Students help study BPA in birds

A biology faculty member and two students at the University of North Georgia (UNG) have been researching the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in birds. BPA is "an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics and resins," according to the Mayo Clinic. Their work is contributing to a largely unexamined area of study, as only five species of birds had been tested for BPA worldwide before their project. They have already added 26 species to that list, with plans to expand that amount as they continue their efforts.

The research began in spring 2024 and accelerated in summer 2025 thanks to funding from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (CURCA) as a Faculty Undergraduate Summer Engagement (FUSE) project. Dawn Drumtra, a principal lecturer of biology, and student Alyssa Simpson were able to add student Taerin Jeong to the project during FUSE.

Many countries have laws keeping BPA from being used in food containers, Drumtra said, yet birds and other wildlife do not benefit from such protections.

Simpson, a junior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in biology, said perseverance is important in the research process.

"Research is hard. Every time you go to do something, you're going to do it wrong the first time and the second time and the third time and the fourth time," Simpson said. "And it's just about learning that you're going to do it wrong, accepting that and moving on and adapting. It's made me a better student because I know I'm going to mess up, but I know that I can fix it."

Drumtra said her research students have consistently risen to the challenge by learning and applying new information to their work.

"Quite often this summer I foresaw a task that would need completion, only to find that the students also foresaw that task and were already working on it," Drumtra said.

Jeong, a sophomore from Braselton, Georgia, pursuing a degree in biology, plans to become a dentist. The FUSE experience further equipped him to discuss research as he moves toward his career. He also learned to embrace the trial-and-error nature of the project.

"It is challenging, but it's also kind of fun because you're actually getting to see all this data and the results of what you're doing," Jeong said.

Simpson said her research has also proven useful in less expected ways.

"It's been really interesting to make connections even outside of my research," Simpson said. "I can go to work, and I know how to read scientific literature now. And I can apply that to my job because I work at a veterinary hospital."

Drumtra is excited to see how Simpson and Jeong will carry forward the project management skills gained from working on this team.

"These students have had the chance to walk through a research project from helping to formulate ideas, investigating what is possible, selecting methodology, troubleshooting, having to reassess what we are doing when something doesn’t work, and pushing through to a finalized product," Drumtra said.