4:55 p.m., May 24, 2007--The UD chapter of Sigma Xi, the scientific research society, will present its 2007 Undergraduate Thesis Awards to seven seniors Saturday, May 26, at departmental Convocation exercises during UD's 158th Commencement.

The award is given for research that advances the knowledge of science or math, uses knowledge in a new way and that communicates research results meaningfully.

Each will receive a $100 gift card, certificate of recognition and nomination as associate members of Sigma Xi with the first year dues sponsored by the chapter.

The following students will receive awards:

• Jenna Cohen received a bachelor of science degree in psychology with distinction for "The Effects of MK-801 on Tactile Discrimination Learning in 28-Day-Old Rats," adviser, Mark Stanton, professor of psychology;
• Matthew Cohen received a bachelor of science degree in psychology with distinction for "The Development of Pragmatics: Children's Knowledge of Scalar Implicatures," adviser, Anna Papafragou, assistant professor of psychology and linguistics;
• Kevin L. Neeld received a bachelor of science degree in health behavior management with distinction for "Ankle Instability in Male Collegiate Ice Hockey Players,” adviser, Thomas Kaminski, associate professor of health, nutrition and exercise sciences;
• Evan P. Lebois received an honors bachelor of science degree in biological sciences with distinction for “A Role for N-Glycosylation in Differential Growth Control and Drosophila Development: Phenotypic Analysis of ALG10," adviser: Erica Selva, assistant professor of biological sciences;
• Tapan P. Patel received an honors bachelor of science degree in biochemistry with distinction for "Biochemistry of Prox1," adviser, Melinda Duncan, associate professor of biological and animal and food sciences;
• Jason A. Peiffer received an honors bachelor of science degree in plant science with distinction for "A Spatial Dissection of the Arabidopsis Floral Transcriptome by MPSS," adviser, Blake Meyers, associate professor of plant and soil sciences and computer and information sciences; and
• Laura S. Shankman received an honors bachelor of science degree in cellular and molecular genetics with distinction for "Effect of Junctional Adhesion Molecule A, JAM-A, on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, NAFLD," adviser, Ulhas Naik, associate professor of biological sciences and chemical engineering.