MCC student receives awards at Texas Academy of Science Annual Meeting

March 20, 2023

Former McLennan Community College and current Texas Tech University biology student Annie Mowry received first place for her presentation in the Freshwater Science division and first place in Undergraduate Research Proposals at the Texas Academy of Science Annual Meeting held March 3-4 at Angelo State University.

Mowry’s presentation entitled, “Microplastics analysis in surficial sediments along the Brazos and Bosque Rivers, McLennan County, Texas,” studied the leaching of toxins when plastics enter the water system. She conducted her research while attending MCC under the guidance of Professor and Research Advisor Stephanie Randell, along with a team of fellow students including Ethan Villa, Cambria Blanton, Rebecca Barboza, Caden Helona, Morena Flores Mejia, Sara Victoria and Stephanie Lockwood. The Freshwater Science division included presentations from a handful of colleges and universities across the state including Concordia University Texas, Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Temple College, Texas Tech University, Southwestern University, Angelo State University, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Sam Houston State University and University of Texas at San Antonio.

Undergraduate Research Proposals were judged by an international panel of scientists, and Mowry was awarded $2,000 for the first-place finish.