Five Biology students at Catawba College recently received research grants, presented by the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) Undergraduate Research Program. The program provides funding for undergraduate research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The Catawba students won five of the 12 awards given. They are Justin Leonard, working with faculty advisors Dr. Amanda Rushing and Dr. Erin Howard; Candace Swepson, working with faculty advisor Dr. Carmony Hartwig; Abigail Walters, working with faculty advisor Dr. Howard; and the team of Jasmine Wiitala and Oryan Malul, working with faculty advisor Dr. Rushing.
The program was created to encourage students to pursue careers or advanced degrees in STEM fields and to promote greater diversity by making it possible for students, including underrepresented students, to participate in undergraduate research opportunities. The awards are funded by the NCICU Undergraduate Research Endowment. The endowment was established through a gift from the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation and other corporate and foundation entities.
