{"id":35719,"date":"2024-07-09T12:29:20","date_gmt":"2024-07-09T19:29:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/?page_id=35719"},"modified":"2024-09-09T10:58:55","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T17:58:55","slug":"mori-williams","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/cohorts-2\/2019-2020-cohort\/mori-williams\/","title":{"rendered":"Mori Staar"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mori Staar<\/h1>\n\n\n
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Mori Starr <\/strong>graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Chemistry and a minor in Japanese. He worked in the Organic Chemistry lab, which involved saponification, NMR readings, and reflux methods. For his 2020 EWU McNair Research Internship, he worked with Dr. Camille McNeely in researching cyanobacteria in local areas such as the Spokane River. His research interests focus on finding and reducing or eradicating toxins in bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, and the ocean. For graduate school, he was accepted into the PhD Program in Toxicology at Oregon State University and the Masters in Atmospheric & Environmental Science Program at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with full funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mori graduated from South Dakota Mines with his Master’s in 2023. In spring of 2024 he was accepted into the Water Resources PhD program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he plans to attend starting Fall 2024.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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2020 EWU McNair Faculty Mentor:<\/strong> Dr. Camille McNeely<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research Title:<\/strong> Nutrient Concentration for Cyanotoxins at Turnbull <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abstract:<\/strong> This study analyzed concentrations of microcystins from cyanobacteria along with factors associated with cyanobacterial growth in wetlands of the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR) near Cheney, Washington. Cyanobacteria are oxygen-producing bacteria that use sunlight as an energy source to convert CO2 into biomass. These bacteria have been around for over 3 billion years. Recently, cyanobacteria have contaminated drinking water and aquatic ecosystems due to eutrophication, rising CO2 levels, and global warming. Due to anthropogenic sources such as agricultural run-off and discharge from wastewater treatment facilities, cyanobacteria have access to higher concentrations of phosphorous and nitrogen, allowing them to produce toxins. Depending on nutrients available and the type of cyanobacteria, they can release different toxins that have diverse health effects on animals (including humans) such as organ damage, respiratory failure, skin irritation and fever. TNWR has been observed in the past to have eutrophication and may be at risk for cyanotoxin production. This study had multiple hypotheses; (1) at least some wetlands will contain measurable concentrations of microcystin, (2) cyanobacteria will be most abundant under high nitrogen conditions, and (3) cyanobacteria abundance will be positively correlated with indicators of eutrophication such as high chlorophyll concentrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samples were collected from nine wetlands around TNWR throughout three summer months. Major forms of nitrogen and phosphorus were analyzed using an Alpkem 3 flow analyzer. Chlorophyll and phycocyanin concentrations were determined using fluorometry and spectrophotometry. Phycocyanin is a pigment found in cyanobacterial cell walls. An ELISA-based test was used to determine concentrations of microcystins. Preliminary results revealed traces of microcystins in the water at TNWR with the lowest concentration at 0.49 ppb and highest concentration at 1.48 ppb. There is a positive correlation between phycocyanin and microcystins (t = 4.36) and a negative correlation between total nitrogen and microcystin (t = -3.02).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EWU McNair Alum Mori Staar Accepted by PhD Program at UNLV!<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

Congratulations to EWU McNair Alum Mori Staar! Mori was recently accepted by the Water Resources PhD program at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. In 2021, Mori graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Chemistry and a minor in Japanese. Mori completed their Master’s … Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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12 EWU McNair Scholars Present at EWU Virtual Symposium<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

In June 2021, EWU held the\u00a0CSTEM and McNair Spring Research Symposium. This online event offered a chance for McNair scholars to present their research, as well as attend the Social Justice in Research Panel of EWU McNair alumni now working in academics and education.\u00a0 The mission of the federally-funded TRiO Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement … Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams Awarded Opportunity to Attend Society of Toxicology Program<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams! Mori was given a Committee on Diversity (CDI) Undergraduate Diversity Program Student Award to attend the Virtual Undergraduate Diversity Program (UDP) at the SOT 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting. This included registration for the annual Society of Toxicology (SOT) annual meeting, a three-week special program, and a mentor assignment. … Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams Awarded Graduate Student Assistantship<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams! Mori has been awarded a graduate student assistantship from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Mori was accepted by South Dakota Mines (SDM) in their Masters in Atmospheric & Environmental Science Program. This is in addition to an acceptance by the Toxicology PhD program at Oregon … Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams Accepted to Masters Program at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams! Mori has been accepted by the Masters in Atmospheric & Environmental Science Program at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. This is in addition to an acceptance by the Toxicology PhD program at Oregon State University. Currently Mori is majoring in Environmental Science with an emphasis … Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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EWU McNair Scholars Lucia Roussa and Mori Williams Present at NCUR<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams and Lucia Roussa presented last week at the virtual National Council on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) Conference. NCUR promotes undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study through their conference for students. It  celebrates undergraduate student achievement and hopes to help improve the state of undergraduate education. Each … Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams Accepted to Toxicology PhD Program at Oregon State University<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams! Mori has been accepted by the Toxicology PhD program at Oregon State University. Currently Mori is majoring in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Chemistry and a minor in Japanese. He has worked in an Organic Chemistry lab at Eastern Washington University university, which involves saponification, NMR readings, … Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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EWU McNair Scholars Present their STEM Research and Experiences<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

Despite COVID-19, EWU McNair Scholars have persisted through their virtual research internships during the summer of 2020 and now are presenting their research throughout the year. In addition to Ashley Destin and Rachael Pentico presenting at the Murdock College Science Research Conference in the Fall of 2020, three McNair Scholars have presented within their departments … Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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EWU McNair Scholar Mori Williams Completes Summer Research Internship<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

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Mori Williams selected as an EWU McNair Scholar and Awarded Summer Research Internship<\/a><\/h2>\n\n

Mori Staar Mori Starr graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Chemistry and a minor in Japanese. He worked in the Organic Chemistry lab, which involved saponification, NMR readings, and reflux methods. For his 2020 EWU McNair Research Internship, he worked with Dr. Camille McNeely … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9086,"featured_media":0,"parent":35686,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"wpo365_audiences":[],"wpo365_private":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-35719","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35719"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9086"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35719"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36205,"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35719\/revisions\/36205"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.ewu.edu\/mcnair\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}