More than 30 teams of College of Charleston students and faculty mentors are conducting research this summer as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty (SURF) grant program. Teams are investigating everything from pollution effects on the Lowcountry ecosystem to the revitalization of arts and finding an anti-cancer agent for prostate cancer.

“Past SURF grant recipients say the experience has prepared them well for post-graduate pursuits, particularly admission to top graduate schools and access to competitive jobs after graduation,” says Trisha Folds-Bennett, Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities. “Plus, SURF grants support faculty-student collaboration, one of the most enriching and rewarding experiences on an undergraduate campus.”

SURF grant recipients are awarded up to $6,500 and the student is expected to work 40 hours a week for 10 weeks. The culmination of the research is participation in the college-wide “Celebration of Summer Engagement”, which will be held on Monday, August 22, 2011. They are also required to submit a written project summary for public dissemination and are encouraged to submit results to regional, national and international publications.

Professor Trish Ward of the English department and history major Marca Hoyle will combine their fields with a project that looks at the Anglo-Saxon prayer books written by women, primarily in Latin with interlinear Old English translations.  Hoyle will learn how to investigate the basics of Anglo-Saxon paleography (manuscript study) and then will apply this technique by examining medieval manuscript collections at the University of South Carolina and in the British Library. It is anticipated that the findings from this project will be co-presented at the Southeastern Medieval Association.

Professor Justin Wyatt and biochemistry major John Coward will further develop a novel anticancer agent focusing on prostate cancer using a compound derived from the antibiotic cytosporone E. This continues research that Wyatt and fellow scientists have been working on to develop new small chemotherapy drugs.

Professor Anthony Bishara and psychology major Branden Abushanab will conduct a study to determine if the order of practicing music impacts retention. They will consider two practice orders: fixed-order in which a person practices a particular task before switching to the next task and random-order in which a person randomly alternates two or more tasks. The purpose of this project is to determine whether fixed-order or random-order practice leads to better memory retention for piano playing and whether or not participants’ judgment of learning during acquisition accurately predicts their retention 2 days later.

Professor Steven Johnson will work with Anastasia Timina, studio arts major, whose project focuses on illuminating the abstract elements of the human figure as well as exploring the human form as a still life.  This project will allow Timina to travel to San Francisco to participate in the shipping, installation, lighting, and assemblage of an art show.  She will also have the opportunity while there to view contemporary art and visit the studios of professional artists, where she will speak with them one-on-one.

Professor Wendy Cory will work with chemistry major Danielle White to determine the environmental fate of Benadryl and Zyrtec in the Cooper River, Edisto River, and the Atlantic Ocean at Folly Beach. They will determine whether the chemicals are persistent or degraded (broken down) by natural processes that occur in the environment. Assessment of environmental fate is critical to an understanding of the risk of these contaminants to humans and aquatic organisms.

Hospitality and tourism management professors Steve Litvin and Wayne Smith will work with students Karley Petracca and Jill King to look at the BB&T Charleston Wine and Food and other Southeastern U.S. festivals to determine both the evolution and effect of the recession on such events.

For more information about SURF and other undergraduate research grant opportunities.