Partnership between students, professors produces inspiring research

Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Barbara Roller, left, and Honors College Dean Lesley Northup review a poster by Daniel Lazo, who conducted research on the U.S. health care system.

Undergraduate Joseph Hernandez researched and produced a new test tube design he hopes will soon ease chemistry demonstrations in classrooms all over the country.

A junior double-majoring in chemistry and biology, Hernandez teamed up with chemistry professor Martin Quirke to design a u-shaped, double-test tube used to demonstrate two side-by-side reactions with only one instrument.

His research, which he presented at the 2015 Undergraduate Research Conference hosted by the Honors College, involved testing the “u-tube” in university classrooms to see if it eased chemistry demonstrations for both students and professors.

Nearly 150 undergraduate students representing all majors presented their research at the conference this year, many of whom were funded by the Honors College.

Throughout the fall and early spring semesters, students worked with a professor to conduct research, ending with a poster session and 15-minute oral presentation about their findings at the conference at the end of March.

Hernandez found that seeing two reactions happening side-by-side in the u-tube made it easier for students to notice differences in reactions, which increased their understanding of the concepts they learned in class.

The u-tube is in the process of being patented, and Hernandez hopes that once mass production begins, the u-tube will catch on in science classrooms and labs all over the country.

His own interest in the u-tube was sparked as an organic chemistry tutor. He’s noticed one of the most powerful learning tools for his students was seeing reactions in real life and linking them to concepts taught in class.

“Sometimes extra visual evidence is perfect,” Hernandez said. “Seeing the spark when students understand something is a really powerful thing.”

Students who participate in the Advanced Research and Creativity in Honors program, which feeds students to the Undergraduate Research Conference, have the opportunity to have their research funded by the Honors College.

Junior psychology major Ifrah Waheed won a $450 scholarship through the ARCH program to fund her research on the role of spatial-content exposure in mental-rotation ability.

Waheed’s research is based on the hypothesis that males outperform females in the ability to mentally rotate images because they are taught at a younger age than females to work with building tools, like Legos. Her research will serve as a basis to write her dissertation for her master’s degree.

“If med school doesn’t work, I want to go into conducting research,” Waheed said.

Waheed was encouraged to conduct research for ARCH by the lab where she works, the Psychology of Learning and Spatial Development Lab. The opportunity to do her own research will help her get into a psychology master’s program, as well as give her hands-on experience for her career.

Though the Undergraduate Research Conference is hosted by the Honors College, all university undergraduates are welcome to present their research. Next year’s conference will be held March 30 and 31, 2016.