Prof. Scott Hegrenes will work with three SURE students this summer studying shoreline plant competition as part of a long-term monitoring program developed by the Invasive Species Working Group.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience offers students an opportunity to engage in collaborative research with faculty

The Division of Natural Sciences at Carthage has kicked off the 2011 SURE program. SURE — the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience — pairs science majors with faculty mentors to work collaboratively on significant research during the summer months.

This summer, 21 students will tackle projects in biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, geography, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, and psychology.

"The SURE program is one of the more successful ways for us to achieve the goal of helping students hone their creative problem-solving skills," said Prof. Kevin Crosby, chair of the Division of Natural Sciences. "We know that participation in SURE or semester research has measurable impacts on important student development metrics such as intellectual growth, persistence in the face of obstacles and career orientation.

"Students learn to conduct independent, creative problem solving much more quickly in collaborative, faculty-led research teams than is possible in the traditional classroom," Prof. Crosby continued. "The research is real, substantive, and often leads to publishable results."

Past SURE projects have ranged from advancing understanding of nano-materials to studying the influences of urbanization on regional bat migration patterns. "Whatever your interest, there is something fascinating going on during the summer months at Carthage," Prof. Crosby said.

2011 SURE Projects

Biology

• Chelsea Burns, '13, and Kayla Tripp, '13, will study the environmental fate of personal care products in aquatic systems, mentored by Prof. Sarah Rubinfeld.

• Elizabeth Kendl, '14, will study the characterization of the bacterial small RNA Goldilocks with Prof. Janice Pellino.

Biology and Neuroscience

• Audrey Henning, '12, will study cloning and expression of cellulase in e. coli, mentored by Prof. Pat Pfaffle.

• Laura Taylor, '13, will study the characterization of the bacterial small RNA Goldilocks with Prof. Janice Pellino.

Chemistry

• Brianna Faint, '14, will study the detectability of broad absorption features in Echelle Spectroscopy with Prof. Julie Dahlstrom.

• Steven Mathe, '13, will study the nuclear-spin isotope effects of organotin compounds, mentored by Prof. Walter Smith.

Computer Science

• Nathan Fulton, '13, and Russell Mull, '12, will study software evolution and the moving picture metaphor, mentored by Prof. Mark Mahoney.

Environmental Science

• Garrett Boelkes, '12; Adam Glover, ’12; and Chris Goldsmith, ’13; will study invasive cattails and shoreline plant competition with Prof. Scott Hegrenes.

• Brendon Jones, '12, will assess the effect of brownfield redevelopment projects on surrounding property values in Milwaukee using GIS and spatial analysis. He will work with Prof. Wenjie Sun.

Mathematics

• Joshua Collins, '14, will study number-theoretic research on the multiplicative structure of juggling siteswaps with Prof. Erik Tou.

• Emma Sorrell, '13, will conduct historical research on the science of fluid mechanics, mentored by Prof. Erik Tou.

Neuroscience

• Kelsey Miller, '13; Kayla Parsons, '12; and Natasha Wilkins, '12, will study neuroanatomy and physiology in an anxiety vulnerable rat strain, mentored by Prof. Dan Miller.

Physics

• Steven Metallo, '14, and John Robinson, '13, will work with Prof. Kevin Crosby on modal analysis of spacecraft propellant tanks, a non-invasive propellant measurement technique for zero-gravity fluid volume estimation.

Physics and Mathematics

• Zachary Troyer, '14, will investigate l-C3H2 as a carrier for diffuse interstellar bands, mentored by Prof. Julie Dahlstrom.

SURE students receive a stipend, room and board on campus, and a research budget. Students and faculty participating in SURE meet weekly for lunch and student presentations of their research progress.

Each SURE student is required to write a project report. Students present their findings to the entire Carthage community during a poster session held in the final week of the program.