News

Biology faculty members receive an Advisory Board Grant to purchase important lab equipment

Dr. Anne Vardo-Zalik and Dr. Somya Dwivedi-Burks applied for, and received, an Advisory Board Grant this past spring to help offset the cost for a much needed piece of lab equipment for the Biology lab- a Laminar Flow Hood. Laminar Flow hoods allow a safe, contained, and sterile workplace for faculty and students to work- especially with samples that are biohazards, such as plant hormones or bacterial cultures. The addition of this equipment to the Biology lab will reduce contamination when working with growth media for microbiology labs, bacteria samples, DNA samples for molecular work, etc. Drs. Dwivedi-Burks and Vardo-Zalik plan to use the hood to help prepare lab materials for the Biology curriculum, as well as for undergraduate-based research projects.

Undergraduate Research Spotlight: Jason Trout and mentor Dr. Andy Landis

One of the best ways to really learn a subject is to immerse yourself into it! Here at Penn State York, our science faculty members are thrilled to mentor undergraduate research during the school year and the summer. Undergraduate research allows students to work one-on-one with our science faculty and to gain hands-on lab experience, enhancing their knowledge of a subject while providing skills that make students more competitive for jobs or entrance to medical/veterinary/graduate schools.

Penn State senior Jason Trout spent his last summer at Penn State York (~ 20hrs/week) helping out Dr. Andy Landis, Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Jason aided in the synthesis of organic molecules that allow the attachment of ionic groups to the ends of polymer chains, which will help to link different polymer chains together. Jason also performed several polymerization reactions to determine the average size of the molecules expected during this synthesis protocol. In addition to improving his lab skills, Jason developed a strong understanding of a variety of analytical techniques such as infrared/visible wavelength spectroscopy and high performance/gel permeation chromatography. Learning these essential, but often-times difficult, protocols allowed Jason to decipher whether or not the compounds he and Dr. Landis were isolating were the products of choice. “The work I did with Dr. Landis definitely taught me a lot”, comments Jason. “I learned so much that I wouldn’t be able to learn in a classroom setting.”

After spending two years at the Penn State York campus and doing a summer research project involving polymerization of small molecules, Jason was prepared for his move to University Park where he will finish his baccalaureate degree in chemistry. After graduation, Jason hopes to obtain a lab research position so that he can continue the types of hands-on research initiated here at PSU York with Dr. Landis.