Bonner scholar, Elizabeth Ross has already made national headlines—and she’s only a freshman!
It was during her sophomore year of high school that she learned about NASA’s search for a Breathalyzer for diabetes. Elizabeth grew up seeing her mom manage diabetes. Elizabeth explains that, “she was aware of how sensitive glucose levels are to the body and how glucometers functioned.” This awareness made her want to find a way for diabetics to check their glucose in a more convenient and less painful way than the normal finger prick blood test. Through extensive research and “looking more into [how] optics and photonics worked,” Elizabeth designed a “prototype that could absorb the compounds in breath.”
This incredible scientific breakthrough to create a Breathalyzer apparatus for diabetics has consumed Elizabeth for the past three years (and counting). She spent “one year looking for all compounds absorbed in the breath, one spent focusing on glucose and [another] improving the structure and specificity of the device.” Currently, she is looking for ways to expand her research in a diabetic laboratory and to modify the device. The next step will be patenting the device and testing more diabetics to perfect the structure, says Elizabeth.
It hasn’t been easy and Elizabeth admits the biggest obstacle is “to remove doubt from the research [since] the whole goal is to show that breath is more accurate and efficient than blood.” Despite these difficulties, her greatest success was when she made it to the finalist round in the INTEL Science and Engineering Fair and was recognized by the Army, Navy and NASA. Impressive, huh?
On top of all of this, Elizabeth is double majoring in Greek and Roman Studies and Poli-Sci. Oh and did I mention she is a Religious Studies minor as well? Miss Ross has embraced all aspects of Rhodes, not limited herself to one department and is an incredible addition to our community.
Elizabeth claims Rhodes was a perfect fit for her due to the strength of Rhodes’ Biology department, as well as, “the access to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Bonner program’s commitment to service around Memphis.” Elizabeth is a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, whose national philanthropy is St. Jude’s children home. Elizabeth has gotten fully involved with St. Jude through Delta Delta Delta but also for her Breathalyzer research. She looks forward to expanding her research at St. Jude and other local hospitals as well as collaborating with the Biology research department in her upcoming years at Rhodes.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Rhodes chapter.