UW System Research in the Rotunda event brought together students from across the state
Two students from UWFOX, together with their faculty advisors, presented their undergraduate research findings on April 12 at Research in the Rotunda in Madison.
UWFox had two students selected to participate in this annual event showcasing the research of undergraduate students from throughout the UW System. The students shared their research with legislators, state leaders and other supporters.
Hannah Fudge, New London, and faculty advisor Dr. John Beaver presented “Ephemeral Process Photography: Fresh Ideas for Artistic Expression Using Old Techniques.”
Ephemeral process photography uses ordinary photographic developing paper, but in an unusual way, that allows for greater artistic control according to their research abstract. The goal is to develop a toolkit of easily accessible and artistically useful techniques.
Professor Beaver came up with the new photographic technique about 18 months ago, “an odd combination of already-known techniques, both old and new,” he said. “The goal is to give increased artistic expressive control, but for it to be also very inexpensive and straightforward and thus very useful as an educational tool, as well as an artistic one.”
Fudge was well placed to contribute to the research because of her expertise in chemistry according to Beaver. She prepared a set of nine silver gelatin emulsions, each with a different formula, to test out some of their ideas regarding the chemistry behind this process.
Fudge was a student at UWFox and transferred to UW-Madison this spring, majoring in chemical engineering.
Lucas Lytie, Hortonville, and faculty advisor Dr. Erin DeMuynck presented his research on “Access to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment in NE Wisconsin: Understanding the Distance Barrier.”
Lytie is researching how the centralization of substance abuse and mental health treatment facilities in three area counties (Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago) impacts people seeking treatment.
He completed a spatial analysis of the facility sites as part of a final class assignment in Professor DeMuynck’s Geographic Information Sciences (GIS) class last fall. DeMuynck noticed his enthusiasm for the topic and asked if he would like to build on his GIS work with qualitative research.
For better understanding of the issue, Lytie examined literature on treatment access and analyzed the results of open-ended surveys distributed at outpatient facilities in Brown and Outagamie Counties.
“Issues such as lack of access to public transportation as well as things like income, work schedules, lack of family support and certain mental illnesses were found to make distance a bigger barrier to treatment for some people than others,” said DeMuynck.
Lytie plans to transfer to UW-Madison in fall 2018 as a sociology major and then apply to law school.
Students from six other UW Colleges campus were also in Madison to share their undergraduate research.
“Highlighting undergraduate research is so important. Not only does this activity encourage greater student engagement and persistence, but it helps us shape the innovators of tomorrow for the state of Wisconsin,” says Cathy Sandeen, Chancellor of UW Colleges and UW-Extension. “I am particularly proud UW Colleges students and faculty were able to participate. Students are our most compelling representatives and their research and experience has a very real impact.”
Contact
Laurie Krasin
920-929-1108
laurie.krasin@uwc.edu