Last month on Saturday, March 23, a poster contest took place at the Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) National Biological Honor Society Northeast District Two Convention at Lincoln University. There were many universities who attended the contest- Bloomsburg University, Drew University, Elizabethtown University, Lincoln University, Moravian College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Ursinus College, Wagner College and Cabrini.
The contest was between 14 different poster presentations, each representing a different university. Each student who was presenting a poster are members of the honor society. Each student represented the brightest biology student from the colleges and universities who attended.
Rick Tumminello was Cabrini’s representative, and he took home first place in the contest. The reason Tumminello was chosen for this contest was an undergraduate research award that he won from Tri-Beta. By receiving the grant, he was required to attend the TriBeta meeting to present his research.
At the convention Rick presented a poster- “The effects of heat stress on DNA oxidation and damage in Eisenia hortensis.” This was research that Rich has been doing for the last five semesters with Dr. Sheryl Fuller-Espie in the science department and also along with junior Tara Brennan.
“I feel very honored and blessed to have been recognized as the first place winner and I think it’s even more exciting that it is the first time that any student from Cabrini College has received any recognition at these conventions,” Tumminello said. “I think it’s about time.”
At Cabrini, there is a great science department with many hard-working students who have great talent and will be moving forward in their life.
“I predict that more of these types of recognitions will be earned by Cabrini College students that work hard in the science department heading forward,” Tumminello said.
Since Tumminello was the first-place winner, he will be having all expenses paid next year to attend the National Tri-Beta Biennial Convention at Gannon University in Erie, Pa. Rick will be a graduate student attending Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine enrolled in their Biomedical Science masters program.
“There is a lot of talent in the science department, and I really encourage students to jump into science and get passionate about it, instead of shying away from it,” Tumminello said, parting words of wisdom to students. “It’s not as scary, I promise.”
