Nov. 14, 2016

NDSU EXPLORE awards announced

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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.

As a student-focused, land grant, research institution, we serve our citizens.

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