Rangers Showcase their Work at Research in the Rotunda

MADISON, Wis.— On Wednesday, April 2, over 150 undergraduate student researchers from across the Universities of Wisconsin, along with their faculty advisers, shared their research findings with state legislators, state business and nonprofit leaders, UW alumni, and other supporters at the UW’s 21st annual Research in the Rotunda (RITR) event in the State Capitol. The University of Wisconsin-Parkside was represented by 15 outstanding undergraduate student researchers.

Dr. David Higgs, UW-Parkside’s Faculty Coordinator for Undergraduate Research, explains that the annual RITR event is a valuable opportunity for student researchers to refine their presentation skills. “The UW-sponsored Research in the Rotunda is an important annual event that gives undergraduate students at all UW-System institutions the chance to present and discuss their various independent research and scholarly work with Wisconsin State Legislators and head Administrators of the different institutions,” Higgs explains. 

The innovative undergraduate research from UW-Parkside students featured at Research in the Rotunda, the UW’s signature event, focused on a variety of important topics, including:

• Title: Development of Next-generation Superconducting Electronic Devices | Students: Riley Tucker and Angelina Zweifel | Faculty Mentor: Hom Kandel
• Title: Naturally Derived UV Filters: Comparison of Sun Protection Properties of a Library of Hydroxycinnamic Esters | Students: Jacob Christensen, Peter Tagalakis, Hunter Zoerner, Co-author: Magnus Schroeder | Faculty Mentor: Ilirian Dhimitruka  
• Title: Parasite Communities in Fish Populations of Northern Wisconsin | Student: Connor Alton | Faculty Mentor: Jessica Orlofske
• Title: Predictive Modeling and Data Analysis of Mobile User Behavior | Students: Gavin Hanzel, Matthew Klug, Tyler Villalobos | Faculty Mentor:  Kamil Samara
• Title: The Effect of Sense of Agency on Voluntary Motor Action | Students: Samantha Esp, Co-author: Jose Herrera  | Faculty Mentor: Melissa Gregg
• Title: The Influence of Public Identity Orientation on Mechanisms of Body Image and Disordered Eating | Students: Evelyn Buono, Shawna Vermilyer, Co-author: Mallory Farmer | Faculty Mentor: Erin Hillard

Research in the Rotunda is a celebration of undergraduate research, which has the potential to inform public policy while helping students progress toward graduation and gain employment. It is sponsored by Kwik Trip, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, BioForward, the Wisconsin Technology Council, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and the UW-Milwaukee Research Foundation.

Dr. Higgs explains that this impactful event helps open doors and expand opportunities for students. “It can have a significant positive impact on the student presenters, through the experience of formally presenting the projects they have worked long and hard on to this distinguished audience. It also allows the students and each institute to interact and network with their peers at other UW institutions. Many of these students go on to present their work at other state and national conferences,” Higgs states.

President of the Universities of Wisconsin, Jay Rothman, praises the students for their academic contributions to the state. “We congratulate the talented students whose work represents the significant and valuable role undergraduate research plays throughout the Universities of Wisconsin and beyond. Their efforts to extend knowledge beyond the boundaries of campus and to stimulate society through their research exemplify the Wisconsin Idea and make us all proud of them, our universities, and our state,” Rothman said.

Since its founding in 1968, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside has been a trusted partner for the region’s higher educational needs, empowering students to thrive, advancing applied knowledge, and developing talent for the future. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certificates and pre-professional programs, designed to foster personal and professional growth through real-world and impactful learning experiences. Located in the dynamic Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, UW-Parkside offers unmatched access to world-class internships, professional networks, and endless career-building opportunities, placing students at the center of it all.

Media contact:

Derek Fye
Communications Manager
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Fye@uwp.edu | (262) 771-5419