March 13, 2000
Undergraduate research poster earns honorable mention at national science meeting
By Tim Stephens
UCSC undergraduate Maria Catalina earned an honorable mention in the student poster
competition at the national meeting of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), held in Washington, D.C.,
in February.
The poster competition included both undergraduate and graduate students who presented
the results of independent research projects. Catalina's project examined chemical
reaction pathways that may have been involved in the origin of life. Her poster,
titled "Proposed in-situ hydrothermal condensation reactions of biological molecules
with catalytic metal sulfides and montmorillonite," describes reactions occurring
under conditions found in geothermally active areas.
The chemical and hydrothermal properties of geothermally active areas, such as hot springs
and ocean vents, have led some scientists to propose such sites as models for the
conditions under which life may have evolved on Earth.
Catalina is an independent major and plans to graduate in June with a B.A. in Bionomy.
("Bionomy" is an archaic term meaning "the study of life processes.")
She has been accepted into the graduate program in geosciences at the University
of Colorado at Boulder.
A re-entry student and mother of three boys, Catalina has pursued several interdisciplinary
research projects as an undergraduate. Her mentors include professor of earth sciences
Elise Knittle, professor emeritus of chemistry and biochemistry David Deamer, professor emeritus
of astronomy and astrophysics Frank Drake, and professor of anthropology Triloki
Pandey. She has also worked with researchers at other institutions, including NASA
Ames Research Center and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
One of the inspirations for Catalina's research was her interest in a clay mineral
(montmorillonite) used for therapeutic purposes by Native Americans in the Southwest.
The clay is also used in the creation ceremony of the Mescalero Apache, Catalina's
maternal ancestors, and she was intrigued to learn that some scientists have suggested
the clay may have played an important role in the origins of key biological molecules.
Her investigations opened up many interesting opportunities, such as an expedition
to Yellowstone National Park with NASA scientist Sherry Cady to collect microorganisms
from hot springs.
"I feel fortunate to have participated in such a variety of research projects
just by following the thread of my first question about the biochemical basis for
the therapeutic properties of montmorillonite," Catalina said.
