Fruit flies–not a very interesting subject to most people, but for the students participating in the Judson College Honors Program, they are all the students are buzzing about. Now, for all of you who do not have a clue what the Honors Program is, Dr. Kristopher McConnell, a member of the Honors Program committee and faculty sponsor to Katie Owens and Erin Brown said that “The Honors Program provides students the opportunity to perform in-depth research under the direction of a faculty mentor. Students have a wide variety of topics they can investigate, based on their academic field. The important characteristic of an Honors project that distinguishes it from a standard classroom exercise is novelty. The project should advance the academic field in a new and different way. For example, in a science laboratory course, students are typically expected to perform lab exercises that have an expected result. However, for an Honors project in the sciences, students perform experiments in the lab that have never been done before. They do not know what the result will be there, therefore they can push the field in new directions.”
This year Katie Owens and Erin Brown presented their honors project to the school on Friday, April 6.They both chose to do their projects on fruit flies, but two very different aspects of the fly. When asked what made her decide to do her Honors Project on fruit flies, Owens said, “We currently have two types of undergraduate research projects going on in the Biology Department: Cahaba River water testing and Drosophila oogenesis (the production of female fruit fly sex cells). One of my favorite processes to discuss in biology classes is female reproduction, making Drosophila oogenesis a very exciting project, in my opinion. For my research, I am investigating defects in Drosophila oogenesis by heat shock and Ga14.”
On the other hand, Erin Brown is studying to get her Pathology Degree, with plans to attend medical school through a branch of the military. When asked if she feels that her project can help advance other scientific pursuits, her response was, “With my research, I have obtained useful data about DNA replication that is very relevant to cancer research. Errors in DNA replication are a key factor in the production of cancerous cells, and my research has helped to define a developmental transition involving DNA replication in the fruit flies.”
Dr. Lesley Sheek, an education professor at Judson College and Associate Dean for Assessment and Teaching Effectiveness, serves as the chair of the Honors Program committee. She is not only an excellent teacher to many students, she is also a great leader to head this committee. When asked what she likes about the Honors Program, she said,“The Judson College Honors Program serves as a platform for accomplished students to conduct independent research with the support of faculty mentors. The program benefits participants by helping them gain valuable skills and experiences that they can translate into graduate research. The Honors Program Committee oversees the process and the products to ensure that students earn the degree with distinction because of excellence in their work. Students who desire a challenge, students who wish to have the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors, and students who have genuine questions they seek to answer should apply to participate in the program.” She continued by saying, “As the chair of the committee, I have enjoyed working with colleagues from several disciplines of the college. Our committee has a unique experience in learning about topics of interest to our scholars — from investigating Italian banking practices in the 15th century, to developing students’ positive attitudes toward aging, to analyzing themes in literature, to researching genetics for cures to cancer, Judson students research fascinating and important topics. The committee members are beneficiaries of meaningful learning, and we serve as guides and supports in the process. It is truly rewarding work for faculty and students alike. We are most proud on graduation day when the program participants march first across the stage and receive their diplomas to indicate recognition for their accomplishment.”
Dr. McConnell, who helped these girls every step of the way to come up with amazing projects, spoke highly of Owens and Brown, saying how proud he was of them. “Katie and Erin have done a fantastic job in their Honors projects. Both students were capable of producing the type of work that you would expect from a first-year or even second-year graduate student. They were able to work independently and expanded our understanding of basic cellular processes.”
It will be great to see what honors projects the next school year brings.