STEM Scholar Kelsey O’Brien (’23 genetics) is the undergraduate first place winner of the 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Student E-Poster Competition in the environment and ecology category.
O’Brien won the award for research she conducted in the Toth Laboratory at Iowa State University. The lab is run by Amy Toth, a professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology.
O’Brien’s research presentation, “RNA Sequencing For the Masses,” examined RNA extraction and sequencing methods in insects to assess their suitability and limitations.
STEM Scholars
A supportive peer-to-peer network, STEM Scholars directly addresses the challenges faced by STEM students in traditionally excluded groups, including women, underrepresented minorities, students with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, first-generation students and low-income populations.