October 19, 2006

 
LIVINGSTON, Ala.--Five biology majors from The University of West Alabama attended the Integrated Biological Sciences Summer Research Program (IBS-SRP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Four UWA students received scholarships from a National Science Foundation grant and supplemental funding, which allowed minority biology students from Alabama to attend the research program. The grant provided each student’s housing, travel, fees and a $4,000 stipend for the trip. The students from UWA’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences worked in plant molecular biology in Dr. Richard Vierstra’s laboratory in UW-Madison’s Department of Genetics. Dr. Donald Salter, Professor Emeritus of Biology, accompanied the students for the 10-week stay in Wisconsin, serving as a mentor in the lab.

The scholarship recipients are all juniors at UWA. Allyn Brown of Centerpoint is a pre-forestry major and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Brown. Phyllis D. Brown of Meridian, Miss., is a biology comprehensive major and the daughter of Rogue M. Brown. Domoneek McCoy of Lower Peachtree is a biology comprehensive major and the daughter of Grace McCoy and William McCoy. Beverly D. Powell of Wagarville is a biology comprehensive major with a minor in chemistry. She is the daughter of Hubertha and Donnie Powell.

Senior Jud Byars of Philadelphia, Miss., also spent the summer at UW-Madison. Receiving funding directly from the IBS-SRP, Byars worked in a plant biology group studying a gene found in tomatoes and potatoes. A biology comprehensive major, he is the son of Shelley Ellard and Robert Byars.