Education and Outreach News
April 4, 2016
Former iFellow Sean Bedingfield receives prestigious NSF fellowship
Sean Bedingfield was one of twelve Utah State University scholars selected for a 2016 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. In 2013, Sean participated in iUTAH’s iFellows program, which places undergraduate students in the labs of iUTAH project scientists to gain first-hand research experience. He worked directly with iUTAH mentors David Rosenberg and Ryan Dupont, both of USU, during his 11-week program
“The discussions in our iFellows meetings gave me confidence in pursuing a graduate degree,” said Bedingfield, adding “iUTAH was my first experience with collaboration ...I have made collaboration a huge part of my graduate studies.”
Bedingfield, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering from USU in 2014, conducted research on producing biofuel from algae. Nowadays, he is designing biomaterials using antibodies, peptides and environment-responsive polymers to enable targeted, intracellular drug delivery. These delivery systems are intended to improve use of existing drugs and enable them to reach targets currently considered “undruggable.” Bedingfield is currently pursuing graduate work in Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University.
March 17, 2016
iUTAH Institute takes teachers, students back to Salt Lake City
The iUTAH Summer Research Institute will return to the Red Butte Creek watershed for five days, starting July 11, 2016. Beginning in 2013, the Institute has encouraged an interest in water science by including high school students, teachers, and undergraduates in iUTAH-related research projects. Each year, the program has traveled to different research sites, institutions, and watersheds, including Red Butte Creek, the Logan River, and the Provo River.
Led by faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, participants become involved with iUTAH-related research in each watershed. Past lessons include learning about vegetation, stream health, stormwater management, computer modeling, views on water issues, and the effects of insects on forest hydrology.
In addition to this multidisciplinary focus, participants learn how to analyze and interpret data, and present their findings through a poster shared at the annual iUTAH Symposium. Coordinators Louisa Stark, University of Utah professor, and Molly Malone, both of the University of Utah’s Genetic Science Learning Center, use the information gathered at the Institute to create curriculum for teachers. This resource for Utah educators is available online, and updated after each program ends.
Throughout the program’s three-year history, the Institute has engaged 23 high school students, 22 undergraduate students, and 24 secondary education teachers. Surveys of student participants confirm an increased interest in pursuing scientific careers. Teachers say that the themes, research, and experiences will impact their future classroom lessons.
Thanks to the leadership of Louisa Stark and Molly Malone, and the dedication of iUTAH researchers, the Institute is moving into another promising year of water science exploration. With the program’s return to Red Butte Creek, participants will dive into new research at the watershed, engage in near-peer mentorship, and gain new tools and inspiration to continue pursuing science education in their own. Applications for the upcoming iUTAH Summer Research Institution are now being accepted online through May 1, 2016.
March 15, 2016
Humans of USU: Student dives into water-shortage research
iUTAH 2015 iFellow Viviane Baji was featured in an conversational article in The Utah Statesman. Here’s an excerpt:
“I guess water is kind of my thing,” said Viviane Baji, a senior student researcher at Utah State University. This summer, Baji collected research as an iFellow for the innovative Urban Transitions and Aridregion Hydro-sustainability (iUTAH) program. iUTAH is a five-year interdisciplinary research program studying Utah’s water’s future sustainability.
Baji presented her iFellow data analysis at the State Capitol in January and will be presenting again at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Asheville, North Carolina. A Logan native, Baji is majoring in Environmental and Natural Resources Economics. She also serves as the Environment and Natural Resource club president this year. The Statesman chatted with Baji about her research conclusions and her experiences as a student researcher.
March 14, 2016
Call for Abstracts- 2016 USU Spring Runoff Conference
Utah State University’s Spring Runoff Conference is just weeks away. The annual spring runoff conference brings together researchers, scientists, and top experts in Utah and Intermountain West to discuss water issues. This year’s conference will take place April 5-6, 2016 at the Eccles Conference Center on USU’s Logan campus.
Students, undergraduates and graduate students, faculty, and professionals are invited to submit abstracts. The Spring Runoff Conference provides a forum for interdisciplinary sharing of ideas on water-related issues, and is a great venue for introducing research as a poster or oral presentation. The deadline for abstract submissions is Wednesday, March 16.
February 16, 2016
SUU Museums Partner for STEAM Festival
iUTAH researcher Jackie Grant shared news on the 2016 STEAM Festival and Children's Jubilee, which was held February 11-13, 2016 on the Southern Utah University (SUU) campus in Cedar City.
The event featured hands-on exhibitions with a STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math theme. Students also learned about film music composition, and were treated to a music and dance performances by both the Southern Utah University Polynesian Club and the Orchestra of Southern Utah.
Grant estimated that 2,000 people attended the three-day event, participating in a wide variety of activities. Elementary school students led by SUU students learned about water conservation and integrating art & circuitry with the MaKey MaKey invention kit. Teachers and university educators were given three hours on their own on Saturday morning to visit and learn at STEAM booths. Among the many activities at the STEAM festival, participants explored structural engineering concepts, created catapults, welded, and learned about molecules.
Dr. Grant, an assistant professor of biology, is also the museum curator of the Garth and Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History. She was the recipient of an iUTAH Research Catalyst Grant in 2014, which involved museum visitors in green roof infrastructures.
Photo credit : David Paystrup / The Spectrum & Daily News
