Participants selected for International Student Research Forum

Graduate student Sonal Tuljapurkar discusses her research poster with UNMC ob/gyn professor John Davis, Ph.D., during last week’s poster presentation to determine who from the medical center would attend the 2009 International Student Research Forum in Queensland, Australia. Tuljapurkar was one of 12 students selected to go to the forum, which is in November.

Twelve UNMC graduate students have been selected to participate in the 2009 International Student Research Forum (ISRF), which will be held in Queensland, Australia in November.

At the annual forum — which was at UNMC last year — the students will share their research and culture with peers from around the world.

Previous forums had been held in Beijing and Tokyo.

UNMC participants UNMC students selected to attend the 2009 International Student Research Forum are: Tara Nordgren, genetics, cell biology and anatomy; Agnes Constantino, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience; Dulce Maroni, biochemistry and molecular biology; Haley Louise Capek, Eppley Institute; Xiang Yi, pharmaceutical Sciences; Jyoti Govindram Iyer, Eppley Institute; Lynn Marie Roy, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience; Bhawna Sharma, pathology and microbiology; Saili Moghe, Eppley Institute; Hardeep Singh Oberoi, pharmaceutical sciences; Jiqing Xu, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience; and Sonal Tuljapurkar, genetics, cell biology and anatomy.

“The forum provides a unique opportunity for UNMC students to not only hone their presentation skills, but to interact with peers who could be future collaborators, while learning about diverse research areas,” said Tara Nordgren — a third-year student in the genetics, cell biology and anatomy department who will attend and help organize the UNMC contingent for the forum. “I am honored to be able to participate and help in the coordination of this event.”

Participants were selected based on their performance during a poster presentation at last week’s Joint Research Symposium.

Students who attend the forum — which will be held during Thanksgiving week — will take part in forum events and give 15-minute oral presentations.
Students who attend this year also will be eligible to attend next year’s international forum.

UNMC attendees will be joined by colleagues from:

• The Institute of Medical Science at The University of Tokyo;
  
• The Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; and
  
• Griffith University.

Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor for business and finance, will be a part of the UNMC contingent at the forum. He has attended the previous three forums as well.

“Every year, this forum proves to be an exciting and innovative way for our students to interact with their international colleagues,” Leuenberger said. “Our students are very fortunate to participate in this unique event.”