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Three University of Wisconsin Oshkosh students will present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) April 16–18 at Eastern Washington University.

NCUR is an interdisciplinary conference where students from universities and colleges around the U.S. and internationally will present their research and creative works in oral, poster and performance/visual arts presentations.

UWO students Christopher Christopherson, Steven Lund and Andrew Mannenbach will represent UW Oshkosh at NCUR and are sponsored by the Office of Oshkosh Student Scholarly and Creative Activities Program (OSSCAP). OSSCAP provides opportunities and resources for students to get involved in research, scholarly and creative activities at UW Oshkosh.

Christopherson will present on his research, Observing Nebulosities—The Cygnus Superbubble, with faculty mentor and co-author Nadia Kaltcheva, professor and chair of the Physics and Astronomy Department.

Lund will present on his research, Precision-Photometry Study of the CYB OB1 Star-Forming Field, also with faculty mentor Kaltcheva.

Mannenbach will present his paper, A War for Manhood, with faculty mentor Michelle Kuhl, associate professor in the History Department.

“It’s really important to me to have this opportunity as an undergraduate student,” Mannenbach, a senior history major from Green Bay, said. “It allowed me to combine my passion for history and football and it is helping me prepare for graduate school.”

Mannenbach credits the encouragement he received from the history department for the confidence to pursue the student-faculty collaboration research grant.

“The history department faculty are all really open to questions and Dr. Kuhl was the one who told me about this opportunity to present my research,” Mannenbach said. “The methods class I took in the history department showed me how to do the research, and Dr. Kuhl helped me stay focused.”

Mannenbach’s research focuses on the identity flux for middle and upper class men in the Northeast and South in the United States during the last 20 years of the 19th century. As a result of the Civil War, both regions underwent rapid transformations, and Mannenbach’s research explores the use of football as a way for men to fulfill their identities as men.

Christopherson started his research project to study star-forming complexes to gain a better understanding of their large-scale structure, as well as star-forming history. To facilitate the research, Christopherson modified a computer-guided Canon DSLR camera, which he used at several observing locations throughout Wisconsin.

Lund’s research is intended to provide new insights on the structure of Cyg OB1 star-forming field.

“A rewarding research process culminates with the presentation or publication of work,” Susan Surendonk, OSSCAP administrator, said. “UW Oshkosh undergraduate students are able to showcase their research at several venues through the support of the OSSCAP. NCUR is one of those venues. This prestigious national annual conference is for undergraduate students from all disciplines.”

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