Parkland College students will present their summer research at an upcoming James B. Kaler Science Lecture at Parkland College’s William M. Staerkel Planetarium next month.
On Friday, November 6 at 7 p.m., Gwen Happ and Kristin Palazzo will present "Rooted: Untangling Connections Between Plants and Microbes." The presentation will include their research results this year from their time in the Microbial Interactions Create Research Opportunities for Community College Students (MICRO-CCS) program.
A collaborative summer research experience for undergraduates between Parkland College and UIUC, MICRO-CCS provides scientific training and mentorship. Additionally, the program provides stipends, housing, and travel allowances to community college students nationwide, funded through the National Science Foundation.
The program begins with a one-week research techniques bootcamp to acclimate students to the research environment and provide some baseline techniques to help build their confidence in the lab. Trainees then spend nine weeks immersed in UIUC research labs investigating microbial interactions in food, agricultural, and environmental sciences. The program ends with presentations of their work at an undergraduate research symposium.
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Working in Dr. Tony Yannarell’s laboratory, Happ studied the fungal microbiome of the invasive plant Lespedeza cuneata. Studying the microbiome of these plants and their roots can help understand their success as invasives, their effects on the soil microbiome, and their broader ecology.
In Dr. Angela Kent’s laboratory, Palazzo studied the effects of maize flavonoids on microbial denitrification, a process that takes nitrogen in fertilizers and converts it into the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Understanding the effects of these flavonoids may reduce nitrogen losses through denitrification and could lead to more efficient fertilization methods.
Dr. Chelsea Lloyd, one of the principal investigators of MICRO-CCS and a professor of microbiology at Parkland, will also discuss how to seek and prepare competitive applications for this and other summer research opportunities.
The lecture is part of the James B. Kaler Science Lecture Series, named for UIUC astronomer Jim Kaler, who spoke at the series for almost three decades. Kaler Science Lectures are filmed by Parkland College TV. After the talk, the planetarium will show "Niyah and the Multiverse" at 8 p.m.
Tickets for Kaler Science Lectures cost $2 for everyone. Admission to most planetarium shows is $8 for adults or $7 for children, Parkland students, or seniors, with discounts offered for large groups.
For a show schedule or information about booking the dome, call 217/351-2568.
