The Dominican Center at Mount Saint Mary College was abuzz with students showcasing their summer research on Thursday, October 10.
About two dozen students presented their Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) findings in poster format, featuring a plethora of subjects. For example, one notable project is “Isolating Bacteriophages from Soil” by Biology major Leila Puntar of Newburgh, N.Y., and faculty mentor Suparna Bhalla, associate professor of Biology. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and replicate in bacterial cells. They can be found almost anywhere that live bacteria exist, including soil.
Coordinated by James Moran, associate Biology professor at the Mount, and Rebecca Berry, assistant professor of Psychology, SURE is an opportunity for students to work alongside Mount professors as they explore a research topic of their choosing.
SURE students present their summer research to the Mount campus over the course of two sessions before hosting a public symposium in the fall. These presentations feature research projects in areas such as Education, Information Technology, Math, English, and Natural Sciences.