The College of Natural and Applied Sciences at Missouri State University has several students conducting research experiences this summer and several recent graduates attaining their PhDs. Here are a few examples:

• Justin Conover, junior biology major, is conducting research this summer at Iowa State University in the lab of Dr. Jonathan Wendel. Conover is studying biased expression nuclear integrated mitochondria and chloroplast genes in polyploidy cotton.  He is taking part in a nationally-competitive Research Experience for Undergraduates program that is funded by the National Science Foundation.

• Biology alum Andrea Crownheart recently completed her PhD on mussel conservation at the University of Georgia.  She has accepted a 2-year post-doctoral position with the Illinois Natural History Survey.

• Caleb Hickman, biology alum, successfully defended his dissertation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He studied the influence of invasive plants on amphibian populations.

• David Vinyard, who received his bachelor’s in chemistry and agriculture in 2007 and his master’s in chemistry in 2008, successfully defended his thesis July 10. This former Citizen Scholar will now receive his PhD in chemistry from Princeton.