February 8, 2018
SEADAP Science Fair 2018
The Science Education Against Drug Abuse Partnership (SEADAP) program, which started in 2014, held its Third Annual Science Fair on January 25th, 2018 on the campus of East Carolina University. The goals of the NIH/NIDA/SEDPA grant-funded project are to increase student knowledge about drug addiction and to increase student interest in biomedical research and careers.
J.H. Rose High School student Aleksandra (Aleks) Jones, left, and Greene Early College High School student Lailani Cruz-Alvarez, right, receive feedback on their project from ECU student judges
J.H. Rose High School student Aleksandra (Aleks) Jones, left, and Greene Early College High School student Lailani Cruz-Alvarez, right, receive feedback on their project from ECU student judges.
SEADAP students began conducting scientific research under the direction of Dr. Miles and Dr. Rawls in September 2017, and have designed their own science projects to examine addictive substances in mouthwash, Listerine, nicotine and acetaminophen on planarians. Presenting students from Pitt and Greene counties were able to receive feedback and suggestions on how to improve their science projects from Dr. Rawls and Dr. Miles. They also received mentorship and feedback from the Graduate Assistant for the program, Ashlyn Vinson. The High school students participating in the SEADAP program are Bishop (BJ) Miles, Lucas Mebane, Taylor Hill, Aleksandra Jones, and Lailani Cruz-Alvarez.
Science educators in North Carolina, Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania are also successfully incorporating SEADAP related lessons to examine the effects of addictive substances, alcohol, nicotine, sucrose, or caffeine on planarians into their science curricula.
Greene Central High School student Taylor Hill and Pitt County High School students Bishop (BJ) Miles and Lucas Mebane receive feedback on their project from ECU student judges.
Greene Central High School student Taylor Hill and Pitt County High School students Bishop (BJ) Miles and Lucas Mebane receive feedback on their project from ECU student judges.
ECU College of Education secondary science majors served as student judges for the SEADAP Science Fair. These students included: Meghan Lower, Wesley Brickhouse, Kimberly Dawson, and Jonathon Conrad. Dr. Elizabeth Doster, Associate Professor at ECU, helped facilitate with judging.
For more information about SEADAP, contact Dr. Rhea Miles by phone at 252-328-9366 or via email at milesr@ecu.edu.