NSU graduate student recognized at Oklahoma Academy of Science

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Northeastern State University graduate student and lab assistant Qimeng Li received recognition for her research, “Elucidating the Effects of Downregulation and Overexpression of Cell Wall Biosynthesis Genes on Stomatal Dynamics,” at the 113th Annual Oklahoma Academy of Science Technical Meeting held in Oklahoma City last fall.

Her research, guided by NSU Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Deborah Petrik and assisted by fellow student researchers Brant Osborn and Maricela Espinoza, explored the vast world of tiny plant pores.

Stomata, which are tiny pores on the surfaces of plants, allow the intake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and the release of water vapor for evaporative cooling. In grass plants, stomata are composed of two guard cells flanked by two subsidiary cells. Through experimentation, Li sought to understand the response rate of stomatal cells in plants.

“In classes, I've learned the scientific method and how each step works. In the lab, I apply what I have learned, but there are many more details yet to be known about the process,” Li said. “In class, you just learn what each step is and how to perform each test. However, what they don't tell you about is how many times you have to perform that exact experiment to achieve the correct result. It would be a lie to say that I never doubted my abilities as a researcher, however receiving this award has boosted my confidence as a student and researcher.”

According to Petrik, several NSU professors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics have been awarded research funding through the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, the Oklahoma IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence and other state and federally funded grant programs.

“Students should realize that this indicates that the quality of research occurring at NSU is competitive with larger universities, while allowing them to stay in northeastern Oklahoma,” Petrik said. “Further, several of these faculty members are performing research as part of larger collaborations with laboratories at R1 universities. This will allow our research students to contribute to top-tier research projects and communicate and collaborate with these research groups.”

Li, a Miami, Oklahoma, native, graduated from NSU with a Bachelor of Science in cell and molecular biology and is expected to graduate in spring 2025 with a Master of Science in natural sciences.

For more information about the Oklahoma Academy of Science, visit www.oklahomaacademyofscience.org.

For more information about the NSU Department of Natural Sciences, visit academics.nsuok.edu/naturalsciences.

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