By Tom Ganser
Correspondent
Whitewater High School graduates Hannah Renninger (2011) and Kelby Shaw (2008) are living proof that high quality research and creative projects aren’t just reserved for master’s or doctoral degree students.
Renninger and Shaw were among 46 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater undergraduate students displaying the results of their research and creative projects in posters on Sept. 25 at UWW during the Fall 2013 Undergraduate Research Day.
Sponsors for the day included the National Science Foundation and the Abbott Summer Scholar Program.
Renninger is a junior at UWW, majoring in ecology and minoring in chemistry. Her project is called “Determining a Thermoneutral Zone of Hibernators (Marmota Monax) During Summer Season” and her faculty mentor is Biological Sciences assistant professor Brett Wood.
In describing her study of woodchucks, Renniger commented, “Woodchucks hibernate during the winter but we wanted to see how they react to warm temperatures. So we measured their metabolism, by measuring their oxygen consumption, while we varied the temperature.
“We found that at higher temperatures their oxygen consumption was higher, meaning they were out of their Thermoneutral zone, which means they were under stress. We found that cold temperatures did not affect them the same way high temperatures did,” Renniger said.
Shaw is a senior, majoring in art. His creative project is called “Global Fares” and his faculty mentors are Jared Janovec and Renee Melton, both assistant professors of Art.
For his project, Shaw created ceramic bowls with different capacities to represent undernourishment in several different developing nations.
In a description of his project, Shaw commented, “My goal is to reanimate an awareness for undernourishment in developing nations and compel viewers to aid relieve. Using a familiar vessel, I have created a visual representation of nourished and undernourished populations in developing nations.
“I have accompanied the vessels with a number of additional information graphics that will demonstrate a clear need for relief and a staggering amount of wasted potential aid,” Shaw added.
The Undergraduate Research Day began with introductions by Simone DeVore, interim director of the Undergraduate Research Program and Samantha Samreth, director of the Academic Network/McNair Scholars Program.
According to Samreth, the students who participate in undergraduate research develop self-confidence along with intellectual and practical skills, including written and oral communication, quantitative and informational literacy, inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, teamwork and problem solving.
“These skills will carry over into their professional careers and/or graduate school,” Samreth pointed out.
Beverly Kopper, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, offered opening remarks; the event closed with comments by Richard McGregory, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Multicultural Affairs and Student Success.
As a participant in the Undergraduate Research Program, Renninger said, “I would like to go to graduate school so this experience has really helped open doors and give me a better understanding of research. It’s given me the opportunity to get out in the field and do things that I hope to do for a career.”
Reflecting on her education at Whitewater High School, Renninger said, “Mrs. Jewett and Mrs. Weitzel were my two favorite teachers. I had Ms. Jewett my freshman year and Mrs. Weitzel my senior year. They both were so fun and loved what they did. They really inspired me to do what I love.”
Following her graduation in Fall 2014, Renninger plans on continuing with graduate studies.
For more information about the research days at UWW, including the 2014 spring event slated visit www.uww.edu/urp.
