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College of Life Sciences

Grace Christensen

College of Life Sciences Freelance Writer
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Walking with the Smiths

By Grace Christensen
June 27, 2024
Plant and Wildlife Sciences students and faculty had the opportunity to go to Nauvoo and make their mark by curating a plan to restore the grounds of Jospeh Smith's Mansion House.
7 Min Read
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Evolution Education: The Power of a Role Model

By Grace Christensen
December 31, 2023
Religion and evolution can be touchy subjects and we are often having to be careful about the assertions we make about the two. People may struggle to reconcile the two and this is the problem Kenny Harrington (Bio ‘24) tackled in his CURA research. Harrington took first place at the Fall 2023 College Undergraduate Research Awards (CURAs). His research explored how students increase their acceptance of the theory of evolution based on their scientific reasoning skills.
3 Min Read
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BYU Range Management Team Thrives at Utah Society for Range Management Meeting

By Grace Christensen
December 05, 2023
The College of Life Sciences Range Management Team took first place in the Undergraduate Range Management Exam (URME) and the plant identification competition at the Utah Society for Range Management (USRM) meeting.
1 Min Read
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"God is Involved": Faith and Science Seminar 2023

By Grace Christensen
October 30, 2023
The auditorium seats were filled with students eager to hear the words of Dr. Ryan Cordner, microbiology and molecular biology associate professor, and Dr. Tim Jenkins, cell biology and physiology associate professor. Recipients of the College of Life Sciences Spiritually Strengthening Award, both professors spoke on how their faith guided their career and life paths.
3 Min Read
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Karen Della Corte: Scientist of Faith

By Grace Christensen
October 28, 2023
The College of Life Sciences is honored to welcome Dr. Karen Della Corte as a new assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science. Della Corte’s research focuses on the role of the diet—particularly carbohydrate quality—in risk disease development. With her experience in epidemiological research, Della Corte is excited to expand students’ understanding of how healthy dietary patterns can help with chronic disease prevention.
2 Min Read
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Making Mentorship A Living Reality

By Grace Christensen
September 14, 2023
Biology PhD candidate Justina (Tina) Tavana was recently named a Human Genetics Scholar by the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG). The ASHG is comprised of 8,000 members with an interest in human genetics. Tavana was inducted as a member due to her contributions to health research in understudied populations.
2 Min Read
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Saving Plants From Salty Soil

By Grace Christensen
September 04, 2023
Alfalfa is a major cash crop and significant food source for cattle, horses, chickens, turkey, and sheep across the western United States. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 40.8 million tons of alfalfa were harvested in 2022. But alfalfa, among other abundant crops, is extremely susceptible to the salty soil brought on by Utah’s dry climate and low precipitation.
2 Min Read
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Strengthening Faith in God's Design

By Grace Christensen
August 24, 2023
Students filed into Dr. Tim Jenkins’s classroom just in time for their regular weekly lecture. But this class period was unlike others, as Dr. Jenkins had encouraged his students to invite family and friends to participate in a discussion about science and religion. Dr. Jenkins explained that at a university like BYU, it’s important to study the correlation between the two subjects, as avoiding their relationship will only create stumbling blocks in one’s testimony.
2 Min Read
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Impact Magazine

Cougar Quinoa: The Sustainable Superhero

By Grace Christensen
July 26, 2023
BYU researchers Rick Jellen and Jeff Maughan and Washington State University's Cedric Habiyaremye are breeding new varieties of the protein-rich quinoa that can thrive in the harsh weather conditions of Rwanda’s tropical climate.
3 Min Read
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