MADISON, Wis. — More than 100 University of Wisconsin System undergraduate students will fill the Capitol Rotunda next week to share their original research with legislators and other state leaders
The seventh annual “Posters in the Rotunda” event will take place on Wednesday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., involving students and faculty advisers from all 26 UW System campuses. State leaders will have the opportunity to view poster presentations of the research projects, speak with students and faculty members, and learn more about how this experience enriches the educational experience.
“Involving undergraduate students in research projects has many important benefits – for the students, for the university, and for the entire state. Students who collaborate with professors on meaningful research like this are more likely to stay in college and complete their degree. The hands-on experience prepares them for professional success after graduation, and the added brainpower in our research projects helps campuses address major issues in health, the environment, manufacturing, agriculture, and other important areas,” said UW System President Kevin P. Reilly.
As the UW System works to increase the number of graduates by 30% over the next 15 years, many campuses are expanding opportunities for undergraduate research as one way to boost retention and graduation rates. Considered a “high impact practice,” this kind of experience has a significant impact on student success in college, according to the National Survey of Student Engagement.
“We know that academic research on UW campuses has a major impact on Wisconsin’s economic development and strengthens the state’s competitive position in a global economy driven by innovation. Students are an increasingly important part of that vital work,” said Reilly.
The following is a brief sampling of research topics that will be presented next week:
- Developing a technique to estimate fiber breakage versus fiber pullout in paper, by UW-Stevens Point students.
- Pain as a catalyst to spirituality, by Brian Kerr and Frances Auld from UW-Baraboo/Sauk County.
- Effects on joint inflammation of feeding naturally occurring linoleic acid to arthritic mice, by James Campbell of UW-Madison.
- Empowering biology education through computer analysis of whale origins, by Courtney Thompson of UW-Whitewater.
- Optimizing attic insulation levels, by Thomas Eiden and Richard Shotwell from UW-Marathon County.
- Wound-healing plant extracts as inducers of stem cell differentiation, by UW-Platteville students.
More information on the event, including a list of all participating students, is available at http://www.wisconsin.edu/posters.