Parkland Students to Present Summer Research at Kaler Lecture
Tickets for Kaler Lectures cost $2
Two Parkland College students will present their summer 2025 research at an upcoming Kaler Science Lecture at Parkland's Staerkel Planetarium on Friday, November 7.
Sophia McDade and Hamza Salem will present "Buzzing with Life: How Microbes Connect Pollinators, Plants, and Pests." The presentation will include their research results from their time in the Microbial Interactions Create Research Opportunities for Community College Students (MICRO-CCS) program.
A collaborative summer research experience for undergraduates between the University of Illinois and Parkland College, MICRO-CCS provides scientific training and mentorship. Additionally, the program provides stipends, housing, and travel allowances to community college students nationwide, funded through the National Science Foundation.
The program begins with a one-week research techniques bootcamp to acclimate students to the research environment and provide some baseline techniques to help build their confidence in the lab. Trainees then spend nine weeks immersed in U of I research labs investigating microbial interactions in food, agricultural, and environmental sciences. The program ends with presentations of their work at an undergraduate research symposium.
Working in Professor Tony Yannarell’s laboratory, McDade visualized and analyzed the growth of dark septate fungi within plant roots. Salem investigated the maternal inheritance of Serratia ureilytica in squash bugs through its detection in eggs and nymphs in Professor Sarah Hind’s lab.
Dr. Chelsea Lloyd, one of the principal investigators of MICRO-CCS and a professor of microbiology at Parkland, will also discuss how to seek and prepare competitive applications for this and other summer research opportunities.
The lecture is part of the James B. Kaler Science Lecture Series, named for UIUC astronomer Jim Kaler, who spoke at the series for over 20 years.
Kaler Science Lectures are filmed by Parkland College TV. After the talk, the planetarium will show "Forward! to the Moon" at 8 p.m., featuring the plans for the Artemis missions to bring astronauts back to the Moon. Tickets for fulldome shows range from $7 to $8 with discounts offered for large groups.
Tickets for Kaler Lectures cost $2 or are free for the Friends of the Staerkel Planetarium. Tickets may be purchased in person or online.
For a show schedule or information about booking the dome, call 217/351-3446 or visit planetarium.parkland.edu.