18th Annual Research Day Project Highlights - students take over!

In partnership with the University Office of Research and Economic Development, Wyoming INBRE, The McNair Scholars Program, Engineering, Phi Beta Kappa and the Honors College, EPSCoR hosted over 500 student presentations, both oral and poster as part of Undergraduate Research Day! We handed the blog reins over to Dr. Kristen Landreville’s Media, Science, and Society students who told the story of various presentations. 

Marta Gomez is a junior communications major who comes to the University of Wyoming from Spain. She plays for the UW Cowgirls Basketball team and is interested in continuing her studies in journalism.  

Undergraduate student researchers presented, discussed, and displayed their independent projects at the 18th annual Undergraduate Research Day, held on the University of Wyoming campus on April 28.

Shelby Mikkelson with her research poster

The purpose of this event is to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of undergraduate researchers. It provides many opportunities for the participants and it can be used as a display to get the research financed in the future.

“I’m a part of the McNair Scholars Program and they are going to fund my research this summer,” said Shelby Mikkelson, a Criminal Justice undergraduate at the University of Wyoming. “They have also helped me to get all my literature review and design, and what I’m actually going to do for my data collection.”

Mikkelson hasn’t started her research yet, but she clearly knows what she wants to get accomplished. Her proposed research project focuses on how society punishes ex-felons and how employers are less likely to hire them. As she explained, her husband is an ex-felon and they know how it is to fight to get his normal life back. 

Last year the event hosted 400 students that presented their proposals and research, a number that had increased to about 500 students participating this year. Abstracts of all the presentations can be found here, and some of them will be published online in the University of Wyoming Libraries.

Even though most of the research projects were science focused, a lot of different disciplines and majors could be found while walking around the poster session. Some of the topics were related to language barriers, environmental changes, space travel, or SAT mathematics scores.

“I am researching the gender gap in mathematics between males and females at a high school level,” explained Kaylee Tuttle, who is a University of Wyoming Mathematics undergraduate.

Kaylee Tuttle next to her research on Gender Differences in High School

 Math

Tuttle knows that even though the gap has decreased in the past years, women are still scoring at lower levels than men. Her research wants to find why this happens, and some relationship that will let her explain it. She knows that it is going to be hard and she will have to put a lot of work on it, but she is happy with the help that she is getting from the university and his professors.

“I was really scared at the beginning because this is the first big project that I’ve done,” said Tuttle. “But I’ve had great mentors that have really helped me with the literature review, outlines, and keeping me on schedule.”

Professors at the University of Wyoming know how important research is for their students. Some of these students will eventually get scholarships or find someone who will fund their research. Some might have it published someday, and others just want to use it to make a change.

“I would love to get my research published because it’s something that hasn’t been done yet,” explained Mikkelson. “But I most importantly want to see it expand and then maybe even affect policy.”

Any student who has completed an independent research or creative project in any discipline at Wyoming community colleges, UW/Casper college, or the University of Wyoming were qualified to participate in the event.

Microbes: in the lab and the art studio

Glass artwork inspired by microbes.

Most people may be surprised if they saw a microscope sitting on an artist's desk. Microscopes are supposed to be in labs, not in art studios. Local Laramie artist Rene Williams would disagree.

"Everyone should have a microscope but until they do, they can use mine!" Rene says.

Rene is spearheading the Science Loves Art program, one of the outreach components of the new Wyoming EPSCoR grant on microbial life. 

Rene grew up with the need to create. Art became a part of her daily life after she moved to Toulouse, France with her husband and 3 boys. She began exploring architecture, sculpture, cooking, gardening, and history.

Close up of glass fired project.

"We chose to live in Wyoming after France because we wanted to continue our simple lifestyle.   Riding our bikes downtown and living in a small community was appealing, but also being close to nature and the outdoors was important." Rene explains. 

 Rene draws inspiration for her pieces from the natural world. One of her previous projects, the Urban Garden, focuses on the small plant life that continues to thrive in urban environments. 

"I see green moss on the edges of brick walls and lichen growing in beautiful colors on rocks and am inspired by the colors, textures and shapes." Rene says. 

Close up from painting done by Rene Williams.

Rene never saw the need to merge science and art, because she saw them to one. The Science Loves Art program began with a grant from the U.W. Biodiversity Institute.  

"The scientists on this project were all specialists in plants and fossils and we became friends and enjoyed hanging out in the studio and making art together.  I proved to them that everyone can make art and it we all looked forward to our time in the studio." Rene says. 

Moving into the new project, Rene has learned about the microbial world through her collaboration with scientists. As researchers gather data on microbial life, they send interesting shapes or images they see to Rene to use for inspiration. 

"I’ve learned that bacteria/microbes comes in 3 basic shapes: sphere, rod and spiral. These are interesting shapes for abstract art with glass, paper, paint, concrete, etc." Rene explains.

In addition to her own work, Rene has opened the 4th Street Studio. This is her working studio, but it is also open to the public for workshops and events. One of the first workshops the studio will be hosting involves creating fused glass to resemble microbe patterns. Future workshops will include paper marbling, beer making, wine making, welding, paper making, concrete art, and abstract painting. This summer she plans on offering special workshops and events for children. 

This technique creates circles and cells within the glass that resemble microbes.

"Wyoming has amazing artists, some of the best scientists and a very curious population!  So far, we have had amazing response during our events and open hours at 4^th Street Studios.  Having a place to create art and collaborate with other friends and scientists and just talk about art and science has been something that the public is eager to have access to." Rene says.  

Rene looks forward to continuing her outreach efforts through SLA in Laramie, and throughout Wyoming. She plans on bringing her artwork and workshops to schools, museums, and community organizations around the state.

"I would like for my artwork and events to bring conversation and curiosity so that the general public are aware of how important microbes are to our lives.  Simple abstract paintings or pieces of artwork can be enough to begin that conversation and awareness." Rene says.