MADISON, Wis. — Over 200 University of Wisconsin System undergraduate students and their faculty advisers will fill the Capitol Rotunda next week to share their original research with legislators and other state leaders.
The ninth annual “Posters in the Rotunda” event takes place on Wednesday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., involving students and faculty advisers from all around the UW System. State leaders and others will have the opportunity to view poster presentations of the research projects, speak with students, and learn more about how this work enriches their college experience.
“Out of every 100 resident students who earn a University of Wisconsin degree, 81 will put their college degree to work right here in Wisconsin,” said UW System President Kevin P. Reilly.
“We know that academic research on UW campuses has a major impact on Wisconsin’s economy, and also that it plays a significant role in helping students stay in school, graduate at higher rates, and prepare themselves for the workforce of the 21st century,” said Reilly. “I want to especially thank the faculty advisers for their extra efforts to make this a tremendous real-world, hands-on learning experience for their undergraduate students.”
A brief formal program, beginning at 11 a.m., will feature UW-Superior student Kenneth Chong, a senior majoring in transportation and logistics management. Chong is the winner of the 2011 CFIRE Student of the Year by the Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education at UW-Madison, lead partner of a consortium of CFIRE universities. Since 2010, Chong has been engaged as a student researcher on projects related to improving transportation systems in the upper Midwest. He has contributed to studies on the Great Lakes cruise industry and optimizing log truck movements. Currently, he is assisting in research on the feasibility of the Great Lakes commercial fleet converting to natural gas as a primary fuel. He will share his thoughts about how his research activities have enriched his undergraduate career.
The following is a brief sampling of the wide variety of research topics that will be presented:
- Appleton-area research project studying after-school enrichment for young children in need, by Margaret Schoelzel, UW-Fox Valley student.
- Gender-specific treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use, by Marcy Jivery, UW-Green Bay student.
- Effectiveness of direct education programs on cancer awareness and prevention in university students and school children in Punjab, India, by Kevin King, UW-Madison student.
- Experiences of HIV-infected urban African American men, by Mary Esson, UW-Milwaukee student.
- Evaluating the success of a S.T.E.M. student support program, by UW-Parkside students.
- Effects of dehydration on cognitive function and mood, by UW-Stevens Point students.
- Assessing cellular responses of hela (cervical cancer) cells to activated Fe2O4-TiO2 core-shell nanoparticles, by Kara Kamps, UW-Whitewater student.
More information on the Posters in the Rotunda event, including a list of all participating students and their research projects, is available at http://wisconsin.edu/posters/.
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Editor’s Note: Students and others who participate will be encouraged to share photos and observations from the event on Twitter using the hashtag #UWposters. In a related celebration of UW student research, UW-Parkside will host the 12th Annual UW System Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity on April 27. The day-long event will feature undergraduate scholarly work ranging from artistic expressions to scientific research, with a special musical performance the night before at the new Rita Tallent Picken Regional Center. To learn more about the symposium, including how to register, visit: http://www.uwp.edu/events/symposium/.
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