Student's Research Projects Effectiveness of Facemasks in Reducing Spread of H1N1
Capital University senior Samantha Tracht would gladly accept the facemask offered during visit to a doctor’s office, emergency room or urgent care facility, thank you very much.
That’s because if N95 respirators, or tightly fitting facemasks, were minimally effective — say, 20 percent effective — only 10 percent of the population would have to wear them in order to significantly reduce the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) flu, according to research she conducted this summer at the nation’s premier national security research institution.
While recent outbreaks of SARS and H1N1 have shown that people would wear facemasks to protect themselves against infection, little research has been done to quantify the impact of the use of facemasks in reducing the spread of disease.
So, instead of basking in the sun pool-side, Samantha — a mathematics and economics major and computational studies minor — spent her summer break at Los Alamos National Lab in New Mexico using mathematical modeling to project the effectiveness of wearing facemasks to significantly reduce the spread of H1N1 flu.
"My mentor had a project that she was interested in and had funding for, so when my resume crossed her desk she emailed and asked me if I would be interested in working with her on it," Samatha said. "Originally it did not involve novel H1N1 but on H5N1 the avian flu. Once I got to the lab this summer we decided to change it because of the recent outbreak of H1N1."
She conducted her research under the direction of one of the lab’s scientists as part of the Department of Energy Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship Program.
"What surprised me the most was how laid back and fun working at the lab was and how beautiful northern New Mexico is," Samantha recalled. "The lab has over 1,000 student interns over the summer, with lots of events and things planned for them to do. I also learned how much fun it is to research a new topic, especially one that is really relevant right now."
As a result of her work, the U.S. Department of Energy will send Samantha her adviser, Capital professor Dr. Patrick Shields, to present and compete in the Science and Energy Research Challenge at Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee on Nov. 8-9, 2009.
She also will present her research at several other conferences throughout the year, and this spring, she'll present at Capital’s annual Symposium on Undergraduate Scholarship.
Read the abstract from Samantha's research.
Located in the Columbus, Ohio, neighborhood of Bexley, Capital University is a private, four-year undergraduate institution and graduate school. Capital prepares students for meaningful lives and purposeful careers through a relevant liberal arts core curriculum and deep professional programs taught by a renowned faculty that engages students. Capital consistently is ranked among the top master’s universities in the Midwest. Influenced by its Lutheran heritage, Capital places great emphasis on the free and open exchange of ideas, seeking out diverse perspectives, active participation in society, leadership and service. It is the oldest and one of the largest universities affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
30
Contact: Nichole Johnson
Director of media relations and communications
Capital University
614-236-6945
Cell: 614-44-9158