CSB and SJU students head to Montana to present research

Montana is known as "Big Sky Country" - home to open spaces, natural beauty and scenic lodges tucked in the Rocky Mountains.

But from April 15-17, undergraduate students from all across the country - including 12 from the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, and Saint John's University, Collegeville - will call it home.

Over 2,850 people (representing over 350 schools) have registered to attend the 24^th National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Missoula, hosted by the University of Montana.

Even getting there has been a "big" proposition. The CSB and SJU delegation will travel along with other students, faculty and administration members from Wisconsin and Minnesota colleges and universities on two charter jets, which were set up by officials at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

"Bill Campbell (UW-RF director of grants and research) called me and asked if we wanted to come along, and I said sure," said Marcus Webster, professor of biology and director of undergraduate research at CSB and SJU.

The CSB and SJU students will present their research in art, biology, computer science, economics, English, music and physics via oral presentations, posters and performances.

"Students really feel honored and celebrated to present at this conference," Webster said. "They really feel like they've done something significant by presenting here."

Students presenting at NCUR from CSB and SJU include:

• Matthew Beck, SJU senior and English and German double-major from Buckman, Minn., "Immigration and the German School System: A Frieran Perspective;"

• Christen Beckstrand, CSB senior and German and music double-major from Elk River, Minn., "The Golden Age: An Examination of American 20^th Century Flute Literature;"

• Sarah Crompton, CSB senior and English and music double-major from Shoreview, Minn., "A Seducer's Strength: Sanford's Subversive Role in The Coquette;"

• Jeremy Iverson, SJU senior and computer science major from Champlin, Minn., "VOCS: A Versatile Online Clustering System for Source Code Plagiarism Detection,"

• Tim Mayerhofer, SJU senior and biology major from Jordan, Minn., "Genomic and Functional Analysis of Cellulose Degradation Biofuel Enzyme Xylanase A in Soil Bacteria Cellulomonas Flavigena;

• Joshua Novacheck, SJU senior and applied physics major from Minneapolis, "The CSB/SJU All-Sky Camera;"

• Kurtis Nusbaum, SJU junior and computer science major from Plymouth, Minn., "Optika: A Simple Way to Collect User Input for Scientific Software;"

• Michael Schwieters, SJU senior and economics major from Melrose, Minn., "Does the Augmented Solow Model Still Largely Explain Variations in Income Per Capita?"

• Angela Tate, CSB senior and communication and English double-major from Marshall, Minn., "Speak Up: Young Adult Fiction and its Place in the Literary Canon;"

• Paula Traut, CSB senior and art major from Sartell, Minn., "Clay as Canvas: Reimagining the Potential of the Ceramic Surface;"

• Alastair Tulloch, SJU senior and biology major from Montgomery, Minn., and Connor McIntee, a December graduate of SJU with degrees in natural science and Spanish, "An Exploration of the Reproductive Activity of Puya (Puya clava-herculis) Plants Found in the Andes Mountain Range." Two other CSB students, Jenna Pollard and Melissa Bach, also researched the project, but won't be making the trip to NCUR.

The conference includes four plenary speakers: R. Carlos Nakai, the world's premier performer of the Native American flute; Steven Running, professor of ecology at the University of Montana; William David Burns, founder and principal investigator of Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities; and Henriette Löwisch, an international journalist and professor. Because the conference isn't all work, there will be a BBQ and Kyi-Yo Pow Wow on April 16.

NCUR began in 1987 at the University of North Carolina Asheville, which has hosted four conferences. Montana is hosting its second conference, and first since 2000. The conference is held annually to promote undergraduate research and creative activity in all fields of study.