On Feb. 25, the Georgia Capitol opened its doors to undergraduate students in Georgia who have conducted innovative research at their university. Seniors Addie Bowen, Jadon Gonzales and Rindy Grubb presented to Georgia’s constituents, state officials and policymakers at this event after being selected to participate.
Jadon Gonzales studied the natural history of the “folding door” trapdoor spider (Antrodiaetus) alongside Dr. Rebecca Godwin. The full title of which is “Population Density, Distribution and Burrowing Tendencies in Antrodiaetus.”
Before attending this event, Gonzales said he was nervous to present his research at the Capitol. “I do have some nerves, but all of the natural science professors do a great job preparing us for success, which calms my nerves,” said Gonzales.
Senior Addie Bowen presented her research on honey, titled “Is Honey Really the Bee’s Knees?” Her study examines whether a correlation exists between the heavy metal content in honey and the region where it was sourced.
Senior Rindy Grubb found the Capitol atmosphere to be chaotic but a valuable opportunity. “Presenting at the Capitol felt like a long-awaited reward for my hard work,” said Grubb. “It was nice to educate others, who aren’t familiar with science, on what is going on in the science world.”
Grubb presented her research, “The Comparison of Joro Spider (Trichonephila clavate) Prey Capture and the Available Prey Diversity of Their Nonnative Environment,” on Joro spiders’ impact on their nonnative environment.
While working with Dr. Rebecca Godwin on spider research, she noticed a lack of studies on Joro spiders, which inspired her to choose the topic.
“The most valuable part of the conference was for the sciences to be able to share their findings and show that science is important and discoveries are always needed,” said Grubb.
Grubbs advises future Piedmont students attending this event to “relax, hold your head up high and speak with purpose. You’re there for a reason, so make sure everyone in the room remembers your name.”
