Graduation

I'm a bit late with this post, but still wanted to post a picture and recognize the official graduation of Ngozi, Erik, and Nehal.  They are enjoying a break before gearing up for their doctoral programs.  I am so proud and wish them great success in their future as scientists!

Hooding Ceremony

Today the School of Biological Sciences held their first hooding ceremony for graduating graduate students.  It was a great way to recognize the contributions and success of our graduating students with their friends and family.  I am so proud of Erik, Ngozi, and Nehal, but also sad to see them go.  Tomorrow is graduation and and then they will pack up their apartments to enjoy a summer break before beginning their PhDs.  So proud of everyone graduating from Biological Sciences!


Students and their faculty mentors

Graduating Graduate Students of Spring 2016



Nehal, Erik, Ngozi, and me following the ceremony



Katie and Demi came to celebrate the success of their colleagues

Lab Party

To celebrate the end of the year we like to host the lab and my husband's softball team at our place for an afternoon of outdoor games and dinner.  It was nice to be able to spend sometime with everyone off campus and be able to relax and laugh.  There was volleyball, frisbee, and cornhall (which sounded like it got pretty competitive!).

Awards and Inspiration

Today the lab was involved in 2 different activites...GLAMS and Sigma Xi.  I took two of my students, Demi and Katie to El Dorado, Arkansas to participate in Girls Learning About Math and Science (GLAMS) an event for 8th grade girls to learn about different types of science.  We worked with them to make DNA bracelets, teaching them about DNA sequences and complimenatry base pairing.  We met just over 20 students and had a great time.

Katie, Demi, and me teaching girls about science

 While we were in Arkansas, Nehal was back on campus being recognized by the Louisiana Tech chapter of Sigma Xi for being an outstanding graduate student at the University.  This was a much deserved recgonition for Nehal and I'm sorry I missed it.

Nehal receiving his award from Dr. Terri Maness, Sigma Xi President

Today's Sigma Xi Outstanding students.  Congratulations to all!

Louisiana Academy of Sciences

Today was the 90th Annual Louisiana Academy of Sciences meeting in Alexandria, LA.  I took several students down there for the meeting; some to see what a conference is like and some to present on their research.  They did a great job representing Tech and the Newman lab!  Erik receiving 1st place for a graduate oral presentation in biomedical sciences and Katie received 1st place for an undergraduate poster presentation in biomedical sciences.  Great job to everyone who participated today!!!

Katie (above) and Demi (below) present their posters at LAS

Erik presenting his work in an oral presentation at LAS

Ngozi presenting her research in an oral presentation at LAS

Newman Lab at LAS




Winners!  Abitha (Dr. Caldorera-Moore's lab), Erik, and Katie were first in each of their respective categories



University of Louisiana Academic Summit

Following ANS Day on Thursday Demi and Katie drove down to Nicholl's State University to represent Louisiana Tech at the annual Academic Summit.  They were selected from the University Research Symposium to present posters at this multidisciplinary conference showcasing the best of the University of Louisiana system schools.  We were proud to have them there representing us!!  I was not able to attend, but a colleague made sure to take pictures.

Demi presenting her poster (above and below)

 

 

Katie presenting her poster (above and below)

ANS Day

Yesterday was the College of Applied and Natural Science's annual research and recognition event.  Three of the lab members gave oral presentations and one did a poster presentation.  After the talks and posters there was a lunch and an awards ceremony.  The ceremony recognized featured students, including our own Erik Beadle and Katie Whitehead, and honored faculty where I was awarded the colleges Research Award.  It was great to see the students recognized and be able to share their research and an honor for me to receive that award.

Katie presenting her research in the oral presentations at ANS Day

Erik getting ready to present his research in the oral presentations at ANS Day

Demi presenting her work in the oral presentations at ANS Day

Ngozi explaining her research in the poster session at ANS Day

Katie receiving her Featured Student Award from Dean Gary Kennedy

Erik receiving his Featured Student Award from Dean Gary Kennedy

Dr. Newman's Research Award from the College of Applied and Natural Sciences

Research Symposium Awards

Today was a proud day for the Newman Lab at the Research Symposium Awards Ceremony.  All winners and academic summit representatives were honored today at a reception with the University President.  Our lab was the only lab to receive more than 1 award, receiving a total of 4 recognitions.  When asked how we did that, I had to say what was true - the students work really hard.  I am so proud of them and sad to see a few graduate but so happy with what they will be doing next.  Congratulations Erik, Ngozi, Demi, and Katie!!

Demi receiving recognition for her poster.  She will be representing the University at the University of Louisiana Academic Summit meeting this weekend.

Katie receiving her plaque for 2nd place in the undergraduate poster presentations.  She will also be representing Louisiana Tech at this weekend's Academic Summit

Ngozi receiving her plaque for 3rd place in the graduate oral presentations.

Erik receiving his plaque for 1st place in the graduate oral presentations.



All of the students with University President, Dr. Guice

Art & Science Exhibit and Auction

I have been involved in an awesome collaboration with Dr. Mary Caldorera-Moore in Biomedical Engineering and Mr. Nick Bustamante in Studio Art this past year and on Thursday it culminates in an exhibit and auction showcasing the work of 14 art students who created medical illustrations for next year's New Frontier's in Biomedical Research Seminar Series.  I started the series 4 years ago and it has become incredibly popular and successful.  The addition of this collaboration has been an amazing experience and with the success of the program so far, we think this is certainly something that will continue and grow over time.  Many thanks to everyone who has been involved!  Looking forward to Thursday! 

For more information on the collaboration and event visit: http://news.latech.edu/2016/04/04/fine-arts-biosciences-faculty-join-forces-to-highlight-student-creativity/ 

 

 

Featured Students - Katie and Erik

Every year the College of Applied and Natural Sciences selects undergraduate and graduate students from the various departments to be featured students.  This year Anna (Katie) Whitehead was selected as a Biological Sciences Undergraduate Featured Student and Erik Beadle was selected as a Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology Graduate Featured Student.  Follow the links to learn more about them and their time at Louisiana Tech University.  Congratulations Katie and Erik!!

Congratulations Erik - Thesis Defense Completed!

The third and final master's thesis defense for the lab took place this morning and Erik Beadle successfully defended his thesis!  Erik started in the lab as an undergraduate and really got the project going.  He has had to demonstrate patience and perserverance but it looks like it has all paid off!  Erik will be pursuing his PhD at Vanderbilt in the fall.  We are proud of Erik and all of his hard work.  Congratulations Erik!!

Erik and his thesis committee (left to right: Dr. Bishop, Dr. Newman, Erik, Dr. Wolf)

Congratulations Katie, Summa Cum Laude!!

One more congratulations for the day, although this one is a few weeks late.



 

Winter 2016 Louisiana Tech Commencement

A big congratulations to Katie Whitehead who graduated this winter with her Bachelor of Science in Biological Scienes.  She was the only student to graduate Summa Cum Laude at the winter commencement on Saturday, March 5. 


We are proud to have had her in the lab as an undergraduate and look forward to having her in the lab for another year as a maters's student.  Congratulaitons Katie!!

 



Congratulations Ngozi - Thesis Defense Completed!

Congratulations to Ngozi Ogbonnaya who successfully defended her master's thesis today (big day for the Newman lab with one more to go next week)!  Ngozi did a great job and has accomplished so much on this project since she started in the lab 2 years ago.  When Ngozi joined the lab, the project was just an idea that she worked hard to make a reality.  Ngozi has presented her work at several local and state conferences and most recently at an international conference poster session.  In addition Ngozi participated in the LBRN summer program last year, getting some great research experience at LSUHSC-New Orleans.  Ngozi plans to pursue her PhD in the fall.  We are so proud of Ngozi and all of her hard work.

Ngozi and her thesis committee following her defense (left to right: Dr Wolf, Dr. Caldorera-Moore, Dr. Newman, and Ngozi)

Congratulations Nehal - Completed Thesis Defense!

Congratulations to Nehal Patel who sucessfully defended his master's thesis today.  He did a great job and has accomplished so much as a graduate student here over the past 2 years.  He has authored a book chapter, received a Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research, attended and presented at a national conference, and is preparing another manuscript for publication.  In the fall Nehal plans to attend Tulane where he will pursue a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology.  We could not be prouder of Nehal and all that he has achieved.

Nehal and his thesis committee following his defense (left to right: Dr. Newman, Dr. Caldorera-Moore, Nehal, Dr. Crews, and Dr. Wolf)

 

Research Symposium Winners!

I am proud to announce that our lab did a great job at the Louisiana Tech Research Symposium! 

Katie was awarded 2nd place in the Undergraduate Poster Competition and will be traveling to Nicholls State for the University of Louisiana Academic Summit next month.  Demi was also selected to attend the conference and they will serve as a small number of individuals picked to represent Louisiana Tech University at this annual meetings for all of the University of Louisiana schools.

In the Graduate Oral Presentations Erik Beadle tied for1st place and Ngozi tied for 3rd!! 

Congratulations to everyone for doing such a great job and making the lab proud!

Louisiana Tech Research Symposium

Left to right: Nehal, Dr. Newman, Ngozi, Katie, Demi, and Erik

Today several of the students in the lab participated in the University's annual research symposium.  Demi, Katie, and Nehal presented posters, and Erik and Ngozi were selected for oral presentations.  I had to teach so missed most of the event, but I hear they all did a great job explaining their research.  It was a tough time of year (this being the last week in the winter quarter), but I am proud of all of them for participating today!!

LBRN Annual Meeting 2016

Dr. Newman and some of her students spent the last 2 days in Monroe, LA at the Louisiana Biomedical Research Network (LBRN, @lbrn_inbre) Annual Meeting. Dr. Newman has a full project proposal funded through the LBRN ($300,000 over 3 years!) and today presented on that project and met with the granting agency's advisory council.

Graduate student, Ngozi Ogbonnaya gave a great to talk on the work she did through the LBRN's summer graduate research program with Dr. Lucio Miele at LSUHSC-New Orleans (pictured below).

In addition to the oral presentations, Demi Sandel and Erik Beadle presented posters on their projects and undergraduate Christina Dorsett presented a poster on her research in the LBRN undergraduate summer research program where she worked with Dr. Bruce Bunnell.  Everyone did a great job!!!

Students at the LBRN meeting (left to right: Demi Sandel, Ngozi Ogbonnaya, Erik Beadle, and Christina Dorsett)

Doctoral Program Admissions

As the winter quarter wraps up the master's students in the lab are preparing to graduate in the spring and have applied to doctoral programs.  Everyone is nervously awaiting news and today Erik Beadle heard that he was accepted to Vanderbilt University for a PhD in Biomedical Sciences!  Congratulations Erik!

CMBE New Orleans: Poster Presentation

Last night the conference hosted a gala, so we got dressed up and heard a great talk by Dr. Don Ingber.  Wow does he does amazing research and develops incredible devices and technologies!  

Today were poster presentations and Katie did a great job explaining her project to people who came by.  We got some good suggestions and met some new colleagues in the field of tissue engineering.  Overall a great event!