UA Students Publish New Scientific Journal

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Students at The University of Alabama have published their first edition of a scientific journal designed to highlight undergraduate student research at UA.

The first edition of the “Journal of Science & Health at The University of Alabama,” or JOSHUA, includes articles related to cloning, gene patenting, Parkinson’s disease research and other topics.

Sarah Adair, one of five UA students recently named to USA Today’s All-USA College Academic Team, and Nabeel Ahmed Memon, a recent winner of UA’s Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, served as the publication’s co-editors. The journal was student-written and edited.

“This is a forum for our students to publish their research and to express their opinions on scientific issues,” said Dr. Guy Caldwell, assistant professor of biological sciences and faculty advisor to Kappa Beta, the UA chapter of Tri-Beta that started the journal. Tri-Beta is the national honor society for biological sciences. “We’re a growing research university, and solid efforts are underway involving talented undergraduate researchers,” Caldwell said. Producing this publication gives students experience writing scientific papers, a key measurement of the success of scientists and educators.

While the content of the first edition is biological, Caldwell said the goal is to involve undergraduate researchers in various science and health disciplines across campus. Plans are to produce the publication annually.

Additional support for the publication came from UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the department of biological sciences, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education Program and the Student Government Association.