May 21, 2012
Students win research, creative project funding
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- More than two dozen students qualified for a Southern Illinois University Carbondale award that funds undergraduate research and creative activities for promising projects and students.
The 25 winning students will receive Research-Enriched Academic Challenge (REACH) Awards from the University beginning this fall. The winners will receive up to $1,500 in funding for their projects, along with a paid one-year research assistantship that will pair them with a faculty member as they work on various research and creative projects.
The competitive program is open to all fields of study, with the University offering grant awards each year to students working on an independent research project with a faculty mentor. REACH also supports the University's annual Undergraduate Research Forum, held in late April, during which students present posters describing their research projects.
Winners of this year’s awards include:
Illinois
Carterville
Samuel Q. Martin, a senior geology major and the son of Steven M. Martin and Margie M. Rehagen. His faculty mentor is Scott Ishman, professor of geology. His research project title is “A Foraminferal Record of Holocene Climate Change on the Antarctic Peninsula Margin.”
Champaign
• Jason H. Gumbel, a junior in biological sciences and the son of Jeffrey S. and Cynthia J. Gumbel. His faculty mentor is Buffy Ellsworth, assistant professor of physiology in the SIU School of Medicine. His research project title is “Role of FOXD1.”
• Alexander-Jacques T. Sougiannis, a junior in exercise science and pre-medicine and the son of Theodore T. Sougiannis and Elisabeth Oltheten. His faculty mentor is Juliane P. Wallace, associate professor of kinesiology. His research project title is “Competition vs. Practice Levels of Salivary Cortisol and Testosterone in Female USA Junior Olympic Volleyball Players.”
Chicago
Calvin R. Zimmermann, a junior in sociology and the son of Sandra L. Zimmermann. His faculty mentor is Rachel Whaley, assistant professor of sociology. His research project title is “The Role of Progressive Masculinities Mentors in Deconstructing Oppressive and Harmful Forms of Hegemonic Masculinity.”
Cicero
Frank W. Soveg, a senior in zoology and the son of William Soveg of Cicero and Joan Kost of Plainfield. His faculty mentor is Francisco A. Jimenez-Ruiz, assistant professor of zoology. His research project title is “Using Genetic Analysis to Understand the Evolutionary Relationships Among Trematodes of the Genus Rhopalias.”
Downers Grove
Matthew R. Wozniak, a junior in cinema and photography and the son of Mark R. and Nadine A. Wozniak. His faculty mentor is Lilly Boruszkowski, associate professor of cinema and photography. His research project title is “Valhalla: A Science Fiction Short Film Portraying the Stages of Grief and Isolation.”
El Paso
Kelley M. Waldschmidt, a senior in zoology from and the daughter of Rick J. Waldschmidt of Normal and Annette M. Waldschmidt of El Paso. Her faculty mentors are Eric Schauber, associate professor of zoology, and Clay Nielsen, assistant professor with the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory. Her research project title is “Contact Rates and Regrouping Habits of White-Tailed Deer.”
Glen Ellyn
Ivan A. Perez, a senior in civil and environmental engineering and the son of Octavio Perez and Veronica Vazquez. His faculty mentor is Yanna Liang, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. His research project title is “Determining Biodiesel Yield from Pretreated and Hydrolyzed Corn Fiber through Yeast Fermentation.”
Lake Zurich
Sarah E. Buto, a junior in cinema and theater and the daughter of Thomas J. and Mylinda A. Buto. Her faculty mentors are Hong Zhou, assistant professor of cinema and photography, and J. Thomas Kidd, associate professor of theater. Her research project title is “Interdisciplinary Collaboration of Trust and Betrayal: An Inspector Answers, by Norman Phillip Hart.”
Lombard
James D. Bender, a junior in psychology and the son of John L. and Alison K. Bender. His faculty mentor is David Gilbert, professor of psychology and director of the integrative neuroscience laboratory. His research project title is “Co-Variations and Differences in EEG and fMRI Neutral Activation Patterns During Emotional Cue Reactivity.”
Macon
Ethan B. Snively, a junior in forestry and the son of Roger W. and Sharon D. Snively. His faculty mentor is Jon Schoonover, associate professor of forestry. His research project title is “Working Toward Soil Sustainability Using Innovative Techniques that Reduce Soil Erosion in Southern Illinois Agricultural Fields.”
Marion
Lonnie L. Mann III, a junior in industrial technology and the son of Troy F. and Donna M. Smith. His faculty mentor is Rob Lopez, assistant professor in the School of Art and Design. His research project title is “Exploded View 1.”
Murphysboro
Benjamin R. Elliot, a senior in geology and zoology and the son of William G. and Terri D. Elliot. His faculty mentor is Scott Ishman, professor of geology. His research project title is “A Foraminiferal Record of Holocene Climate Change on the Antarctic Peninsula Margin.”
Naperville
Michelle T. Lanteigne, a senior in zoology and the daughter of Louis G. and Joanie Lanteigne. Her faculty mentor is Michael Lydy, professor of zoology. Her research project title is “Dual Toxicity of Imidacloprid and Cyfluthrin on two Non-Target Organisms.”
Oblong
Eric J. French, a junior in psychology and the son of Jim E. French and Sarah J. Dart. His faculty mentor is Eric Jacobs, associate professor of psychology. His research project title is “Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury on Behavioral Inhibition in the Rat.”
Oneida
Joshua T. Pogue, a senior in biochemistry and the son of Thomas M. and Roszella K. Pogue. His faculty mentor is Colleen Scott, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry. His research project title is “Responsive Polymer Brushes.”
Pittsburg
Blake W. Cain, a junior in physiology and pre-medicine and the son of Thomas L. and Rebecca L. Cain. His faculty mentor is Andrew A. Sharp, assistant professor of anatomy in the SIU School of Medicine. His research project title is “The Effects of Ethanol on Early Embryonic Motility.”
Prairie du Rocher
Justin B. Ostrowski, a senior in exercise science and the son of Mark S. and Hazel C. Ostrowski. His faculty mentor is Jared Porter, assistant professor of kinesiology. His research project title is “An Investigation of the Effects of Shame on Psychomotor Performance and Learning.”
Springfield
• William J. Blankenship, a freshman in computer science and mathematics and the son of William L. and Kristi L. Blankenship. His faculty mentor is Mengxia Zhu, associate professor of computer science. His research project is titled “Efficient Job Scheduling Algorithm for Sustainable High Performance Computing.”
• Oliver J. Droefenu, a senior in chemistry and the son of Francis D. Droefenu and Getrude A. King. His faculty mentor is Aldwin Anterola, associate professor of plant biology. His research title is “Making a cDNA Library from Thunder God Vine, and screening it for the First Gene in Triptolide Pathway.”
• Austin T. Wood, a junior in cinema and photography and the son of Mark A. and Pamela A. Wood. His faculty mentor is Lilly Boruszkowski, associate professor of cinema and photography. His research project title is “Valhalla: A Science Fiction Short Film Portraying the Stages of Grief and Isolation.”
Swansea
Zachary T. Guilford, a junior in zoology and the son of Thomas B. and Kathy M. Guilford. His faculty mentor is Marjorie Brooks, assistant professor of zoology. His research project title is “Climate Change and the Effects of Water Pollution on Aquatic Organisms.”
Teutopolis
Lauren K. Pruemer, a senior in cinema and photography/radio-television and the daughter of Robert E. and Brenda L. Pruemer. Her faculty mentor is Lilly Boruszkowski, associate professor of cinema and photography. Her research project title is “The Dream Project.”
Wheeling
Kyle A. Goetzelmann, a senior in civil and mechanical engineering and the son of Alan D. and Joann P. Goetzelmann. His faculty mentor is Yanna Liang, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. His research project title is “Determining Biodiesel Yield from Pretreated and Hydrolyzed Corn Fiber through Yeast Fermentation.”
Yorkville
Travis J. Neal, a senior in plant biology and the son of Tim M. and Lynn M. Neal. His faculty mentor is David Gibson, professor of plant biology. His research project title is “Dispersal of Seed Vector Transport of Achyranthes Japonica.”
Missouri
St. Louis
Andrew W. Lambert, a senior in anthropology and the son of David F. and Lydia J. Lambert. His faculty mentor is Gretchen Dabbs, assistant professor of anthropology. His research project title is “Chronological Age Estimation of Native American Remains in an Archaeological Context: Re-examining the Right Fourth Sternal Rib.”
Tennessee
Franklin
Cody M. Jordan, a junior in forestry and the son of Eric M. and Nancy Y. Jordan. His faculty mentor is Clay Nielsen, assistant professor in the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory. His research project title is “You are What You Eat: Using Stable Isotopes to Determine Differences in Diet Between Rabbit Species of Southern Illinois.”