February 20, 2001

A student studying classics and history will write a small novel on the Civil War. Another, in environmental chemistry, will study water pollution. A molecular and cell biology major will investigate ways to inhibit HIV.

These students and 15 others were recently selected for the University Scholars program, which enables talented and highly motivated students to pursue enriching and nontraditional programs of study.

"They're an amazing group of students," says Deborah McDonald, associate professor of nursing and chair of the committee that reviews applications to the program. "Each one is doing something very exciting but very different."

Students are invited to apply during their fifth semester. Graduation as a University Scholar is the highest scholastic honor at the University.

Each year, up to 30 University Scholars are selected, based on the rigor and imagination of their proposed programs, and on the students' previous histories of academic success.

Sherry Fisher

The students selected this year for the University Scholars program are:

Nitya Elizabeth Abraham, Biology (Advisor: Usha Palaniswamy) "Breast Cancer Awareness and a Culturally Based Educational Program on Early Detection of Breast Cancer for South Asian Women at the University of Connecticut"

Tara Lindsay Bernen, Nursing (Advisor: Deborah McDonald) "Using the Internet to Improve Health Teaching"

Holgie Choi, Political Science (Advisor: Jennifer Sterling-Folker) "To Finally End Cold War Politics: The Effects of the Korean Reunification Process on Korea and the International Community's Response to it"

Robert Davis Coen, History and Political Science (Advisor: Stuart Miller) "The Hellenization of Judea"

George Jamison Franklin, Environmental Chemistry (Advisor: James D. Stuart) "A Chemical and Biological Study of Steel Brook and Mad River"

Liara Meg Gonzalez, Biology (Advisor: Sandra Bushmich) "Research on Equine Exposure to West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease"

Andrew Erik Greenstein, Molecular & Cell Biology (Advisor: Sandra Vigil-Cruz) "Perspectives in Biochemical Processes: Solid-Phase Synthesis of Peptides to Inhibit Protein-Protein Interaction Between Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Host Cells"

Timothy John Herbst, Physiology & Neurobiology (Advisor: Carl Maresh) "The Search for an Optimum Rehydration Technique"

Brian John Hopkins, Physiology & Neurobiology (Advisor: Stephen Korn) "Potassium Channels: Structure and Physiology"

Jennifer Janemun Lee, Pharmacy (Advisor: Patricia Neafsey) "Pharmacists: Do They Have Sufficient Knowledge and Self-Confidence of Nutrition to Counsel Patients on Possible Interactions Between Nutritional Supplements and Prescription Medication?"

Jennifer Levy, Molecular & Cell Biology (Advisor: Juliet Lee) "The Role of Mechano-Chemical Signaling in the Regulation of Cancer Cell Movement"

Daniel Liska, Classics and History (Advisor: Richard Brown) "History, Literature and Fiction: Civil War America and the Classics"

Seema Khiman Pursnani, Physiology & Neurobiology (Advisor: Joseph Loturco) "How and When Do We Learn?: Investigating Long-Term Potentiation Using an Animal Model of Developmental Dyslexia"

Rachel Salazar, Latin American Studies/English (Advisor: Elizabeth Mahan) "Women's Groups and Empowerment in the Rural Dominican Republic: A Case Study"

Laura Smey, Physiology & Neurobiology (Advisor: Kevin Sweeney) "Achieving Gender Equity in Health Care"

Johanna Dube Stephens, Chemistry (Advisor: Challa Kumar) "Can Microwaves Damage DNA?"

Thomas Volscho, Sociology (Advisor: David Weakliem) "All States are Unequal, but Some States are More Unequal than Others: What are the State-Specific Causes of Varying Degrees of Income Inequality?"

Kara Elizabeth Zavarella, Spanish and English (Advisor: Jonathan Hufstader) "Women Alone: Contemporary Spanish Feminism and the Role of Adelaida Garcia Morales"