Laela EvansOctober, 13, 2021 (Jackson, Miss.) - Laela Evans, a junior chemistry and biological sciences major, earned second place in the 85th Mississippi Academy of Sciences' Undergraduate Research Symposium on August 5.

Evans' research project was entitled, “Adapted qRT-PCR Protocol for Campus-Wide Asymptomatic COVID-19 Screening on an Undergraduate Campus.”

“The award Laela received shows the hard work she and other students have put in undergraduate research and the COVID-19 testing on Belhaven's campus,” Associate Professor of Chemistry and Chair of Chemistry Dr. Brandon Magers.

The annual meeting, held at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention Center in Biloxi,comprised of workshops, symposia, scientific papers, and exhibits grouped by divisions. The conference also provided a forum for students and faculty to exchange ideas and information.

Over the summer, Evans also took part in researching “Sensing and Assembly Based on Non-covalent Interactions” at the University of Southern Mississippi. She plans to attend medical school after graduating from Belhaven as a double major in both chemistry and biology