Local students participated in a research program with the Cedar Crest College Department of Biological Sciences.

Fourteen students presented their data at the 98th Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science. More than 100 presentations were made by undergraduate and graduate students from 31 universities, colleges, and institutions, and the 12 posters and talks from Cedar Crest College placed the school at the top of the list for total number of presentations.

The conference concluded with an awards ceremony where travel grants, research grants, and the Anne Spychala Presentation Awards were distributed.

Presentations included: Hannah Bonser of Lehighton and Alison Edwards (research adviser: Andre Walther): Examining Replication Protein A interactions with the cancer-associated proteins Ddc2p and Mec1p using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae - first place Spychala Award for Women in Science, PAS Travel Grant Recipient.

• Juliana Delgado and Kendall Heiney of Slatington (research advisers: Andre Walther and Lindsey Welch): Using the oleaginous fungus Cryptococcus neoformans as a source of lipids for the production of biodiesel fuel - Spychala Awards Honorable Mention.