HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 28, 2017 – Members of the High Point University community frequently conduct, publish and share research and creative works in a variety of ways. Below is a recap of research initiatives from the past month.
Student Publishes Article in Prominent Scientific Journal
HPU junior physics major Thomas Boudreaux’s paper, “A search for rapidly pulsating hot subdwarf stars in the GALEX survey,” was accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, a high-impact, peer-reviewed scientific journal of astronomy and astrophysics. In 2016, Boudreaux worked with Dr. Scott Fleming at the Space Telescope Science Institute to extract ultraviolet light curves of hot subdwarf stars from NASA’s GALEX spacecraft data archive. In addition to finding known variable stars, his work led to the discovery of a new pulsating hot subdwarf star, “LAMOST J082517.99+113106.3.” Rising senior Alan Vasquez Soto, who has two years of experience working with pulsating stars, led a follow-up observing and analysis campaign to confirm the new pulsating star with ground-based data from SKYNET.
“I would certainly not have been able to do what I have done over the last few years without the amazing faculty in the Department of Physics,” says Boudreaux. “My parents are continually amazed by the amount of time the faculty here dedicate to working with me – especially my research advisor, Dr. Brad Barlow. He’s spent many hours helping me fix bugs in my code, sort out challenging observations and talk through the methods I want to integrate.”
Astronomy Students, Faculty Attend International Conference
Dr. Brad Barlow, assistant professor of astrophysics at HPU, and astronomy students attended the Eighth Meeting on Hot Subdwarf Stars and Related Objects, an international conference held in Krakow, Poland. They joined astronomers from around the world in presenting research, debating controversies in the field and discussing priorities for the research community. Barlow and junior Thomas Boudreaux both gave oral presentations at the conference, and senior Zack Hutchens gave a poster presentation and elevator pitch. Barlow also served as a session chair by invitation of the Scientific Organizing Committee.
“Nearly all of the participants were professors or Ph.D. students,” says Barlow. “Our undergraduate students did a tremendous job disseminating their research results at the conference and representing High Point University and our physics department. The conference also included a rich social program that allowed our group to enjoy day trips to the Polish countryside, Krakow Old Town and the Wieliczka Salt Mine, where Copernicus himself walked 500 years ago.”
Student Attends Selective Summer Research Program
Rebecca Ulrich, a senior biochemistry major at HPU, conducted research at Carver College of Medicine as a participant in the Summer Undergraduate MSTP Research Program. The program is funded by the University of Iowa and the National Institutes of Health. During her 10 weeks of research, she worked with Dr. Lee-Ann Allen in an interdisciplinary microbiology, immunology and internal medicine lab researching human neutrophil biology. Her specific project focused on Helicobacter pylori, the microbial pathogen implicated in stomach ulcers, and how it can manipulate neutrophils and the human immune system to grow and proliferate in the stomach.
“This program was an excellent opportunity for me, in my final summer before graduation, to explore career opportunities and my interests in medicine and research,” says Ulrich. “HPU has provided me with the rigorous academic coursework and research experiences to help me succeed in a lab at a large medical research institution. While my research in Iowa was much different than my research in the chemistry department at HPU, I have been successful because of the foundational research skills and critical thinking skills I learned at HPU.”
Professor Publishes Article on Pharmacy Student Prayer
Dr. Joy Greene, assistant dean and professor in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy at HPU, co-authored an article in the journal Christian Higher Education titled “Measuring Pharmacy Student Attitudes Toward Prayer: The Student Prayer Attitude Scale (SPAS).” Greene and professors from six other Christian universities assessed the attitudes of student pharmacists toward prayer in general and as it relates to their academic performance using a scale they developed. They found that the scale is a reliable tool for measuring students’ attitudes, and that students identifying as atheist or agnostic were significantly different in their responses than students from theistic religions, whose responses were not significantly different from one another.
“As faculty, we need to be aware of the importance of prayer in the lives of our students,” says Greene. “The majority of the students we surveyed believe prayer is important to their academic performance. As we teach and mentor students here at HPU, we need to be aware of the impact prayer has in the lives of our students. The SPAS tool can help us explore students’ attitudes toward prayer and better address the spiritual needs of the students we serve.”
Pharmacy Professor’s Kratom Research Cited in Journal Article
Research by Dr. Scott Hemby, chair of basic pharmaceutical sciences in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy at HPU, is highlighted in the journal of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is one of several researchers included in an overview of research on kratom, a substance that has been used as a replacement for opiates like morphine. Hemby is studying two compounds of kratom in his lab at HPU, one of which has shown evidence of having addictive properties that could lead to the potential for abuse. In January, Hemby discussed his research on PBS Newshour.