The 2016 NDSU EXPLORE Undergraduate Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activity event was held on Nov. 1 in the Memorial Union. This marked the third year of the undergraduate showcase, which included 105 students and 80 projects. All academic colleges were represented, with a variety of projects being presented.
The day started with the President’s Breakfast where three NDSU undergraduates and their mentors shared their undergraduate research experiences with local community leaders. Oral and poster presentation sessions followed.
The award winners include:
Morning oral presentations
First place
Gabriel Michael Hideo Branco - Health, Nutrition and Exercise Science
A Pursuit of Happiness in NCAA Division III Athletics
Mentor: Bradford Strand
Second place
Amber Winter – Hospitality and Tourism Management
Investigation on the Determinants of Travelers’ Intention to Visit a Destination and Destination Brand Loyalty
Mentor: Kwangsoo Park
Third place
Rio Bergh - English
Pain Visible and Invisible: Empathy’s Impact on the Soldier’s Experience in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried”
Mentor: Anastassiya Andrianova
Morning poster presentations
First place
Heather Yelle – Civil and Environmental Engineering
Iron Cross-linked Alginate Beads for Removing Phosphate from Wastewater and Storm Runoff and Their Reuse
Mentor: Achintya Bezbaruah
Second place
Lacey Dickerman – Biological Sciences
Melatonin and Receptor Signaling: Investigating Roles in Chicken Embryo Development
Mentor: Wendy Reed
Third place (tie)
Thomas Blommel – Physics
Lattice Gas Model with Monte Carlo Collision Operator
Mentor: Alexander Wagner
Matthew Henry and Molly Hess - Communication
Super Bowl Ads: A Longitudinal Analysis of Gender Portrayals
Mentor: Charles Okigbo
Afternoon oral presentations
First place
Leanne Oakes and Abigail Ford – Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences
Measurements of Acromiohumeral Distance with the Application of Kinesio® Tape at 30, 60, 90 and 120 Degrees of Glenohumeral Abduction
Mentor: Katie Lyman
Second place
Olivia Vaadeland, Olivia Vogt, and Mara Zinda - Communication
The International Journal of Strategic Communication: Uncovering Its Contents
Mentor: Charles Okigbo
Third place
Samantha Hamernick - English
Home Language Literacy and Refugee Resettlement: A Case Study
Mentor: Lisa Arnold
Afternoon poster presentations
First place
Jenna Murphy – English (collaboration with Geosciences)
Benefits of Integrated Writing Across the Disciplines Pedagogy in a Mid-Level Geomorphology Course
Mentor: Ken Lepper
Second place
Benjamin Huber – Microbiological Sciences
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Receptor Deficiency Elevates the Frequency of Antibiotic-Producing Bacteria Found in Mouse Feces
Mentor: Glenn Dorsam
Third place
Sierra Walker – Chemistry and Biochemistry
Vision in Tabanidae
Mentor: Anna Sheppard
First place awardees have the opportunity to participate in the 2017 National Conference on Undergraduate Research at the University of Memphis. The annual conference, attended by more than 4,000 undergraduates, is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study.
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