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

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.