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More than 100 students and their research were the focus of Student Research Day held recently at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Students presented their research findings through oral and poster presentations, and judges selected the best work to be rewarded.
The following students received awards for their research. They are listed along with the title of their presentation, hometown and faculty adviser.
Behavioral & Social Sciences Poster Presentations…
1st Place: Ryan Haack (Kearney), with co-presenters Kurt Langrud (Broken
Bow) and Joe Stansberry (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Redistricting
Nebraska Legislature Using GIS.Faculty adviser: Dr. Paul Burger,
geography and earth science
2nd Place: Brindi Utemark (Ainsworth), with co-presenter Lindsay Hinz (York),
Perception of Depression Among College Students. Faculty
adviser: Dr. Krista Fritson, psychology
Honorable
Mention: John Pick (Grant), Assessing Perceptions of Danger in the Field of
Law Enforcement. Faculty adviser: Dr. Julie Campbell, criminal
justice
Natural & Physical Sciences Poster Presentations…
1st Place: Kyle Myers (Lincoln), Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy Using a
LED Source. Faculty adviser: Dr. Jonathan Thompson, chemistry
2nd Place: Courtney Johnson (Ainsworth), The Specific Activity of Ascorbate
Peroxidase in Switchgrass. Faculty adviser: Dr. Frank Kovacs,
chemistry
Honorable
Mention: Jenna Derr (Amherst), Effects of the Antioxidant Properties of
Blueberries on Mortality Rates and Indy Gene Expression in
Drosophila melanogaster. Faculty adviser: Dr. Kimberly Carlson,
biology
Arts/Humanities Poster Presentations…
1st Place: Elissa Martin (Broken Bow), American Literature and the Era of the
Salem Witch Trials. Faculty adviser: Dr. Robert Luscher, English
Honorable
Mention: Hikari Maekawa (Japan), The Evolution of the Piano Trio-Effective
Stylistic Interpretation through Comparative Analysis of Mozart,
Beethoven, Debussy and Shostakovich. Faculty adviser: Dr. Valerie
Cisler, music and performing arts
Graduate Studies Poster Presentations…
1st Place: Anjeza Pashaj (Albania), Changes in Glutathione-S-transferase
Gene Expression in Large Caged Populations of Drosphila
melanogaster. Faculty adviser: Dr. Kimberly Carlson, biology
Honorable
Mention: Roger Yerdon (Alliance), Use of citrus extract to prevent Acarus siro
infestation in stored grains. Faculty adviser: Dr. Tamara Smith,
biology
Professional/Applied Sciences Poster Presentations…
1st Place: Megan Costello (Omaha), Changes in the Prevalence of at risk of
overweight or overweight in children. Faculty adviser: Dr. Kate Heelan,
HPERLS
Honorable
Mention: Allison Swendener (North Platte), Energy Intake, Calcium Intake and
Glycemic Load in 9-11 year-old Children. Faculty adviser: Dr. Kate
Heelan, HPERLS
1st Place: Jerod Petersen (Ruskin), The Changing Landscape of Rural
America. Faculty adviser: Dr. Maha Younes, criminal justice
Faculty Mentor Awards…
UNK Faculty Mentoring of
Student Research Award: Dr. Teara Archwamety, counseling and
school psychology
Graduate College Faculty
Mentoring Award: Dr. Teara Archwamety, counseling and
school psychology
CBT Award for Faculty mentoring of
Undergraduate Student Research: Dr. Vijay Agrawal, marketing & MIS
CFAH Award for Faculty mentoring of
Undergraduate Student Research: Dr. David Nabb, music and performing arts
CNSS Award for Faculty mentoring of
Undergraduate Student Research: Dr. Kimberly Carlson, biology
COE Award for Faculty mentoring of
Undergraduate Student Research: Dr. Greg Brown, HPERLS
The students listed below were among those whose work was selected to be
presented or displayed at Student Research Day. They are listed by hometown, with
their title and adviser listed after their name.
Ainsworth – Brindi Utemark, Urban and Rural Helpfulness: Willingness to Help
Others Based on Familiarity and Attachment. Faculty adviser: Dr. Richard Miller,
psychology
Alma – Jamie Knuth, Nebraska Public Power Infrastructure Damage Assessment
of the December 2006 Ice Storm. Faculty adviser: Dr. Steele Becker, geography
and earth science
Amherst – Mark Vavra, Sumo-wrestling Robots. Faculty adviser: Dr. Sherri
Harms, computer science and information systems
Ansley – Katie Hoblyn, A Coyote Population Index in Rangeland Versus
Cropland Regions. Faculty adviser: Dr. Joseph Springer, biology
Atkinson – Benjamin Welborn, Comparison of Invertebrate Populations in
Alkaline and Non-alkaline Lakes in Western Nebraska. Faculty adviser: Dr. Julie
Shaffer, biology
Axtell – Heather Colling, The Door In the Face Effect. Faculty adviser: Dr.
Richard Miller, psychology
Ayr – Jeffrey Hamik, Use of systemic pesticide and its performance against
leafhoppers in commercial potato production. Faculty adviser: Dr. Wyatt Hoback,
biology
Bradshaw – Heather Tracy, Invertebrate Populations in a Mangrove Swamp: A
Study of Road Ecology. Faculty adviser: Dr. Marc Albrecht, biology
Brainard – Melissa Jakub, A Modern Greek Tragedy: Eugene O’Neill’s Use of
Greek Elements in the Hairy Ape. Faculty adviser: Dr. Elizabeth Peck, English
Broken Bow – Michael Gruszczynski, The Effects of Approval Ratings on
Presidential Media Coverage. Faculty adviser: Dr. Joan Blauwkamp, political
science
Chappell – Sonya Hansen, Effectiveness of the Sex Offender Registry: Is it a
useful public safety tool. Faculty adviser: Dr. Julie Campbell, criminal justice
Dunning – Michael Bishop, with co-presenters Adriana Bustamante (Colombia),
April Follmer (Grand Island), Catherine Hock (Kearney) and Linda Shaw
(Kearney), What do I do with this Information, Advocacy in Action. Faculty
adviser: Dr. David Hof, counseling and school psychology
Elba – Jessica Jurzenski, Insects Reveal Saltcedar has Little Effect on
Biodiversity. Faculty adviser: Dr. Wyatt Hoback, biology
Elm Creek – Katrina Florell, Porcelain Possibilites. Faculty adviser: Jake
Jacobsen, communication
Gering – Katie Schaneman, Nitrogen Assimilation of the Partrige Pea Plant.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Paul Twigg, biology
Sean Whipple, Flood Preference of the Grasshopper Species Arphia xanthoptera
and Dichromorpha viridis (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Faculty adviser: Dr. Wyatt
Hoback, biology
Grand Island – Charlene Falmlen, A Comparative Analysis of Google Earth.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Steele Becker, geography and earth science
Jamie Lamb, Influence of Parenting Styles on Adult Aggression and Road Rage.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Robert Rycek, psychology
Matthew Rauert, Pablo Casals as Composer: Selected Sacred Choral Works.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Andrew White, music and performing arts
Adam Sevenker, Changes in Student Models of Force and Motion in Activity-
Based Physics. Faculty adviser: Dr. Trecia Markes, physics and physical science
Hartington – Mason Dendinger, Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide on Switchgrass
Germination Rates. Faculty adviser: Dr. Paul Twigg, biology
Hastings – Amber Reynolds, An Analysis of the December 29-31, 2006
Nebraska Winter Storm. Faculty adviser: Dr. Steele Becker, geography and earth
science
Holdrege – Sarah Jones, Iconography of Women in Art Nouveau as seen in the
work of Rupert Carabin. Faculty adviser: Dr. Michelle Lang, art and art history
Homer – Shannon Thompson, (1) Academic Dishonesty Among College
Students. Faculty adviser: Dr. Theresa Wadkins, psychology. (2) The Role of
Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy in Alcohol Consumption, Drinking Behaviors, and
Alcohol-Related Problems. Faculty adviser: Dr. Krista Fritson, psychology
Kearney – Avani Amin, Homeschooling in Nebraska. Faculty adviser: Dr. Tami
Moore, family studies and interior design
Rachel Anschutz, Are Carrion Beetles (Coleoptera), Specifically The American
Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus), Affected by Lights? Faculty adviser:
Dr. Wyatt Hoback, biology
Alison Copple, The Accommodating Home: Accessible Design for Aging in Place.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Janice Kimmons, family studies and interior design
Nathan Garst, Damage Distribution of Winter Storms. Faculty adviser: Dr. Steele
Becker, geography and earth science
Crystal Hinrichs, with co-presenter Laura Bradshaw (Kearney), Social
Communication Interaction Patterns in People with Aphasia. Faculty adviser:
Miechelle McKelvey, communication disorders
Ahna Luebs, Plant Species Diversity of the Juhl Prairie in Nebraska. Faculty
adviser: Dr. Steven Rothenberger, biology
Jonathan Meyer, Soil profile of the Island of Vieques, PR. Faculty adviser: Dr.
Marc Albrecht, biology
Amos Roberts, A Comparison of Storms and Federal Response. Faculty adviser:
Dr. Steele Becker, geography and earth science
Beth Robertson, Navigating Identity: Postcolonial and Transnational
Relationships in Divakaruni’s Mistress of Spices. Faculty adviser: Dr. Nyla Khan,
English
Rachael Smith, Americans Overseas in the Cold War: The Shift in Attitudes from
American Superiority to Cultural Sensitivity. Faculty adviser: Dr. Linda Van Ingen, history
Dana Stubbs, Gender Differences in the Excretion of Calcium in Long-Evans
Rats. Faculty adviser: Dr. Janet Steele, biology
Sarah Westesen, “We Can Serve Behind the Lines”: Nebraska State Teacher’s
College and World War II. Faculty adviser: Dr. Mark Ellis, history
Lincoln – Holly Esquivel, with co-presenter Harry Ngondo (Malawi), Utilizing Idle
CPU Usage In an Automated Fashion for RSA Number Factorization. Faculty
adviser: Dr. John Hastings, computer science and information systems
Maywood – Jennifer Johnson, Successful Fishing for Tiger Beetle Larvae:
Implications for Conservation of Rare Species and Their Habitat. Faculty adviser:
Dr. Wyatt Hoback, biology
Minden – Andy Craig, Accelerometer Compliance in School Age Children.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Kate Heelan, HPERLS
Mitchell – Scott Griffith, Looking for the True Alkalophile in a Hypersaline,
Alkaline Environment. Faculty adviser: Dr. Julie Shaffer, biology
North Platte – Barbara Mohrman, Catch Me If (While) You Can – Strategies to
Inervene in Student Failure. Faculty adviser: Dr. Joan Lewis, education
Ogallala – Sara Brady, with co-presenters Jennifer Bruns (Marshall, Minn.) and
Bradley Stastny (David City), Mock Jurors’ Perceptions of Evidence Ploys
Embedded in Actual Interrogation Transcripts. Faculty adviser: Dr. Krista Forrest,
psychology
Omaha – Elizabeth Killip, Forever Changed: The Transformation of Rural
American Through Immigration. Faculty adviser: Dr. Maha Younes, social work
Brian Sass, Use of chemical cues in trailing behavior of the grain mite, Acarus
siro. Faculty adviser: Dr. Tamara Smith, biology
O’Neill – Jamie Babutzke, (1) with co-presenter Joshua Sole (Kearney), Exploring
Alcohol Use, Dependency, and Alcohol Related problems in College Students
along with the role of Peer-Health Resources and Risk Management. Faculty
adviser: Dr. Krista Fritson, psychology. (2) Visualization of Depleted Uranium in
the Mouse Brain. Faculty adviser: Dr. Wayne Briner, psychology
Ord – Caleb Hastings, International Music Products Association. Faculty adviser:
Dr. James Payne, music and performing arts
Oshkosh – Michael Blakeley, Preparations and Procedures for Winter Storms.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Steele Becker, geography and earth science
Overton – Jan Treffer Thompson, An Empty Vessel: Eden Bower in ‘Coming,
Aphrodite!’ Faculty adviser: Dr. Charles Peek, English
Ruskin – Stacy Simonsen, Exploring the Relationship between Personality Traits,
Binge Eating Behavior and Alcohol Abuse. Faculty adviser: Dr. Krista Fritson,
psychology
St. Edward – Steve Sherwood, Christmas/New Years Eve 2006 Ice Storm –
Effects on Aviation Transportation in the Great Plains (Colorado, Nebraska,
South Dakota, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri). Faculty adviser: Dr. Steele Becker,
geography and earth science
Tiffany Sherwood, The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Life Satisfaction.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Krista Fritson, psychology
St. Paul – Pamela Janulewicz, How active are children in PE classes? Faculty
adviser: Dr. Kate Heelan, HPERLS
Jacob Knutson, How Family Alcohol Abuse Affects Children. Faculty adviser: Dr.
Krista Fritson, psychology
Scottsbluff – Shane McFeely, Impact of Olfactory Cues on Parental Instincts.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Joseph Benz, psychology
Manuel Torres, The Effects of Ginkgo Biloba on Short-Term Memory. Faculty
adviser: Dr. Janet Steele, biology
Sutherland – Daniel McIntosh, Distribution of Labor Caused by Ice Storm.
Faculty adviser: Dr. Steele Becker, geography and earth science
Syracuse – Rachel Sitzman, Devaro Fine Lines. Faculty adviser: Richard
Schuessler, art & art history
Tilden – Kyle Petersen, Sugar, Mud and Substance: Analyzing Political
Advertisements Aired for Federal Races during the 2006 General Election in
Nebraska. Faculty adviser: Dr. Ruth Brown, communication
Ulysses – Anthony Reznicek, Winter Storm: Different Reactions for Different
Areas. Faculty adviser: Dr. Steele Becker, geography and earth science
Wilcox – Miranda Gardels, Jail Time: A Deterrent for Underage Drinking?
Faculty adviser: Dr. Julie Campbell, criminal justice
Wood River – Kristy Rickert, Is There Gene Flow Between Populations of Deer
Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) Across Interstate 80 in Central Nebraska?
Faculty adviser: Dr. Joe Springer and Dr. Kimberly Carlson, both biology faculty
CALIFORNIA
Torrance – Brett Olds, Drought Effects on Zooplankton at Harland County
Reservoir. Faculty adviser: Dr. Kerri Skinner, biology
COLORADO
Wray – Megan Jones, Motivations for Drinking: A Self-Report of Members of
Alcoholics Anonymous. Faculty adviser: Dr. James Gilbert, criminal justice
IOWA
Lemars – Bradley Miller, Chemistry of Mo(diimine) (CO)4 Complexes and
Diisocyanides: Evidence of Binuclear Complex Formation and Effects of MLCT
Solvatochromism. Faculty adviser: Dr. Christopher Exstrom, chemistry
WISCONSIN
Jackson – Christine Gilling, The Effect of OTK18 Upregulation in U937 Cells on
Neuronal Survival. Faculty adviser: Dr. Kimberly Carlson, biology
WYOMING
Casper – Joshua Tolin, (1) Perceptions of Traditional vs. Web-based Classes
from Students and Faculty with No Web-based Class Experience. Faculty
adviser: Dr. Greg Broekemier, marketing and MIS. (2) The Evils of Email: How
this Communication Tool Causes Conflict. Faculty adviser: Dr. Susan Jensen,
business management
Pine Bluffs – Grant Sorensen, Effects Of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs On Mixed
Grass Prairies In Central Nebraska. Faculty adviser: Dr. David Smith, biology
BRAZIL
Christopher Silva, Alternative Spring Breaks. Faculty adviser: Gerry Stirtz,
Teacher Education
JAPAN
Kanako Kusunoki, with co-presenters Amanda Baillie (Kearney), Kathryn
Bodenhamer (Hershey), Cade Feurer (North Bend), Jason Gould (Elm Creek),
Kevin Hervert (Kearney), Hillary Kruger (Randolph), Happy Macwan (India),
Matthew Rieckman (Columbus), Lindsay Schluntz (Naponee), Mihoko
Yamamoto (Japan) and Drew Youngs (Paxton), Analysis of Heartland Museum
of Military Vehicles. Faculty adviser: Dr. Ruth Brown, communication
