FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2016, 3:00 p.m. CDT
Contact Jason Hogue, Peru State College Marketing and Communications, 402.872.2429
This is the first part of a seven part series on conferences Peru State students attended
in the fall of 2016.
Peru, Nebraska- Four members of the Peru State College Biology Department attended the 47th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Society of Parasitologists at the Cedar Point
Biological Station on Lake Ogallala, September 8-10. Approximately 70 parasitology
students and faculty attended the conference with both students and faculty members
presenting their research at the field station.
Kiana Borengasser (Walanae, HI), working with Dr. Rich Clopton, presented an oral
presentation on her research entitled, “Gregarine Oocyst Production is a Function
of Gametocyst Size.”
Borengasser said of her research, “"In Dr. Clopton's lab I have been studying gregarines,
which are gut parasites of cockroaches. I have been studying how these parasites allocate
their reproductive energy.”
Kiana Borengasser
Borengasser continues, “The question is do they allocate their energy to make fewer
but larger offspring or a larger number of smaller offspring. In all three species
of gregarines I studied, the number of offspring produced depends on available energy.
Larger gregarines have more energy and produce more offspring.
“As an undergraduate research student in the Clopton lab, I've been fortunate to learn
many hands-on techniques and how to design and conduct research experiments."
Peru State College is dedicated to providing leadership, research and networking opportunities
to students in all disciplines. Conference attendance is an important aspect of the
complete college experience.
Dr. Tim Borchers, Vice President of Academic Affairs, writes, “Attending conferences
as an undergraduate student not only gives our students a professional experience
but it will be a competitive advantage for them as they interview for jobs or graduate
school.”
Dr. Rich Clopton was invited to give a presentation entitled “The Other Rich Clopton”,
part of a series of annual talks giving insight into the lives of academicians and
researchers outside of their academic, institutional and professional pursuits.
Deb Clopton was named president-elect for the society in 2015 and is currently serving
as president until September of 2017.
Sydney Armbruster (Falls City, NE) also attended.
The Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitology was established in 1969 and remains
true to its founders’ principles of providing a venue where graduate and undergraduate
students can come together to develop new friendships and share the findings of their
research. Interestingly, Dr. William Campbell was an invited keynote speaker at the
2015 annual meeting, just 3 weeks prior to winning the Nobel Prize for Medicine.
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This is the first part of a seven part series on conferences attended by Peru State
students attended in the fall of 2016. Faculty and student attendees are available
to be interviewed through December and January. Call 620-363-2461 for more information.
For more information, visit www.peru.edu or call 1-800-742-4412.
About Peru State College: Nestled in the historic hills of the Missouri River, the
“Campus of a Thousand Oaks" is Nebraska’s oldest college and will celebrate its sesquicentennial
anniversary in 2017. Peru State College’s constant commitment to academic excellence
has resulted in a unique and innovative mix of online, traditional, undergraduate
and graduate programs. Similarly, the college's ongoing student engagement promotes
inquiry, discovery and innovation on-campus and across the region. Peru State College
is committed to being a good steward of education, students, the region and Nebraska
for another 150 years.