Research for the ages
The first floor of the Merrill-Cazier Library has a new look this semester due to recently-hung pictures of the new USU undergraduate researchers.
Name: Darcie Christensen
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biological engineering
For Darcie Christensen, one of the most interesting parts of being an undergraduate researcher is the recognition.
“I’ve noticed that a lot of people say, ‘Hey, I saw your face.’ It takes me a second to remember that the poster is up in the library,” she said.
The former Bear River High student fell in love with engineering while she was still in high school.
“I went to Engineering State when I was a junior,” she said. “I loved it. I’ve always liked math and science, and I don’t mind english so engineering was a perfect fit.”
Christensen is working on an antibiotic study on campus.
“We are looking at zinc oxide nanoparticles, particularly how they inhibit antibiotics,” she said.
After USU, she wants to go to grad school.
“I would love to teach or be a recruiter, especially for women,” she said.
Name: Lauren Brubaker
Year: Junior
Major: Animal dairy and veterinary sciences
Lauren Brubaker doesn’t limit herself to a single project. She works as an assistant on several research endeavours.
“I want to go to vet school. I figured research would be the best way to get there,” Brubaker said.
She said she has a great passion for helping animals, especially horses. Brubaker has been riding them for 12 years.
Name: Matthew Petersen
Year: Senior
Major: Nutrition science
Matthew Petersen said a strong interest in health and nutrition led him to creating his own research project.
“I wanted to research how patients perceive nutrition, like what do they expect doctors to tell them about what they are lacking,” Petersen said. “For instance, if a patient is iron deficient, what do they expect their physicians to tell them about it?”
His favorite part of living in Logan and attending USU is the sense of community, which is why he was able to start a project.
“I decided I wanted to do this project, so I went to one professor and she was like ‘Great, what do you need?’ Then I went to another and they were like ‘Great, Let’s find you some grants.’ The professors really care about you and want you to succeed,” he said.
He plans to attend medical school after he graduates.
Name: Joshua Blume
Year: Senior
Majors: International studies and economics
Joshua Blume works on a project focusing on missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“We compare how the Church runs as a business to other international companies,” Blume said.
He served a mission for the Church in Minnesota.
“I am doing an analysis on the coming home process,” Blume said. “We are trying to find out if there are ways to make it easier.”
He encourages his fellow Aggies to meet with their professors.
“They can really enhance your education. I have really liked all of my professors,” he said.
Name: Justine Larsen
Year: Sophomore
Majors: Political science, economics
Not many undergraduates can claim they’ve been published in a book, but Justine Larsen has been involved with a project that allowed her to do just that.
As part of her project, she wrote a chapter in a book called “Green versus Green.”
“The book explains the conflict between green energy groups wanting land for their projects and green activists working for land preservation and endangered species,” Larsen said.
Name: Kyle McKenna
Year: Junior
Major: Piano pedagogy
Originally from Farmington, Utah, Kyle McKenna said he is an Aggie through and through. He represents the university on the track and cross-country teams in addition to his research.
“It’s fun. I have had a lot of people (who) are like, ‘I saw your face in the library. How can you do research in piano?'” McKenna said. “Then I explain it to them and they’re like, ‘That’s cool. I don’t get it, but it’s cool.'”
He began his journey into piano when he was a child, taking piano lessons from his grandmother. He started writing his own compositions in high school. His research began when the friend of one of McKenna’s professors discovered two missing manuscripts of bassoon music. McKenna helps translate the classic manuscript into notes that an orchestra can play.
“I work on the piano reduction. It is a lot of trial and error,” McKenna said. “There are some notations that we have no idea what the composer meant, so we do the best we can.”
He hopes to continue onto graduate school after he’s done with USU.
Name: Lindi Andreasen
Year: Sophomore
Major: Elementary education
For Lindi Andreason, being an undergraduate researcher gave her a chance to use her favorite talent.
“I love learning,” Andreasen said. The Illinois-native was drawn to USU for its education program.
“We are ranked 24 in the nation. That is huge,” she said. “My professor told me that I needed to ask what question needs to be answered and, more importantly, what question needs to be asked.”
Andreasen decided she would create a project based on teachers reading aloud in classrooms. She has surveyed sixth grade students and then discussed with some of them what they liked about their teachers reading aloud.