Science Abstracts News Archive
In her lab at Marshall University, Dr. Nadja Spitzer and her students are exploring one of science’s final frontiers — the brain. As part of the NSF-funded West Virginia Network for Functional Neuroscience & Transcriptomics (WV-NFNT) project, Dr. Spitzer collaborates with researchers across the state to study how the brain’s intricate connections change in response
Fifteen students from across the U.S., including Marshall University Biological Sciences graduate student Mary Zarilla, have just returned from an unforgettable two-week adventure in Uganda. The group took part in Primate Behavior and Conservation (BSC 580), a field course offered in collaboration with the Semliki Chimpanzee Project — a 30-year research and conservation effort. From
Dr. Rick Gage, associate professor in Natural Resources & the Environment, was recently interviewed for a recent article in Marshall Magazine along with a few students from the College of Science. In the article, Dr. Gage explains how, from mountain peaks to whitewater rapids, West Virginia has “something for everybody” — and he’s on a
Environmental Science minor Maggie Dickerson was one of fourteen students who took part in Marshall’s Tropical Biology and Conservation Field Course, offered by the Department of Biological Sciences with Biology instructor Kimberly Dingess. Over two weeks in June, students explored some of the world’s most bio-diverse ecosystems in Costa Rica. Maggie and her experience was
Dr. Pamela Puppo, together with European collaborators, has published exciting new research exploring how plant species on islands form syngameons—networks of hybridizing species that exchange genes while still maintaining their distinct looks. Using wild thyme as a model, the study found that these genetic networks are especially large and complex on younger islands, where species
July was a busy—and global—month for Dr. Tom Cuchta of Marshall University’s Department of Mathematics and Physics. He was an invited speaker at not one, but two international conferences spotlighting cutting-edge research in mathematical theory. First stop: Guangzhao, China, for the 30th International Conference on Difference Equations and Applications (ICDEA 2025). Dr. Cuchta co-organized a
This summer, the Department of Mathematics and Physics at Marshall University welcomed ten undergraduate researchers from across the country for the second annual Appalachian Mathematics and Physics Site (AMPS) REU program. Funded by the National Science Foundation (award #2349289), AMPS gives students a chance to spend the summer as full-time, paid researchers working alongside faculty
The Department of Chemistry recently wrapped up an exciting summer of science with the 2025 Chemistry Research Summer Program (CRSP) and Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Final Symposium. Over the course of 10 weeks, student researchers dove into hands-on projects—and the results were on full display at this high-energy event! A total of 17 presentations
Even the summer heat couldn’t stop Dr. Rick Gage from sharing his love of trees! As part of the Lifelong Learning program, Dr. Gage led a “Tree Walk” across Marshall University’s campus, guiding participants through a hands-on exploration of the diverse and fascinating trees that call our campus home. Attendees learned how to use a
The Herpetology and Applied Conservation Lab hit the road last week, traveling to St. Paul, Minnesota, for the 2025 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH)—a major national gathering of scientists passionate about fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Dr. Jayme Waldron was joined by former graduate student Emily Gray and current graduate students Tucker Cribb, Sydney