College News

“Growing up, I was always interested in the science behind the smaller things that cause disease and illness.” —Hunter Cobbley

Three undergraduate students from BYU's exercise science program were selected as finalists in the Undergraduate Student Research Competition at the annual meeting of the Southwest Region of the American College of Sports Medicine.

BYU food science majors Carolyn Chen, Shayden Smith, Janece Nufer, and Erin Caswell put their wisdom to work when they interned at Halloren—the oldest chocolate factory in Germany. They were able to develop a new flavor combination that is approved for production.

Over seventy Life Sciences students hung their research posters in the BYU Conference Center on Thursday, November 10, creating a maze of well-dressed scientists presenting developing discoveries before judges. All projects were partially funded by a College Undergraduate Research Award (CURA), grant money donated to innovative undergraduate students working with faculty members. Every year judges have the challenge of selecting only three presentations in each department to receive additional cash prizes, and every year the College of Life Sciences comes prepared with their knowledge and passion, ready to create ripples of impact in the scientific community.

There are five locations around the globe where people reach the age of 100 at 10 times greater rates than U.S. averages. These Blue Zones, as they are called, are home to the healthiest people on earth:

New BYU research unveils a more effective way to determine the intensity at which each person should work out to achieve the greatest results. A study appearing in the Journal of Applied Physiology outlines a new system to create not just personalized workouts, but “prescribed” workouts that provide results regardless of an individual’s current health.

After spending a significant amount of time in hospitals addressing her firstborn's health challenges, Shanna Crow (‘22) decided she wanted to work in medicine. She further cultivated her passion for medical lab work as an intern at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Water flows through the soft soil and the aspen trees’ roots soak up every last drop. But the lone aspen cut off from its family’s interconnected root system receives less water, and ultimately, may suffer fatal consequences.

Andy VanDomelen (‘22) developed an interest in photography as a teenager. When he was on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his father borrowed his camera, and the two bonded through an interest in bird photography. This interest morphed into an intrigue in different bird species, which ultimately led VanDomelen to study bacteria samples from turkeys in microbiology and molecular biology professor David Erickson’s lab.