PhD student Emma McKeel won the best presentation award at the Midwest Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) in April. McKeel’s presentation,”High-Content Imaging Unveils the Impact of Nanoparticle Surface Charge on Microalgal Morphology,” discussed her research in the Klaper Lab, which focuses on how nanoparticles — tiny particles used in everything from personal care products to electronics — impact freshwater algae.
“Specifically, I presented on how the surface charge of particles changes how they impact algae. I study this by looking at algal growth and by taking images of the algal cells’ morphology,” she says.
In addition to a $1,000 award, she has been asked to present her research at the national SETAC meeting in Louisville, Ky., in November.
SETAC is a not-for-profit, worldwide professional organization comprising about 5,300 individuals and institutions in more than 90 countries who are dedicated to the study, analysis and solution of environmental problems, the management and regulation of natural resources, research and development, and environmental education.