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NEWS RELEASE
August 13, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Myra Lopez
Phone: 314-516-5851
Email: lopezmb@umsl.edu
STARS students receive LMI Aerospace Inc.
Awards for Excellence in Research
Thirty aspiring scientists have been rewarded for a summer of hard work at the
Students and Teachers as Research Scientist (STARS) Program.
The teenage scientists were part of a larger group that spent six weeks conducting
intensive research with St. Louis-area professionals and professors as part of the program
at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
The 30 high school students have been named winners of the LMI Aerospace
Inc. Award for Excellence in Research. This year 88 high school students participated in
the program.
A panel of 13 outstanding scientists reviewed the papers in their area of specialty.
Winning papers best exemplified the following qualities: difficulty and complexity of
research; appropriateness of the research methodology; findings; quality of writing; and
overall quality of the research process.
Whittling down the papers to a winning few wasn’t an easy task for the judges.
“The papers were of very high quality and reflect both the significant learning and
value of the summer experience for these young students, some of whom may decide on
careers in science,” said one of the judges.
STARS pairs academically talented, rising junior- and senior-level high school
students with mentors to provide research opportunities for the participants. UMSL
partners with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Saint Louis University,
Washington University in St. Louis and Confluence Discovery Technologies. Following
six weeks of research on everything from biofuels to bumblebees, the participants
presented their research papers to their peers, parents and research mentors.
Other activities include lectures by nationally known scientists, information
sessions about the higher education admissions process and social events.
The winners will be recognized at an awards dinner Oct. 6 at UMSL.
Below is a complete listing of the 31 winners and their projects from the 2014
STARS program. Also listed are the winner’s school, the student’s mentor and the
mentor’s university:

Praveen Bagavandoss, Marquette High School, “Investigating the Use of a PQQAptamer Complex to Oxidize Potential Biofuels.” Dr. Dana Baum, Saint Louis
University.

Susanna Barrett, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, "Investigation of the
Effects of the Nucleoporin, AtGle1, on Seed Viability." Dr. Wenyan Xiao, Saint
Louis University.

Sanjay Cherupalla, Metro Academic and Classical High School, “Analyzing
Tetramerization in KirBac1.1.” Dr. Decha Enkvetchakul, Saint Louis University.

Lynn Dankner, MICDS, “The Effect of 8 Weeks of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on
24-Hour ECG Derived Measures of Circadian Rhythm, Sleeping, and Napping, in
Patients with Severe COPD.” Dr. Phyllis Stein, Washington University in St.
Louis.

Sanjay Elangovan, Marquette High School, “Binding Mode Determination of 4substituted Naphthalimides Complexed with Nucleic Acids.” Dr. Brent Znosko
and Ms. Liz Jolley, Saint Louis University.

Huayu Gao, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, “The Effects of Item-Specific
and Relational Processing on Homograph False Memory with Blocked and
Alternated Lists.” Dr. David Balota, Dr. Mark Huff, Washington University in St.
Louis.

Saivaroon Gajagowni, Fort Zumwalt West High School, “A Comparative Study
of Gold Nanorods and Gold Nanorattles for Label-Free Plasmonic Biosensing.”
Dr. Srikanth Singamaneni, Washington University in St. Louis.

Jack Gorczyca, St. Louis Priory School, “Electronic Spectroscopy of Diatomic
Molecules by Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy and Fourier
Transform Emission Spectroscopy.” Dr. James O'Brien and Dr. Leah O'Brien,
University of Missouri-St. Louis and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

Christopher Halen, Whitfield School, “The Effects of Alcohol in DecisionMaking.” Dr. Aimee Dunlap, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Alexis Hartman, Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School, “The Effect of 8 Weeks
of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on 24-Hour ECG Derived Measures of Circadian
Rhythm, Sleeping, and Napping, in Patients with Severe COPD.” Dr. Phyllis
Stein, Washington University in St. Louis.

Caleb Hill, Crossroads College Preparatory School, “Analyzing Tetramerization
in KirBac1.1." Dr. Decha Enkvetchakul, Saint Louis University.

Davis Johnston, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, “Role of hrcV
Gene in Xanthomonas axonopodis pv manihotis (Xam).” Dr. Rebecca Bart,
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Joshua Kazdan, John Burroughs School, “Assessing the Feasibility of Using
Photoelectron Imaging to Probe Electronic Structure in Cu- Cluster Anions: a
Preliminary Study.” Dr. Richard Mabbs, Washington University in St. Louis.

Nathan Kulczak, Barat Academy, “The Synthesis and Infrared Characterization
of a Photomagnetic Square.” Dr. Stephen Holmes and Mr. Quiggins, University
of Missouri-St. Louis.

Poornaashri Malarvannan, Marquette High School, "KATP Channel Mutations in
Mice Models Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus (NDM)." Dr. Maria Remedi and Dr.
Colin Nichols, Washington University in St. Louis.

Stephen Mattingly, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School,
“Examining the Activity of Pgp and BCRP via Fluorescence Microscopy.” Dr.
Vijay Sharma, Washington University in St. Louis.

Sally Nijim, Willowbrook High School (Villa Park, IL), “The Role of the
Transcription Factor Atonal Homolog 8 in Erythropoiesis and Iron Homeostasis.”
Dr. Robert Fleming, Saint Louis University.

Filip Ponjevic, Lafayette High School, “A Comparative Study of Gold Nanorods
versus Gold Nanorattles for Label-Free Plasmonic Biosensing.” Dr. Srikanth
Singamaneni, Washington University in St. Louis.

Adeel Qayum, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, "Ability of Jurisdictions to
Dispense Mass Medical Countermeasures During a Biological Disaster Using
Open Points of Dispensing (PODs): A National Study." Dr. Terri Rebmann, Saint
Louis University.

Eesha Sabherwal, Parkway North High School, "Evaluating Pose Determination
Using LED Imaging." Dr. Michael Swartwout, Saint Louis University.

Danielle Eve Serota, Parkway Central High School, "Effect of Caffeine on
Neonatal Neurobehavioral Development." Dr. Roberta Pineda, Washington
University in St. Louis.

Chloe Stallion, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, “The Potential
Interactions between Kermit and Snx27 with Echinoid in Drosophila.” Dr. Susan
Spencer and Qian Nie, Saint Louis University.

Stephanie Strothkamp, Westminster Christian Academy, “Structural Integrity of
Cortico-Limbic Networks in Preschool Onset Depression.” Dr. Deanna Barch,
Washington University in St. Louis.

Clara Sun, Parkway West High School, “Comparison of Nutrient and Growth
Requirements between Glutathione-Deficient and Wild Type Group B
Streptococcus.” Dr. Blythe Janowiak, Saint Louis University.

Michelle Tang, John Burroughs School, “The Effect of Parent Engagement in the
NICU on Neonatal Stress.” Dr. Roberta Pineda, Washington University in St.
Louis.

Anthony Ton, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, “Construction of
Thioglycoside Building Blocks Towards the Synthesis of Globetetraosylceramide
(Gb4).” Dr. Alexei Demchenko, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Nevel Vaidyan, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, “Concentrations of Heavy
Metals in Community Gardens of St. Louis.” Dr. Daniel E. Giammar and Zezhen
Pan, Washington University in St. Louis.

Igi Vilza, Lindbergh High School, “Verifying the Intercalation of 3-Substituted
Naphthalimide Derivatives Complexed with DNA and RNA.” Dr. Brent Znosko
and Elizabeth Jolley, Saint Louis University.

Teresa Xiao, Carbondale Community High School (Carbondale, IL), “Potential
Formation of Intracellular Aggregates of Alpha-Synuclein Following Acute-Phase
Intracranial Injections of 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde.” Dr. A. Michael
Anch and Drew Albers, Saint Louis University.

Victoria Yi, Clayton High School, “Growth and Lipid Body Accumulation of
Common Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Laboratory Strains Under Different Light
Conditions.” Dr. James Umen, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

Kevin Zheng, Parkway South High, “In-Situ Evaluation of Multi-Band Antenna
Systems.” Dr. Michael Swartwout, Saint Louis University.
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