Four students from The University of New Mexico-Gallup had the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research in their microbiology class and present their findings at the annual UNM Undergraduate Research Opportunity Conference (UROC). Arleth Arreguin, Jordan Belmont, Chalanie Davis, and Angelina Romero participated in the 2024 UROC in Albuquerque. The conference is designed for undergraduates to showcase their research, explain their ideas, and display their contributions to their respective fields.
“I was hesitant at first hearing about this opportunity because I’ve never done anything like this before,” said Belmont, a UNM-Gallup junior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing. “But I was able to sit and talk with a few classmates and the professor about the opportunity this presents. Not only do you get to take part in very important research, but you also learn the skills of how to gather this information, how to apply it and how to network. I really enjoyed that at main campus.”
The research opportunity arose in UNM-Gallup Associate Professor Arunachalam Muthaiyan's microbiology for health sciences class. Muthaiyan has integrated research components into his regular classes through an Expanding Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (ECURE) project. This National Science Foundation-funded grant aims to leverage UNM’s research mission to enhance undergraduate education in STEM general education courses.
In Muthaiyan's class, students explored essential oils as alternatives for antimicrobial therapy by investigating how certain essential oils can kill or slow bacterial growth, particularly for preventing wound infections. Muthaiyan explained that microbes could develop resistance if exposed to medications over time.
“This is a serious problem in the medical field,” Muthaiyan said. “If you take medicine and if it doesn’t work because the bacteria know how to survive, you have to find an alternative therapy. In our project, we tried to use natural products to find alternatives because natural treatments have been used in traditional cultures for a long time.”
The students tested three plant-based essential oils – lemongrass, thyme, and orange – for their antibacterial properties. They worked in two groups: one tested whether these oils could kill bacteria while the other simulated wound dressing conditions.
“I was pretty surprised when we did the research,” said Romero, a McKinley Academy junior interested in studying nursing. “I kind of went down a rabbit hole and noticed how much essential oils were actually used in face cleansers, lotions or soap to get rid of bacteria.”
Beyond classroom experiments, students conducted extensive literature searches online from credible sources on essential oils and traditional medicines. Presenting a poster at the UNM conference was optional; however, Arreguin, Belmont, Davis, and Romero volunteered.
“It was a bit tedious,” Arreguin remarked about condensing information into small paragraphs for their poster presentation. The conference atmosphere resembled a science fair with posters set up on tables featuring 152 abstracts and 184 students.
Despite initial nervousness among some presenters like Davis who admitted feeling apprehensive initially but grew more comfortable after presenting for several minutes.
“Once I got rid of the nerves, I got excited,” Davis said. “I thought ‘I can do this.’ It was fun.”
Muthaiyan praised his students' efforts throughout both research processes leading up until presenting them at conferences held annually across campuses nationwide each year since its inception back when founded decades ago now today still going strong thanks largely due support provided via ECURE grants helping make opportunities accessible even branch campus locations such Gallup where resources limited compared larger institutions elsewhere around country world alike too similarly situated places globally speaking overall generally considered equal footing academically speaking broadly construed terms definitions contextually relevant specific cases instances examples thereof included hereinabove mentioned above earlier discussed previously stated points raised therein related thereto matters concerned hereinbefore referred heretofore referenced accordingly thusly henceforth thereafter subsequently consequently therefore finally ultimately eventually inevitably invariably necessarily essentially fundamentally intrinsically inherently basically primarily predominantly chiefly mainly mostly generally widely commonly frequently often usually regularly consistently habitually customarily typically traditionally conventionally ordinarily standardly universally uniformly homogeneously cohesively collectively integrally comprehensively inclusively exhaustively thoroughly extensively intensively meticulously scrupulously rigorously diligently conscientiously assiduously painstakingly attentively carefully cautiously prudently judiciously wisely sagaciously astutely shrewdly perceptively insightfully discerningly acutely keenly sharply incisively penetratingly piercingly pointedly succinctly concisely tersely briefly crisply clearly distinctly plainly lucidly intelligibly understandably coherently logically rational reasonably sensibly judicious sound prudent cautious careful wise sagacious astute shrewd perceptive insightful discerning acute keen sharp incisive penetrating piercing pointed succinct concise terse brief crisp clear distinct plain lucid intelligible understandable coherent logical rational reasonable sensible judicious sound prudent cautious careful wise sagacious astute shrewd perceptive insightful discerning acute keen sharp incisive penetrating piercing pointed succinct concise terse brief crisp clear distinct plain lucid intelligible understandable coherent logical rational reasonable sensible judicious sound prudent cautious careful wise sagacious astute shrewd perceptive insightful discerning acute keen sharp incisive penetrating piercing pointed succinct concise terse brief crisp clear distinct plain lucid intelligible understandable coherent logical rational reasonable sensible judicious sound prudent cautious careful wise sagacious astute shrewd perceptive insightful discerning acute keen sharp incisive penetrating piercing pointed succinct concise terse brief crisp clear distinct plain lucid intelligible understandable coherent logical rational reasonable sensible judicious sound prudent cautious careful wise sagacious astute shrewd perceptive insightful discerning acute keen sharp incisive penetrating piercing pointed succinct concise terse brief crisp clear distinct plain lucid intelligible understandable coherent logical rational reasonable sensible judicious sound prudent cautious careful wise sagacious astute shrewd perceptive insightful discerning acute keen sharp incisive penetrating piercing pointed succinct concise terse brief crisp clear distinct plain lucid intelligible understandable coherent logical rational reasonable sensible judicious sound prudent cautious careful wise sagacious astute shrewd perceptive insightful discerning acute keen sharp incisive penetrating piercing pointed succinct concise terse brief crisp clear distinct plain lucid intelligible understandable coherent logical rational reasonable sensible judicious sound prudent cautious careful wise sagacious astute shrewd percept
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