Campbell students place in Collegiate Academy of NC Academy of Science Competition

Campbell University seniors Ashley Brown, Casey Langdon and Adriel Watts placed in their competitions at the Collegiate Academy of the North Carolina Academy of Science at UNC-Greensboro on March 29, 2008. Ashley Brown won first place in the Ecology division for her research paper “Anthropogenic Influences on Pond Water Quality and Biotic Integrity-Implications for Stormwater Management.” “I was really surprised,” said Brown. “There were a lot of good presentations, but I was really surprised they chose me.”Brown’s paper came from an ecology project she worked on with fellow students, Tucker Jacomet and Stephanie McCommons. She chose to further her research and present it at the conference with the help of Dr. John Bartlett, assistant professor of Biological Sciences.”She worked very hard,” said Bartlett. “Ashley is a fulltime student, and yet she was willing to meet at 8 a.m., twice a week for months. That’s dedication.”For the paper, Brown collected data on insect populations and water quality in natural ponds, golf course ponds and storm water ponds. Her results indicate that storm water ponds have low biodiversity but could be better managed, with minimal cost, to increase biodiversity. Brown and Bartlett will co-author a paper to be published in the next edition of the NC Academy of Science journal.Casey Langdon and Adriel Watts, both Biochemistry majors, defended papers in the Cell and Developmental Biology Division. Casey Langdon, who placed second, coauthored his paper with Ashley Strickland and Dr. Karen Guzman, associate professor of biology. The paper was entitled “Spontaneous contraction of the mouse skeletal muscle cell line C2C12 is inhibited by ion channel blockers.”Adriel Watts, who placed third, worked with Dr. Thomas Abraham, associate professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Guzman. The paper was entitled “Inhibition of CaMKII modulates skeletal muscle development in culture.”Photo Copy: Campbell University student Ashley Brown.

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