Sources: Anita Cortez, 785-532-5864, cortez@k-state.edu;
and Matthew Castinado, mcastina@k-state.edu
Hometown interest: Andover, Arkansas City, Buhler, Chapman, Coldwater, Derby, Dodge City, Garden City, Hiawatha, Holcomb, Hutchinson, Junction City, Kansas City, Kismet, Lakin, Lansing, Leavenworth, Lenexa, Liberal, Manhattan, Olathe, Overland Park, Sharon Springs, Shawnee, Topeka and Wichita, Kan.; Sycamore, Ill.; Madison, Ind.; Liberty, and Kansas City, Mo.; Omaha, Neb.; Bethlehem, N.H.; Fayetteville, Tenn.; Baytown, Texas.
Editor's note: Morgan Armbruster is a graduate of Buhler High School. Kekoa Mendenhall is a graduate of South Central High School, Coldwater. Alejandro De Luna is a graduate of Derby High School. Johanna Diaz is a graduate of Garden City High School. Luis Chavez is a graduate of Southwestern Heights High School, Kismet. Abraham Denner is a graduate of Manhattan High School. Michelle Foster is a graduate of Immaculata High School, Leavenworth. Joshua Ames is a graduate of Olathe East High School. Caroline Fulton is a graduate of Shawe Memorial Senior High School, Madison, Ind. Alexia Sampson is a graduate of the White Mountain School, Bethlehem, N.H.
News release prepared by: Tyler Sharp, 785-532-2535, tmsharp@k-state.edu
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Scholastic showcase: Developing Scholars Program Research Poster Symposium highlights undergraduate projects
MANHATTAN -- The work of undergraduate researchers at Kansas State University was in the spotlight at the Developing Scholars Program Research Poster Symposium on April 22.
The annual symposium highlights the research conducted by members of the Developing Scholars Program, which provides underrepresented students opportunities to research projects with a faculty mentor. Students receive academic, social, and financial support while participating in the discovery and creation of new knowledge at K-State.
"It has been very rewarding for me to see the accomplishments of the graduates over the past 12 years," said Anita Cortez, administrative director of the Developing Scholars Program. "Our alumni are scattered from Berkeley to Boston. We have medical doctors, attorneys, teachers, accountants, architects, engineers, fashion marketers and art historians. Our students are poised to make a difference wherever they go in the world."
The program has grown considerably since its inception in 2000. The university currently has 70 Developing Scholars, including one participant on the Salina campus.
Students say the program has many benefits.
"The Developing Scholars Program provides a good opportunity for diving into your major," said Matthew Castinado, sophomore in kinesiology, Overland Park. "You can connect with a lot of students within your same major. I enjoy working with my faculty mentor -- and you even receive a stipend."
The following students presented their research at the symposium:
Monica Farfan, Andover, "Environmental Surveillance of an Equine Hospital Facility"; William L. Duren, Arkansas City, "The Future of Algae"; Tiana Brooks, Chapman, "What Makes a Successful Logo?"
From Dodge City: Nallely Barron-Garcia, "Effects of Substituted Quinolines on Gene Expression of Gap Junction Proteins"; Phuoc Bui, "A Focused Microarray for Screening Rat ESC Lines"; Adrian Gomez, "Poly Arginine-Coated, TAT Peptide-Attached Magnetic Nanoparticles (MNPs) as Vectors for Gene Delivery"; Fabian Martinez, "Removal of Sulfate from Wastewater"; Pamela Maynez, "Breast Cancer Diagnostics Using Human Blood and Urine Samples"; and Perla Salazar, "Data Fusion Algorithm for Mapping Crime."
From Garden City: Irma Ailon, "5-Alpha-Reductase Inhibitor for Prostate Cancer Prevention"; Hector Martinez, "Researching the Yale Center for British Art"; Oscar Rodriguez, "New Fundraising Platforms: The Smartphone Application"; Eduardo Solorzano-Torres, "Cell Function and Development"; and Jimmie Stewart III, "Potential Contribution of ClC-2 Anion Channels to Porcine Colonic and Urogenital Secretion."
Abraham Denner, Hiawatha, "Defining Species Boundaries in Grassland Soil Nematodes"; Natira Staats, Holcomb, "Parenting a Child with Down Syndrome: Medical Issues and Associated Complication"; Morgan Armbruster, "Elucidating the Order of Events in a Signaling Pathway," Hutchinson;Zachary Jones, "Production of Microfluidic Devices," and Jenae Tate, "Impermeable Encasing Bacteria with Single Atom Thick Graphene Sheets," both from Junction City.
From Greater Kansas City: Jaime Arreola, "Personality and Perceptions of Racial Discrimination Perpetrators Within the Context of Political Messages," Isaac Falcon Campos, "Cellphone and Social Support among Young Adults," Blake Franklin, "3D Mobile Advertising: Hype or Help," Ismael Hernandez, "Building Accessibility for the Disabled," Phillip Hill, "How to Have a Successful Restaurant: A Descriptive Study," Joshua Springfield, "The Correlation Between God and Mental Health," Austin White, "Researching and Improving Controls Lab Machines," and Chayce Wynn, "The Effects of Thermosensitive or Protease Sensitive Liposomes on the Treatment of Tumors," all from Kansas City, Kan.; Simone Holliday, "Evaluation of Rectal Temperature to Predict Paturition in Alpacas," and Caleb Wurth, "The Effect of Extrusion Processing Conditions on the Retention of Organic Acid Preservatives and Mold Suppression in Aqua Diets," both from Kansas City, Mo.; Joshua Ames, "Sequence and Expression Analysis of Putative Homologs of Insect Immune-Related Genes in Frankliniella Occidentalis, the Insect Vector of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV)," and Branford Harris, "Assessment of the Civic Engagement Capabilities of Local Government Websites," both from Lenexa; Kale Lothamer, "Composition, Diversity, and Resilience of Fungal Communities Colonizing the Roots of Native and Exotic Hosts in an Urban Environment," Jamilah Watkins, "Investigation of Serine Proteinase Inhibitor Activity in the Plasma From an Insect, Manduca sexta," Priscilla De Los Santos, "Klotho and Central Regulation of Sympathetic Nerve Discharge," Stephanie Skinner, "Measurement of Calcium Carbonate Pre-Partum Mammary Gland Secretions to Determine Fetal Readiness for Birth in Alpacas," and Derrik Wiggins, "The Life and Times of the Urban Core: A Content Analysis of Elijah Anderson's Code of the Street through Chicago, IL Print Media," all from Olathe; K. Matthew Castinado, "Do Healthy Children with Post-Exercise Bronchoconstriction Demonstrate Ventilatory Limitation During Exercise?", Kelsey Ritz, "Parenting a Child with Down Syndrome," and Felicia Walker, "Screening of New Anticancer Drugs for Breast Cancer," all from Overland Park; and Phillip Gomez, Shawnee, "The Impact of Venue and Fan Motivations on Sports Fan Behaviors."
Victor Moreno, Lakin, "Genetic Analysis of Bacterial Sucrose Transport and Utilization in the Rice Disease"; Michelle Foster, Lansing, "Ugly Betty's Immigration Narrative: The Personal and The Political."
From Liberal: Luis Chavez, "Evaluation of Muscle Recruitment During Simulated Planetary Extravehicular Activities"; Stephanie Jacquez, "Naive Rat Umbilical Cord Matrix Stem Cells Abrogate Mammary Tumor Growth Through Markedly Enhanced Tumor Immune Responses"; Valerie Rito, "Case Studies of Humanitarian Logistics: Identify Industrial Engineering Opportunities"; Antonio Rodriguez, "Gold Nanoparticle Behavior"; and Jazmin Zeledon, "Peptide Derived From Beta 2 Glycoprotein I Inhibits Melanoma Cell Growth In Vivo."
From Manhattan: Johanna Diaz, "Drug Effects On Behavior and Cortisol Levels During Castration In Calves"; Caroline Fulton, "Assessment of Fetal Readiness for Birth in Alpacas Based on Blood Progesterone Concentration"; Kekoa Mendenhall, "Increasing Safety Through Lighting System Improvements"; Elizabeth Riedy, "Protease-Based Cancer Diagnostics"; Sofia Sabates, "Effects of Environmental Conditions on Pavlovian Fear Conditioning"; and Alexia Sampson, "The Role of Structural Genes in the Growth of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) in Cell Culture."
Jordan Eder, Sharon Springs, "Enzyme Additions to Improve Ruminal Digestion of Distiller's Grains"; Jonathan Bernard, "Increase of Cell Communication in Colorectal Cancer," South Hutchinson.
From Topeka: Emma Brace, "Water and Food: The Effects of the Decrease in Water Supplies on Agriculture", Vanessa Ellis, "Sugar Sweetened Beverage Intake of Young Adult College Students"; Laura Gonzales, "Wine Marketing Preferences of College Students"; and Mayra Perez-Fajardo, "Tempering Conditions to Improve Waxy Wheat Flour Quality and Yield.
From Wichita: Alejandro De Luna, "Implementing Design-Build"; Justine Floyd, "Technique for Tonicity"; Xavier Gavin, "New Lighting Prototypes Integrating Emerging Technologies for Low Environmental Impact and User Adaptability"; Jessica Nguyen, "Cyanobacterial Identification by Infrared Spectroscopy"; and Brooke Williams, "The Effects of White Identity and Positions of Power on Help Seeking Behavior."
From out of state: Alexandra Dominguez, Sycamore, Ill., "Evaluation of a Transdermal Gel of the Analgesic Fentanyl"; J. Miguel Valdes, Liberty, Mo., "Researching and Improving Controls Lab Machines"; Alex Martinez, Omaha, Neb., "Architectural Practice: Defining Success in a Service-Oriented Profession"; Reginald Phelps, Fayetteville, Tenn., "In Group Out Group Effects and the Role of Demographic Similarities on the Propensity to Invest in and Report Religious Affiliated Scams"; and David Villanueva, Baytown, Texas, "Synthesis of Cancer Homing Sequences for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer."
