2 SM East grads awarded research funds as KU juniors

Two SM East graduates are among a select group of University of Kansas students to receive funding to conduct research as undergrads.

Holly Lafferty and Jason Bates are part of the group of 58 students recently informed they will receive research grants through the Undergraduate Research Award program at KU.

Bates, a KU junior, is working on a project called “Mesoporous Solid Acid Catalysts for Alcohol Dehydration.” He’s looking at developing a process that would reduce derive commonly used chemical from plant-based biomass, and in doing so help reduce the need for petrochemicals. Bates is majoring in chemical engineering.

Lafferty, also a junior, is studying nitrogen isotopes in two species of minnows in a project examining the effects of starvation. Lafferty is an ecology and evolutionary biology major.

The 58 students were selected based on their proposals, academic record and the recommendations of faculty members.