Kansas State University

MANHATTAN -- Fifteen Kansas State University graduate students will present their Kansas-related research at two upcoming research forums: Master's Research Day on Wednesday, Feb. 12, and the Capitol Graduate Research Summit on Thursday, Feb. 13. Both events are on the second floor rotunda of the State Capitol Building in Topeka.

"These two research forums give our students opportunities to show how their research is addressing key issues in the state," said Carol Shanklin, dean of the Graduate School. "Through their interaction with statewide leaders, these students will be able to show the value of graduate education and research."

The Master's Research Day is an inaugural event that includes graduate students pursing master's degrees from all the Kansas Board of Regents universities, including Kansas State University, Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University, University of Kansas, Wichita State University. These graduate students will represent their universities and share research important to Kansas. Students will present their research from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Five Kansas State University master's students will participate.

At the 11th annual Capitol Graduate Research Summit, 10 Kansas State University students will interact with legislators, the Kansas Board of Regents and the community. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., students will present posters that feature their research on a variety of topics important to Kansas, including animal heath, engineering and grain science, among other topics. The 10 students were chosen based on their research presentations at Research and the State, an annual on-campus event that occurred in October 2013.

The Capitol Graduate Research Summit is a statewide event that features current research of graduate students at Kansas State University, the University of Kansas, the University of Kansas Medical Center and Wichita State University. A university professor and an industry representative will judge the poster and student presentations. The top two presenters from each university will receive awards: One student will be chosen as a BioKansas winner and the other student will receive an award from his or her graduate school.

Kansas State University students participating in the Master's Research Day or the Capitol Graduate Research Summit include:

Tim Hoffman, doctoral student in chemical engineering, Ellsworth, who will present "Growth of HBN using metallic boron: isotopically enriched 10BN for neutron detection" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Hoffman's faculty mentor is James Edgar, university distinguished professor and head of chemical engineering.

Lance Noll, master's student in veterinary biomedical science, Greensburg, who will present "A four-plex real-time PCR assay for the detection and quantification of Escherichia coli o157 in cattle feces" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Noll's faculty mentor is T.G. Nagaraja, university distinguished professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology.

Andrew Dillon, master's student in agronomy, Hope, who will present atMaster's Research Day.

Joseph Holste, doctoral student in civil engineering, Ludell, who will present "Transfer bond test used to predict transfer length of concrete railroad ties" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Holste's faculty mentor is Robert Peterman, professor of civil engineering. 

Hamad Alshetaiwi, master's student in biomedical science, Manhattan, who will present at Master's Research Day.

Aaron Bingham, master's student in grain science, Manhattan, who will present at Master's Research Day.

Bryan Cafferky, doctoral student in marriage and family therapy, Manhattan, who will present "A meta-analysis of relationship factors impacting couples with IPV" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Cafferky's faculty mentor is Jared Anderson, associate professor of family studies and human services.

Joseph Chapes, master's student in mass communications, Manhattan, who will present "Encouraging the adoption of E. coli control and prevention strategies: analysis of an online training intervention" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Chapes' faculty mentor is Nancy Muturi, associate professor of journalism and mass communications.

Fariba Fateh, doctoral student in electrical engineering, Manhattan, who will present "A nonlinear control scheme for extremum power seeking in wind turbine energy conversion systems" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Fateh's faculty mentor is Warren White, associate professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering.

Mohammadreza Mirzahosseini, doctoral student in civil engineering, Manhattan, who will present "Study of the feasibility of using combined glass particle sizes and types in concrete as partial cement replacement" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Mirzahosseini's faculty mentor is Kyle Riding, associate professor of civil engineering.

Andrew McGowan, doctoral student in agronomy, Prairie Village, who will present "Impact of nitrogen rate on nitrous oxide emissions and life cycle greenhouse gas emissions in switchgrass-based cellulosic ethanol" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. McGowan's faculty mentor is Charles Rice, university distinguished professor of agronomy.

From out of state:

Megan Brown, master's student in agronomy, Tehachapi, Calif., who will present "Greenhouse gas footprints of two non-legume cover crops following winter wheat" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Brown's faculty mentor is Peter Tomlinson, assistant professor of agronomy.

Sharon Luu, master's student in family studies and human services, Oberlin, Ohio, who will present at Master's Research Day.

From out of country:

Keyla Lopez, doctoral student in animal sciences and industry, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, who will present "Validation of washing treatments to reduce pathogens in fresh produce" at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Lopez's faculty mentor is Kelly Getty, associate professor of animal sciences and industry.

Pragathi Belagola Shridhar, master's student in biomedical science, Karnataka, India, Master's Research Day.