Three MARC U-STAR (Maximizing Access to Research Careers Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research - an institutional training grant from the National Institute on General Medical Sciences) Scholars were awarded top honors for their neuroscience research at the 2018 SACNAS National Diversity in STEM conference in San Antonio, TX. Aleezah Balolia, a junior Biology major, won 1st place in the Neuroscience division for her research on dorsal striatum modulation of fear extinction and relapse that she is conducting in Dr. Benjamin Greenwood's Exercise Behavioral Neuroscience laboratory. Jonté Roberts, a junior Biology major, and Ryan Leman, a junior Psychology major, both students in Dr. Erik Oleson's behavioral pharmacology laboratory, won 1st place in the Cognitive Psychology division and General Psychology division, respectively. All three CU Denver MARC U-STAR Scholars were commended for their superb research presentations. At the conference, judges recognized their work as standouts among the student presentations. SACNAS is a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Chicano/Hispanic and Native American scientists—from college students to professionals—to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in science. The MARC U-STAR program is honored that their students' communication skills and command of the research topic were recognized as exemplary.
University of Colorado Denver