Florida Tech Earns Top Awards at Regional Science Conference

– Florida Tech biological sciences students Paola Lopez-Duarte earned first place and Valerie Le Bleu earned second place Frank G. Brooks Awards for their
presentations at the 46th annual meeting of Beta Beta Beta, Southeastern Region, in Washington D.C. They both are members of Sigma Psi, Florida Tech’s
chapter of Tri-Beta, the biological sciences honor society.

Paola Lopez-Duarte, of La Paz, Bolivia, presented, “Circatidal swimming behavior of brachyuran crab zoea larvae: Implications of ebb-tide transport.” Her
research mentor is Dr. Richard Tankersley, associate professor of biological sciences.

Valerie Le Bleu, of France, presented, “Cell culture in a rotating bioreactor: Impact of gravity on the cell cycle of mouse leukemic lymphocytes.” Le Bleu
studied the impact of microgravity on cell division. Her research mentor is Dr. Charles Helmstetter, professor of biological sciences.

Additionally, Sigma Psi earned the Chapter History Award for the chapter with the best scrapbook chronicling the past-year activities. Chapter historian
Gerri Talley was responsible for the book, which earned the chapter its first history award.

Florida Tech offers bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry, general biology, marine biology, molecular biology and pre-professional biology; master’s degrees
in biotechnology and cell/molecular biology and a doctoral degree in biological sciences.