Sophomore Nicholas Wright and freshman Camryn Roche earned first place in their section for their poster presentation, “Laboratory Evolution Bio-Toxicity Studies on Engineered Yeast Strain with Two Toxic Compounds Found in Fracking Wastewater.” Their work stood out among entries from across the state, showcasing the caliber of undergraduate research taking place at the Madia Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics (CBP).
Camryn Roche and Nicholas Wright
IUP presenters at the 56th CPUB Conference
Their award-winning project is part of a larger initiative, “Systematic Evaluations of Toxic Chemicals from Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking),” supported by the Kopchick Research Scholars Program. Under the mentorship of Sudipta Majumdar (CBP ) and Cuong Diep (Department of Biology), Nicholas and Camryn have explored the environmental impacts of toxic compounds found in fracking wastewater using engineered yeast strains.
“This research journey has been incredibly rewarding,” said Nicholas. “Working on the fracking toxicity project allowed me to apply what I’ve learned in class to a real-world environmental issue. Winning first place was surreal—it validates all the long hours spent in the lab and has definitely inspired me to pursue research further.”
Their success highlights the power of interdisciplinary collaboration between chemistry and biology and the strength of IUP’s undergraduate research programs. Through hands-on, faculty-mentored research, students like Nicholas and Camryn are gaining the skills and experience needed to address today’s most pressing scientific and environmental challenges.