Grantee DirectoryThis year, CESRI Program was able to provide eight grantees the opportunity to go to Central Europe to conduct their scientific research. The Fellows met IIE Staff, and each other, in Budapest for a one-week orientation prior to going to their host countries. Once in their host countries, they were able to conduct research in fields ranging from biology to computer science in Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic. |
CESRI Orientation, Summer 2006, BudapestLeft to Right: Kari Dilley (Czech Republic), Jenelle Bray (Czech Republic), Michael McQuinn (Germany), Grant Johnson (Germany), Vance Whitaker (Germany), Michael Walter (Austria), Lisa Marx (Austria), and Daniel Heller (Germany) |
To learn more about what CESRI Fellows did in the inaugural and their projects, feel free to read the descriptions below. Jenelle BrayHome Institution: California Institute Technology (Ph.D.)Host Country: Czech Republic Host Institution: Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Field of Study: Chemistry Project Description: Ms. Bray performed molecular dynamics simulations to study mutations that cause HIV protease to become drug resistant. Kari DilleyHome Institution: Cornell University (Ph.D.)Host Country: Czech Republic Host Institution: Institute of Chemical Technology Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology Field of Study: Biology Project Description: Ms. Dilley seeked to define the domains of the retrovirus structural protein that are important for determining the site of virus assembly in the cell. Daniel HellerHome Institution: University of Illinois, Urbana (Ph.D.)Host Country: Germany Host Institution: German Cancer Research Center, Division of Biophysics of Macromolecules Field of Study: Chemistry Project Description: Mr. Heller's project involved single-molecule detection of DNA structural changes on carbon nanotubes. Grant JohnsonHome Institution: Pennsylvania State University (Ph.D.)Host Country: Germany Host Institution: Department of Chemistry, Humboldt-University Field of Study: Chemistry Project Description: Mr. Johnson used computational chemistry techniques to predict the geometric and reactive properties of catalytically relevant bimetallic metal oxide cluster ions and to study their reaction mechanisms with carbon monoxide. Lisa MarxHome Institution: Northwestern University (M.S.)Host Country: Austria Host Institution: University of Vienna, Institute of Ecology & Conservation Biology Field of Study: Environmental Science Project Description: Ms. Marx's research focused on preferential deposition of particular organic carbon on streambed sediments and its affects on microbial biofilm growth. Michael McQuinnHome Institution: University of Illinois, Urbana (Ph.D.)Host Country: Germany Host Institution: University of Dortmund Field of Study: Computer Science Project Description: The goal of Mr. McQuinn's project was to give scientists and engineers the ability to design and validate complex computer systems by exploiting symmetry in the system to reduce the size of the problem. Michael WalterHome Institution: Portland State University (Ph.D.)Host Country: Austria Host Institution: Linz Institute for Organic Solar Cells (LIOS), Institute of Physical Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz Field of Study: Chemistry Project Description: Mr. Walter investigated the construction and efficiency of an organic solar cell based on a conductive electropolymerized porphyrin polymer. Vance WhitakerHome Institution: University of Minnesota (M.S.)Host Country: Germany Host Institution: Applied Genetics & Plant Breeding, University of Hannover Field of Study: Biology Project Description: The goal of Mr. Whitaker's project was to find candidate genes for disease resistance in roses by identifying resistance gene anologues that are upregulated by rose plants in response to pathogen attack. |