ASPB Awards 15 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) for 2011
Five Applicants Earn Honorable Mentions

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) assist promising undergraduate students so they can conduct meaningful research in plant biology early in their college careers. SURF students must work with a mentor who is an ASPB member. An important aspect of SURF is it recognizes that institutions have varying resources for sustaining different types of research and so separately reviews applications received from larger (category A) and smaller, primarily undergraduate institutions (category B).

The ASPB SURF Committee would like to thank all the students and mentors who applied to the 2011 SURF program. The applications were both plentiful and outstanding. The process was very competitive and it was indeed difficult for the reviewers to choose the 15 SURF recipients and five honorable mentions. The 15 awardees will present their SURF research results at the undergraduate and general poster sessions during Plant Biology 2012, July 20–24 in Austin, Texas.
Congratulations to all the students listed here.

ASPB appreciates the hard work of the SURF cochairs, Amy Clore (New College of Florida) and Ken Helm (Siena College). Once again, their attention to detail and high standards certainly enhanced the SURF program’s continued success this year. To select the 2011 award recipients and honorees, they were joined by a great team of 10 reviewers. The hard work of these volunteers furthered both the career paths of a group of promising students as well as ASPB’s initiatives in supporting quality science education.

To learn about volunteering with the SURF program, e-mail Katie Engen, Education Foundation Coordinator.

CATEGORY A
Research and Doctoral Universities

Matthew Bedewitz, Michigan State University
Mentor: Cornelius Barry
Project: Development of a functional genomics platform for exploring tropane alkaloid biosynthesis in Atropa belladonna

I am very honored to receive the ASPB SURF award, as it will be an excellent opportunity for me to gain valuable full-time research experience and allow me to fully participate in a research project. My long-term goal is to work in the area of crop improvement, and this project will be an opportunity for me to gain experience in functional genomics.

Kristina Chun, University of California, San Diego
Mentor: Joseph P. Noel
Project: Identification of functional protein “sectors”: Statistical coupling analysis of the terpene synthase family

I am extremely honored and grateful to have been chosen by ASPB as a SURF recipient. This fellowship will allow me to continue my work on terpene synthases into the summer and gain valuable training and experience to further expand my knowledge and education. I would like to thank ASPB for this wonderful opportunity as well as Dr. Joseph Noel, Dr. Charisse Crenshaw, and Dr. Kit Pogliano for their continuing support and guidance.

Karina Friman, University of Florida
Mentor: Alisa Huffaker
Project: Role of AtPep6 as a signal in Arabidopsis thaliana

With the SURF fellowship, I hope to work hard, learn as much as possible, and gain new experiences.

Laura Gates, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Mentor: Alice Y. Cheung
Project: Developmental regulation of pollen tube reception in Arabidopsis

Winning the 2011 SURF grant means that I can spend the summer satisfying my curiosity about the natural world. I will be able to interact full-time with a group of brilliant, hardworking people in plant biology and hope to learn new techniques and approaches that will help me in graduate school and beyond. I am very excited and appreciative to have been given this opportunity.

Jonathan Herrmann, Washington University in St. Louis
Mentor: Joseph M. Jez
Project: Biochemical and structure analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana GH3.10/DFL2: Defining its role in jasmonate or auxin regulation

I am excited and honored to receive this fellowship from ASPB. I look forward to using this opportunity to learn more about the field of plant biochemistry and contribute to the perpetually growing body of knowledge in this area. Thank you so much to ASPB as well as to the Jez Lab at Washington University in St. Louis.

David Higgins, North Carolina State University
Mentor: Robert G. Franks
Project: Investigation of carpel margin meristem (CMM) development in Arabidopsis thaliana

By winning the ASPB SURF, I’ve been granted an excellent opportunity to advance my study of plants beyond the classroom. I look forward to using this experience to further prepare myself for future graduate studies in the field of plant sciences.

Hung-Hsueh (Helen) Lai, University of Washington
Mentor: Keiko Torii
Project: Functional analysis of EPFL family as signaling ligands in Arabidopsis

I would like to thank ASPB for this rare scholarship opportunity for international students. I appreciate the guidance and support from Dr. Keiko Torii, Torii lab members, and HHMI undergraduate research adviser Dr. Brian Buchwitz during the research and SURF application process. I am looking forward to continuing the exciting EPFL project over the summer. It is going to be an important experience that contributes to my scientific career!

Taylor Lloyd, University of Kentucky
Mentor: A. Bruce Downie
Project: Using phage display and biopanning to examine the diversity of seed proteins associating with an LEA protein at supraoptimal germination temperatures

The ASPB Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship will provide me with the opportunity to continue my education in the challenging science of seeds and build a resume that will allow me to begin the daunting task of entering the evolving field of seed pathology. The summertime experience this grant provides will truly enhance my undergraduate experience by allowing undistracted time on the bench to delve further into the scientific method.

Amanda Miller, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Mentor: Simon Gilroy
Project: Role of calcium signaling in the adaptation to low-oxygen stress in Arabidopsis

Winning the SURF grant is an amazing opportunity that I am privileged to have been awarded. This will allow me to feel established as a researcher and make a contribution to my area of research. With this, I will easily be able to excel in the field of agricultural sciences, my ideal field for the future.

Jesse Pyle, Texas A&M University
Mentor: Karen-Beth G. Scholthof
Project: Analysis of the phosphorylated SPMV capsid protein and its biological significance

It is such an honor to be selected for the 2011 SURF program! I would like to thank ASPB for supporting me as I expand my education within the field of plant pathology. I would also like to thank everyone in the Scholthof lab at Texas A&M for their guidance throughout this entire process. This award has given me the unique opportunity to connect with my peers from around the country as we all contribute to the expanding scientific community. My summer research will help to define my professional goals and pave the way for future learning experiences.

James Thierer, University of Maryland, College Park
Mentors: Caren Chang and Charles Delwiche
Project: Search for ancestral plant hormone pathways in Charophyte Algae

Applying for the ASPB SURF fellowship was an enriching experience in itself, as it gave me experience in the grant proposal process. Receiving the award is even more useful, as it has not only allowed me to perform undergraduate research in my field of interest, but also provided me with networking opportunities that will be invaluable to me as I pursue my career goals.

Katherine Walsh, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Mentor: Magdalena Bezanilla
Project: The role of GAPs, GEFs, and GDIs in regulating tip growth

I’m extremely grateful to both ASPB and my mentor Magdalena Bezanilla for giving me the opportunity to further pursue my research goals this summer and better understand the molecular mechanisms driving moss tip growth.

Timothy Godfrey, Grand Valley State University
Mentor: Sheila Blackman
Project: Identification and surveillance of the LEA proteins in Orchidaceae

I am extremely thrilled and grateful to have been awarded this unique opportunity from ASPB. I look forward to conducting this exciting research this summer as well as presenting the project at the ASPB 2012 annual meeting. I’d like to give my most sincere appreciation to my mentors, Dr. Sheila Blackman and Dr. Pei-Lan Tsou, as well as to ASPB for making this possible!

Josef Jareczek, Bellarmine University
Mentor: David Lowell Robinson
Project: Nitrogen-fixing endophyte population in local plant species and reinfection effects in nonnatural hosts

I am incredibly honored to have been chosen to receive the SURF research grant. I’ve been given a great opportunity to perform research at the undergraduate level, and this will help me springboard my graduate career. I would also like to thank Dr. Lau and Dr. Robinson for their continuing help and support.

Tyler Wernecke, Elmhurst College
Mentor: Eve M. Mellgren
Project: Identifying the role of phoP and phoQ in virulence of DC3000

The ASPB SURF grant will help me grow as a scientist by giving me a more in-depth research experience. It will prepare me so that one day I will be able to enroll in a graduate program and someday even have my own lab.

Hannah De Jong, Cornell University
Mentor: Georg Jander
Project: Does turnip mosaic virus suppress siRNA-mediated aphid defense responses in Arabidopsis?

Research in Georg Jander’s lab has shown that aphids fare better on virus-infected Arabidopsis plants than on uninfected plants. For my project, I am performing bioassays to determine whether virus-mediated suppression of RNA silencing compromises Arabidopsis defense against aphids.

Anders Hokinson, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Mentor: Luis Vidali
Project: Coarse-grained modeling of F-actin and myosin XI dynamics in moss

As a physics major applying to a primarily biological fellowship, I was unsure that I would be considered for any award. Upon being acknowledged as an honorable mention, my confidence was bolstered, and I am flattered to receive such recognition. I am certainly more determined to complete my research this summer, and this has kept my eyes open for future possibilities with ASPB and in biological physics.

Jaime Werenka, University of Saskatchewan
Mentor: David C. Logan
Project: Study of the dynamics of subnuclear Cajal bodies within plant cells

Being honored as a part of the 2011 SURF process has provided me with the recognition and confidence that is necessary for obtaining future undergrad and graduate research positions. It will give me an advantage over my peers and serve as a solid beginning for my future in scientific research and discovery. Thank you!

Katie Leonardo, The King’s University College
Mentor: Hank D. Bestman
Project: The influence of nitrogen-limited growing conditions on carbon flux into starch and lipids in the oleaginous alga Neochloris oleoabundans investigated with 13C-labeling experiments

Applying for the ASPB SURF award has afforded me the opportunity to explore new academic avenues. I never would have imagined plant biology as a potential career, but the past year has drastically changed my perspective on the natural sciences. Being part of the SURF process has been foundational, and I’m honored to be a part of it. 

Tyree Ratcliff, William Carey University
Mentor: Gretchen F. Sassenrath
Project: Efficiency of converting solar energy to bioenergy

Applying for the 2011 SURF grant and receiving honorable mention allowed me to become better at the process of developing a research thesis. Even though I did not receive the SURF grant, I am sure I will be better prepared to apply next year.