, are working to heal the world.

Mr. Yearwood is World Editor of The Miami Herald and host of World Desk with John Yearwood, which focuses on global issues and newsmakers. His department has won numerous awards under his leadership, including two McClatchy Company President’s Awards, an Arthur Ross Award, and recognition as Pulitzer Prize finalist. Yearwood has served on the executive boards of Unity Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists. He also was named one of the 40 most influential African-Americans under 40 in South Florida and one of the 100 most accomplished Caribbean Americans in South Florida.

Continue reading

Former Board Chairman Dr. John W. Rowe Honored at Building Naming Ceremony

Dr. Rowe speaks at the naming ceremony
Dr. John W. Rowe, former Board of Trustees Chairman, speaks during the naming ceremony for the John W. Rowe Center for Undergraduate Education. Seated from left, President Susan Herbst, Lawrence McHugh, chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mun Choi, interim provost, and Joshua Andrade, an Honors student in the Rowe Scholars Program. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

By Sheila Foran

In a ceremony on Thursday officially designating the former undergraduate education building as the John W. Rowe Center for Undergraduate Education, UConn President Susan Herbst spoke appreciatively of the role that Rowe, former chairman of the Board of Trustees, has played in the development of the University.

It is appropriate, she said, that a building where people come to find their way is named for a man who has given so much to UConn: “There’s a lot of advising in here … a lot of students come in looking for counsel … they come in looking for direction on how to navigate the University … so it’s only fitting that this building is named after one of our favorite people; a person who has given us outstanding direction and guidance during his time here.” Continue reading

Lubonja’s research published in ‘Science of Advanced Materials’

Before Klair Lubonja even started classes his freshman year he was engaged in research courtesy of the Pre-College Enrichment Program, sponsored by the Department of Health Career Opportunity Programs at the UConn Health Center. As a member of Dr. Yu Lei’s lab, Klair spent the summer working with copper nanowire and single-wired carbon nanotubes in an effort to enhance glucose electrooxidation. Continue reading

Rowe Researcher: Translesional Synthesis DNA Polymerases

Summer 2012: Structure and Interactions of Translesional Synthesis DNA Polymerases

By Maciej Kosakowski, Dr. Dmitry Korzhnev, Ph.D., Dr. Irena Bezsonova, Ph.D.

During my weeks with the College Summer Fellowship Program at the UConn Health Center, I worked in a structural biology lab in conjunction with the NMR lab under Dr. Korzhnev. I assisted him on his project, which aimed to discover the specific mechanisms behind translesional synthesis DNA polymerases, or TLS polymerases for short. Continue reading

Rowe Researcher: Characterization of Drosophila Interacting Genes

Daniel Camacho conducting research at the Health Center.
Daniel Camacho conducting research at the Health Center.

Summer 2012: Characterization of Drosophila Interacting Genes: Elucidating the Mechanism(s) of PolyQ Toxicity in Huntington’s Disease

By Daniel R. Camacho, Ping Zhang, Ph.D.

Polyglutamine expansions are a type of genetic mutation that is responsible for several human neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease. The pathology of these diseases involves the accumulation of proteins containing polyglutamine domains within neuronal cells, which ultimately leads to cell death. The mechanism of toxicity of these protein aggregates is currently being investigated. My work involved using the model genetic organism Drosophila melanogaster to try to elucidate aspects of polyglutamine toxicity. Continue reading

Rowe Researcher: Biofilm-Forming Bacteria

Leonela Villegas conducting research.
Leonela Villegas conducting research.

Summer 2010: Determining the Effect of Spacing in Protection of Staphylococcus aureus by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

By Leonela Villegas and Leslie Shor, Ph.D.

The research that I have been conducting since the summer of 2010 includes the observation of two different types of biofilm-forming bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using a quad microfluidic device that simulates a controlled environment, I observed the interactions between these two bacterias at various distances from one another when being in contact with Tobramycin to ultimately compare these results to other types of antibiotics. Continue reading

Honors celebrates scholars, faculty, and alumni at the 2012 Medals Ceremony

Hettinger, DeWalt, and Kennedy
Award winners Dr. Virginia Hettinger, Dr. Bill DeWalt, and Ms. Marian Kennedy. (Photo courtesy of Thomas Hurlbut)

The Honors Medals Ceremony is a time for the Honors Program to individually recognize each graduating Honors Scholar before family, friends, and the university community. Seniors are presented with commemorative medallions to wear at Commencement and keep as a reminder of their successful completion of a rigorous Honors curriculum. The event also celebrates the contributions of Honors faculty members and marks the accomplishments of Honors alumni, highlighting the circular relationship of educators, students, and graduates. This year, three members of the extended Honors community were recognized. Continue reading

Top U.K. grad programs have Honors Scholars within their ranks

By Cheryl Cranick, Honors Program

Nestled in the quiet country town of Storrs, accomplished students are hard at work preparing for what waits after graduation. These Honors Scholars eventually disperse across the country and beyond; some settle close to home, while others cross an ocean. Two alumni—one an economist, the other a molecular biologist—graduated from the Honors Program just two years apart. They both pursued competitive funding for graduate schools in the United Kingdom—programs with only a handful of slots—and both were successful. They now reside relatively close to each other, though they’ve never met. What they have in common is the firm foundation they gained here at UConn Honors. Continue reading

Class of 2012: Alexandra Raleigh

Alexandra Raleigh
Alexandra Raleigh ’12 (CLAS) (Photo: Peter Morenus/UConn)

By Lauren Lalancette

To prepare for her dream job of U.S. Secretary of State, Alexandra Raleigh ’12 (CLAS) will begin a Ph.D. program in political science at the University of California-Irvine this fall, specializing in political psychology.

“I am deeply patriotic,” says Raleigh, who is graduating with a double major in psychology and political science. “I care about my country’s values, and I want to work really hard to protect those values.” Continue reading