Dordt engineering students place second at NSF poster presentation

This summer, two Dordt University students received second place honors at a National Science Foundation (NSF) poster presentation in Ames, Iowa.

Dordt engineering students Mia Toomey and Diego Santiago, supervised by Associate Professor of Engineering and Chemistry Dr. Manuela Ayee-Leong, participated in a summer research project titled “Molecular Simulations of Protein Interactions.” The main goal of the project was to create a computational model simulating how certain viruses, like SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza interact with the membranes of cells in the human respiratory tract, with the goal of more efficiently engineering antibodies for vaccines.

This project is part of a statewide effort to build capacity in biomanufacturing through a National Science Foundation grant: “Chemurgy 2.0. – Building Capacity across Iowa to Meet Human Needs with Things that Grow.”

As part of their research, Toomey and Santiago participated in the Iowa NSF EPSCoR symposium in Ames. More than 30 groups of university researchers—many at a graduate or post-doctorate level—presented at the event.

“Almost every other poster was presented by graduate and post-doctoral students from other institutions,” says Ayee-Leong. “I am so proud of Mia and Diego for winning the second-place poster award at the first annual Chemurgy 2.0 symposium.”

According to Ayee-Leong, the judges were impressed with Santiago and Toomey’s knowledge of their subject area and how they connected it to the Chemurgy 2.0 theme.

“Presenting at the NSF EPSCoR symposium was a great experience,” says Toomey, who is studying engineering: chemical. “It was a great opportunity to share our research findings and receive feedback from other researchers with varying fields of expertise.”

Since she began working at Dordt, Ayee-Leong has made a point to provide summer research opportunities for her students.

“This one-on-one mentorship model is quite different from classroom teaching. It gives us an opportunity to learn from each other in a less structured setting and to delve deeply into novel topics for which the answers are not readily available.”

Toomey found the research process challenging but rewarding. “Research is a mentally demanding job,” says Toomey. “Over the course of the summer, I have grown in several areas including self-discipline and perseverance.”

The vision for Chemurgy 2.0 is “for Iowa to become an advanced biomanufacturing leader by adapting and modernizing the concept of chemurgy: applied chemistry with a focus on producing industrial products from agricultural material,” notes Iowa NSF EPSCoR on their website. “The project advances this vision by building and integrating research capacity in biosciences and advanced manufacturing.”

Chemurgy 2.0 is administered by Iowa State University in collaboration with Dordt University, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, and Central College.

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.