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MUSC students put their presentation skills to use This year’s MUSC Student Research Day, held Nov. 5, was an exposition of the research being conducted by MUSC students. One hundred seventy-eight abstracts were submitted, making it one of the largest days in the history of the event. Students had a chance to polish their presentation skills and everybody had the opportunity to view a diverse range of research topics, presented by students at all levels of academic development, and by postdocs, residents and fellows.  Designed to mimic a real scientific meeting, the day provided a friendly and collegial environment for both oral and poster presentations.  The keynote speaker for the event was Lawrence DeLucas, Ph.D., of NASA and the University of Alabama, Birmingham.  DeLucas’s topic was “Biotechnology Research on the International Space Station” and his talk ranged from X-ray crystallographic analysis of protein crystals grown to a high level of purity under zero gravity in orbit, to how to clean your contacts and use the restroom in zero gravity.  His talk showed what a wealth of good science is being done on the shuttle missions and how it is being translated into real benefits on Earth. The event was designed to present students with the opportunity to describe their research to their peers, faculty and judges in a critical format.  Co-chairmen, Eric James, Ph.D., Perry Halushka, M.D., Ph.D., and the nine Student Research Day Committee members stressed the importance of giving talks and poster presentations and receiving constructive feedback for the purpose of improving presentation skills. One hundred and six faculty selected from all the colleges (and one alumnus) judged the research which covered social, behavioral, basic, and clinical research. A total of $12,600 in prize money was awarded, with $500 going to each of 18 first-place winners and $200 going to each of the 18 second-place winners.  Sponsorship for the event was provided by the provost, associate provost for research, the deans of the six MUSC colleges and the Graduate Alumni Association. Corporate sponsors:  BioRad Laboratories, Glaxo-Wellcome, Kirkegaard and Perry Laboratories, Labrepco/ACC Sales, and Sigma-Aldrich.  The winners: K.J. Atkinson, Jacqueline Bond, Michelle Bond, E.C. Dallas, Caroline Evangelista, Jennifer Fraylick, Alema Galijatovic, Jodi Gore, Shana Green, Sharon K. Hacker, Kathleen A. McConnell, Brodie E. McKoy, Robert Miao, Joachim G.  Mueller, Lisa W. Norman, Kurt E. Schaecher, Beatrix A. Slomiany, Robert, S. Smith, Jr., A.J. Lipman, Margaret L. Anthony, L.E. Ball, Christopher C. Cioffi, Lana A. Cook, Lena J. Heung, Keri Humphries, Joseph R Kelley, Kathleen E. Kohlberg, Stephanie L. Lowe, Matthew D. McEvoy, Vijay U. Rao, L. Ashley Smithwick, Aya Takesono, Dawne M. Taylor, Joel Thomas, William J. Tuxworth, Yuhuan Xie, and Susan Fowler. Winners of Informatics Prizes for Student Research Day '99 First place: Scott Dobson, College of Medicine, for his creation of “A Web-enabled Thoracic Tumor Registry.” Working with Dr. Russell Harley, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Dobson designed a web site for thoracic tumor information—digitizing photos of gross samples, slides, X-rays and CT scans, based on the World Health Organization Tumor Classifications. This site will be a useful educational tool for training students and residents. Second place:  Yan Lin, Department of Biometry & Epidemiology, for her poster on “Computerized Adaptive Testing with the GGUM Model.” Utilizing the Generalized Graded Unfolding Model created by Dr. James S. Roberts, Department of Psychiatry, Lin tested the viability of computer adaptive testing in a typical attitude measurement situation.  She was able to show that this mode of testing, using the GGUM, is useful in achieving psychometrically sound estimates using a minimal number of optimally selected test items. The Informatics Prizes are awarded by the Department of Library Science and Informatics, MUSC. Sponsors for the Informatics category this year included The Institute for Scientific Information Inc., Majors Scientific Books Inc., The Mustard Seed Cafe, The Terrace Theatre and the MUSC Library.