Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Students researchers in Mississippi State’s Department of Biological Sciences displayed their work earlier this month during the department’s annual symposium.

First-, second- and third-place winners in the Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Program each garnered Downer Undergraduate Research Awards that honor Professor Emeritus Donald N. Downer of Starkville, a former longtime department head. Recipients include:

FIRST—Rose Corzine, a senior biological sciences major from Hattiesburg. Her project “Finalizing Foldering Through a Return to Balance Growth” was completed under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Andrew Lawton.

SECOND—Amber Cook, a senior biomedical engineering major from Nesbit. Her project “The Conservation of Brain Folding Mechanics” also was completed under Lawton.

THIRD—Mady Walker, a senior biological sciences major from Mansfield, Texas. Her project, “Using Cardiac Tissue Slide to Study Diseased Hearts” was completed under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Bin Liu.

Each winner received an engraved plaque and cash award. As the first-place recipient, Corzine also was presented with an MSU cowbell.

Part of the College of Arts and Sciences, MSU’s Department of Biological Sciences is online at www.biology.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.