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Back to News College of Mount Saint Vincent Center for Undergraduate Research Fosters Student Achievement

College of Mount Saint Vincent Center for Undergraduate Research Fosters Student Achievement

2/6/2015

Exceptional Student Researcher Prepares for a Career in the Sciences

Riverdale, N.Y. – A 2013 study from the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA demonstrated that, among many other qualities, students at the University of Mount Saint Vincent display a driving curiosity, are willing to research the answers to satisfy that curiosity, and are likely to collaborate on group projects and make class presentations. Out of the many examples of such well-grounded, confident individuals, one in particular—an exceptional student scientist—has turned opportunities at the Mount into accomplishments.

Katiuska Hernandez ’15, a biology major, has interned at Kent State University and Brown University, and has collaborated with a Mount chemistry professor on a major research project that she presented at last year’s Student Research and Service Symposium—a practice considered almost a requirement for a career in scientific research.

During Ms. Hernandez’s sophomore year, she became fascinated with the idea of conducting basic, or bench, research on fruit flies, which she had studied in genetics class. By the start of her junior year, she was working in the laboratory of Dr. Janet Rollins, Associate Professor of Chemistry.

“We learned basic research and lab techniques, and we also learned how to work with the flies—dissecting them, dosing them, caring for them,” says Ms. Hernandez. “It’s very intricate work and takes a lot of practice to master.”

With Dr. Rollins acting as principal investigator and guide, Ms. Hernandez—along with five other students—collaborated on the study, Using Drosophila Melanogaster as a Model Organism to Study Reproductive Toxicants. The group conducted laboratory procedures and tests, wrote up findings, and presented their poster at the 2014 Student Research and Service Symposium.

Through the Center for Undergraduate Research, students have the opportunity to produce original research to present at colloquia and conferences across the country. Research experience is a crucial part of an individual’s preparation for graduate study and future employment in the sciences. From mathematics to anthropology, biochemistry to sociology, business to chemistry, history to communication, the topics chosen by Mount students for conducting original research reap great achievement—at last year’s symposium, Ms. Hernandez was one of more than 80 students presenting their original research, a fact that demonstrates the extraordinary academic excellence students achieve at the Mount.

The University of Mount Saint Vincent is committed to serving all students with high quality education opportunities inside and out of the classroom. Read the full story on Ms. Hernandez featured in the 2013-2014 Annual Report.

About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment and leadership in the 21st century.