WSU student Eric Navarro won best poster presentation in Animal Science and Zoology at the 2017 National Diversity in STEM Conference hosted by the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science conference.
As a McNair Scholar, Navarro worked under the mentorship of Dr. Erica Crespi in the School of Biological Sciences. Navarro’s research project was titled, “Retention of Learning through Life Stages in Xenopus leavis,” and focused on testing the hypothesis that experiencing a stressor during early development negatively affects associative learning in the South African clawed frog.
The findings can enhance the understanding of the importance of the early environment on later cognitive function in amphibians, and neural processes associated with basic forms of learning in humans. The award was presented during the group’s October conference.
In addition to being a McNair Scholar, Navarro is a founding member of WSU’s chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science.