Neuroscience graduate student Dori Pitynski-Miller
University of Wyoming professors aren’t the only ones conducting international research. UW students also participate in research around the globe. Neuroscience doctoral student Dori Pitynski-Miller of Elk Grove Village, Ill., spent last summer at King’s College in London.
“My research is looking at dietary salt and how that can affect metabolism, weight gain and reproduction, specifically puberty,” she says. “One of the things that we found here was that a high salt diet significantly delayed puberty. Now we’re trying to figure out how it’s delaying puberty.
“We think the neurotransmitter vasopressin may be playing a role,” Pitynski-Miller says. Her adviser, Professor Donal Skinner, introduced her to London Professor Kevin O’Byrne, and Pitynski-Miller jumped at the chance to work with him due to his expertise in two areas needed to test vasopressin: implanting a brain pump into mice and taking small, frequent blood samples.
“Working with their lab and seeing someone else’s point of view was amazing,” she says. “It streamlined the process of getting started and continuing the work here.”
The University of Wyoming Center for Global Studies aims to bring the world to Wyoming and Wyoming to the world. Over the last two years, the center has provided $200,000 to fund student and faculty international research projects.
“Part of the role of the university is to broaden the horizons for our students,” says the center’s director, Jean Garrison, a professor of global and area studies and political science. “I don’t think people understand how unique UW is in terms of emphasizing internationalization. This is one of our areas of excellence.”
Garrison observed, however, that there was a lack of funding for faculty international research. “Faculty members have a multiplier effect,” she says. “They’re the ones who go out and with their own expertise create the exchanges that our students enjoy, open research opportunities for students and bring expertise back to campus. Providing faculty funding was a very important factor in creating the Center for Global Studies.”
Visit uwyo.edu/globalcenter to learn more.
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