KU News Release

April 17, 2007
Contact: Mark Nesbitt-Daly, University Honors Program, (785) 864-4225.

KU students, faculty member receive awards at research symposium

LAWRENCE — Sixteen seniors at the University of Kansas received awards for their presentations at the 10th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, held April 14 in the Kansas Union. A KU faculty member was also honored.

Award winners were selected from among 73 undergraduates who presented research projects on topics ranging from child welfare to DNA sequences. Winners were announced at a banquet following the symposium.

Mark Nesbitt-Daly, associate director of the University Honors Program, and John Augusto, research training coordinator for the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, presided at the awards banquet.

A new award to recognize faculty research mentors was also given. Holly Storkel, associate professor of speech-language-hearing, was the first recipient of the K. Barbara Schowen Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, which is named for a former honors program director and professor emerita and provides $1,000 to use for research. Schowen was the keynote speaker for the banquet.

Chancellor Robert Hemenway and Joseph Steinmetz, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, also spoke at the banquet.

The symposium, which was part of the observance of the 50th anniversary of the University Honors Program, opened with a welcome from Stanley Lombardo, honors program director and professor of classics, and Jim Roberts, vice provost for research. Roberts, a 1966 electrical engineering alumnus of KU and the honors program, noted that his research experience as an undergraduate set his professional career in motion.

Craig Nelson, a 1962 honors alumnus who is a professor emeritus of biology at Indiana University, was the keynote speaker at the symposium.

Winners of the $75 General Interest Contribution Awards were: Kyle Hesed, Pawnee Rock; Laura A. Dague, Washington; and Anne McEnroe, Lawrence.

Paper session awards of $50 went to: Sarah Dees, Sioux City, Iowa; Rebekah Hartnett, Manhattan; Daniel Hogan, Leawood; Jay Kimmel, Wichita; Shannon Layman, Lawrence; Nicholas Philipp, Olathe; and Yujie Li, Shen Zhen, China.

Poster session awards also provided $50 to each winner. They are: Jonathan Ashley, Olathe; Kristin Danielson, Tahlequah, Okla.; Rebecca Deeds, Little River; Tiffany Jones, North Richland Hills, Texas; Marsha Leffler, Shawnee; and Kyle Lovseth, Salina.

All participants are listed below by hometown, level in school, major, parents’ names, high schools (when available), title of research project and faculty adviser.

ATCHISON COUNTY
From Atchison 66002
Jesse D. Haug, senior in economics, French and mathematics, son of Jim and Aleda Haug Maur Hill -Mount Academy; “Statistical Analysis of the Point Spread in Big Name Basketball: Evidence of Point Skimming?”; David Faurot, associate professor of economics.

BARTON COUNTY
From Pawnee Rock 67567
Kyle Hesed, senior in biology with a minor in linguistics, son of Larry and Laurie Hesed; Otis-Bison Senior High School; “Molecular Techniques Reveal Unrecognized Lizard Diversity in the Philippines”; Rafe Brown, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and curator of herpetology at the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, and Linda Trueb, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and senior curator of herpetology at the Natural History Museum.

BUTLER COUNTY
From El Dorado 67042
Kurt Edward Mattingly, junior in American studies, son of Huber and Debra Mattingly; El Dorado High School; “Islamic Revolution 1978-79: U.S. Influence for Women’s Educational Rights”; Cheryl Lester, associate professor and director of American studies.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66044
Christy Lynn Bradley, senior in English with a minor in French; Lee’s Summit Senior High School, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; “Banter of the Sexes: Letters and Rebuttals of Seventeenth Century French and English Women”; Diane Fourny, associate professor of European studies.

Rachael A. Costello, senior in international studies and linguistics, daughter of Tom and Francie Costello; home school; “Word Order Transfer in Second Language Acquisition”; Alison Gabriele, assistant professor of linguistics.

Grace Anne Hoyt, senior in social work with a minor in African and African-American studies, daughter of Jane Hoyt; Lawrence Free State High School; “Orphanage Case Study and the Evaluation of Child Welfare in Uganda”; Marianne Berry, professor of social welfare.

Shannon L. Layman, senior in music and psychology, daughter of Steve and Linda Layman; Olathe North High School; “Change Deafness with a Musical Stimulus”; Jim Juola, professor of psychology, and Mike Vitevitch, associate professor of psychology.

Ariel Seth Ludwig, senior in social work; Lawrence Free State High School; “Characteristics of Youth in Out-of-home Care”; Ariana Wall, assistant professor of social welfare.

Lucas Todd Thompson, senior in American studies, English and history, son of Todd and Caprice Thompson; Lawrence Free State High School; “Beyond the Fife and Drum: A New Model for Interpreting Unionist Political Identity” and “For God and Ulster: The Aesthetics of Northern Ireland’s Loyalist Murals”; Kathryn Conrad, associate professor of English.

From Lawrence 66046
Jacqueline Rae McClenny, senior in English; Colorado Rocky Mountain School, Carbondale, Colo.; “The Enduring Heart of London”; Tom Lorenz, associate professor and associate chair of English.

From Lawrence 66049
Anne Isabel McEnroe, senior in classical languages and English, daughter of Bruce McEnroe and Michelle Tamburini; Lawrence Free State High School; “You Are What You Read: The Evolution of St. Augustine’s Relationship with Virgil”; Stanley Lombardo, professor of classics and director of the University Honors Program.

FRANKLIN COUNTY
From Ottawa 66067
Karen Lynn Barnwell, senior in American studies; Saint Mary’s Hall, San Antonio, Texas; “Mary Huntoon and the Art and Art Therapy Movements of the 1930s”; Cheryl Lester, associate professor and director of American studies.

JEFFERSON COUNTY
From McLouth 66054
Katrina Zagaruyka Cook, senior in cognitive psychology, daughter of Bill Cook and Tess Zagaruyka; McLouth High School; “The Influence of Reader’s Goals and Organizational Signals on Text Recall”; Ruth Ann Atchley, associate professor of psychology.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66209
Daniel Patrick Hogan, senior in mathematics and physics, son of Patrick and Jane Hogan; Blue Valley North High School; “Relativistic Magnetic Monopole Flux Constraints from RICE”; Dave Besson, professor of physics and astronomy.

Gabrielle Rae McBride, freshman in theatre and film, daughter of Dennis and Kristy McBride; Notre Dame De Sion, Kansas City, Mo.; “Representations of Capitalism on Film”; Dan McCarthy, academic adviser in the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center.

From Lenexa 66215
Adrienne Gail Cichelli, senior in accounting and finance, daughter of John and Carol Cichelli; Shawnee Mission West High School; “Roth IRA: Estate Planning for Children”; Mark Gerard Haug, lecturer in business.

Christopher Howard Roatch, senior in chemical engineering with a minor in mathematics; Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; “High toughness bio-inspired hydrogels for cartilage tissue engineering”; Michael Detamore, assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering.

James E. West III, senior in mechanical engineering, son of Jim and Cynthia West; Shawnee Mission West High School; “Property and Flow Behavior of a Placebo Gel used in HIV Barrier Microbicide Clinical Trials”; Sarah Kieweg, assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

From Lenexa 66220
Lindsey Pennington Lathrop, senior in political science with a minor in African and African-American studies, daughter of Robert and Kelly Lathrop; Blue Valley Northwest High School; “The Olympics as a Political Forum: What to expect from Beijing 2008”; Fiona Yap, associate professor of political science.

From Mission Hills 66208
Lake Wooten, senior in aerospace engineering and engineering physics, son of Kent and Nanette Wooten; Shawnee Mission East High School; “Monte Carlo Simulations of Protein Translocation along DNA”; Christopher Fischer, assistant professor of physics and astronomy.

From Olathe 66061
Jonathan D. Ashley, senior in chemical engineering, son of Darryl and Diane Ashley; Saint Thomas Aquinas High School; “Analysis of Stabilizing Polymers on Peptide Drug Formulations”; Kyle Camarda, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering.

Tiffany Lynn Johnson, freshman in College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, daughter of Tracey Bowman; Olathe East High School; “Representations of Capitalism on Film”; Dan McCarthy, academic adviser in the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center.

Nicholas Alan Philipp, senior in biology, son of Scott and Cristan Philipp; Olathe North High School; “Two New Species of Zoanthids from Southern Australia and Southern California”; Daphne Fautin, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and senior curator of invertebrate zoology at the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute.

Kody Noel Willnauer, senior in music education, son of Kent and Janna Willnauer; De Soto High School; “Adapting Techniques from the Classroom into Private Music Lessons for Children with Special Needs: A Case Study”; Debra Hedden, associate professor of music and dance.

From Olathe 66062
Mariza Virginia Rosales, senior in speech-language-hearing, daughter of Mike and Virginia Rosales; Olathe East High School; “The Effects of Lexical Density on Initial Word Learning in Adulthood”; Holly Storkel, associate professor of speech-language-hearing.

From Overland Park 66212 and Overland Park 66213
Kyle David Black, freshman in philosophy, son of Kirk Black (66212) and Kimberly Black (66213); Olathe East High School; “Representations of Capitalism on Film”; Dan McCarthy, academic adviser in the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center.

From Overland Park 66214
Lauren Elizabeth Ozburn, senior in psychology, daughter of Pat and Sheila Ozburn; Shawnee Mission South High School; “Gender Similarities and Gender Differences in Being Sexually Coerced: Exploring Contexts and Meanings”; Charlene Muehlenhard, professor of psychology and women’s studies.

From Overland Park 66223
Katherine Lee Chung McCue, senior in English, environmental studies and journalism and mass communications (strategic communications emphasis), daughter of Chae McCue; Blue Valley High School; “The Harmony and Discord of Being Biracial”; Tom Lorenz, associate professor and associate chair of English.

From Prairie Village 66207
Brandon Harry Hidaka, senior in biology, son of Paul and Roxanne Hidaka; Shawnee Mission East High School; “Synthesis of Novel Chiral Sultams”; Paul Hanson, professor of chemistry.

From Prairie Village 66208
Blair Nicole Wendlandt, senior in biology, daughter of Bruce Wendlandt; Shawnee Mission East High School; “The Utility of cpDNA Sequences for Phylogenetic Inference in Monanthes (Crassulaceae)”; Mark Mort, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and assistant curator of botany at the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute.

From Prairie Village 66208 and Shawnee 66216
Lauren Elizabeth Baehner, senior in anthropology and biology, daughter of Elizabeth Baehner, Prairie Village, and Fred Baehner, Shawnee; Shawnee Mission East High School; “Musashi and APC cooperate to maintain colon stem cell homeostasis”; Kristi Neufeld, assistant professor of molecular biosciences.

From Shawnee 66216
Pegah Ettehadi, senior in architectural engineering; “Improving life cycle performance and energy consumption prediction”; Oswald Chong, assistant professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering.

Taras Adrianowich Zelenchuk, junior in biology, son of Lesya and Adrian Zelenchuk; Shawnee Mission East High School; “Nomenclature in Sea Anemones”; Daphne Fautin, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and senior curator of invertebrate zoology at the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute.

From Shawnee 66218
Marsha Kathrina Leffler, senior in art and journalism and mass communications (news and information emphasis), daughter of Marshall and Linda Leffler; Mill Valley High School; “Video and Text Collaboration”; Luke Jordan, lecturer in design.

From Spring Hill 66083
Amber Rose Otto, senior in microbiology, daughter of David and Michelle Otto; Berean Christian School; “Proteins Associated with Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (ICAM-1) After Stimulation of Human T Cells Through ICAM-1”; Stephen Benedict, associate professor of molecular biosciences.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
From Lansing 66043
Gwyndolyn N. Jones, junior in chemistry and French, daughter of Robert and Janet Jones; Lansing High School; “Amide-Based Neutral and Quaternized Macrocycles as Hosts for Anions”; Kristin Bowman-James, professor of chemistry and director of Kansas National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

MCPHERSON COUNTY
From McPherson 67460
Jill E. Koehler, senior in biochemistry, daughter of Roger and Joyce Koehler; McPherson High School; “Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of the F1-ATPase Rotary Motor”; Cindy Berrie, assistant professor of chemistry.

RICE COUNTY
From Little River 67457
Rebecca J. Deeds, senior in chemical engineering, daughter of Doug and Rita Deeds; McPherson High School; “Utilizing Stem Cells and Nanoparticles for Targeted Drug Deliver to Cancer Cells”; Cory Berkland, assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering.

RILEY COUNTY
From Leonardville 66449
Thomas Ryan O’Leary, senior in biology, son of Michael and Terri O’Leary; Manhattan High School; “A Comparative Phylogenetic Analysis of Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat Data in Crassula vaginata (Crassulaceae)”; Mark Mort, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and assistant curator of botany at the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute.

From Manhattan 66502
Rebekah Jean Hartnett, senior in African and African-American studies and anthropology, daughter of David Hartnett; Manhattan High School; “Beyond Truth and Reconciliation: South Africa's Post-Apartheid Reparations Efforts”; Peter Ukpokodu, professor and chair of African and African-American studies.

SALINE COUNTY
From Salina 67401
Jennifer Marie Guerra, senior in chemistry with a minor in mathematics, daughter of Robert and Deann Guerra; Salina High School South; “Synthesis of Sultam Libraries via an Intermolecular Heck Reaction”; Paul Hanson, professor of chemistry.

Kyle Scott Lovseth, senior in psychology, son of Nancy Lovseth; Salina High School Central; “Valence Priming and the Processing of Emotion in Dysphorics: A Divided Visual Field Study”; Ruth Ann Atchley, associate professor of psychology.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Benton 67017
Jason Horry Beury, senior in environmental studies and Spanish with a minor in peace and conflict studies, son of John H. Beury; Wichita High School East; “Educating for Hope in a ‘Developing’ World”; Martha Rabbani, lecturer in humanities and western civilization.

From Clearwater 67026
Jessica G. Snyder, senior in astronomy and engineering physics, daughter of Mike Snyder; Clearwater High School; “Zero Degree Calorimeter”; Michael Murray, assistant professor of physics and astronomy.

Ashlee N. Widler, senior in speech-language-hearing, daughter of Todd Widler; Clearwater High School; “Topography of Neural Responses to Spectrally Rotated Speech Stimuli”; Edward Auer, assistant professor of speech-language-hearing.

From Derby 67037
Grant R. Snider, senior in architecture and chemical engineering, son of Timothy and Rita Snider; Mulvane High School; “Dynamic Tensile Properties of the Temporomandibular Joint Disc”; Michael Detamore, assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering.

From Wichita 67206
Jay Marshall Kimmel, senior in economics, international studies and political science, son of John and Karen Kimmel; Wichita High School Southeast; “Educational choices and identity in Tajikistan”; Erik Herron, associate professor of political science.

From Wichita 67217
Matthew Lee Moreno, senior in biochemistry, son of Carmen Keeton; Kapaun Mount Carmel High School; “Analysis of Binding Partners to Phosphatase of Regenerating Liver (PRL-1) Protein Using Blue Native Gel Electrophoresis”; Jennifer Laurence, assistant professor of pharmaceutical chemistry.

From Wichita 67226
Matthew Thomas Leming, senior in biology, son of Thomas and Candace Leming; Wichita High School Heights; “The Role of Potassium Channels in Neuronal Differentiation of Stem Cells from Umbilical Cord”; Kathy Mitchell, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66609
Caitlin Christine Lutes, freshman in College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, daughter of David Lutes; Hamilton Southeastern High School, Fishers, Ind.; “Representations of Capitalism on Film”; Dan McCarthy, academic adviser in the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center.

WASHINGTON COUNTY
From Washington 66968
Laura A. Dague, senior in economics and mathematics, daughter of Murray and Jennifer Dague; Washington High School; “Impacts of Four Labor Market Measures on Child Poverty Rates in the United States”; Donna Ginther, associate professor of economics.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY
From Kansas City 66112
Derrais Armarne Carter, junior in African-American studies and sociology, son of Roy and Sheryl Carter; Washington High School; “Black Masculinity in Lynching Photography”; Rose Brewer, associate professor of African American and African studies at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

COLORADO
From Evergreen 80439
Kyle Young, senior in chemistry, son of Marylin Waldman; “Tandem Heck-Aza-Michael: A New Approach to Sultams”; Paul Hanson, professor of chemistry.

IOWA
From Sioux City 51104
Sarah E. Dees, senior in English and religious studies, daughter of Daniel and Debra Dees; North High School; “Within You and Without You ... or ... Beyond Gender in the Study of Religion: Rita Gross and her Critics”; Robert Minor, professor of religious studies.

ILLINOIS
From Elgin 60123 and Skokie 60077
Rachel Anne Nadolna, senior in psychology, daughter of Cliff Nadolna, Skokie, and Lori Rolle, Elgin; Deerfield High School; “The Production of Phonological Word-Forms”; Mike Vitevitch, associate professor of psychology.

MASSACHUSETTS
From Cambridge 02140
Cameron S. Lewis, senior in electrical engineering, son of W. Jeff and Angelia Lewis; Olathe East High School, Olathe, Kan.; “Multi-waveform Radar for Ice Sheet Measurements and Classroom Demonstration”; Prasad Gogineni, Deane E. Ackers Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets.

MINNESOTA
From Bloomington 55437
Jaclyn C. Kostek, sophomore in journalism and mass communications (news and information emphasis), daughter of David and Sara Kostek; Thomas Jefferson Senior High School; “The February Sisters”; Cheryl Lester, associate professor and director of American studies.

From Loretto 55357
Kelly Anne Volp, senior in biochemistry and chemistry, daughter of Rita Volp; Delano Senior High School, Delano, Minn.; “Sultam Libraries: Diels-Alder and Ring-Opening Approach”; Paul Hanson, professor of chemistry.

MISSOURI
From Creve Coeur 63141
Voytek R. Slowik, senior in biology, son of Ryszard and Grazyna Slowik; Blue Valley West High School, Overland Park, Kan.; “Phylogeography of Sulawesi Stream Frogs (Rana chalconota)”; Rafe Brown, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and curator of herpetology, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute.

From Kansas City 64151
Sandra Rose Carpenter, senior in psychology, daughter of Kathy Carpenter; Park Hill Senior High School: “Internet Assessments versus their Paper-and-Pencil Equivalent: How Contextual Influences Effect the Measurement of Emotional and Situational Constructs”; Todd Little, professor of psychology and director of the Bureau of Child Research.

From Parkville 64152
Lauren Anne Albani, senior in American studies and Spanish, daughter of Larry and Linda Albani; Saint Pius X High School, Kansas City, Mo.; “Teach for America Core Member Reflections: What about the students?”; Cheryl Lester, associate professor and director of American studies.

NEBRASKA
From Fremont 68025
Joshua T. Wewel, senior in microbiology, son of James and Jodi Wewel; Fremont Senior High School; “Sultam Libraries: Diels-Alder and Ring-Opening Approach”; Paul Hanson, professor of chemistry.

NEW JERSEY
From Somerville 08876
Alexander J. Donoso, junior in cognitive psychology, son of Alejandro and Vicki Donoso; Immaculata High School; “Competition and facilitation in speech production”; Mike Vitevitch, associate professor of psychology.

OKLAHOMA
From Tahlequah 74464
Kristin Tylar Danielson, senior in mechanical engineering; Tahlequah Senior High School; “Angular Kinematics of Balance Recovery in Parkinson’s Disease”; Carl Luchies, associate professor of mechanical engineering.

From Tulsa 74136
Ryan James Grigsby, senior in chemistry and history of art, son of Fran and Lloyd Grigsby; Booker T. Washington High School; “Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis with Combined Amperometric and Contactless Conductivity Detection”; Susan Lunte, Ralph N. Adams Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry.

TEXAS
From North Richland Hills 76180
Tiffany Joy Jones, senior in psychology, daughter of Jay and Denise Jones; Olathe North High School, Olathe, Kan.; “Negative effects of a suggestion of sexism on a figure reproduction task: Evidence for social identity threat”; Glenn Adams, assistant professor of psychology.

From Plano 75024
Jennifer Renee Denny, senior in journalism and mass communications (news and information emphasis) and American studies, daughter of Steve and Rhonda Denny; Plano West Senior High School; “Media & Politics: Who Really Controls Us?: An analysis of media in the 2006 Kansas State Attorney General Election”; Cheryl Lester, associate professor and director of American studies.

VIRGINIA
From Dale City 22193
Samantha Marie Taylor, senior in American studies, daughter of Charles Michael and Pamela Taylor; C. D. Hylton Senior High School, Woodbridge, Va.; “Minimizing the Gender Gap in Elementary and Middle School Science Classrooms”; Tanya Hart, assistant professor of American studies and women’s studies.

CHINA
From Shen Zhen, Guang Dong
Yujie Li, senior in biology and mathematics, daughter of Zhou and Zhuo Cheng Li; “Identifying binding partners of a novel conserved protein involved in exocytosis”; Edina Harsay, assistant professor of molecular biosciences.

INDIA
From Gujarat
Shyam Bhaskerbhai Mehta, freshman in biology; “Comparative Analysis of Visual Spatial Frequency Perception in Fish and Humans”; Rudolf Jander, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology.

From New Delhi
Nivedita Ravichandran, junior in biology; “Comparative Analysis of Visual Spatial Frequency Perception in Fish and Humans”; Rudolf Jander, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology.

KENYA
From Nairobi
Paul Joshua Owino Oruoch, junior in chemical engineering, son of Daniel Oruoch; “Creating computational algorithms to evaluate bond strain in molecules”; Kyle Camarda, associate professor of chemical and petroleum engineering.

KOREA
From Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk-do
Sunhwan Jo, junior in chemistry, “CHARMM-GUI: Automatic Setup for Molecular Dynamics Simulation”; Wonpil Im, assistant professor of molecular biosciences.

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