University undergraduate researchers will make public presentations of their summer's work at a public symposium Thursday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Anderson Building, room 221 on the University of Alaska Southeast Auke Lake campus.

"We had a national competition," according to Dr. Brendan Kelly, UAS assistant professor of biology. "There were about 100 applicants for nine positions." Two of those selected are UAS students.

The students are taking part in a National Science Foundation funded program and working with UAS biology faculty members. "Traditionally this has been the kind of work students don't get involved in until they're in graduate school," Kelly said. "But the National Science Foundation recognized the desirability and value of involving students in research earlier in their careers."

Students worked with UAS faculty to study a variety of subjects. Thursday presentation topic and times follow:
10:30 a.m. Humpback whale and vessel interactions
11:00 a.m. Harbor seals departing icebergs
11:30 a.m. New Steller sea lion breeding site in SE
1:30 p.m. Intertidal community structure
2:00 p.m. Molting hormones of decapod crustaceans
2:30 p.m. Effect of fin clips on coho salmon swimming
3:30 p.m. Harbor porpoise habitat use in Auke Bay
4:00 p.m. Activity patterns of ringed seals

UAS faculty members Kelly and biology assistant professor Beth Mathews received a competitive National Science Foundation grant to run the three year undergraduate research program. This is the first year of summer research.