Skyline student Jonathan Tolentino won first place in the American Society for Micro Biology on March 14. His lab partner, Claudia Briones, also worked along side to produce a plant experiment.

Tolentino worked under the guidance of Dr. Christine Case in the biology department. No prize money was awarded but the real prize is in the “glory” of it all, said Dr. Case.

Tolentino and Briones spent the previous summer gathering weed plant specimens and testing it in the laboratory. Together they collected six weed plant samples all grown in California some of which can be located on campus. They tested the plants for “anti-bacterial activities.”

“We found that four of the plants tested were effective in either inhibiting or killing Staph, aureus, or E. coli,” said Tolentino.

With their research completed, it gave them the opportunity to shine in the science community. Such prominent events included the NIH Science Scholars Program at SFSU and the Basic and Advanced Science and Technology Academies of Research (BA-STAR) held in Sacramento. The scope of their findings established various awards including the most “creative” at the Northern California American Society of Microbiologists. Their research was also published in Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans (SACNAS) Abstract Journal.

“These opportunities are usually always given to post-graduate students,” said Dr. Case.

With opportunities showing up, Tolentino is “deciding in between UC Davis for research or UC Santa Cruz for their beautiful forests and beaches,” he mentioned.

His commitment to scientific research “defiantly helps him with getting in prestigious Universities and career opportunities,” said Mike Williamson, Dean of Science, Math, and Technology.

The science division is located in building 7 and includes the math and technology departments. The new building supplies students with enhanced laboratories for experiments in the different fields of science. The “new” MESA center is also located in building 7, a helpful way for students to receive help on their science, math, and engineering studies.

“The science department and its faculty at Skyline have been successful in accommodating more and more students with a rich and stimulating experience,” said Tolentino.