Delta State University student Katie Penton recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to present her research to a national audience at the National IDeA Symposium on Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE) in late June.
NISBRE is a biennial symposium aimed at showcasing the biomedical research conducted by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences’ Institutional Development Awards (IDeA) program. The conference is attended by all 23 IDeA funded states and Puerto Rico.
Penton conducts her research in the lab of Delta State’s Dr. Sharon Hamilton, assistant professor of chemistry. She was invited to present her work as a part of Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE).
“Through attending NISBRE I was able to network and meet other researchers,” said Penton. “These new contacts gave great advice and encouragement towards my scientific aspirations.”
While at NISBRE, students are able to explore scientific sessions, collaborate with researchers in various fields and build their professional network.
“We are very excited to be able to offer opportunities for our undergraduate students to present their research to a national audience,”said Dr. Mohamed Elasri, director of INBRE. “I enjoyed seeing our students in action. They presented their research, networked with scientists from all over the nation, and most importantly represented Mississippi well.” said Dr. Mohamed Elasri.
Penton said presenting research to a national audience is especially beneficial for students as they are able to work on presentation skills and get advice that can be useful in future research or career development.
“I was also able to gain new insight into some aspects of my research that I’ll be implementing in the coming weeks,” added Penton.
INBRE is a statewide program that is supported by an award from the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences. Its mission is to enhance the biomedical foundation in Mississippi and to reach out to Mississippians in order to improve health throughout the state. INBRE seeks to engage talented researchers and students in biomedical research projects that will increase the state’s research competitiveness as well as impact the health of citizens.
For more information about INBRE, visit msinbre.org.
Learn more about Delta State’s Department of Chemistry and Physics at https://www.deltastate.edu/artsandsciences/chemistry-and-physics.
