Students selected for off-campus summer research

Two Northwestern College students have been selected to participate in competitive off-campus research projects funded by Research Experiences for Undergraduates grants from the National Science Foundation this summer.

Jacob Gaster, a junior biology-ecological science major from Bettendorf, Iowa, will study at the University of Puerto Rico. In a 10-week program, Gaster and seven other students from around the U.S. will conduct research ranging from population biology and community structure of tropical forest trees to the ecology of aquatic insects and the role they play in ecosystems.

Jacob Peterson, a junior majoring in biology-health professions from Atkinson, Neb., will be part of Dr. Jay Reddy’s research lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During a 10-week period, he will explore autoimmune disorders and immune system activation in the context of oxidation-reduction biology.