Spelman College students presented diverse research papers at the recent National Association of African American Honors Programs annual conference.
Gabrielle Price, a first year Biology major, presented “Computed Tomography Brain Radiation Exposure in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrahage.” Her paper was based on data gathered on the dosage of brain radiation from CT scans in adult patients that experienced bleeding within the brain and were admitted into the Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit. Ms. Price’s mentor were Dr. Deborah Rohner, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Unit, University of Kentucky, Dr. Flavius Raslau, Department of Radiology, University of Kentucky, Dr. Kenisha Webb, University of Kentucky Medical Student.
She wrote that patients should know how much radiation is used and its health implications, as excessive amounts may increase cancer risk and negatively impact lifespan. Physicians should also be more careful about how many scans they request per patient. Price is preparing her findings for publication, and aspires to attend medical school and specialize in Anesthesiology. A dream sideline would be writing a syndicated health column to promote health literacy.
Spelman sociology major, and a junior, Endia L. Hayes, presented from her honors thesis research, “The Virtual Caliphate: The Utilization of Social Media for Terrorism.”
Hayes investigated how ISIS has employed social media tools and compelling visual rhetorics to advance its agenda. New media allow ISIS to easily reach and persuade millennials to sympathize with, join, and recruit others to its often violent aims.
Hayes is fascinated by the intersection of religious rhetoric, politics and western technology. She plans to become a sociology professor specializing in religious social networks, group organization and dynamics. She sees studying ISIS as a long-term evolving project. Ms. Hayes’ thesis mentor is Dr. Bruce Wade in Sociology/Anthropology.
Taylor J. Williams-Hamilton presented “Functional Studies of Missense Mutation in MSH2 Gene.” Ms. Williams-Hamilton is a junior Biology major and part of a research team studying Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC). She investigated whether a specific missense mutation would cause an individual to be diagnosed with HNPCC.
Researchers who know how mutations are related to HNPCC can analyze future mutations, improving early cancer diagnosis, seek preventative measures, and improve treatment of patients with the HNPCC gene. Ms. Williams-Hamilton is interested in dermatology, as hereditary skin cancers may affect patients as HNPCC does. Her faculty mentor is Dr. Hong Qin in the Biology Department at Spelman.
By Frank McCoy