Shepherd College

Shepherd faculty and students receive research awards

ISSUED: 5 March 2003
CONTACT: Valerie Owens
(Shepherd faculty and students receive research awards)

Shepherdstown, WV--Five Shepherd College faculty members and four students have been awarded summer research funds from the NASA Space Grant Consortium and the John R. Conard Science Fund.

Faculty members receiving $3,000 NASA Space Grant awards are Dr. John Landolt, professor of biology, for categorizing the dictyostelid cellular slime molds of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park; and Dr. Gene Volker, professor of chemistry, for his project "Synthesis of (Z) Alkenes and NMR Spectroscopy and Molecular Modeling of Carbohydrates."

Faculty members receiving $3,000 Conard summer research stipends are Dr. Jason Best, assistant professor of astrophysics, for his project "Quasar Analyses of the FIRST Survey and the ROSAT All-Sky Survey"; Parvin Rahnavard, assistant professor of computer and information sciences, for her project "Transportation Network Design and Dynamic Vehicle Routing System"; and Dr. Ed Snyder, professor of environmental studies, for his project "Trepostome and Rhabdomesoid Bryozoa Analysis and Publication."

Students receiving Conard stipends of up to $1,800 for summer research projects are Ashley Adams, an environmental studies major from Berryville, Virginia, for a quantitative and descriptive study of Trepostome and Rhabdomesoid Bryozoa; Lisa Bailey, an environmental studies major from Edinburg, Virginia; Kevin North, an environmental studies major from Cortland, New York, for a survey of the distribution and diversity of native freshwater mussels in the Sleepy Creek area; and Jing Dong, a math/chemistry major from Ranson, for his project "Distribution of Different Structures of Sugar in Solution." Adams will be working with Dr. Ed Snyder on her project. Bailey and North will be working with Dr. Peter Vila, assistant professor of environmental studies, on their project. Jing Dong will be working with Dr. Dan DiLella, professor of chemistry, and Dr. Gene Volker.

The John R. Conard Fund, established in 1998 with the Shepherd College Foundation, provides financial support for programs and student support in the sciences and mathematics. The late Mr. Conard was a graduate of Shepherd College and a chemist.

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