Three students at
Saginaw Valley State University are getting funding from the college to pursue some creative research projects like studies on brain trauma, reproductive systems and species dominance.
The funds come from SVSU's Student Research and Creativity Institute, which awards up to $10,000 to eligible student research projects, and other creative projects.
The first project, researching traumatic brain injury in rats, is led by Sarah Fluharty, a psychology major who will receive $9,968 to conduct her research at the university's brain research lab. She will test the impact of an enriched environment on rats' recovery from brain injury. Each project is approved by an adviser. Fluharty's adviser, Jeffrey Smith, says the project "is well designed and will be an important addition to scientific literature."
Nancy Lackey, a biology and Spanish major, will receive $4,500 to study endocrine-disrupting chemicals on sperm competition in rats. Her goal is to explore reproductive health and its relation to environmental pollutants.
Finally, Matthew Wolf, a biology major, was awarded $4,168 to research the use of urine in crayfish as a signal of dominance. He collected about 250 male crayfish from the Cass River, and will study how they compete for resources like food, shelter and mating preference. He plans to publish his findings, as well as base an honors thesis on them.
Wolf is "an intelligent and ambitious individual" who "has displayed impressive levels of knowledge and determination that have contributed to his success as a college student," according to biology professor Arthur Martin.
The projects are chosen by a field of judges from varying academic departments on campus. The university commits $50,000 annually to fund student research and creative projects.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Saginaw Valley State University
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