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Wednesday, April 29
 

11:00am CDT

Poster 006: Evaluation of Wind Data Obtained via UAS during AGES+ 2023 Field Campaign
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Understanding localized meteorology is integral to understanding tropospheric ozone behavior. This field campaign took place during 2023 AGES+, a nationwide atmospheric chemistry campaign to better understand air quality and patterns in major metropolitan regions. Our objective was to measure ozone, temperature, pressure, and winds in the lower atmosphere near Chiwaukee Prairie in southeastern Wisconsin. This analysis investigates the potential effect of overwater wind patterns, measured by UAS, on ozone levels measured by the Chiwaukee Prairie Department of Natural Resources ground station.
Presenters
JW

Jeremy Worden

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
AL

Aaron Langert

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
TO

Todd O'Connor

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
PC

Patricia Cleary

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 007: Development of platform and field campaign strategy for UAS operations to monitor air pollutants in the lower atmosphere
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Atmospheric pollutants are a huge problem in today’s environment. Ozone is one of these pollutants. It is harmful to human health and is a main pollutant in photochemical smog. Counties near Lake Michigan in Eastern Wisconsin suffer from poor air quality due to high ozone events and are in nonattainment of federal ozone standards. This is due to lake breeze circulation patterns and trapping of ozone and its precursors over Lake Michigan. To collect data on air quality in this area we have recently purchased an Aurelia S6 drone as a measurement platform for ozone, temperature, humidity, pressure, and NO2. While some of these have been measured before via UAS, we have recently custom-built an NO2 instrument, so careful consideration needs to be done to mount and fly the instruments under safe conditions. Here, we describe the UAS capabilities, strategies for mounting instrumentation, and flight campaign protocols to comply with FAA regulations and gather data safely.
Presenters
EO

Eric Oberg

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
PC

Patricia Cleary

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 016: Mussel Monitoring of Chippewa County, Wisconsin
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Unionidae, also known as freshwater mussels are a surprisingly charismatic species, every step of their life history is strange and intriguing. While odd, freshwater mussels are vital ecosystem engineers and play significant roles in nutrient cycling within their aquatic environments. Due to changing freshwater habitats they are considered to be the most endangered family of animals in North America. Unfortunately, humans have often overlooked them, either when walking through a stream or through gaps in research knowledge. In order to fill in a part of that hole, we conducted qualitative surveys in distinct streams throughout Chippewa county Wisconsin to determine the distribution and composition of the mussel population within the county.We found 17 total species of the 50 previously known species native to the area. These results are the first step towards a holistic picture of the current patterns of mussel distributions within the Chippewa River Watershed.
Presenters
DW

Dailyn Wold

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
NM

Nora Mitchell

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 020: Characterizing buzz pollination provided to cranberry flowers by visiting bees in central Wisconsin cranberry marshes
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Managed honeybees (Apis mellifera) are often employed by Wisconsin cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) growers to improve crop yields, however honeybees are unable to perform buzz pollination. For cranberry pollen to be released, the anthers must be vibrated at a specific frequency. Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) can buzz pollinate and are more efficient pollinators of cranberry but are not as commonly utilized for commercial pollination. This study determined the frequency and duration of buzz pollination provided to cranberry flowers by visiting bumblebees in relation to the stigmal status of the cranberry flowers visited and the resource (pollen or nectar) being foraged for. Data was collected during the 2025 bloom period (June 11-July 10) using video and audio recordings to record the foraging behavior of flower visiting pollinators. The videos were then annotated to document flower age, pollinator identity, floral resource foraged for, and frequency and duration of buzz pollination. Bumblebee species B. bimaculatus and B.impatiens buzz pollinated more often than other species observed. Bumblebee species overall buzz pollinated roughly a third of a second longer when the stigma was exposed. By increasing our understanding of pollinator foraging behavior in cranberry, growers can make more informed decisions regarding pollinator management on their farms.
Presenters
JT

Jensen Thieren

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
LB

Laura Bertrang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
OB

Olivia Bernauer

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 029: Diabetes Coach: An Agentic, Human-Centered AI System for Supporting Type 2 Diabetes Management in Rural Communities
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Compared to urban areas, Type 2 diabetes has a higher prevalence and diabetes-related mortality rate in rural communities. Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) which refers to systems capable of autonomous reasoning, task planning, and adaptive behavior within a defined context can be a solution to this clinical issue. It utilizes a Large Language Model (LLM) that is created to understand human text and generate an understandable response. Using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), we can further enhance the capability of this framework by retrieving relevant data from a knowledge base to generate an understandable response. However, with current AI pipelines, it is challenging to evaluate every step that leads to an outcome. The objective of this project is to develop a preliminary agentic AI system that focuses on transparency when it comes to predictions, thereby increasing trust with the user and reducing knowledge-drift. In our research, we trained eight different models integrating machine learning (ML), SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) for feature attribution, LLM variants, and RAG pipeline under varying conditions. While ML is providing good accuracy, we are exploring rule-based methods to adapt to the dynamic nature of underlying documents, and varying treatment guidelines thereby responding to patient needs.
Presenters
EH

Emily Hopke

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
CB

Clara Bartlett

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
RG

Rahul Gomes

Computer Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 041: Evaluating the Role of Nectar Micronutrients on Pollinator Foraging Behavior in Lab and Field Studies
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Urbanization can alter soil chemistry, potentially influencing floral nectar composition and pollinator foraging behavior. We examined how two micronutrients commonly associated with urban environments, sodium (Na⁺) and potassium (K⁺), affect pollinator foraging. We conducted 10-minute field observations of pollinator visitation to flowering plants in urban areas on flowers supplemented with nectar (sugar water (15%), with Na⁺ or with K⁺).Next, we performed laboratory foraging studies with butterflies (Vanessa cardui) and bumble bees (Bombus impatiens). Individuals were introduced to a foraging arena containing nectar sources with randomly assigned treatments (sugar water, with Na⁺, or with K⁺). The butterflies foraged from artificial flowers, and bumble bees from blue plastic chips each containing nectar, with treatment placement randomized each trial. Foraging activity was recorded using a video camera, and individuals were allowed to forage for 30 minutes. Afterward, recordings were annotated to quantify foraging activity.To date, we have conducted 15 field observations and 39 butterfly trials; the bumble bee trials are ongoing. We expect differences in visitation and nectar preference among treatments in both field and laboratory settings, including variation between butterflies and bumble bees. This work highlights both the ecological importance of nectar micronutrients and the importance of studying pollinator behavior.
Presenters
FT

Faith Thornton

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
GM

Gracie Miller

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
MA

Megan Anderson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
OB

Olivia Bernauer

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 042: Comparing Foraging Behaviors of Bumblebees and Honeybees in Central Wisconsin Cranberry Marshes
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Pollination is essential for farmers to produce high fruit yields in Wisconsin cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) marshes, yet the foraging behavior of key pollinators such as bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and honeybees (Apis mellifera) remains poorly understood. While honeybees are commonly used as managed pollinators in cranberry marshes, limited research has compared their foraging behavior on cranberry flowers to native bumblebees. This study compares the foraging behavior of these two major pollinator groups to assess differences in behaviors like stigmal contact rates, visitation frequency, and changes in visit duration in response to temperature. Behavioral data was collected during the 2025 bloom period (June–July) using video recordings and human observations. Video cameras were set up throughout the marsh and footage was annotated to quantify stigmal contact and visit duration; temperature data was recorded when videos began and ended. Human observations of individual bees through the marsh were used to quantify the number of flowers visited per minute. The analysis showed that bumblebees contacted the stigma more often and had an increased visitation frequency compared to honeybees with temperature not having a significant effect between the species. Our findings inform pollinator management practices and enhance our understanding of species-specific contributions to cranberry pollination.
Presenters
JT

Jensen Thieren

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
LB

Laura Bertrang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
OB

Olivia Bernauer

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 047: Investigating developmental toxicity of methylmercury; characterizing a CRISPR-induced gstp2 mutation in zebrafish
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Methylmercury is a common environmental contaminant in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The glutathione pathway (GSH) involves antioxidant signaling and is responsible for the efflux of toxins such as methylmercury from cells. The object of this study was to verify and characterize mutations in the GSH-associated gene gstp2 in zebrafish. We crossed prospective mutant zebrafish with wildtype zebrafish in an effort to create heterozygous and homozygous mutant zebrafish. To identify mutant zebrafish, we used PCR and restriction enzyme reagents that assess the gstp2 DNA sequence targeted by CRISPR-Cas9 reagents for mutation. Gel electrophoresis was used to visualize the results. This approach was able to identify the presence of mutated gstp2 DNA sequences at the target site. Creation of a homozygous mutant gstp2 zebrafish line will allow for experiments on the influence of gstp2 in embryonic development and developmental toxicity.
Presenters
CH

Carter Hoyt

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
EF

Evan Ferber

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
BC

Bradley Carter

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 064: Modeling Seasonal Dynamics of Influenza in Wisconsin
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Seasonality is a defining feature of many epidemiological time series, reflecting recurring patterns over time. Accurate characterization of these patterns is essential for influenza surveillance, forecasting, and public health planning.This study examines influenza incidence in Wisconsin using laboratory-confirmed weekly case data from 2021–2025 provided by the CDC. We compare four approaches for modeling seasonal time-series data: seasonal dummy variables, Fourier harmonic regression, Seasonal ARIMA models, and generalized additive models (GAMs) with spline-based smoothers. While recent studies have applied GAMs to assess meteorological effects, few have used this flexible approach to directly model the underlying seasonal structure of respiratory infection data.Results show that the spline-based GAM consistently outperforms alternative methods. It captures shifting peak timing, asymmetric seasonal curves, and multiple inflection points, the features that more rigid approaches cannot fully represent. No evidence of overfitting was observed. Findings also suggest increased variability in post-COVID influenza seasonality in Wisconsin, highlighting the need for adaptive, data-driven models.
Presenters
CP

Colin Pham

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
YL

Yan Li

Economics, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 075: Quantifying the Impact of Urban Expansion on Infiltration Capacity in Eau Claire, Wisconsin: A High-Resolution Geospatial Analysis
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Over the last two decades, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, has experienced significant urban expansion, characterized by increased residential, industrial, parking infrastructure, and a general rise in impervious surfaces. This transition from permeable natural landscape to engineered surfaces poses a direct threat to the region’s hydrologic balance by diminishing infiltration capacity. While previous land-use studies have relied on coarse resolution data (e.g., 15 - 30 m Landsat imagery) at the watershed scale, there is a critical need for localized, and high-resolution assessments of the land-cover change. This study utilizes the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform and Environment for Visualizing Images (ENVI) software to analyze 2-meter resolution spatial National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) data from 2008 and 2022. By performing a supervised classification of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC), we quantified the conversion of pervious landscapes to impervious cover. Our preliminary results indicate a measurable decline in potential infiltration areas, identifying specific “hazard zones” susceptible to increased surface runoff. These findings suggest a heightened risk for localized flooding and increased nutrient loading into local water bodies, which may exacerbate seasonal algal blooms. This research provides a vital, updated dataset for sustainable water management.
Presenters
AV

Abrielle Van Dyck

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
TA

Tadesse Alemu

Geology and Environmental Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 083: Assessing the Impact of Transportation Barriers on Access to Services and the Ability to Shape the Policies that Affect Impacted Populations.
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Our research question is, “How does an individual’s access to transportation impact their ability to shape the policies in the community that they live in and the services they engage in?” Much research has been done concerning access to transportation as a social determinant of health; however, there is a gap in research addressing how access to transportation impacts an individual's ability to engage with and shape the policies that impact them. We conducted a literature review concerning transportation justice and spatial justice as one area of focus, and access to transportation as a social determinant of health as another area of focus. With this background information, we began conducting interviews with those who engage with the public transportation system in the area, including bus riders, bus drivers, advocates, service providers, and city officials. The purpose of these interviews was to integrate experiential local knowledge. The goal of the literature review and integration of experiential local knowledge is to develop tools that will be used to develop community surveys and focus groups that will then allow us to draw conclusions around the primary question.
Presenters
BD

Brady Dehnke

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
SH

Sydney Hake

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
AW

Aaron Willis

Social Work, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
JP

Joshua Potter-Efron

Social Work, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 085: Examining the Responsiveness of Elected Representatives in Rural Constituencies
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Often far removed from population centers, it is easy for rural communities to feel excluded from politics at times, with a lack of population density coupled with a paucity of resources creating difficulty in making their voices heard. Politicians who represent these areas appear to tailor their messages to these constituents—but concerns regarding representation still exist among rural voters—signaling a problem in the responsiveness of their elected representatives. Our project was aimed toward examining the “responsiveness” of elected representatives to the needs of rural constituencies. Utilizing a survey and focus groups for data collection, we hope to better illustrate this relationship and its implications for rural politics. We believe that a discrepancy exists between the needs and representation of rural constituencies, and this project will determine whether this is the case, and to what extent.
Presenters
BW

Bella Wulterkens

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
JK

Jack Kasper

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
OM

Olivia Milano

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
AK

Adam Kunz

Political Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
DS

Daniel Simmons

Political Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 096: Perspectives and Needs of People Affected by Brain Injury in Wisconsin
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
The current study aims to examine the experiences and perspectives of Wisconsin residents with brain injury about medical, social, and case management services. About 20,000 people sustain brain injuries in Wisconsin per year (WI DHS, 2025). Nationwide, people with brain injuries report unmet needs, particularly in the chronic stages of recovery. Unmet needs typically include specialized services and referrals, mental health services, and ongoing cognitive-communication supports during chronic recovery. 180 individuals affected by brain injuries within the State of Wisconsin were recruited for this study. We distributed a survey via Qualtrics and paper copies. Questions related to demographics, brain injury history, use and adequacy of services, and perspectives on these services. All data has been collected, and analysis is ongoing. We predict respondents will report using a variety of medical, social, and case management services, but will also report a variety of unmet needs.
Presenters
TM

Tess Maggio

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
JH

Jerry Hoepner

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

SS

Sarah Schellinger

Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 097: Evaluating Hibbard Hall's HVAC System
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
The demolition of Zorn Arena and adjacent buildings during the 2025 summer, combined with Canadian wildfire smoke, raised concerns over air quality on UW-Eau Claire’s campus. Demolition of older buildings releases hazardous materials such as asbestos, silica dust, and lead, posing serious respiratory and cardiovascular health risks when inhaled. Similarly, wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter and irritants associated with exacerbated asthma, chest pain, and other concerns. As such, we must ensure campus facilities protect individuals from the detrimental effects of poor air quality. Hibbard Hall’s proximity to the demolition site and its over fifty-year-old infrastructure raised concerns over the effectiveness of its HVAC system in protecting staff, students, and faculty from increased air pollution. To assess indoor air quality, PM2.5 concentrations were measured over 58 days via AirAssure and EPA monitors – one located in Hibbard Hall and the other in Altoona as an outdoor reference. These data were compared alongside demolition activity and wildfire smoke levels. Results indicated that indoor PM2.5 concentrations remained consistently lower than outdoor levels, suggesting that Hibbard Hall’s HVAC system effectively mitigated particulate infiltration. Our findings demonstrate that UWEC’s older facilities continue to provide a safe indoor environment despite multiple air pollution sources.​
Presenters
ZM

Zak McPhee

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
VH

Vanessa Herrada

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
CP

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 098: Water Quality and WELL Certification at the Sonnentag Center
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
The Sonnentag Center is an athletic complex that houses a wide range of individuals from the Eau Claire community. The hundreds of student, staff, public, and patient visitors each week means that the Sonnentag must ensure the maintenance of safe water, staying in compliance with WELL Safe Building Standards. The WELL certification sets the business standard for public health and safety and explains the range of acceptable levels for each of the variables being tested. Granting this certification to the Sonnentag Center ensures that the surrounding community has a heightened trust in public water sources. Contaminated water can cause a variety of health complications, including gastrointestinal issues and skin irritation. We are actively conducting measurements of the drinking fountains, concessions ice, whirlpool, and cold tank plunge bath by recording free and total chlorine levels, pH, turbidity, and Coliform bacteria presence. We are using the ColorQ, HANNA, and Colilert testing kits, respectively. Our initial data shows levels within WELL and EPA standards of all variables tested. We expect our data to continue to comply with WELL certification standards to ensure proper maintenance and safety measures are being implemented.
Presenters
ET

Eliana Tagarro

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
RW

Riley Wilson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
CP

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 099: What Longer Warm Seasons Mean for Tick Population, and how They Affect Us
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Eau Claire is one of the world's Lyme Disease capitals, and this issue is only getting worse. The incidence of Lyme disease has more than doubled over the past decade, with over 6,000 cases annually in recent years. Global warming continues to affect the world, and with it, us. Currently, the tick season continues to grow longer, leading to a greater number of cases of Lyme disease and other vector-borne diseases associated with ticks. It also leads to an increasing range of many different species of ticks that don’t traditionally live in Wisconsin, an example being the Lone Star Tick. As these ticks continue to move north to new habitats, they bring with them new diseases. In this research project, we will be creating tick drags and targeting different areas, both on and off campus to collect ticks in the area and identify species, sex, life stage, and whether or not they are carrying a disease. The results of this research will allow us to understand and recognize the speed at which this change is occurring, but also the trends amongst locations, species, sex, and number and rates of invasive species of ticks new to the area.
Presenters
EG

Elijah Grosland

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
AT

Ayden Tomaro

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
LM

Luke Mayock

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
WM

Wyatt Melek

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
CP

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

11:00am CDT

Poster 106: Patient Perspectives in the Wake of a Rural Clinic Closure: A Case Study in Western Wisconsin
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)
Rural clinics are closing across the United States. Despite the increasing relevance of this issue, little is known about the patients’ perspectives. Prior studies on this topic have been inconclusive or have failed to uncover statistically significant results. This study has a focus on a small community in rural Wisconsin facing a recent clinic closure. A notable portion of residents in this community (around 30%) rely on federal assistance for healthcare through programs such as MedicAID and Medicare, and 23% of the study population are senior citizens. Further, 25% of patients are below the poverty line. These factors combined with the clinic closure potentially create additional stress to the healthcare system and patients alike. To assess the potential impacts, we constructed a survey to gather data on the patients’ perspectives on this clinic closure. We use descriptive statistics to summarize the responses, analyze the results, and provide a thorough discussion on the implications. Remarkably, the investigation we conducted finds that travel time plays a key role in the patient experience. This emphasizes the gravity geography has in the context of healthcare accessibility in underserved areas, and recognizing how distance and location shape patient perspectives and wellbeing.
Presenters
KS

Kya Stanczyk

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
MP

Morgan Presler

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
MH

Matthew Haffner

Geography & Anthropology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Matthew Haffner is an associate professor in the Department of Geography and Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. He is a computational urban geography and committed four season commuter cyclist.
RW

Ryan Weichelt

Geography & Anthropology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Posters, 1 Wednesday

12:15pm CDT

The Mental Wellness of Agricultural Workers in Rural Wisconsin
Wednesday April 29, 2026 12:15pm - 12:30pm CDT
Davies Center: Menominee Room (320F)
This research and resulting community education outreach project aims to meet the needs of the rural population of agricultural workers in their environment to address suicidality and mental health. Farm workers have the highest rate of death by suicide of any occupation. Farmers have a suicide rate that is 3x higher than the general population. Barriers such as limited mental health care access and stigma are main contributing factors. The community education outreach project is research-informed; research was conducted by reviewing preexisting literature and media. The goal of this project was to meet farmers in their rural communities. This researcher then conducted an educational campaign in partnership with local businesses to raise awareness in rural areas of Trempealeau and Eau Claire Counties about the Wisconsin Farmer Wellness Helpline. Local representatives were contacted to voice support for this vital resource to advocate on a policy change level. It is imperative that we meet farmers in their own environments to educate them about mental wellness and resources. Education about mental health is vital to reduce stigma and provide life-saving resources.
Presenters
CD

Cora Dahl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Faculty Mentor
AM

Alisha Meinen

Social Work, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Wednesday April 29, 2026 12:15pm - 12:30pm CDT
Davies Center: Menominee Room (320F) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA
  CERCA Open Oral Presentations and Performances, 1 Wednesday Menominee
 

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  • Blugold Seminar Project Showcase
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