Headlines warning of the dangers of antibiotic resistance appear in the news almost every day. The United Nations predicted that by 2050, 10 million people could die each year from diseases that have become resistant to drugs.
Miles Roberts wanted to know how science is working to counter this trend. So, for his Biology 402 class in spring semester, he reviewed 65 scientific articles and turned his research into a paper called “Maximizing Costs to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance Evolution.” His thorough investigation resulted in a perfect score in class and also WSU Vancouver’s 2019 Library Research Award.
The annual award recognizes students who excel in using the library. Roberts, a senior who will graduate in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and minors in math and chemistry, said he took maximum advantage of the library’s “wonderful online resources.”
Library director Karen Diller described the paper as “an excellent example of a scientific review paper and one that is working on a critical societal problem.” Noting that Roberts had identified key current research and synthesized it “in a logical, ethical and readable way,” she said he had also demonstrated breakthroughs in his own understanding of the research process.