Five undergraduate students from Kansas State University presented their research at Kansas Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol on Friday, March 1.
K-State’s Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research (SDUR) commends these students for their efforts, learning outcomes and exemplary representation of K-State. Gratitude is also due to the faculty mentors and research programs who helped create these transformative student experiences.
Student presenters, photographed left to right are:
- Helen Winters, sophomore, “Form and Function of Dominant Prairie Grass Across Climate Gradients: Identifying Climate-adapted Populations for Restoration and Conservation,” mentored by Dr. Loretta Johnson
- Kalea Nippert, senior, “Is extreme fire the key to reversing grassland loss due to woody encroachment? A test in the tallgrass prairie,” mentored by Zak Ratajczak
- Ellienne Warnes, senior, “Exercise Improves Cognitive Performance and Increases Hippocampal Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Expression in Female Autism Spectrum Disorder Modeled Rats,” mentored by Bethany Plakke
- Cassidy Hartig, senior, “The Middle of Everywhere: One Kansas Effigy’s Storied Past and Present,” mentored by Dr. Lisa Tatonetti
- Grace Schieferecke, junior, “Molecular Analysis of Benzimidazole Resistance in Hookworms in Kansas Dogs,” mentored by Dr. Jeba Jesudoss Chelladurai
Students were selected through a formal application process and reviewed by a committee. Upon selection, students attended a training session, created their research posters and invited their state representatives to attend the event.
This poster session featured presenters from each of the Kansas Board of Regents institutions (KBOR). Throughout the presentation, the students interacted with a diverse group of attendees: peers, state representatives and their staff, administrators from KBOR institutions, and the public.
Students, faculty, and staff are invited to further celebrate the efforts of undergraduate researchers from all corners of campus at the upcoming Undergraduate Research Symposium, on Thursday, April 11, from 4-6 p.m. in the Student Union Grand Ballroom. (link)
Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research is housed within the Staley School of Leadership. The Staley School also includes undergraduate and graduate leadership studies academic programs, leadership and service co-curricular programs, and the University Honors Program. The Staley School equips learners with leadership skills and academic excellence through applied learning experiences, in-class learning, and community partnerships around the world. To learn more, visit www.k-state.edu/leadership.
K-State students are invited to apply for one of two sites with Alternative Breaks, the domestic Service Teams at the Staley School of Leadership. From March 10-17, during Kansas State University’s scheduled spring break, Service teams will travel to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and Dallas, Texas. 
All members of the Manhattan and Kansas State University communities are invited to participate in the 2024 MLK Day of Service. Participants will serve at one of several locations across Manhattan, Kansas, on Saturday, Jan. 20, from 8 a.m. to noon.