SWOSU Biology Students Earn Honors at TriBeta Regional Convention

Dr. Mark Garcia displays the Outstanding Chapter trophy and certificate awarded to SWOSU's Delta Sigma chapter for the second consecutive year.

Front row, from left: Madison Normile, McKaegan Gregory, Sam Ardrey, Darby Elmore, Sariah Longoria, Mark Garcia, Adreana Aquino and Austin Buchanan. Back row, from left: Leo Lora, Wake Frymire, Christian Rick, Erik Mesta and John Preston.

SWOSU biology students earned multiple honors at the 2026 TriBeta Southcentral Regional Convention in Cedar Hills, Texas. Twelve students from the Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences presented research at the conference and competed against nearly 50 students from universities across Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Judges evaluated participants on the scientific impact of their research, the time invested in their studies and the quality of their presentations. Students attended with faculty sponsors Dr. Mark Garcia and Dr. Rickey Cothran.

Adreana Aquino placed first in her oral presentation session and received the Frank G. Brooks Award for outstanding oral presentation.

Adreana Aquino, a senior working in Dr. Vijay Somalinga's lab, placed first in her oral presentation session for research on the bacterial physiology of Streptococcus sanguinis. She also received the Frank G. Brooks Award for outstanding oral presentation, which qualifies her to present at TriBeta's National Convention in late May at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.

Wake Frymire, a junior in Dr. Marcella G. Santos's lab, placed third in oral presentations for research on the genetic characterization of collared lizards in western Oklahoma. Christian Rick, a junior in Dr. Jimena Aracena's lab, placed second in the poster competition for research examining feeding preferences of fruit flies. Madison Normile, a junior in Dr. Rickey Cothran's lab, placed third in the poster competition for research on seasonal changes affecting lake and spring populations of amphipods.

Wake Frymire presents research on the genetic characterization of collared lizards in western Oklahoma at the 2026 TriBeta Southcentral Regional Convention. Frymire placed third in his oral presentation session.

Christian Rick's research presented at the 2025 TriBeta Southcentral Regional Convention, examined feeding preferences of fruit flies. Rick placed second in his poster presentation session.Madison Normile receives recognition for placing third in the poster competition for research on seasonal changes affecting lake and spring populations of amphipods.

SWOSU's Delta Sigma chapter also received the Outstanding Chapter of the Year award for the second consecutive year. The award is presented each year to chapters that go above and beyond in promoting undergraduate research experiences. It recognizes strong chapter involvement, leadership and continued support for student research.

Additional SWOSU biology students also presented research during the conference. John Preston, a junior in the Garcia lab, gave an oral presentation on the effects of tidal fluctuations on the development and growth of the mangrove rivulus fish. Sariah Longoria, a freshman in the Santos lab, presented a poster on wing morphometrics as a method for detecting African ancestry in honeybee populations. Sam Ardrey, also a freshman in the Santos lab, presented research on identifying cryptic species of Hyalella amphipods through genetic barcoding. Other student participants included McKaegan Gregory, Darby Elmore, Leo Lora, Erik Mesta and Austin Buchanan.

Sariah Longoria stands next to her poster, "Wing Morphometrics to Detect African Ancestry in Honey Bees in Weatherford, Oklahoma."

Austin Buchanan with his poster on prey size preferences of predators found in a western Oklahoma spring.

Leonel Lora presents his research poster, titled "Using DNA Barcoding to Assess Bee Diversity Across Native and Non-Native Urban Pollinator Gardens in Oklahoma.

Sam Ardery's research, titled "Identifying Cryptic Specis of Hyalella in Western Oklahoma Using Mitochondrial Barcoding."

Erik Mesta's research, titled "Mitochondrial Characterization of African and European Honey Bee Lineages in Western Oklahoma."

TriBeta is the national biological honor society for students in the biological sciences. The organization promotes undergraduate research and provides opportunities for students to share their work through events such as regional conventions. Conferences like this give students a chance to present research, receive feedback and connect with students and faculty from other universities. The experience also helps students build confidence in presenting their work in a professional setting.

For more information about the SWOSU Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, visit https://www.swosu.edu/biological-sciences.

About Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves over 5,000 scholars and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.

For more information about Southwestern Oklahoma State University, visit https://www.swosu.edu.