ASU's science department has something else to be proud of this semester.
Three ASU students were announced as winners in Science magazine's review of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 2002 student poster competition in Boston.
Biology seniors Megan Dueck and Brian Lutz took first place in the Organismal Biology and Social Sciences categories. Another biology senior, Matthew Forrester, received an honorable mention in the Social Sciences category.
The AAAS competition, held in February, is the largest science convention in the world. More than 100 original research presentations from educational institutions were submitted. Applicants presented their work to international audiences and judges.
Dueck placed first with her poster titled, "Heat Shock Protein Induction Temperature Rate of Changes for Laboratory Acclimated Intertidal Snail Tegula Rugosa." She said she is very happy to have the award and the prestige.
"I went with biology on a whim," she said. "I think it (the award) looks good on the resume and I got $300."
Dueck said she believes that the award helped her land a yearlong post-baccalaureate fellowship with the National Institute for Health in Washington, D.C.
"After that I want to go to grad school somewhere in California," she said. "I hope to end with a Ph.D. in molecular biology."
Jane Maienschein, an ASU Regents Professor of Biology and Philosophy, accompanied the ASU students to the conference.
"By taking students to an international meeting like AAAS, we're taking them into the real world," she said. "They present their results, they work at the meeting, and they're part of the international science community. They get to see what it's like to be a scientist outside of the classroom and the laboratory."
Lutz and Forrester were unavailable for comment.
Reach the reporter @terry.oreilly@asu.edu.