UWEC CERCA 2026: Full Schedule

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1:59pm CDT

Thursday April 30, 2026 1:59pm - 4:00pm CDT

The Open Poster Presentation sessions include poster presentations and displays of research, scholarly, and creative work across all disciplines, all UW-Eau Claire campuses, and CVTC.

Thursday April 30, 2026 1:59pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

2:00pm CDT

Poster 001: Speech Language Pathology as a Practice: Virtue at Work

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

It has been argued that philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre’s concept of a practice offers a robust and valuable model for understanding how, when supported by institutions, rightly ordered work can not only produce goods effectively but also foster workers’ personal growth and flourishing. MacIntyre describes a practice as a coherent, socially cooperative human activity that aims at “internal goods” realized through the pursuit of standards of excellence specific to that kind of work. This project asks whether speech-language pathology (SLP) qualifies as a practice and, if so, what potential challenges arise in achieving its internal goods. Through a review of the literature, we examined current ethical frameworks, descriptions of practice within SLP, empirical research, and philosophical discussions through the lens of MacIntyre’s framework. Findings are presented that illustrate the ways in which the field of SLP aligns with MacIntyre’s definition of a practice, followed by theorizing about the field’s internal goods, standards of excellence, as well as the external and institutional pressures that could influence the pursuit of those goods.

Presenters

Natalie Storlie

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sydney Zimmerman

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Amy Neidhold

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Brian Orr

Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 002: The Bigger Story: School-Based SLPs’ Perspectives on the Role of Narrative in Student Flourishing

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Narrative language abilities are among the strongest predictors of academic achievement and social communication. Accordingly, speech-language pathologists routinely assess and treat narrative skills in ways considered best suited to help students navigate the demands of the school environment. While this approach is important and necessary, research from narrative psychology and philosophy suggests that narrative language (storytelling) serves broader purposes that extend beyond academic and social competence. The goal of this project is to gain a better understanding of school-based SLPs’ perspectives on these broader purposes, including self-authorship, meaning-making, narrative identity, moral imagination, and character development. We created a short educational video that introduces these broader purposes, along with a survey with Likert-scale questions for pre- and post-video self-reflection. SLPs were asked to evaluate their familiarity with and understanding of the expanded vision, and to offer their thoughts on whether they find this vision relevant and attainable in their work. Data collection is in progress. We expect the content to resonate positively with SLPs and their current practices, despite it being somewhat new for some. SLP input about feasibility and barriers to implementation will shape future efforts to support the broader purposes of narrative in their work.

Presenters

Hailey Gander

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Brian Orr

Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 003: Progressing Towards the End of Indigenous Language Extinction in the Classroom

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

From the beginning of the colonization of the United States, indigenous languages have been steadily going extinct. This has led younger generations to feel disconnected from who they are, leading them to have the highest dropout rates among all ethnic groups in the United States, (between 29% and 36% (Native Hope, 2024)) as well as leading them to be six times more likely to want to die by suicide (Flannery). In this report, I address the pitfalls and successes of immersion and K-12 schools in the United States and their effects on these students' sense of belonging in education. All in all, this is to answer the question: How does the education system and its attitude towards indigenous languages in the classroom impact the social identity of indigenous communities whose cultures are being erased? I examined undergraduate research journals and their sources along with educators' research on their roles in language revitalization. This poster presents recommendations to aid current immersion programs and K-12 schools as they combat language extinction and create better educational experiences for indigenous students.

Presenters

Cali Martozie

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Shanna Cameron

English, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department English
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 004: Lebanese Folk Songs in the General Music Classroom

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The purpose of “Lebanese Folk Songs in the General Music Classroom” was to expand the library of folk songs that are used in the general music classroom setting to include a more diverse repertoire so that more students feel represented in curriculum. Many students go their whole academic careers without seeing their culture represented in what they are learning, and music is a natural vehicle to teach about other cultures. Currently, there are no resources available for US teachers to teach Arabic music; this project aims to rectify that. We interviewed culture bearers about songs they sang as children, and then we created sheet music, pronunciation guides, and activities for those songs. The final result is an in-progress website with these resources in one place for teachers to use.

Presenters

Mira Torbey

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Laura Dunbar

Music & Theatre Arts, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Music & Theatre Arts
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 005: Distance Makes Diversity Work: Geographic Dispersion and the Formation of Shared Mental Models

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This project investigates how geographic diversity moderates the relationship between cultural diversity and team mental models (TMMs). Guided by Harrison and Klein’s (2007) framework on diversity mechanisms, we conceptualize cultural diversity as an information-based resource that enhances collective understanding, while geographic dispersion may amplify information exchange demands. Using regression modeling, results show that high geographic diversity strengthens the positive association between cultural diversity and TMMs, whereas low geographic diversity weakens this effect. These findings align with information-elaboration theory and highlight that when teams span varied geographic contexts, cultural differences are more actively interpreted and integrated into shared mental structures.

Presenters

Wenxi Zhang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Chengyang Li

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Juqing Qi

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Wanning Hong

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Xiang Li

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Jinyu Cao

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Longzhu Dong

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 006: When Does Peer Evaluation Reduce Conflict? The Conditional Roles of Trust and Voice in Team Performance

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study explores whether trust and voice jointly moderate the influence of peer evaluation scores on task conflict and whether task conflict subsequently predicts team performance. Grounded in De Dreu & Weingart’s (2003) task conflict meta-analysis, we expected peer evaluation to shift conflict depending on interpersonal trust and voice climate. Using PROCESS Model 9 with 1,157 observations, peer evaluation showed no significant effect on conflict, and conflict did not predict performance. Small conditional effects appeared under high trust or high voice. These results suggest that peer evaluations may not trigger strong conflict dynamics in classroom-based teams due to lower stakes or socially desirable behaviors.

Presenters

Wenxi Zhang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Chengyang Li

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Juqing Qi

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Wanning Hong

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Xiang Li

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

Jinyu Cao

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Longzhu Dong

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 007: The "Triple Q" Effect:How IQ, EQ, and CQ Shape Academic Diversity in Global Virtual Teams

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study examines how academic pedigree diversity influences team conflict and performance through the mechanism of process conflict, drawing on Stahl et al.’s (2010) information/decision-making perspective. Using SPSS PROCESS Model 9 with data from global virtual teams, results show that academic pedigree diversity does not significantly increase process conflict, nor does conflict mediate performance. IQ and EQ did not meaningfully moderate these relationships. Findings suggest that academic pedigree diversity may not inherently generate harmful process frictions in student GVTs and may operate through alternative pathways beyond conflict mechanisms.

Presenters

Jinyu Cao

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Longzhu Dong

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 008: Powering Sustainability: Leadership Perspectives from the Midwestern Electric Utility Industry

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The electric utility industry is changing fast. Tax incentives, new regulations, and rising electricity demand from AI data centers are pushing leaders to rethink sustainability. This project examines how Midwestern electric utility executives respond and whether sustainability is driven by compliance, financial incentives, or long-term strategy. Electric utilities are interested in sustainable energy, but they are restrained by complicated regulatory and economic limitations. Focusing on leadership decisions, the study connects sustainability strategy to policy shifts and emerging energy demands. Structured interviews with senior utility leaders will be analyzed by theme to reveal how sustainability fits into the business plan. Currently in the literature review phase, the project expects to find that sustainability is seen as a smart business strategy rather than just a regulatory requirement, helping utilities manage long-term risks and plan for future growth.

Presenters

Emma Steinke

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Kristy Lauver

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
Special Categories WI Focus, Sustainability
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 009: The Value of NAB HSE Accreditation: A Road Map to Strengthening Administrator Preparation

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This project examines how voluntary NAB Health Services Executive (HSE) accreditation strengthens long-term care (LTC) administration programs and prepares future administrators. Accreditation is recognized as a tool to enhance education quality, workforce readiness, and program visibility while aligning with employer expectations and standards. To prepare for accreditation, faculty conduct comprehensive curriculum mapping across all NAB domains, implement robust Assurance of Learning plans, and integrate high-impact, real-world learning experiences through professional partnerships. The program also gathers alumni feedback, evaluates advisory board representation, and reviews student recruitment and engagement strategies to inform continuous improvement. Over five accreditation cycles, these processes have led to substantial program enhancements, including a strengthened on-campus curriculum, redesigned administrative residencies, and a data-driven assessment system that promotes ongoing curricular refinement. Students benefit from enriched experiential learning opportunities, and the program gains internal visibility and assurance of alignment with contemporary standards. Voluntary NAB HSE accreditation thus enhances student preparedness, supports licensure mobility, and strengthens stakeholder confidence. Ultimately, the accreditation process fosters continuous quality improvement, positions programs as leaders in LTC administration education, and contributes to developing a competent, well-prepared long-term care leadership workforce.

Presenters

Madi Bergschnieder

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Johs-Artisensi

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 010: Immigration Perceptions and Well-Being in Brazil and the U.S.: A Cross-Country Study

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study investigates how perceptions of immigration relate to individual well-being, measured through self-reported happiness and life satisfaction. Using nationally representative data from the 2017–2021 World Values Survey (Wave 7), we employ probit regression models to examine how beliefs about immigration shape well-being outcomes. Specifically, we focus on whether respondents think immigration increases crime rates or contributes to higher unemployment among citizens in Brazil and the United States. By comparing these two distinct socio-political contexts, the study provides insight into whether and how attitudes toward immigration influence personal evaluations of life.Our preliminary results indicate that individual well-being is associated with a wide range of demographic and socioeconomic factors, including health conditions, education, gender, perceived social class, financial conditions, number of children, marital status, and sense of security. However, both the direction and magnitude of these effects vary between Brazil and the United States. Crucially, perceptions of immigration exhibit significant but divergent influences on well-being across the two countries. Respondents in the United States tend to evaluate immigration more negatively, and these negative perceptions correspond to stronger reductions in reported happiness and life satisfaction compared to respondents in Brazil.The significance of this project lies in its contribution to understanding the psychological and social implications of immigration discourse. As debates over immigration continue to shape political climates worldwide, identifying how such perceptions affect individual well-being offers valuable insight for policymakers and social researchers. By highlighting cross-national differences, this study underscores the importance of cultural, economic, and institutional contexts in shaping both immigration attitudes and their consequences for individual well-being.

Presenters

Beatriz Felchak Monteiro

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Yan Li

Economics, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Economics
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 011: On Matrix Pseudo-inverses

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This research investigates generalized pseudo-inverses in matrix algebras, focusing on how inverse conditions enable matrix decompositions. We study inner inverses, outer inverses, with reflexive inverses satisfying both, and relate these to von Neumann regular elements and regular matrices. Stronger notions such as unit regularity and strong regularity are analyzed via the existence of inverses involving units, commuting conditions, and idempotent “spectral” factors. We also examine Drazin inverses, and Moore-Penrose inverses in the natural *involution context. Our project highlights when these properties force structured decompositions of matrices into sums/products of units, idempotents, and nilpotents, supported by examples and counterexamples.

Presenters

Danielle Chuan

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Haoyu Yang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Luke Zhu

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Feroz Siddique

Mathematics, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Mathematics
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 012: Digit Constraints in Decimal Expansions of Fractions with Denominator 3^x

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This project investigates patterns in the decimal expansions of fractions of the form 𝑛/(3^𝑥), with particular focus on n/81. The central research question asks: which digits fail to appear in these repeating decimal representations, and can their absence be predicted using modular arithmetic? While repeating decimals are a familiar concept, the structural constraints governing their digit composition are less commonly examined.To explore this question, I analyzed decimal expansions in base 10 through the lens of modular arithmetic, examining how powers of 3 interact with powers of 10. By studying residue classes and cyclic behavior, I identified patterns that restrict which digits can occur in specific expansions. Preliminary results show that the structure of the multiplicative group modulo 3^𝑥 imposes predictable limitations on digit appearance. These findings provide a systematic method for forecasting digit absence in fractions with denominator 3^x, revealing deeper connections between modular arithmetic and decimal representation.

Presenters

Aaron Fraser

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

aBa Mbirika

Mathematics, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Mathematics
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 013: Degradation and Exposure Techniques for Organic Light Emitting Diodes

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are efficient, tunable, small devices that are easy to produce andimplement. This makes them an increasingly essential part of our technological ecosystem.Understanding how they function and when they don’t is crucial for understanding new applications andtechnologies. For example, it has been shown that exposure to high energy electromagnetic radiation canchange their functionality In this research project, OLEDs were fabricated, exposed to radiation, andtheir responses were monitored. The change in material makeup of the devices was explored, as well asthe change in in their magnetoconductance, or their ability to move current in the presence of a magneticfield. This poster will discuss the intersection of these two measurements, the best ways to take them,and what we learned from our analysis. Results of the experiment will show the change in thecharacteristics of an OLED with increasing exposure to radiation

Presenters

Aidan Leddick

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jim Rybicki

Physics & Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Physics & Astronomy
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 014: Visualizing Maximin 3-induced Membrane Defects via Atomic Force MicroscopyAaron Botsch|Dylan R. Weaver (mentor)Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The interactions between proteins and lipid membranes are fundamental in biology. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of small peptides that are an important part of the innate immune system and have become an area of interest for scientists with therapeutics and drug delivery. This study focuses on the AMP Maximin 3, which is derived from the skin secretions of Bombina maxima. Maximin 3 is a 27-amino acid cationic peptide that has strong activity against many bacterial and viral microbes. While prior biochemical studies on this peptide demonstrate its antimicrobial activity and selectivity, there is little data that visualizes these interactions at the single molecule level. To accomplish this, we employ Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), a powerful technique for studying the dynamics of single-molecule systems, including protein-lipid interactions in near-native conditions. Here, we acquired AFM images of Maximin 3 with supported DOPC bilayers, which exhibited membrane deformations such as pore formation. Force spectroscopy assays, such as lipid punch-through experiments, demonstrated a shift in mechanical properties of the membrane, such as the yield force. Complementing our AFM results we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to visualize Maximin 3-DOPC interactions at the atomic scale and extract energetic information about the peptide’s binding. Taken together, these results provide a real-time, quantitative analysis of Maximin 3-induced defects in supported lipid bilayers, highlighting their membrane-permeabilizing ability.

Presenters

Aaron Botsch

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Dylan Weaver

Physics & Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Physics & Astronomy
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 015: MARS: A Platform for Mapping and Analyzing Research Software

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Research Software Engineering (RSE) projects are increasingly used by nearly all disciplines to further scholarly work. Yet little is known, empirically speaking, about the quantity, quality, and scope, of these projects, nor how they change and mature over time. We present MARS, a software platform for Mapping and Analyzing Research Software, that serves as a discovery and inventory system for software projects at universities and research institutions across the United States. Creating this platform allows us to answer research questions like, "Just how many RSE projects are out there?", "What do they look like?", "How can we learn from these projects to accelerate new software projects in science?". This presentation demonstrates the current state of our in-progress development of the MARS platform.

Presenters

Vinicius Araujo

Web Developer/IT Intern, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Emma Laabs

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Samuel Schwartz

Computer Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Computer Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 016: Computational Analysis of Climate Misinformation on X/Twitter Before the 2024 US Presidential Election

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This project examines how account-level features on X/Twitter impact the spread of climate misinformation during the 2024 U.S. election week. It analyzes if attributes like follower count, verification status, and engagement activity predict the diffusion of climate misinformation. We share the results of our investigation on how misinformation moved through the platform during a surge of activity from the political movement and to recommend improvements for the platform's governance and communication strategies.

Presenters

Ari Edwards

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Samuel Schwartz

Computer Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Computer Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 017: The Effects of Stellar Winds on the Orbits of Planets Around Massive Stars

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Our project aims to computationally evaluate the long-term evolution of exoplanet orbits around massive stars. These stars have high surface temperatures and strong stellar winds. The mass lost through these winds will have important effects on the development of their exoplanets' orbits and environments. We have performed a series of model calculations for a range of hot star properties. Each star is then assumed to have an initial collection of model planets orbiting them at a range of orbital radii. For the detailed modelling of the effects of stellar evolution, we use the open-source computer program Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). We then run our own code in Python to calculate the effects on model planet orbits. This project should help in the interpretation of observations of exoplanets orbiting hot stars at various evolutionary stages.

Presenters

Grace Mullikin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Nathan Miller

Physics & Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Physics & Astronomy
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 018: Effects of aging and disc degeneration on the human ankles and knees during walking gait

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Aging is a universal process characterized by progressive musculoskeletal changes, notably spinal disc degeneration, which frequently compromises independent mobility. While the physiological decline of the spine is well-documented, the specific threshold at which these changes substantively hinder gait remains poorly defined.The primary objective of this study is to identify the age-related impact of disc degeneration on independent gait, specifically focusing on the biomechanics of the ankle and knee joints. To achieve this, the project utilizes Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) to evaluate continuous gait data across two distinct cohorts: individuals below 65 years and those above 65 years.The analysis assesses statistical differences in joint angles, moments, and power to pinpoint where mechanical inefficiencies emerge. By quantifying these kinetic and kinematic variances, this research aims to define the critical age range at which spinal degeneration necessitates rehabilitative intervention. These findings will contribute to more targeted clinical strategies for maintaining mobility and functional independence in the aging population.

Presenters

Nora McGowan

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Sandesh Bhat

Physics & Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Physics & Astronomy
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 019: Classifying Enzyme Substrates Using Machine Learning

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Knowing what types of enzymes a molecule will interact with can aid drug development by minimizing side effects due to unwanted interactions. In this project, we built and interpreted models for classifying enzyme substrates, aiming to address an information gap in this understanding: the distinguishing properties of the substrates of each major enzyme class. We utilized the machine learning technique XGBoost in Python to build a predictive model for each enzyme class using molecular data as well as top linear combinations of the data obtained using Principal Components Analysis. We will discuss the algorithm we developed to automatically tune the parameters of XGBoost to optimize the model. We will also present examples of how to interpret these models using graphs to visualize the impact of variables in each model and identifying common factors in the top contributing variables of significant principal components to characterize each enzyme class. For example, we found that the probability of a molecule interacting with oxidoreductase enzymes is positively associated with the number of nonpolar regions. A particular descriptor is NumHeteroAtoms, the number of non-carbon atoms in the molecule, which was negatively associated with the probability of interacting with oxidoreductases.

Presenters

Kyle He

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Abra Brisbin

Mathematics, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Mathematics
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 020: Partial Error Correction with Tanner Graphs

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Graph-based codes allow us to visualize error-correcting codes and construct systems of low-complexity decoding. However, certain roadblocks- called stopping sets- can prevent complete error correction. This raises a question: how can we design encoding strategies that avoid such roadblocks? We investigate a setting where we must look at partitions of variable nodes with the goal of avoiding stopping sets in at least one part. Specifically, we examine an example with six variable nodes in a Tanner graph and its corresponding 4X6 parity-check matrix. We present a proof for the partial error correction for two out of three parts in the partition. Looking forward, we aim to determine the probability of encountering stopping sets in a topological lifting of the graph.

Presenters

Grace Cole

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Allison Beemer

Mathematics, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Mathematics
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 021: Characterizing Magmatism Near the Eau Plein Shear Zone, Penokean Orogen, Northern Wisconsin.

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The Precambrian bedrock of northern Wisconsin hosts the 1.8-1.9Ga billion-year-old Penokean Orogeny. The Penokean Orogeny involves the collision of volcanic arcs and smaller continental crustal blocks. These blocks are known as the Pembine-Wausau Terrane and the Marshfield Terrane. The Eau Pleine Shear Zone marks the boundary between these two terranes. Recent studies within the Marshfield Terrane indicate a more complex geological structure than previously understood, the highly variable ages in this area highlight the need to re-evaluate the significance of this structural boundary between the Pembine-Wausau and Marshfield terranes. Clusters of magmatic rocks found near the Eau Pleine Shear Zone could help determine the nature of this crustal boundary. Magmas that are generated before, during, or after the collision inherit the geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the crustal blocks they interact with. For this research project, samples were collected from both intrusive and volcanic rocks that are found on both sides of the Eau Pleine Shear Zone, these samples were then prepared for geochemical and petrographic analysis. The results of this work will allow us to evaluate historical tectonic models of the Lake Superior region and determine whether the Eau Pleine Shear Zone is indeed an appropriate terrane boundary.

Presenters

Fintan McGovern

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Robert Lodge

Geology and Environmental Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geology and Environmental Science
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 022: The timing of Paleoproterozoic Felsic Volcanism in the Penokean Orogen, Wisconsin

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The volcanic rocks of the Penokean orogen of northern Wisconsin are well known for hosting 1875 Ma Cu-Zn-Pb-Au-Ag volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits that formed in deep marine extensional settings. New U/Pb ages obtained from VMS-hosting volcanic strata suggest the extensional tectonic setting was active at 1835 Ma when previous tectonic models state the Penokean Orogen is thought to have closed the ocean. These inconsistencies in dates of samples from the Penokean Orogen may suggest a different geologic timeline than previously recognized. However, younger tectonic or hydrothermal may have altered the zircon U/Pb systematics. This study compares U/Pb ages taken from zircon cores or rims to test if there is a difference in the data. If there is a correlation between core/rim analyses and ages, then it is possible that the 1835 Ma age is an artifact of tectonic or hydrothermal events and not related to timing of VMS mineralization. Preliminary core vs. rim comparisons indicates there is no distinct difference in the ages. This suggests that the younger submarine extensional VMS-forming environment existed and that the timing of major events in the Penokean orogen need to be revisited.

Presenters

Kayla Telshaw

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Robert Lodge

Geology and Environmental Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geology and Environmental Science
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 023: Proactive Personality, Reciprocal Dynamics, and Creative Performance in Global Virtual Teams: An RI-CLPM Study

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

In global virtual teams, creative performance is influenced by both stable individual traits and dynamic moment-to-moment behaviors. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, this study examines how proactive personality predicts stable engagement and creativity, and how within-person fluctuations in effort and creative idea quality influence one another across time. Utilizing a four-wave longitudinal design and RI – CLPM framework, we successfully distinguished stable between – person tendencies from momentary within-person changes. This analysis yielded a discernible reciprocal effort–creativity cycle: when individuals engaged more intensely than usual at time t, they produced higher-quality creative ideas at time t+1 (β = 0.180, p < .001). Conversely, periods of heightened creativity contributed to increased engagement in subsequent phases (β = 0.078, p < .001). Despite its bidirectional nature, the effect from effort to creativity was found to be notably stronger, suggesting that effort functions as a primary resource that initiates a Creative Resource Gain Spiral across time. At the between-person level, individuals with more stable proactive tendencies consistently exhibited higher levels of average engagement (β = 0.119, p < .001). The accumulation of engagement resources resulted in significant cross-level consequences, with stable effort exhibiting a string prediction of distal team creative performance (β = 0.816, p = .029). This underscores the role of enduring individual resource investment in shaping collective creative outcomes within global virtual teams. This study is among the first to use an RI-CLPM framework to demonstrate a bidirectional effort - creativity cycle within global virtual teams and provides new evidence for dynamic resource processes in distributed collaboration. At the team level, contextual characteristics such as average team age (β = 0.050, p

Presenters

Wenxi Zhang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Yuqing Su

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Longzhu Dong

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 024: The Influence of Cultural Distance, Technological Readiness, and Reciprocal Investment Patterns on U.S. Bilateral FDI Flows

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study explores how the interaction between cultural distance, technological readiness, and reciprocal investment patterns influences bilateral Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows between the United States and its partner countries. To conduct this study, we utilize an extensive dataset of 83 countries compiled from various World Bank sources, Hofstede’s cultural indices, and other measures of technological readiness to create a bilateral investment framework to analyze both U.S. outbound and inbound foreign direct investment.We employ fixed effects regression analyses to evaluate the multidimensional impacts of culture, technology, and economic ties on investment behavior. The results show that technological readiness is strongly associated with higher levels of bilateral FDI flows.Additionally, the findings reveal an important moderating effect: cultural distance weakens the positive influence of technological readiness on FDI flows, indicating that cultural compatibility is essential for countries to fully leverage technological advantages in international investment.The results of this research indicate that countries wishing to invest more heavily in each other's markets do so by first establishing a strong technological base, then building strong cultural relationships.

Presenters

Wenxi Zhang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Dantong Zhang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Keyao Yan

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Longzhu Dong

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 025: A Tale of Two Motivations: How Goal Orientations Shape Language Barrier Effects in Global Virtual Teams

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study investigates why language barriers impact communication quality differently across individuals in global virtual teams. While previous research has established that language barriers impair team communication, the individual-level mechanisms explaining this variability remain underexplored. We examined whether two motivational dispositions—Learning Goal Orientation (L-GO) and Performance Goal Orientation (P-GO)—moderate this relationship. We analyzed data from 1,520 students in 324 teams participating in an 8-week global business competition using a multilevel moderation model. Language barriers were distinguished as internal (self-perceived expressive difficulties) and external (team-level communication challenges). Results revealed a "tale of two motivations." L-GO did not significantly moderate the barrier-communication relationship, suggesting stable communication behavior regardless of contextual barriers. Conversely, P-GO demonstrated a "double-edged sword" effect: it amplified the negative impact of internal barriers, as high-P-GO individuals appeared susceptible to fear of appearing incompetent, causing communication quality to deteriorate sharply. However, P-GO positively moderated external barriers, with high-P-GO individuals framing team challenges as legitimate opportunities for improvement. These findings demonstrate that language barriers' impact depends on individuals' motivational frameworks, suggesting targeted interventions based on goal orientation profiles.

Presenters

Yaotian Zhang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Longzhu Dong

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
Special Categories Global and Domestic Experiences
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 026: Stepping Up or Staying Silent: Language Barrier Effects on Leadership-Communication Dynamics in Global Virtual Teams

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study investigates the longitudinal associations between perceived language barriers and leadership-communication dynamics in global virtual teams. Despite extensive research on language barriers' detrimental effects, how individuals navigate these challenges over time and whether barriers might paradoxically motivate leadership emergence remains unclear. We analyzed multi-wave data from 1,520 students in 324 teams participating in an 8-week global business competition using a Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) to distinguish stable individual traits from dynamic weekly fluctuations. Results revealed distinct patterns at two levels. At the between-person level, internal language barriers (self-perceived expressive difficulties) negatively predicted stable leadership and communication traits. Conversely, external barriers (perceiving others' communication difficulties) positively predicted leadership traits, suggesting individuals "step up" to fill leadership vacuums created by team communication challenges. At the within-person level, an evolutionary pattern emerged: communication initially drove leadership emergence mid-project, with this influence sustained throughout. The reverse path—leadership predicting communication—was initially absent but emerged strongly in later stages, shifting the relationship from unidirectional to reciprocal. These findings reveal that while external barriers may motivate stable leadership emergence, active communication serves as the initial catalyst for leadership dynamics, later evolving into a mutually reinforcing cycle.

Presenters

Yaotian Zhang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Longzhu Dong

Management and Leadership Programs, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Management and Leadership Programs
Special Categories Global and Domestic Experiences
College CoB

2:00pm CDT

Poster 028: Investigating preservice teacher’s use of behavior-specific praise in a clinical setting

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Investigating preservice teachers’ use of behavior-specific praise in a clinical setting The purpose of this study is to examine whether the use of a visual reminder influences the rate preservice teachers use Behavior Specific Praise (BSP) in a clinical setting. Effective classroom management strategies are essential in addressing students' behavior and managing teacher burn out. Although previous BSP research has shown an increase in desirable student behaviors, limited research has been done on the use of visual reminders to specifically encourage its use with preservice teachers in a clinical setting. Using a multiple-baseline design, researchers collected data on student clinicians' (n=26) use of BSP in an interprofessional assessment clinic with school-aged clients (n=10). Baseline and intervention-phase data was collected on student clinicians during a four-hour clinical testing session. Comparisons analyzing BSP rates for pre- and post-intervention are included. Based on previous research involving tactile reminders, it is expected that the visual prompts will show an increase in the rate of BSP among preservice teachers. The anticipatory findings will work to inform education programs in providing proactive support to improve classroom management skills.

Presenters

Ariella Roth

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Olivia Jonas

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Britta Bresina

Special Education, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Karsten Powell

Special Education, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Special Education
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 029: Awareness of and Differences in Imposter Syndrome Among Undergraduate and Graduate Speech, Language, and Hearing Science Students

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Imposter Syndrome is a phenomenon that involves persistent feelings of self-doubt towards one’s abilities despite evidence of competence. Research on imposter syndrome within the field of speech-language pathology is scarce, indicating the presence of a research gap. Previous research within other fields indicates that imposter syndrome is prevalent in environments of high stress and achievement, making the student population particularly vulnerable to experiences of imposter syndrome. The aim of this study is to better understand the awareness of imposter syndrome (IS) among Speech, Language, and Hearing Science (SLHS) students and the ways it may manifest differently in SLHS undergraduate and graduate students. To address these aims, undergraduate and graduate SLHS students at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire were sent a Qualtrics survey containing various questions related to imposter syndrome. The anticipated outcome of this project is to understand whether UWEC SLHS undergraduate and graduate students report feeling IS and which characteristics of IS are frequently experienced in each student population. Ultimately, this could lead to strategies to support SLHS students in developing confidence so they can better support those they serve.

Presenters

Brynna Streifel

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Rebecca Jarzynski

Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 030: Childcare Teacher Beliefs About Multilingual Children

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The purpose of this study is to better understand childcare teachers' beliefs about multilingual language development. Understanding these beliefs is essential, as inaccurate advice or inappropriate referrals may contribute to inequities in access to speech-language pathology services for multilingual children. Researchers have found that early childhood teachers often hold false beliefs about the impact of multilingualism on language development, including the belief that learning multiple languages hinders language development or confuses children as they develop their language systems. Undergraduate researchers contacted daycare program directors via email to explain the purpose of the study and how it would be conducted. For centers that agreed to participate, researchers delivered paper surveys for teachers to complete and collected them one week later. Data were analyzed to examine the accuracy of daycare teachers’ knowledge and how factors such as previous work with multilingual children, years of experience in daycare, and level of education related to knowledge accuracy. These findings could spur action and future research aimed at increasing daycare teacher knowledge. This could improve the accuracy of information shared with parents and the appropriateness of referrals to speech-language pathologists, enhancing care for multilingual children and their families.

Presenters

Alyson Simon

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Madeline Roberts

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Savannah Fiedler

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Suzanne Frazier

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Rebecca Jarzynski

Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 031: The Impact of an Interprofessional Training to Support the Communication of Children with Complex Communication Needs in Hospital Settings

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

All individuals have the inherent right to communicate (McLeod, 2018), and every person, regardless of age, deserves the opportunity to participate in their healthcare (Ward, 2015). However, children with complex communication needs (CCN) frequently encounter barriers to effective communication in healthcare settings. Interactions between children with CCN and nurses are often compromised, resulting in frustration for both parties (Fink et al., 2008; Shilling et al., 2012). These communication breakdowns can adversely affect care, delay recovery, and prolong hospital stays (Fink et al., 2008), while also requiring parents to assume the roles of advocates and protectors (Shilling et al., 2012). Furthermore, research indicates that both nurses and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) report low confidence in their ability to support the communication needs of children with CCN. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a pilot interprofessional training on the confidence levels of SLP and nursing students. Graduate SLP students provided instruction to nursing students on strategies for supporting hospitalized children with CCN. Subsequently, both groups participated in simulations in which they completed mock nursing tasks while facilitating communication with a “child” with CCN. Participants completed a retrospective pre-post rating scales assessing confidence in supporting children with CCN and engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration. Results indicated increased confidence among all students, with nursing students demonstrating greater gains than SLP students.

Presenters

Michael Feldhacker

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Meg Lagunas

Nursing, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Rebecca Jarzynski

Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 032: /fənɝdl/: A Game to Teach Place, Manner, and Voice of Articulation

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

We have seen a noticeable lack of understanding amongst undergraduate SLHS students in upper-level courses when recalling information on how speech sounds are made by mouth. We developed a game to reinforce knowledge about the articulation of speech sounds necessary for graduate school and a career as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. To play the game, the course professor will give each student a notecard and display a prompt. Each student will identify a word that fits based on syntactic constraints. Students will identify sounds and write down the place, voice, and manner of articulation for each sound in the word. When finished, students exchange their work with another and identify the phonetic symbols for all sounds described. This game was played often throughout the 2025 Spring and Fall semesters, and the data is analyzed in the following semester. From the data analyzed for spring of 2025, students made errors in phonetic transcriptions with orthography, place, voice, manner, and the number of phonemes in the word. Through anecdotal evidence, students improved speed and accuracy of their transcriptions over time. This data indicates that the game is effective for helping students engage with knowledge about place, voice, and manner.

Presenters

Karina Brandt

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Emily Dahlstrom

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Bryan Brown

Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Lesley Mayne

Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 033: Designed for Every Learner: Classroom Breaks in a UDL-Aligned Environment.

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

How are breaks during educational times beneficial to all students? Additionally, how does Universal Design for Learning benefit students' learning? This goal is important because it allows teachers to further their knowledge on what types of teaching styles and break methods benefit their students the most, in terms of retention and processing information. My project investigates previously written research from both educational and scientific backgrounds to merge these ideas together. This allows for many perspectives to be covered, which will provide new knowledge on how cognitive functions and education directly affect each other. I used data from previous research related to the impact of UDL and how breaks impact learning and retention. My project is a literature review, so for this, I found credible sources that discussed UDL and then later how breaks impacted learning. This research is important because it will help educators have an outline on how they can structure their breaks so that they benefit their students. Since this is only a literary review, the hope is to work with schools and try different types of breaks for a variety of grades, to see the overall impact.

Presenters

Jayna Mendoza

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Kirstin Rossi

Special Education, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Special Education
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 034: Impact of Title IV-E Education on Perceptions of Preparedness in Child Welfare Workers

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The objective of our research is to determine the efficacy, diversity, and factors that influence intent to stay in public child welfare, specifically applied to the graduates of the Title IV-E program at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire (UWEC). For decades, child welfare agencies have experienced near consistent turnover rates ranging from 20-40%. We hope to use the data gathered towards improving the program at UWEC by evaluating preparedness, diversity, and retention to decrease turnover rates and increase intent to stay. Participants will be UWEC Title IV-E graduates who have been employed in the child welfare workforce for at least six months. In the study, participants (n=50) will be asked to complete portions of the Comprehensive Organizational Health Assessment (COHA) and a semi-structured interview. Examples of sections in the COHA are as follows: Peer Support, Supervision, Job Satisfaction, Intent to Stay, and Self-Care. The interview will explore burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue. We expect results that show the Title IV-E program at UWEC has better prepared social work graduates to succeed in the child welfare field. We expect that job satisfaction and supervision/peer support are major influencers on intent to stay in child welfare.

Presenters

Amelia Kozler

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Marissa Annoye

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Alisha Meinen

Social Work, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Social Work
Special Categories WI Focus
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 035: A Qualitative Analysis of Family and Mentor Experiences in the Home for Good Program

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Housing and homelessness constitutes a persistent public health concern, necessitating rigorous evaluation of intervention strategies. Home for Good (HFG), a non-profit organization based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, implements a unique housing and peer mentorship model to address homelessness among families with young children. Using mixed-methods, we evaluated HFG’s approach through quantitative survey data and in-depth qualitative interviews with both mentors and clients engaged in the program. Surveys captured mentors’ experiences with program implementation, and interviews explored clients’ personal narratives and the perceived impact of HFG on their trajectories. Our analysis has identified key trends and has generated evidence-based recommendations for program development. In this presentation, we describe our methodology, share findings to date, and discuss implications for policy and future housing interventions.

Presenters

Cady Muelken

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Amelia Tauer

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Briana Rockler

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
Special Categories Graduate Student, WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 036: Nutrition incentives and shopper behavior: Survey insights and behavioral modeling from a SNAPfarmers market match program

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Low fruit and vegetable (FV) intake increases chronic disease risk, especially for low-income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households facing cost and access barriers. Nutrition incentive programs aim to make FV more affordable for SNAP participants. This study examined eight years of data (2018–2025, N = 1,071) from a Wisconsin SNAP nutrition incentive program, using descriptive and regression analyses to evaluate shopper experiences. Most participants reported eating more FV (90%), trying new foods (63%), and saving on groceries (85%). Nearly all (93%) described the market as welcoming, but barriers included transportation (18%), weather (23%), and limited hours (13%). More incentive redemption was linked to higher visit frequency with each $10 increase in incentives redeemed associated with 17% more visits (β = 0.016, p < .001). More visits also increased the odds of returning the next season by 60% (OR = 1.60, p = .011). Findings suggest that incentives boost FV affordability, which encourages more frequent market visits, supporting greater engagement and FV access for low-income households. Results highlight both the program’s strengths and remaining barriers, providing guidance for more equitable, accessible nutrition incentive strategies.

Presenters

Cassandra Riehle

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Marc-Joel Henry

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Maya Campbell

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Monica Sha

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Nelly Machado

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Philine Bovet

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Yijin Liu

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Briana Rockler

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
Special Categories WI Focus, Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 037: Nutrition incentive program participation trends and economic contributions of a SNAP farmers marketmatch program

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Despite the central role of fruits and vegetables (FV) in a healthy diet, cost and access remain barriers for low-income households. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) addresses food insecurity on a broad scale; however, FV consumption remains low among SNAP participants, who are also less likely than higher-income shoppers to purchase from farmers' markets. The Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market implements Market Match, a nutrition incentive program that allocates additional funds for FV purchases to SNAP households. Eight years of administrative data (2018–2025) from 2,457 unique households were analyzed to describe long-term participation patterns and economic contributions to the local food system. Descriptive statistics were used to examine annual participation, seasonal return patterns, and vendor-level SNAP redemption. More than one-third of households returned for multiple years, and over 100 participated for at least three seasons, demonstrating sustained engagement. In 2025, SNAP shoppers spent $29,082 at the market; using a conservative economic multiplier of 1.6, this spending likely generated more than $46,500 in local economic activity. Findings underscore the role of nutrition incentives in expanding farmers' market access for low-income shoppers, strengthening Wisconsin's local food economy, and providing evidence to inform a statewide nutrition incentive model.

Presenters

Cassandra Riehle

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Marc-Joel Henry

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Maya Campbell

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Monica Sha

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Nelly Machado

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Philine Bovet

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Yijin Liu

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Briana Rockler

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
Special Categories WI Focus, Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 038: Survey of Eau Claire County Residents’ Habits and Perspectives on Flushing Non-Degrading Waste Products

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Flushing of non-degrading waste can lead to costly blockages in wastewater treatment systems. This study investigated Eau Claire County residents’ perspectives on and habits of flushing non-degrading waste. To test our hypothesis that residents with on-site septic systems are more aware of proper flushing habits than residents whose sewage flows to the municipal wastewater treatment plant, we distributed 444 surveys in neighborhoods that were on the municipal system and others with an on-site septic system. We received 43 responses from septic and municipal residences, with response rates of 28% and 15%, respectively. Municipal residents were more likely to identify that non-flushable wipes and feminine hygiene products should not be flushed (by 19% and 9%, respectively) and they reported experiencing clogs at a significantly lower rate (-33%). We contacted three local septic service companies who all stated most septic system blockages are caused by non-woven wet wipes with some blockages caused by feminine hygiene products. These insights, combined with survey results, suggest that septic system residents are more invested in what gets flushed than municipal residents, but are less aware of proper flushing habits. This study will be used to develop an outreach program on the importance of proper flushing habits.

Presenters

Libby Nelson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Alicia Merklein

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Scott Clark

Geology and Environmental Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geology and Environmental Science
Special Categories WI Focus, Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 039: A Comparative Analysis of Gravity Separation Methods: Evaluating Gemini Table and Manual Panning Efficacy for Zircon Extraction

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

In geochronology, mineral separation is a critical prerequisite for obtaining datable samples like zircon. This study compares two distinct gravity separation methods, the Gemini Table and manual panning, to evaluate effectiveness in recovering dense mineral fractions. The Gemini Table utilizes a mechanical, tilted platform where water flows and induced shaking sort grains by density along grooves. In contrast, manual panning relies on the suspension of less dense materials in a shallow basin through hand-induced agitation until only the heavy minerals remain. Both methods were applied to a sandstone sample from the Freda Formation, a siliciclastic unit within the Midcontinent Rift. While the Gemini Table yielded a larger total volume of dense material, subsequent analysis revealed a lower concentration of zircon compared to manual panning. Higher panned recovery suggests that, despite its manual nature, panning may be more effective for mineral concentration. Beyond yield, the Gemini Table requires extensive cleaning of its complex surface to prevent cross-contamination, a time-intensive process. In contrast, manual panning was completed in half the time using only a basin and sink. These preliminary results suggest that for specific sandstone samples, manual panning provides a streamlined, time-efficient alternative for procuring high-quality zircon separates.

Presenters

Liam Rogers

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Tadesse Alemu

Geology and Environmental Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geology and Environmental Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 040: A Systematic Approach to Testing of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Drinking Water in Rural Eau Claire County, Wisconsin

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a collection of widely used contaminants, and have been coined as “forever chemicals” due to their long-lasting nature in the environment. Impacts on human health are thought to be associated with the development of cancers, thyroid issues, and reproductive issues. In 2024, PFAS were detected in exceedance of regulatory recommendations in several private wells in rural southwest Eau Claire County, leading to county-wide systematic testing.Between July 2024 and April 2025, student researchers at UWEC sampled 141 private wells for PFAS. Samples were analyzed at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. Samples collected by UWEC and the Eau Claire City-County Health Department detected PFAS in approximately 35% of the samples, with 19% exceeding the EPA limit of 4 ppt (parts per trillion) for PFOA. Visual inspection appears to show a correspondence between elevated PFOA and paper mill sludge spreading. There is not a clear indication of elevated PFAS corresponding with wastewater or septic land spreading. There is no clear relationship between elevated PFAS and exceedances in other water quality parameters, including nitrate.

Presenters

Avery McKeown-Robbie

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Meg Walker

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Laura Suppes

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sarah Vitale

Geology and Environmental Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geology and Environmental Science
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 041: Links, C-complexes, and Triple Linking Number

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

A C-complex is a union of Seifert surfaces for the components of a link which intersect each other in clasps. The clasp number of a link is the minimal number of clasps amongst all C-complexes bounded. It gives a measure of complexity and can be used to provide bounds on other useful characteristics of a link. This paper provides a new lower bound for the number of clasps of all C-complexes bounded by a given 3-component link improving results of Amundsen-Anderson-D.-Guyer. Furthermore, we construct links that achieve these bounds. In order to do so, we express the triple linking numbers as the area bounded by three curves, called word curves, and then perform the geometry and discrete optimization needed to minimize the length of these curves.

Presenters

Nathan Phillips

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jack Paulsen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

David Lawrence

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Christopher Davis

Mathematics, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Mathematics
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 042: Detecting Extrasolar Planets Using a 12-Inch Telescope

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study aims to determine whether we can detect the presence of extrasolar planets by using a Meade LX200 12-inch telescope. Our observation technique is to observe subtle changes in star brightness as a planet passes in front of a star. We have carried out preliminary observations on a variable star and found that we can easily detect variations as small as 0.09 for a 13.81 magnitude star. To understand the sensitivity of our system, we have generated simulated data to predict detection thresholds as a function of stellar magnitude. We will use these predictions in selecting targets for future observations.

Presenters

Sophia Scott

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Lyle Ford

Physics & Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Physics & Astronomy
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 043: Design and Construction of a Force Balance to Gather Aerodynamic Data

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

In this project a force balance that can be used to measure lift and drag forces on objects placed inside of a wind tunnel was designed and built. Data was collected using Vernier force sensors. The balance was designed using the CAD program Onshape. Parts for the force balance were 3D printed and added to elements constructed in a metal shop. Data from the force balance was collected by Logger Pro software and saved to a file for analysis. The force balance was tested using 3D printed airfoils, the results of which are presented here.

Presenters

Sam Johns

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Lyle Ford

Physics & Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Physics & Astronomy
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 044: A Wind Tunnel for Aerodynamic Testing and Education

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Understanding the aerodynamics of systems is crucial in the design of vehicles and structures. Wind tunnels provide a controlled environment to analyze airflow around models that help inform the design process. Large-scale wind tunnels are expensive, so we have built a smaller scale cost-effective one. We have made measurements to characterize the airflow in the test section where models to be tested will be placed. We have quantified the air speed, uniformity, and consistency of the airflow with two different fan systems. This information will be needed for using the wind tunnel in instructional laboratories or future research.

Presenters

Raina Schoen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Callista McCann

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Lyle Ford

Physics & Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Physics & Astronomy
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 045: Stultus:An Open Source, Independent Internet Search Engine

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Being closed source and controlling over 90% of the world's search engine market, existing mainstream search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo have an overt influence on the way users interact with the open internet. Due to the size and complexity of the internet and its standards, it is difficult to build any sort of complete internet search engine. This project aims to fill that gap, making a complete, open source, and index-independent search engine for use with the modern web. Using Kubernetes, Postgresql, and custom Python code, high-performance web crawlers are deployed at scale across a fleet of 12 retired desktops repurposed to be servers and tokenized into a high-performance database which matches user queries to the closest matching site. Insights about the modern web, including the prevalence of AI-generated content and the distribution of languages are also measured using the data captured during this project.

Presenters

Jack Hagen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Gabriel Tapia

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Aaron Fraser

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Reed Graf

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Silas Eacret

Student Administrator at Blugold Center for High Performance Computing, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Hello! I'm Silas. I enjoy breaking things, fixing the things, and then breaking more things in the process of fixing said things.

I'm currently employed part-time by the Blugold Center for High Performance Computing (https://hpc.uwec.edu) at UWEC as a Student Administrator. I help... Read More →

Yegeon Cho

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Emily Hastings

Computer Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Computer Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 046: Creating a Dataset of Realistic AI-Generated Phishing Emails to Better Inform Phishing Defenses

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has facilitated the creation of targeted, mass-produced, and highly effective phishing messages with unprecedented ease. Unlike previous methods, attackers no longer face the dilemma of choosing between investing time in crafting personalized spear phishing messages or opting for less effective, but broadly distributed, general phishing campaigns. Despite continuous warnings from security researchers and academics spanning over a year, there remains a notable scarcity of AI-generated phishing messages available for comprehensive study and analysis. The establishment of a comprehensive corpus of AI-generated phishing messages would provide researchers with the data to devise effective strategies for detecting and thwarting these sophisticated techniques. To address this gap, we propose leveraging the computational capabilities of UWEC’s Blugold Center for High Performance Computing with local Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate a diverse and extensive collection ofmalicious phishing messages for analysis and new techniques to better detect AI generated phishing attacks.

Presenters

Jack Hagen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jacob Stoltenburg

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Mounika Vanamala

Computer Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Computer Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 047: What Smartphone Brand Makes the Best Ping Pong Paddle?

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Because smartphones have increasingly found their way into most aspects of modern life, there is much to consider when purchasing a smartphone. Among other things, operating system, performance, software, camera, and battery life are all important factors when choosing a smartphone. Despite the portability of smartphones and their effectiveness as table tennis paddles, there is a significant lack of literature on the topic of using smartphones as ping pong paddles. Through a cross-sectional experiment, the researchers tested several different smartphone brands and models in a controlled tournament-style environment. Smartphone models were traded among the researchers for each round of gameplay, allowing for an averaged score of the most effective smartphone brand and model. This study establishes the first empirical framework for evaluating smartphone models effectiveness as table tennis paddles, and demonstrates the vast difference in ping pong performance among leading smartphone brands.

Presenters

Jack Hagen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jackson Kerr

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Brandeis Shore

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Alex Cooper

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Silas Eacret

Student Administrator at Blugold Center for High Performance Computing, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Hunter McDaniel

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Owen Kromrey

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Meyah Whitman

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Aaron Fraser

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jordan Hamzawi

Political Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Political Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 048: Privacy vs. Tolerance: Can You Have Both?

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

What is the relationship between privacy and tolerance? Privacy is more prevalent in the United States as a legal concept; however, it remains undefined and contentious. Tolerance is a standard of thought that many see as necessary to a cohesive, successful society – the intersection of both concepts is unclear and debated. To explore that territory, I explored existing literature on both the elusive right to privacy in the United States and the concept of toleration. Definitions of each concept had to be reached and then compared. Subsequently, I expanded findings and conclusions based on the perspective of other scholars. The stance reached is that privacy and tolerance cannot both be applied to the same situation. They may very well be on the same spectrum from secrecy to transparency, but the two ideals must be treated differently in the political sphere.

Presenters

Kira Kirby

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Adam Kunz

Political Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Political Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 049: Measuring Land Change in a rapidly growing city within the Central Basin of Tennessee

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Monitoring changes in land use and land cover (LULC) is an important exercise that is effective in tracking the growth of urban landscape, modifications to small towns in rural areas, can be used as a corroborative evidence in measuring economic growth and socioecological change, and has been proven to be effective in gauging a host of other attributes that are connected to land. Small towns located relatively close to major cities or other key features in the United States have witnessed significant changes in spatial structure and form over the past few decades. Spring Hill, TN is one such example of tremendous growth; having witnessed a small population of 7,000 people in the early 2000’s skyrocket to close to 60,000 people in 2024. This phenomenal population change has affected the way in which the surrounding land is utilized, bringing with it environmental and socioeconomic impacts to the region. The main goal of this study is to measure the extent of change to LULC within and around Spring Hill, TN between 2000 and 2025 and try to understand the factors behind such changes. Specific objectives include (i) to gauge changes in LULC between 2000 and 2025 at three timesteps (2000-2010, 2010-2020, 2020-2025), and (ii) to understand the role of drivers responsible for LULC changes in the study area. Results of this study can provide invaluable information to urban and regional planners in the region.

Presenters

Gabriel Sipos

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Cyril Wilson

Geography & Anthropology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geography & Anthropology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 050: Imaging Coastal Erosional Events along Gamay Bay, Philippines: Site 1

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Gamay Bay is located on the northeastern coast of Samar Island, which directly faces the Pacific Ocean and is regularly impacted by large storms and typhoons, leading to coastal erosion. Knowing more about the formation of Gamay Bay’s coastal plain can provide a better understanding of what factors were involved in the changing landscape as the bay was forming, and little ground penetrating radar (GPR) research has been done along Gamay Bay. To better understand the subsurface stratigraphy, GPR sends electromagnetic pulses into the near subsurface while a receiver measures the reflecting waves. Sensors and Software® pulseEKKO GPR System with 100 MHz antennae 1m apart was used with a 25cm step size along a 425m topographically corrected transect. Data was processed using EKKO Project software. Reflections are accurate to ~6.5m, show 5 erosional truncations with ~8o dip angles roughly 3m below the surface interpreted as large storm events, and subparallel complex sigmoid-oblique deposition patterns which are interpreted as beach progradation. The GPR data results will be used in future research to confirm sites of interest and numerically date the sands to construct a timeline of when the erosional events may have occurred.

Presenters

Daniel Raymond

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Ella Oestreicher

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Grace McDonnell

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Harry Jol

Geography & Anthropology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geography & Anthropology
Special Categories Global and Domestic Experiences
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 051: A fluvial channel discovered within Gamay Bay plain in Northeast Samar, Philippines

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The reconstruction a portion of the geomorphic past of Gamay Bay’s coastal plain in Northeast Samar, Philippines advances the understanding of past depositional and erosional events. Three separate sites in Gamay Bay were analyzed with ground penetrating radar (GPR). This study focalized on site two which displayed fluvial patterns. GPR reveals subsurface reflections interpreted as sediment layering. It sends electromagnetic (EM) radio wave pulses into the earth’s surface displaying subsurface images. GPR surveys were collected using a Sensors and Software® pulseEKKO GPR Pro with 100 MHz antennae. The transmitter and receiver antennae were placed 1m apart sending EM pulses at 0.25m intervals along a 400m transect. EM velocities calculated from GPR data ranged from 0.08-0.1m/ns which indicated moist sands. GPR data revealed a series of channel-like reflection patterns. Sediment cores reaching about 1m in depth were analyzed at areas noted from GPR data. Core analyses described subangular and well sorted sediments, a common indicator of a fluvial deposit. GPR and sediment core data in tandem provided support for the hypothesis that site two was a fluvial environment. The integration of GPR and sediment coring were successfully used in the identification of a buried fluvial channel system within Gamay Bay.

Presenters

Ella Oestreicher

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Grace McDonnell

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Daniel Raymond

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Harry Jol

Geography & Anthropology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geography & Anthropology
Special Categories Global and Domestic Experiences
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 052: Exploring Students' Preparedness, Expectations, and Motivation to Study Abroad in the 1+2+1 Program.

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study investigates the motivations, expectations, and self-assessed preparedness of Chinese undergraduate students preparing to study in the United States through the CHEPD 1+2+1 Dual Degree Program. It addresses a gap in the literature by focusing on pre-departure perspectives, which are often overlooked in research on international student adjustment. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected via surveys (N=36) and semi-structured interviews (N=19) with students at Suzhou University of Technology prior to their departure for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Findings reveal that students are motivated by academic and personal growth opportunities but experience significant anxiety regarding language barriers, social integration, and safety concerns—largely shaped by social media. The study recommends that pre-departure orientations expand beyond logistical information to include proactive socio-emotional support, realistic cultural previews, and peer-mentoring programs to bridge the gap between students’ academic confidence and their socio-cultural apprehensions.

Presenters

Jack Hagen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Gwen Albers

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Ambrose Lo

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jazilynn Geiger

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Kaishan Kong

Languages, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Languages
Special Categories Global and Domestic Experiences, WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 053: Environmental Home Health Hazards and Student Rentals in Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Our research question is: Are student rental properties more likely to have environmental home health hazards than non-student rental properties in the city of Eau Claire? Our initial hypothesis was yes. An environmental home health hazard is defined as a chemical, physical, biological, or other condition within a residence that has the potential to impact the health of residents. Some examples include mold, pests, radon, carbon monoxide, and lead. The data that does exist are external housing evaluations done by the Health Department called the Residential Environmental Quality Assessment. REQA data is the most relevant and reliable data available in the context of our research question. Using online sources, we divided as many addresses as we could into four categories: non-rental, student rental, non-student rental, and uncertain. We will then use t-tests to analyze and compare the data from non-student rentals and student rentals to answer our research question quantitatively. This project has also produced a rental housing checklist for students considering off-campus housing as well as information on mold, radon, pests, lead, carbon monoxide and asbestos.

Presenters

Aidan Jones

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Aliyah Jennings

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 054: Ventilation Testing and Filter Box Construction at the UWEC Children's Nature Academy: Analysis of Indoor Air Quality Intervention Impact on Reported Respiratory Illness Prevalence

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Improving indoor air quality has been proposed as a strategy to reduce respiratory illness transmission, particularly in settings with young children. This study evaluated whether portable air filtration was associated with changes in reported respiratory illness prevalence at the UWEC Children’s Nature Academy. HEPA air filters and a Corsi-Rosenthal box were installed in classrooms following ventilation assessment using CO2 monitoring. Filter efficacy was tested by measuring PM2.5 air concentration reduction. Anonymized illness reports from three academic years (2022–2025) were used to calculate monthly respiratory illness prevalence before and after filter installation in November 2023. Interrupted time series (ITS) regression and ANOVA were used to evaluate changes in illness trends. While filtration reduced PM2.5 concentration and ventilation levels were adequate, no significant reduction in reported respiratory illness prevalence was observed. Illness patterns closely followed seasonal community respiratory disease trends.

Presenters

Alexis Boehm

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Ariah Borchardt

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 055: Collection of Air Quality Index in Buildings Around UW - Eau Claire Campus

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Air quality is vital to human and environmental health and is commonly assessed using the Air Quality Index (AQI), which reflects concentrations of air pollutants such as PM2.5, CO2, TVOC, CO, SO2, and O3. This study aimed to evaluate indoor and outdoor air quality on the UW-Eau Claire (UWEC) lower campus and compare findings to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in order to ensure the efficacy of campus HVAC systems and the protection of student and faculty health. Using the Temtop and TSI AirAssure air quality monitoring devices calibrated with Wisconsin DNR data, pollutant levels were recorded at multiple high-traffic locations in almost every lower campus building. The devices were placed at breathing level and monitored air quality for ten minutes per site. Pollutant levels remained within recommended safety standards for the duration of the study, with some fluctuations due to weather, vehicle emissions, and construction activity. Overall, findings indicate that current campus air quality systems are effective in maintaining safe work and living conditions. Future research should expand air quality monitoring to upper campus residential and dining facilities and incorporate more advanced equipment for comprehensive pollutant analysis.

Presenters

Emily Swantz

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 056: What We Choose When We Can't Have It All: Sex Differences In Work Values

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

In modern industrial societies, the majority of both sexes enter the workforce; however, even in gender egalitarian societies, sex disparities remain in pay as well as in representation in various occupations and elite positions. One explanatory factor may be differences in what men and women value most in a job. However, one limitation of previous research is that, given the opportunity to rate multiple job attributes, people rate many of them as very important. Using samples of college students (N= 513), online survey workers (N= 492), and UWEC alumni (N= 1404), we addressed this issue of restricted range by giving participants a limited budget of 40 “importance points” to allocate among 10 desirable job characteristics. In the college student and alumni samples, three primary hypotheses were supported: Men allocated more importance points to having an above-average salary and opportunity for advancement than women did, and women allocated more importance points to being able to directly help others than men did. We found partial support for the hypothesis that women would allocate more importance points to having friendly coworkers than men would. We discuss the strengths and limitations of our samples and chosen method.

Presenters

Alexzander Russell

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Anthony Huevler

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Ally Schulze

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

April Bleske-Rechek

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 057: What Are We Hiding? Deception in Men’s and Women’s Same- and Opposite-Sex Friendships

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Using an evolutionary framework, we generated hypotheses about the content of men’s and women’s deceptions toward their same- and opposite-sex friends. In Study 1 (N=359), we asked men and women to tell us, via open-ended responses, what they deceived their male and female friends about. In Study 2, we compiled and expanded upon those responses and then asked two samples of young adults (N=389, N=303) to report how often they engaged in each type of deception towards their male and female friends. Analyses revealed consistent support for several hypotheses, including that young people would (1) deceive same-sex friends more often than opposite-sex friends about mating rivalry; (2) deceive opposite-sex friends more often than same-sex friends about romantic interest or disinterest; and (3) deceive female friends more often than male friends about their friends’ appearance. Analyses revealed partial support for the hypotheses that (1) men more often than women would deceive their opposite-sex friends about feelings of romantic interest; and (2) women more often than men would deceive opposite-sex friends about romantic disinterest. Future research could focus on investigating the motives (e.g., fear of rejection) and circumstances (e.g., relationship status) tied to various forms of deception.

Presenters

Emma Yeager

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Anthony Huevler

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Hannah Nelson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Lauren Kelsey

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

April Bleske-Rechek

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 058: Good to be Smart? Student Perceptions of Favored and Favorable Traits in High School

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Dating back to the 1960s, educational researchers have documented that students’ and teachers’ attitudes about students are more influenced by their characterization as athletic (versus not) than by their characterization as brilliant (versus not) or studious (versus not). In the current study, we build on past research by using continuous rating scales to investigate student attitudes toward student characteristics. We surveyed 468 college students about the extent to which they were athletic, smart, studious, physically attractive, and popular when they were in high school, and how much they and their peers wanted to be thought of as each of those characteristics. Students also rated how much their high school teachers favored and disfavored these characteristics. Preliminary analyses showed that students who reported liking intellectual engagement in high school also tended to want to be perceived as smart and studious. Further, students’ ratings of being popular, athletic, and physically attractive clustered together, as did their ratings of being smart and studious. They rated their own desire to be thought of as smart and studious as stronger than their peers’, and they rated their own desire to be thought of as popular, athletic, and physically attractive as weaker than their peers’.

Presenters

Alexzander Russell

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Carson McPherson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

April Bleske-Rechek

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 059: Poetry Interventions for People with Aphasia and Cognitive-Communication Disorders: A modality of expression that is well-suited to reflecting on struggles evoking a sense of self and renegotiating identity

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Individuals with aphasia experience changes in communication that alter identity and life outlook. The poetry modality is less constrained by rules, expresses sense of self, improving self-expression, sharing things otherwise not shared, and processing trauma and getting it out. The indirect, metaphorical language of poetry improves self-expression, partly through externalizing and distancing oneself from their writing. It leads to an increased sense of agency, new identities, sense of belonging, purpose, and a renewed sense of self. Research aim: Understanding the benefits of poetry for individuals with aphasia and CCD. 90-minute weekly sessions were delivered on Zoom to individuals with aphasia and/or cognitive-communication disorders by two graduate speech-language pathology students and a poet. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 poets and analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. Themes include poetry stigma, helping others (poems help others with aphasia, others can understand ones’ experience through poetry), helping self (processing trauma; expressing feelings is healing; accomplishment; growth; new identity; confidence), power of poetry modality (metaphors helps sharing, putting feelings into words, expressing the inexpressible), and power of group (belonging, group is relief, inspired by peer poets, feeling vulnerable). Poetry is a powerful modality for identity recovery when coupled with group interactions and project-based interventions

Presenters

Macy Gutting

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Mallory Delagrave

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sammi Salm

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jerry Hoepner

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

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 060: North American TBIconneCT: Using Video Modeling Intervention to Improve Social Communication Awareness and Confidence for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results from an external force, causing impairments to social communication between loved ones. Individuals with TBI experience word-finding, poor turn-taking, disinhibition, and repetitiveness. TBIconneCT is a 10-week manualized telerehabilitation program from Australia, shown to produce significant gains in social communication behaviors. Our first aim addressed whether the delivery of the North American version of TBIconneCT via Telehealth videoconferencing improves communication awareness and confidence in the large group context. Our second aim addressed whether the program reduces negative communication behaviors and increases collaborative communication features. Participants engaged in collaborative video review in large group, discussing reactions to pre-developed, contrasting examples of effective and ineffective conversations. Large-group portions of session videos were examined qualitatively through qualitative content analysis and reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative content analyses identified value in sharing experiences with other individuals with TBI, recognition of communication breakdowns, metacognitive discussions of repairs and preempting breakdowns, the value of peer feedback, and partners identified the value of seeing other individuals with TBI to help put their partner’s behaviors into context. Reflexive analysis indicated that large group interactions created a sense of shared experience, better recognition of communication breakdowns, increased repairs and self-regulation, and the value of peer feedback.

Presenters

Nina Telander

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jerry Hoepner

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

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Speech Language and Hearing Sciences
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 061: Anxiety and autism in school-aged youth: A review of literature and future directions

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Lopata, Donnelly, and Thomeer (2017) certified that 70% of autism diagnoses are comorbid with another disorder, with anxiety being the most common. This review of literature will begin with an exploration of previous research regarding the diagnosis of anxiety in children with autism and identify any differences in its presentation compared to children without autism. Previous research has found that anxiety symptoms can vary in children based on if they diagnostic criteria for autism (White et al, 2015), which was then used as reason to argue for the implementation of more autism-specific assessment tools (Houting et al, 2018). This review will then detail some limitations highlighted in past research regarding appropriate assessment tools to identify anxiety in non-verbal children with Autism. Lastly, our review will highlight what supports and potential barriers to support exist within homes and schools for these children. In examining previous conclusions and potential gaps found in current research, we hope to identify direction for future research on this topic.

Presenters

Charlie La Mar

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Stacey Jackson

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 062: Looking Back: College Students’ Reports on the Best and the Worst of High School

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Research suggests that when students in high school are asked what they like most about going to school, they mention many things – learning, extracurricular activities, nice teachers, sports – but they mention seeing friends and socializing far more often than anything else. When asked what they dislike, students again mention a variety of aspects, but uncaring or poor teachers top the list (Erickson & Lefstein, 1991). We wanted to investigate the extent to which students enjoy intellectual/academic opportunities in high school and factors related to more enjoyment of intellectual/academic opportunities. We asked college students to report what they liked and disliked most about high school as well as the class they liked and disliked most in high school. Students also rated how much they enjoyed intellectual engagement, social opportunities, and extracurricular activities during high school. We predict that students who nominate academic or intellectual challenge as their most liked aspect of high school (and the lack of academic or intellectual challenge as their most disliked aspect) will report more enjoyment of intellectual engagement during high school, be more likely to have taken advanced coursework during high school, and report more favorable attitudes toward grouping students by ability.

Presenters

Lauren Kelsey

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thomas Davidsaver

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

April Bleske-Rechek

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 063: The Effect of Being an Intrasexual Competitor on Men’s and Women’s Sharing of Positive and Negative Information about a Social Newcomer

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Research has shown that women engage in strategic manipulation of others’ reputations. For example, women are more likely to spread negative information about another woman’s sexual promiscuity when that woman is characterized as a potential mating rival than when she is not described as a potential mating rival. Here, we describe two experiments (N=837, N=1105) on reputation manipulation among men as well as among women. In the experiments, participants reported their likelihood of sharing reputation-enhancing and reputation-harming information about a same-sex newcomer. For half of participants, the same-sex newcomer was described as attractive and flirting with their romantic partner (i.e., a mating rival). In Experiment 1, women were more likely to share information designed to harm women’s reputation when the newcomer was described as a potential mating rival; however, men were more likely to share that information, too. In Experiment 2, women but not men were more likely to share information designed to harm women’s reputations when the newcomer was described as a mating rival. Both men and women were more likely to share information designed to harm men’s reputation when the newcomer was described as a mating rival. We discuss consistent and inconsistent findings between the two experiments.

Presenters

Izzy Sheeley

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Lauren Kelsey

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thomas Davidsaver

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

April Bleske-Rechek

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 064: Why (and Why Not): Student Reports of Their Participation in Advanced Placement

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The Advanced Placement (AP) program began in the 1950s as a means of providing college-level rigor to intellectually advanced individuals while they are still in high school. Since the 1980s, the program has massively expanded its reach, such that currently, over 80% of the nation’s public high school students attend a school that offers a variety of AP courses. We are interested in the rate at which students take AP courses and exams as well as gender differences in AP course participation and exam performance. As part of a broader study on experiences in high school, 468 college students reported on their experience, or lack thereof, with AP courses and AP exams in high school. They reported on whether they participated in the AP program, what AP courses and AP exams they took, their reasons for taking or not taking them, and their performance on AP exams. We have begun analyzing data relating to our predictions and research questions. Preliminary findings indicate that the top three reasons that participants reported for taking AP courses were that they wanted potential college credit, they were interested in the topic, and that AP looks good on college applications.

Presenters

Emma Smith

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thomas Davidsaver

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

April Bleske-Rechek

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 065: Tick Dragging and Species Identification in Eau Claire Parks

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) often called deer or bear ticks are the primary vector for the agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi. Eau Claire County has one of the highest prevalence rates in the country, with 188 cases in 2022. Performing tick drags and species identification in popular Eau Claire parks is crucial in furthering knowledge and understanding on what harm may be inflicted upon civilians. By gathering data, Eau Claireans can be informed about the possible cautions present at tested recreational parks. ENPH 110: Environmental Public Health First Year Experience course, students performed tick drags in surrounding Eau Claire area parks including Lowes Creek Park, Southwest Dog Park, Carson Park, and UWEC Lower Campus Circle. Tick drags were made of cotton fabric weighed down with 1 oz sinkers and researchers pulled their tick drags behind them in parks, removed attached ticks, identified species, placed into vials with 70% alcohol and delivered them to the Eau Claire Health Department. Selected ticks were then tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the Borrelia burgdorferi gene. Students then created informational guides for park visitors to understand the dangers of ticks and how to take proper prevention.

Presenters

Claire DePeau

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Olivia Schreifels

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Ava Gerrits

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Esther Zabel

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 066: Testing Water Quality at Sonnentag

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Water quality is prevalent in our everyday lives, but many of us have the privilege of not thinking about it very often. The quality of the water we consume can have major implications for our health. For example, overly elevated chlorine levels in water can cause respiratory issues as well as colorectal or bladder cancer while substandard levels can result in bacterial contamination. This demonstrates the importance of regular water quality testing, especially in a new recreational facility such as the Sonnentag Center. In the summer of 2025, we periodically measured turbidity, chlorine levels, pH, and coliform bacteria levels in the Sonnentag’s drinking fountains, whirlpool baths, and concessions ice. To obtain these measurements, we used pH strips, a pool chlorine testing kit, a HANNA turbidity meter, and a free/total chlorine meter. Since drinking water requires such a small chlorine content to be appropriately sanitized, many of our methods weren’t sensitive enough to measure this quantity consistently. This complication forced us to try several methods of recording chlorine content, and in the end we were able to conclude that the Sonnentag’s water quality did meet the standards of healthy drinking water per the guidelines provided by the WELL Certification framework.

Presenters

Ariel Nelson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Lisette Thurman

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 067: Measuring Noise Levels at Country Jam

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Music festivals are a fun summer event, especially for college students. However, we don’t often consider their impact on surrounding homes through noise pollution. This is significant to health concerns because exposure to volumes of 85 dB can cause tinnitus or permanent hearing damage. Eau Claire City Councilman Aaron Brewster received complaints about noise levels from the Country Jam Music Festival, so we set out to investigate the validity of these claims on July 19, 2025. We measured noise levels during the final two performers of the night since we estimated they would draw the loudest crowds. Noise level readings were taken using the NIOSH SLM App on the eastern and southern borders of the grounds, near the neighboring homes, and readings within the grounds were taken using the Model 2800 Quest Technologies device. We found that noise levels met the conditions outlined in Country Jam’s conditional use permit, which say volume cannot exceed 85 dB for 30 minutes or longer. However, volume within the grounds did briefly reach upwards of 90 dB. Consequently, we advised that the festival offer complimentary earplugs and safety recommendations for attendees to protect their ears while having fun.

Presenters

Ariel Nelson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Habeeba Haq

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Crispin Pierce

Public Health & Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Public Health & Environmental Studies
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 068: Enhancing Accessibility in Japanese 101 Materials for ADA Compliance

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The purpose of this project was to update online learning materials for Japanese 101 to be in accordance with ADA standards as per the April 2024 Department of Justice ruling. Online learning materials are becoming increasingly prevalent, which can improve accessibility in some ways and hinder it in others. There are unique challenges faced with online language learning when it comes to accessibility, particularly with Japanese due to its three distinct writing systems. One particular alphabet, kanji, contains characters that have different readings dependent on context, which can pose an issue with screen-readers as they can misinterpret the correct reading. We updated all text to include the appropriate language tag, so that English and Japanese would each be read by the appropriate voice and have the desired reading. We then ensured that all images had descriptive alt text and created subtitles for all videos. After changes were made, we reviewed the materials against a checklist to ensure total compliance. We endeavored to make some materials, particularly the videos that accompany the Genki textbook, available for public use in any classroom. Because we focused primarily on Japanese 101 materials, the materials for future classes will also eventually need to be updated.

Presenters

Natalie Gardner

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Taliesin Lee

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Tomomi Kakegawa

Languages, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Languages
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 069: Regrowth after catastrophe: What plant species return to create a second-generation ecosystem after the 2024 Rapidan Dam failure, Blue Earth River, MN.

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

On June 24, 2024, following 17-20 cm of precipitation in the preceding three days, floodwaters avulsed around the western edge of the 114-year-old Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River. Upstream of the dam, on the interior side of a meander bend, the furious current of the river eroded away a mature floodplain forest, undergrowth, and an average of 5.5 meters of reservoir sediment. This freshly denuded area allowed for numerous plant species to recolonize this area once the flood waters receded.We conducted a “Bioblitz” using the iNaturalist platform, where a group of 9 observers went out and photographed as many plants as possible on an afternoon in August 2025 to study this new growth. Photographs included geotagged location and date/timestamps that iNaturalist uses to provide a suggested species that the user can confirm or provide an alternative suggestion. Crowdsourcing allows other platform users to confirm an interpretation. We assessed the change in plant coverage using PlanetScope satellite imagery (3-meter resolution), biomass using LiDAR and UAS structure-from-motion photogrammetry products, and the different species colonizing the area approximately 14 months after the event. We observed significant plant growth and an increase in coverage and biomass throughout the observation period.

Presenters

Jordan Clay

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Nick White

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Zach Hilgendorf

Geography & Anthropology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geography & Anthropology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 070: From Bound to Braided: Geomorphic Responses Following the 2024 Rapidan Dam Failure, Blue Earth River, MN, USA

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

On June 24, 2024, following three days (17-20 cm) of rain, floodwaters avulsed around the western edge of the 114-year-old Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River (BER). This event resulted in the river, which had been dammed since 1910, returning to a free-flowing state. To understand how the system has changed, we characterized river responses by comparing monthly satellite imagery with digitized banklines, a reconstructed surveyed surface from 1911 with digitized banklines, and one pre-failure elevation (April 05, 2024) and post-failure elevation (November 07, 2024) surface. Post-failure low-flow imagery showed the transition of the BER from a meandering, single-threaded channel to a braided stream, highlighting the high sediment load of freed reservoir material. Upstream of the dam, floodwaters and knickpoint migration had obliterated multiple vegetated islands. Hillslope failure, bank failure, and channel migration were prevalent throughout both the upstream and downstream reaches, as the system relaxed and adjusted towards its new baselevel. This change from a constrained to highly dynamic system helps illustrate the rapid nature of post-failure fluvial readjustment, a concern exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change-induced regional precipitation increases.

Presenters

Jordan Clay

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Nick White

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Zach Hilgendorf

Geography & Anthropology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Geography & Anthropology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 071: Closeness and Presidential elections: Perception and Reality

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

How close is a Presidential election? In most elections in the United States, we can judge closeness simply by looking at the number of votes that separate the candidates on the ballot. With the addition of the Electoral College, assessing closeness in US Presidential elections becomes far more complicated. Closeness is not simply determined by the popular vote, but also by the distribution of the Electoral College votes, and both of those measures are then viewed through partisan lenses by politicians, pundits, and the general public. While the public and the mass media have developed what could be generously described as ad hoc measurements, we will test they ways in which members of the public assesses the closeness of presidential elections using both surveys and panel studies.

Presenters

Emma Steffen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Hannah Schindler

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Political Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 072: State Action or Private Opinion?: Exploring Protected Speech for Government Officials on Social Media

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

My project is titled: "State Action or Private Opinion?: Exploring Protected Speech for Government Officials on Social Media." This project asks when a government official’s speech on social media is considered private expression and when it becomes state action subject to First Amendment limits. As public officials increasingly use platforms like Facebook and X to communicate with constituents, courts have struggled to apply traditional doctrines like state action and public forum analysis to digital spaces. Using close legal analysis of recent Supreme Court decisions, especially Lindke v. Freed and O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier, along with lower court rulings and scholarly commentary, I examine how the Court defines “official capacity” and how that definition applies to real-world online behavior, such as deleting comments or blocking critics. I argue that although the Court attempted to create a clearer standard, the current framework remains difficult to apply consistently because officials often blend personal and governmental communication on the same accounts. I ultimately recommend clearer guidance for courts and lawmakers to better protect both government accountability and individual free speech rights in the digital age.

Presenters

Grace Schnabl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Eric Kasper

Political Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Political Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 073: Cybercrime and Statecraft: Conversations With Ransomware Gang Operators

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

As the relationship between cyber warfare and geopoltics continue to grow more intertwined, there is a growing need to understand how not only state actors but also commercially driven ransomware gangs interact within the cyber realm. Much of Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) focuses on technical methods of analyzing cyberattacks and various cyber criminal gangs. However, this study uses interviews conducted with operators in cyber criminal gangs over the dark web (Tor network) to understand the effects of geopolitics on ransomware gangs' targeting choices. Drawing from interviews with multiple groups, this study explores how ransomware gangs define targets as off-limits, respond to geopolitical situations, and political motivations behind their actions.

Presenters

Jack Hagen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jordan Hamzawi

Political Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Political Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 074: Tracking the Real Time Movements of the Food Delivery KiwiBots using a Network of Low-Powered, WiFi-Enabled Devices

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

KiwiBots are food delivery robots which traverse the campus of UW-Eau Claire. Each robot gives off a unique WiFi signal which can be detected by WiFi chips. A network of strategically placed, low-powered embedded computers (ESP32) capture the signals of KiwiBots within WiFi range and transmit the data to a central server for triangulation. Using average speed and overlapping detection ranges, this project aims to track the real time movements of the KiwiBots across the UW-Eau Claire campus. Potential applications of this type of system can be used to track the movement of Bluetooth or WiFi enabled devices used by passersby (Bluetooth headphones and smartphones, for instance) for malicious purposes. By creating a realistic system which can effectively track the real-time movements of personal devices, we aim to advocate for strong legal and technical countermeasures against systems of this kind.

Presenters

Jack Hagen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Aiden Lee

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Silas Eacret

Student Administrator at Blugold Center for High Performance Computing, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Mounika Vanamala

Computer Science, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Computer Science
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 075: Effects of embryonic cortisol exposure on morphological development of fmr1 mutant zebrafish

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a genetic condition caused by mutations in the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 gene (FMR1) on the X chromosome. FXS is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability causing symptoms such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies have suggested links between higher prenatal cortisol levels and increased frequency of ASD. The purpose of this study was to compare how embryonic cortisol exposure influences early development in wildtype zebrafish embryos and fmr1 knockout zebrafish embryos at 48 hours post fertilization and 72 hours post fertilization (hpf). Zebrafish embryos were collected and dispersed into petri dishes and treated at 6hpf with cortisol concentrations of 0uM, 10uM, 25uM, or 250uM. At 48 hpf and 72 hpf, embryos were dechorionated and imaged via brightfield microscopy to assess developmental phenotypes. Embryos were analyzed and scored for severity of phenotypes, including pericardial edema, spine curvature, eye size, yolk sac abnormalities, and body size. Survival and phenotype severity were then compared between the genotypes across 48 hpf and 72 hpf. This analysis defines morphological sensitivity to cortisol exposure at different developmental stages. Comparison of wildtype zebrafish embryos to fmr1 knockout zebrafish embryos also provides insight into FXS gene-environment interactions.

Presenters

Claudia Stipe

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Kaili Hager

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Bradley Carter

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 076: Investigating Developmental Toxicity of Methylmercury; Characterizing a CRISPR-Induced gclm Mutation in Zebrafish

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity is a notable public health concern in the Great Lakes region. The glutathione pathway (GSH) involves antioxidant signaling and is responsible for the removal of toxins like MeHg from cells. There are many genes involved in the GSH pathway; one of these genes is gclm. Previous lab work has developed a mutant zebrafish line by creating a germline mutation using CRISPR-Cas9 reagents that contains a loss-of-function deletion in the gclm gene. The objective of this study was to create additional gclm mutant fish for investigating developmental MeHg toxicity. Zebrafish of different gclm genotypes were bred to produce heterozygous and homozygous mutant zebrafish. To identify mutant zebrafish, we used PCR and restriction enzyme reagents that target the DNA mutation site in the gclm gene. Results were visualized using gel electrophoresis. The creation of a mutant gclm zebrafish line will allow for future experiments on the influence of gclm in embryonic development and developmental toxicity.

Presenters

Carter Hoyt

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Evan Ferber

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Bradley Carter

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 077: Characterizing Cortisol-Induced Morpholocial Changes in fmr1 Knockout Zebrafish Embryos

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation of the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene on the X chromosome. FXS is one of the most common causes of inherited intellectual disability and has a high comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current research suggests that early embryonic cortisol exposure is associated with increased ASD prevalence, though the molecular mechanisms are still unknown. Our objective was to determine how embryonic cortisol exposure affects the physical development of zebrafish with and without the fmr1 gene. Wildtype zebrafish embryos and fmr1 knockout zebrafish embryos were treated at 6 hours post fertilization (hpf) with cortisol concentrations of 0 μM, 10 μM, 25 μM, or 250 μM. Images were taken and analyzed at 48 and 72 hpf via brightfield microscopy. Embryos were analyzed and separated into different categories based on the severity of morphological phenotypes, including body size, edema, eye size and spine curvature. Comparisons of phenotypes across cortisol concentrations were made within each genotype to assess dose-dependent responses. Morphological severity was then compared between wildtype zebrafish embryos and fmr1 knockout zebrafish embryos to assess genotype-specific differences.

Presenters

Claudia Stipe

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Kaili Hager

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Bradley Carter

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 078: Optimizing the Analysis of Human DNA Variants to Assess Their Contribution to Disease

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Rare diseases affect 30 million Americans, many of whom remain undiagnosed due to limited functional characterization of DNA variants. Propionic acidemia is caused by variants in PCCA or PCCB that impair enzyme function, leading to severe metabolic dysfunction, often presenting in early infancy. While the Wisconsin newborn screening panel tests for this disorder, screening is neither 100% effective nor does it identify the cause of propionic acidemia in each patient. There are 979 reported DNA variants of uncertain significance or conflicting classification in PCCA and PCCB, meaning that it is unclear if these mutations cause the disease: thus, identification of one of these variants in a patient does not equal clear diagnosis. To address this gap, our lab uses a minigene system to examine whether variants have functional effects. Although we can effectively assess individual variants with this system, it is a relatively low-throughput method. We present our efforts at optimizing this system through improved sample processing, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and development of efficient R scripts. An improved pipeline should accelerate the resolution of variants of uncertain significance associated both with propionic acidemia and across rare genetic diseases.

Presenters

Easton Blissenbach

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Caitlyn Yarbrough

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jamie Lyman Gingerich

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 079: Identification of Viral Protein Interactions with RIG-I-Like Receptors Using Yeast Two-Hybrid Screening

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) are important cytosolic sensors that detect and respond to viral dsRNA during an infection. This family is characterized by the conserved RIG-I-like helicase domain that binds dsRNA and hydrolyzes ATP. Many viruses have evolved mechanisms to evade or suppress this mechanism, including the expression of Viral Suppressors of RNA Sensing (VSR) proteins. Although the role of RLR signaling is well-studied, specific VSR-RLR protein interactions are not fully characterized. In this project, we utilized the Yeast Two-Hybrid method to identify whether candidate VSRs interact with the RLRs RIG-I, MDA5, LGP2, and Dicer. Yeast are transformed with a pair of plasmids containing the split halves of the yeast GAL4 transcription factor. The activation domain (AD) is fused with one of the RLRs (‘bait’) while the DNA-binding domain (DNA-BD) is fused with a VSR (‘prey’). After co-transformation and culturing on selective media, yeast can only grow if the bait and prey interact. This method allows us to screen many VSR-RLR combinations to determine if VSRs are specific inhibitors of one RLR or general inhibitors of the family. Future work will determine if any detected interactions are dependent on the RIG-I-like helicase domain. Overall, this project provides insight into virus-host interactions during infection and the important of RLRs to innate immunity.

Presenters

Nina Telander

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Ahnabelle Khang

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Brianna Colborn

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sam Scheidler

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Sarah Vinnik

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 080: Preliminary Results of a Scoping Review to Map 40 Years of Omaha System Literature

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This scoping review maps over 40 years of peer-reviewed Omaha System literature to assess the breadth and evolution of evidence supporting its use in research and practice. The Omaha System is a standardized terminology describing client needs, interventions, and outcomes, applied across diverse clinical, community, and research settings in the U.S. and internationally. Prior reviews outlined three phases of publications through 2019, but their results were not aggregated or extended to recent work. Using Joanna Briggs Institute methods, five databases—MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, and Academic Search Ultimate—were searched for English-language articles from 1982–2025. Reference lists from the Omaha System website were also screened. After removing duplicates, 437 unique studies were reviewed through a two-phase Covidence screening, with data extraction by two independent reviewers. Preliminary findings include 149 studies from prior reviews, 146 newly identified pre-2020 studies, and 142 published between 2020–2025. This growing and diverse body of work will provide a comprehensive evidence map, reveal knowledge gaps, and guide future systematic reviews.

Presenters

Allana Mhye Valiente

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Amanda Yule

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Cooper Priebe

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

McKenna Ross

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jeanette Olsen

Nursing, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Nursing
College CoN

2:00pm CDT

Poster 081: Piloting Use of an Artificial Intelligence Tool for Data Extraction in a Large Scoping Review

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This pilot study aims to evaluate the accuracy of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool when extracting data for a scoping review. Use of AI tools to support literature reviews is expanding, with potential to accelerate complicated and labor-intensive processes while maintaining quality results. In an ongoing faculty-student scoping review with 437 articles, the research team piloted the Elicit AI tool on a subset of 50 studies. For each article, data was extracted manually by one human reviewer using a standardized template in Covidence and extracted in parallel by Elicit using aligned standard and custom fields. Two additional team members independently compared the human and AI extracted data, using a 0 to 3 rating scale reflecting absent, poor, acceptable, and optimal matches, consulting full texts as needed. 18 categories were evaluated. Disagreements will be resolved by consensus. Percent agreement between raters will be calculated, and mean ratings computed across categories. Using the final rating results, sums and means for human versus Elicit output will also be compared. Findings will indicate the suitability of Elicit for data extraction and identify which categories are usable or unsuitable. Results have the potential to inform review methodology and expedite timelines, particularly for large literature reviews.

Presenters

Allana Mhye Valiente

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Amanda Yule

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Cooper Priebe

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

McKenna Ross

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jeanette Olsen

Nursing, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Nursing
College CoN

2:00pm CDT

Poster 082: Core Stabilizer Endurance Normative Biological Sex and Age Ranged Data with Correlation to Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study examines Core Stabilizer Endurance Normative Biological Sex and Age Ranged Data with Correlation to Non- Specific Chronic Low Back Pain. Currently, average performance times of the McGill core stabilizer tests compare all ages with the appropriate biological sex. The primary purpose of this study is to create biological sex and age range normative tables for McGill core stabilizer endurance tests. The secondary purpose of our study is to compare normative values to the prevalence of non-specific chronic low back pain. Creating these tables is essential to educate adults on their results as higher endurance times have led to improved activity of daily living performance activity (Santos et al., 2019). Prior to testing, a brief health history questionnaire is completed to ensure eligibility and complete the secondary purpose. Testing will include a familiarization period followed by maximum effort testing of the four McGill core positions. After testing the participants receive their results compared to the current average times. This study aims to prove the importance of improving core stabilizer muscle endurance and the role active lifestyles play in a wide range of populations with different demographics. These demographics include sex, activity levels, and health status.

Presenters

Brooklynn Einck

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Carter Homb

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Hannah Firari

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Miah Breheim

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Benjamin Krings

Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jeffrey Janot

Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Saori Braun

Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Kinesiology
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 083: PROTEIN INGESTION AND HIGH-INTENSITY RESISTANCE TRAINING DECREASE POST-EXERCISE RER IN FEMALES ACROSS VARIOUS BODY COMPOSITIONS

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Metabolic dysfunction is associated with excess adipose tissue, and interventions that improve body composition may mitigate related health consequences. Acute nutritional and exercise strategies have the potential to shift metabolic processes toward those favoring fat oxidation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) and pre-exercise protein (PRO) ingestion on post-exercise respiratory exchange ratio (RER) in lean (LN) and overweight (OW) females. METHODS: Twenty recreationally active females (LN: n =10, body fat percentage: 22.6 ± 4.0; OW: n = 10, body fat percentage: 30.8 ± 3.2) completed two experimental sessions, consisting of HIRT and two acute nutritional interventions: PRO and placebo (PLA). RER was analyzed via indirect calorimetry (TrueOne 2400, Parvo Medics Inc., Sandy, UT) at the following timepoints: baseline (BASE), immediately-post (IP), 30-min (30), and 60-min (60) post-HIRT. A 2 x 2 x 4 mixed-factor, repeated measures analysis of variance was used to assess statistical significance on 5-minute averaged RER values. RESULTS: Data are presented as means ± SD. LN and OW females displayed significantly lower 30-RER (LN: 0.75 ± 0.04, OW: 0.74 ± 0.06) and 60-RER (LN: 0.76 ± 0.04, OW: 0.73 ± 0.06) post-HIRT when compared to BASE. PRO ingestion resulted in significantly lower RER values in OW females IP-HIRT (PRO: 0.74 ± 0.05, PLA: 0.78 ± 0.08; p = 0.02), and lower RER values in LN females at all timepoints post-HIRT (all p < 0.05), compared to PLA. CONCLUSION: These results show that HIRT effectively reduces RER in LN and OW females for 60 min post-exercise, and that the addition of PRO ingestion prior to HIRT provides a synergistic effect. However, the differential responses between LN and OW females highlight the need for further research to optimize protein dosing and explore the underlying hormonal and physiological mechanisms.

Presenters

Lilly Schmidt

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Lynnsey Bowling

Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Kinesiology
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 084: Individual Differences in Problematic Phone Use: A Statistical Modeling Approach

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Smartphones are designed in large part to capture and maintain our attention. It is unclear which individual differences are most relevant to understanding variation in problematic smartphone use. To investigate this, I used backwards regression to identify key predictors, then used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze how smartphone use relates to these predictors. This model was created using survey data from over 1,800 UWEC students over multiple years that included questions about amount of phone use, phone reliance (dependence), and nomophobia (fear of lacking functional phone access), as well as attention-related measures such as mindfulness (sensitive awareness of the present moment), impulsivity (urge to act without thinking ahead), and ADHD-related attention difficulties. Modeling efforts so far suggest that attention difficulties were the greatest predictor of problematic smartphone use, but also that mindfulness reduced that risk. Two possible interpretations for these results are that 1) having attentional difficulties predisposes one to problematic phone use, but less so in more mindful individuals, and 2) heavy/problematic phone use alters attentional traits, but higher mindfulness may mitigate that impact.

Presenters

Charlie Wenzel

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

David Leland

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 085: Reclaiming usable EEG data via Independent Component Analysis

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Electroencephalography (EEG) research is challenged by the prevalence of artifacts, i.e., non-brain contributions to the EEG signal. Brain electrical signals are incredibly small in comparison to electrical noise from movements, with eye blinks in particular 2-3 orders of magnitude larger than brain activity of interest. Approximately 10% of our current study's data is contaminated by artifacts. This data is taken from 2 procedures, one where the phone serves as a distractor while the participant completes a task, and another involving passive phone viewing with no task. One approach to reclamation of otherwise unusable data is a preprocessing technique called Independent Component Analysis (ICA). ICA allows for blind separation of signals into separate components, like separating a combined music track into individual tracks for each instrument. Using this, we are able to separate brain and artifact contributions and reconstitute a signal factoring out major noise components. So far I have used ICA for the passive viewing portion of our EEG data, increasing the percent usable data from 90% to 98%. Datasets from participants with less than 90% usable EEG data disproportionately benefited from ICA, as those had more data to reclaim.

Presenters

Conner Clemmensen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

David Leland

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 086: Real-World Ketamine Use in Self-Described Therapeutic Contexts: A Thematic Analysis of Reddit Posts

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The use of ketamine for the management of neuropsychiatric conditions outside traditional clinical settings has rapidly expanded. As a result, there is a critical need to understand diverse real-world patient experiences of ketamine use. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of posts from the r/TherapeuticKetamine subreddit. From 3,302 threads, the 500 highest-engagement threads were analyzed by independent coders across six domains: perceived positive effects, adverse effects, reasons for use, route of administration, polydrug use, and dose amounts. Mood-related concerns were the most reported reason for ketamine use (53%). Users frequently reported positive effects, most often improvements in emotional well-being (65%). Adverse effects were predominantly psychological or mood-related in nature (56%). Notably, 70% of reported doses exceeded 149 mg, suggesting a trend toward higher-dose use. Intravenous administration (40%) and sublingual troches (23%) were the most frequently reported routes. Concurrent use of prescribed psychotropics, cannabis, and psychedelics was also reported. This analysis identified substantial heterogeneity in patient-reported ketamine experiences. The frequent reporting of high-dose use, dose escalation, and polydrug exposure underscores the importance of proactive clinical monitoring and attention to potential drug–drug interactions. Findings should be interpreted with caution, as longitudinal follow-up and clinical verification are not possible through social media data; however, these data provide an unfiltered view of patient experiences that are critical for understanding real-world ketamine use.

Presenters

Audrey Wood

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sam Stumo

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jared Kendrick

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Doug Matthews

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 087: Sleep Quality Moderates Attentional Bias and Aversion to Self-Harm in Suicidal Ideation and NSSI

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study examined whether sleep quality moderates attentional bias and aversion to self-harm in suicidal ideation and NSSI. Sleep problems are associated with increased suicidal ideation and NSSI, and several suicide theories highlight acquired capability (e.g., diminished fear and aversion to pain and death) as key factors increasing suicide risk alongside attentional biases to self-harm. Studies have not looked at how sleep may affect these cognitive factors. Participants included 132 college students with past-month NSSI and suicidal ideation (Mage =19.44; 69.7% Female; 87.9% White; 49.2% in counseling) who completed a 28-day, daily diary protocol. Participants responded to items assessing subjective sleep problems, aversion to self-harm, self-harm attentional bias, NSSI acts, and suicide intent each evening. Results suggest that sleep problems influence how attentional bias and self-harm aversion relate to suicide intent and NSSI. Integrating cognitive behavioral sleep-focused interventions with those addressing cognitive biases and processes could be important in reducing suicide risk and NSSI behaviors.

Presenters

Ben Hartlage

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Muehlenkamp

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 088: “They Think We’re Hicks”: Stereotypes, Belonging, and NASCAR Fandom

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Over two million Americans watched each NASCAR race in 2025, yet this popular sport remains understudied in sociology. NASCAR’s fans are known for their enthusiasm and loyalty but are also stereotyped as uneducated, white, conservative Southerners. Such stereotypes and symbolic boundaries can produce feelings of belonging for those who conform and exclusion for those who don’t, with implications for social connections and fandom. What are the consequences of stereotypes on NASCAR fandom and belonging? To start to address this question, we created an online survey and distributed it to NASCAR fans on various social media platforms. In total, we collected 591 responses on their identities, attitudes, behaviors, and their sense of belonging with other NASCAR fans during the last two weeks of the 2025 NASCAR season. Our results indicate a connection between how much a person feels they belong with other NASCAR fans and fan intensity: fans who say they fit in with other fans are more likely to identify as die-hard fans. Based on our findings, we conclude that feelings of belonging and stereotypes exert influences on fans, thus making NASCAR fandom and belonging more challenging for people who do not fall within existing stereotypes or group boundaries.

Presenters

James King

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Peter Hart-Brinson

Sociology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Sociology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 089: Should ChatGPT Write this Title? UWEC Students’ Views on Generative AI

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

As generative AI is becoming more integrated into our society, students are uneasy about the future, and professors have been at the forefront of making policy decisions about generative AI’s place in academics. The goal of this project is to explore student opinion about AI to ensure that students have a voice in policy discussions. Data are from the 2025 Eau Claire Longitudinal Student Survey, in which a random sample of 215 UWEC undergraduates were asked about generative AI, its place in academics, policies, social acceptance, and benefits. Results show that positive and negative views of AI are made up of clusters of interrelated beliefs, attitudes, and experiences with AI, including social acceptance and how useful and important they view it. Opinion appears to be shaped by major and political ideology, with liberals and arts and humanities majors on one end of the continuum and conservatives and business majors on the other, with moderates and other majors in the middle. We conclude that policies should differ between faculty to reflect the needs of students’ futures in their fields and that professors need to prioritize communication with students about student preferences and ethical AI use.

Presenters

Jalynn Wilcox

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Peter Hart-Brinson

Sociology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Sociology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 090: Gaming Addiction

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Previous research has largely focused on statistical associations between loop box
spending and problem gambling scores, focusing primarily on youth groups who are actively
engaging in gambling-like systems and how those systems affect their gambling behaviour while
still in their youth. While these studies provide valuable quantitative evidence, there is less
research exploring how individuals remember their early exposure to these systems and how
their perceptions of these systems changed their perspective or behaviour in gambling.
What we hope to achieve is more retrospective data showing how they interpret their
gaming experiences after reaching adulthood, and how that may have shaped attitudes towards
spending, gambling, and game design later in life. We also hope to provide a more ethical
dimension of these mechanics, examine how players themselves interpret the fairness,
transparency, and responsibility surrounding these systems.

Presenters

Luiza Hruschka

Courtney Riel

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 091: Motivation and Procrastination

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This study contributes to existing research by examining how multiple personalit traits interact to influence motivation and procrastination aross a diverse poppulation, including both students and non-students. While previous research often focuses on single traits or populations this study aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how these factors work together to shape behavior.

Presenters

Kya Dietzler

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 092: Smartphone presence increases EEG beta activity in proportion to phone use and problems

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

We investigated whether the mere presence of one’s smartphone influences attention-related EEG (electroencephalographic) activity in undergraduates scoring above the median on at least 2 of 3 phone-related survey measures: Phone Time (hours per day), Phone Reliance (dependence on one’s phone), and Nomophobia (fear of lacking functional phone access). Participants first attended and responded to infrequent on-screen visual targets (“oddballs”) while ignoring frequent nontargets; we replicated the classic enlarging effect of oddballs on the P3, an attention-related EEG measure, but the mere presence of one’s nearby phone (vs. a control object) did not reduce the oddball P3. Next, participants focused visually on their phone versus a control object, with no other task. Phones decreased alpha activity (8-13 Hz; associated with relaxation and inward focus) over anterior and posterior electrode sites. Phones also increased beta activity (13-32 Hz; associated with external orientation and arousal/attention) over posterior electrode sites, an effect that correlated positively with participants’ Phone Time, Phone Reliance, and Nomophobia. While these findings do not demonstrate a negative impact of smartphone presence on the brain correlates of task-related attention, they do suggest one’s smartphone can draw attentional resources proportional to one’s phone use and related problems.

Presenters

Charlie Wenzel

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Evan Schmidt

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Izzy Rizzo

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Samantha Robarge

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Conner Weigel

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Conner Clemmensen

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jayla Saenwong

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Liam Thoreson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Paige Quimby

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

David Leland

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 093: Prevalence of Factors Associated with Burnout Among Physical Educators from Wisconsin in their Early Careers.

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Burnout is one of the most frequently cited reasons teachers leave the profession, with early-career educators demonstrating heightened vulnerability. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of burnout among physical education teachers within their first ten years of teaching in Wisconsin, with an emphasis on understanding why burnout emerges early in the profession. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed, and an online survey was distributed via Qualtrics. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES), a validated instrument assessing three dimensions of burnout: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment. Participants also responded to open-ended questions to provide additional insight to their experiences. Findings revealed that Emotional Exhaustion was the most prominent dimension of burnout, with respondents reporting persistent fatigue and emotional strain throughout the school week. No significant elevations were observed in Depersonalization or reduced Personal Achievement. Qualitative responses identified workload, limited preparation time, scheduling demands, compensation concerns, and insufficient administrative support as primary contributors to burnout. Overall, results suggest that structural and organizational factors play a central role in the development of burnout among early-career physical education teachers.

Presenters

Austin Fredrickson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Branden Fischer

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Carmen Crotteau

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Halle Kayhart

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Teagen Schieffer

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Benjamin Krings

Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Saori Braun

Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Yoonsin Oh

Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Kinesiology
Special Categories WI Focus
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 094: Emotion in Motion: Integrating SEL in Physical Activity Programming

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

This creative research project documents the design, implementation, and preliminary assessment of Emotion in Motion, a ten-week curriculum designed to implement physical activity that aligns with SHAPE national standards with core SEL principles using the Zones of Regulation Framework and Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). This project was implemented at the Boys and Girls Club of the Chippewa Valley with youth aged 7-11 to explore how movement-based activity can foster emotional regulation in youth outside of a school setting.This project was created to bridge the gap in current research of SEL integration outside of schools as well as create a practical curriculum model that can be implemented anywhere that demonstrates alignment with SHAPE national standards focused on increasing emotional regulation skills in youth in a unique way.Implementation included backwards design, breaking down core CASEL components into bi-weekly units and daily SEL goals. Movement-based activities were then developed based on the SEL goal and designed to align with SHAPE standards. Pre- and post-emotional regulation and emotional lability were scored for participants using the Emotional Regulation Checklist (ERC).This project creates a replicable curriculum that is practical for youth-serving organizations looking to implement social and emotional skills into movement-based programming.

Presenters

Caleb Kliner

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Halle Kayhart

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Yoonsin Oh

Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Kinesiology
College CoHHS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 095: Finding Effective Learning Techniques for Nursing Students: A Literature Review

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Interprofessional partnerships along with quality and safety are important essentials for nursing students to learn and practice. The focus of this research project is to enhance the knowledge and confidence of undergraduate nursing students when using medical packaging within a medical packaging kit. This is a vital and important skill for nurses going into the workforce. The medical packaging kit will include a variety of packaging types and supplementary materials. The emphasis of this presentation regards a literature search that is being conducted to inform the project to create supplementary materials for students enrolled in a junior level nursing course. The literature search will inform effective learning techniques in undergraduate nursing programs. The project as a whole is a collaborative partnership between members of the nursing program at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and members of the packaging program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice and the Essentials: Core Competencies for nursing education guided the project.

Presenters

Jana O'Connell

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Charlotte Sortedahl

Nursing, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Nursing
Special Categories WI Focus, Sustainability
College CoN

2:00pm CDT

Poster 096: reductases with conjugated carboxylic acids, ketones and aldehydes

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Enoate reductases are a promising class of biocatalysts which have been shown to reduce the carbon-carbon double bonds of cis,cis-muconic acid in vivo, generating adipic acid, an important precursor used in the synthesis of nylon-6,6. Bacillus coagulans (ERBC) is a well researched enoate reductase proven to work with several catechol ring cleavage products. Our research has shown that ERBC is capable of reducing carbon-carbon double bonds in a variety of molecules produced using the extradiol dioxygenase BphC. Since the native substrate of ERBC is unknown, studying its activity with a variety of similar substrates will be beneficial for evaluating the scope of its reactivity. Our research aims to catalogue viable substrates using UV-visible light spectroscopy and to characterize enzymatic products through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Furthermore, optimizing these reaction conditions will permit high throughput product formation and isolation. Identifying substrates and subsequent enhancement of the catalytic activity of ERBC can enable the development of environmentally benign synthetic methods for the production of a variety of commodity chemicals. In the future, other enoate reductases will be studied to evaluate their potential as viable candidates for the adipic acid production pathway.

Presenters

Austin Lerch

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thomas Benning

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Tyler Doyon

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 097: Three-State Donor-Acceptor Biaryl Lactone Molecular Switches with Enhanced Solubility

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Our research is focused on the synthesis of a bridged biphenyl molecule with an amino donor, cyano acceptor, and tetraethylene glycol solubilizing groups (TEG). This three-state biphenyl molecule could find applications like nanoscale fluorescent sensors and molecular mechanical devices. Biphenyl molecules have known dihedral angles, leading to differing optical and conducting properties when manipulated. Utilizing a lactone-bridge, we can force the molecule into and out of planarity by changing pH: at low pH, the molecule takes a planar conformation (“ON”) due to the lactone bridge being intact, while at high pH it adopts a non-planar (“OFF”) geometry resulting from lactone cleavage. Planar biphenyl-containing systems often suffer from poor solubility and thus limited application. However, addition of TEG solubilizing groups will aid in their synthesis, study, and application due to enhanced solubility. Previous research in our group has shown analogous two-state biaryl lactone systems to readily switch conformations when exposed to different pH environments. This pH sensitivity will be even more precise with the addition of a third “OFF” state. At low pH, the amino donor group should become protonated, leading to the second “OFF” state and giving a narrow “ON” state. The “ON” state results in visible color and fluorescence differences from the “OFF” states of the molecule. We will be reporting on the synthetic progress of these molecules as well as evidence supporting their use as three-state molecular switches.

Presenters

Amanda Dahl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Luke Dufner

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Bart Dahl

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 098: Plant-pollinator relationships from current and historical data in Putnam Park

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Over time, biodiversity can change and vary in many ways, for example, in response to urbanization, climate change and invasive species. Pollinators are important animals as they facilitate plant reproduction and maintain plant biodiversity. Our research compares historical data about plant-pollinator relationships in Putnam Park and how it compares to modern data we collected over the summer. We expected to see similar numbers of plant-pollinator relationships, but with some new additions and missing links. To test this hypothesis, we first collected data by observing and catching non-bee pollinators in Putnam Park. We compared the data we collected to the historical data obtained from years of 1882-1928, and this allowed us to see if there was a change in plant-pollinator interactions. We evaluated present and past plant-pollinator relationships by creating a plant-pollinator network to model the consistent and changing relationships. We collected 65 specimens throughout our 10 days of observation between June 1st and September 1st of 2025. We also observed 49 different flowering plant species. We found multiple plant-pollinator relationships that have disappeared, as well as new ones that have appeared, telling us that there are both new additions and missing links that contribute to the biodiversity of Putnam Park.

Presenters

Isabelle Mathias

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Madison Russell

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Olivia Bernauer

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 099: Weekly bumble bee surveys in Eau Claire, WI: Tracking Bombus abundance and diet across the growing season

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are among the most important wild pollinators, contributing significantly to ecosystem health and stability. However, due to habitat loss, climate change, and the continuous increase of pesticide use, many species have experienced population declines. Eau Claire, WI, has been reported as home to 15 Bombus spp. including the endangered Rusty Patched Bumble bee (Bombus affinis), making it an important location for bumble bee conservation. This study aims to characterize foraging behavior and preferences of local Bombus species to improve our understanding of preferred food plants to support conservation. To do this, a 12-week field study monitored bumblebee abundance and available flowers at three locations around Eau Claire. By conducting timed field surveys at each location each week and noting flowers visited, we evaluated species presence and abundance and created a flower-Bombus interaction network. Over 177 surveys conducted, 13 different species of Bombus were observed. Each species of Bombus observed had unique peaks in abundance and responses to ambient temperature. 50 different species of flowers were visited by bumble bees over the surveying period (June-September), with the most visited species being Monarda fistulosa. Knowing the bumble bees diet preferences can inform pollinator planting practices in Western WI.

Presenters

Orlean Alam

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Kinsley Bush

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Olivia Bernauer

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories WI Focus
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 100: Impact of fmr1 knockout on development of swimming behavior in zebrafish larvae

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability and the leading genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder. FXS is caused by loss-of-function mutations of the FMR1 gene; how FMR1 loss affects neurodevelopment is still being characterized. Our objective was to assess how the FXS genotype affects swimming behavior development in wildtype zebrafish vs fmr1 knockout zebrafish. Zebrafish larvae of wildtype and fmr1 knockout backgrounds were assessed at 5 days post fertilization for distance moved, time spent moving, and velocity over an alternating light-dark cycle using DanioVision hardware with EthoVision XT software (Noldus). RStudio was used for performing Kruskal-Wallis tests to test significant differences between means. Wildtype zebrafish and fmr1 knockout zebrafish had similar swimming patterns in response to alternating light-dark exposure. These results indicate that fmr1 does not regulate swimming behavior development in larval zebrafish.

Presenters

Ayla Fullhart

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sophia Boudreau

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Bradley Carter

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 101: Effects of Embryonic Cortisol Exposure on Development of Swimming Behavior in FMR1 Knockout Zebrafish Larvae

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations of the FMR1 gene and is the most common genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder. Prenatal maternal stress, resulting in increased embryonic cortisol exposure, may also be related to the development of intellectual disability, however, the impact of cortisol on the neurodevelopment of individuals with FXS is not well characterized. To investigate the interaction of cortisol and FXS genotype, wildtype zebrafish embryos and FMR1 knockout zebrafish embryos were treated with cortisol concentrations of 5 µM, 0.5 µM, 0.05 µM, or a vehicle solution between 6 hours post-fertilization (hpf) and 5 days post-fertilization (dpf). At 5dpf, zebrafish were placed in a 96-well plate and evoked swimming velocities were captured across alternating light-dark cycles using a commercial motor tracking system. While zebrafish larvae showed significant difference in light vs dark swimming behaviors, there was no difference in velocity at any cortisol concentration for both AB and fmr1 strains. These results indicate cortisol exposure does not impact swimming behavior development in wildtype or FMR1 knockout zebrafish strains, suggesting no interaction of cortisol and FXS genotype for this phenotype.

Presenters

Ayla Fullhart

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sophia Boudreau

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Bradley Carter

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 102: What’s on the menu? Using DNA to uncover eating patterns in the California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

A major question in biology involves our understanding of how social connections influence the spread of behavioral innovations in natural populations. In 2024, we documented one such behavioral innovation—the novel emergence of vole hunting in the California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi). In the current study, we aimed to explain the mechanisms by which this behavior spread and to use DNA evidence to uncover whether members of our study population consumed other vertebrate prey during the study period. We isolated DNA from 100 fecal samples and used PCR to amplify a 12S local of the vertebrate mitochondrial genome while applying a blocker oligonucleotide to minimize the amplification of ground squirrel DNA. Our genetic data complemented our behavioral observations of vole consumption, and, surprisingly, also revealed the consumption of pocket gophers, salamanders, and three species of mice. Next, we will use network-based diffusion analyses (NBDA) to examine the extent to which the spread of vole consumption is explained by social interactions or shared space use among members of the California ground squirrel study population. Together, our study furthers our understanding of dietary flexibility and highlights the value of molecular tools to inform ecological field studies.

Presenters

Ella Oestreicher

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jada Wahl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Smith

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Behavioral Ecology of Social Mammals Lab 🌈🐺✨️🦫🐿🐾

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 103: Who let the dogs out? Linking humans, dogs, and patterns of dispersal to stress physiology of California ground squirrels

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Given rapid urbanization across the globe, coping with humans is an important aspect of life for most animals. Although human presence is often accompanied by human associated predators such as dogs, the effects of humans and dogs on animal physiology are rarely considered together. Here, we leverage over 4,500 measures of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), a biomarker of physiological “stress”, collected from California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) from two sites differing in human activity. Drawing from twelve years of study, we explored the effects of dispersal status, human presence, and dog activity on FGMs in adults and juveniles. Between-site dispersal revealed site-level effects on stress physiology. Whereas FGMs increased after immigrants moved to the more disturbed site, those dispersing to the less disturbed site failed to subsequently reduce FGMs. Responses to human and dog activity were age- and mass- dependent. Whereas juvenile FGMs did not covary with dog activity, juveniles trapped in areas with high human activity had elevated FGMs. In contrast, dogs represented a major stressor for adult animals, but the effects were generally shielded by human presence. These findings uncover complex relationships among anthropogenic factors, stress physiology, and habitat selection in wild animals living in a human-influenced world.

Presenters

Ella Oestreicher

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jada Wahl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Smith

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Behavioral Ecology of Social Mammals Lab 🌈🐺✨️🦫🐿🐾

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 104: Beaver Stress Ecology: Coping with Changing Environments in Norway

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

In the context of human-induced rapid environmental change, long-term data on individually recognized social mammals have the potential to offer novel insights into the extent to which animals can cope with social and ecological stressors. Long-term studies are needed to investigate the impact of climate change on the fitness of beavers, and minimally invasive measures of stress physiology offer meaningful biomarkers of these effects in the lives of free-living mammals. Here we present preliminary results of a newly established collaboration with the Norwegian Beaver Project. Glucocorticoids (GC) are steroid hormones that reflect physiological stressors. Because we are extracting GC metabolites from hair samples rather than directly from blood, species-specific validation is required. Thus, we performed an analytical validation for Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) for (i) cortisol and (ii) corticosterone to identify the predominant hormones in our samples. Our analytical validation will inform our ability to make meaningful connections between hundreds of GC samples and individual-level life-history and habitat measures collected from approximately 25 beaver families since 1997 (i.e., 25 years). Going forward, uncovering the social, ecological, and anthropogenic factors linked to this important biomarker and its associated fitness consequences will advance conservation goals.

Presenters

Ella Oestreicher

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jada Wahl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Katelyn Boche

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Robin Pence

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Grace Hilst

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Smith

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Behavioral Ecology of Social Mammals Lab 🌈🐺✨️🦫🐿🐾

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories Graduate Student, Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 105: Blugold Beaver Cam – Behavioral ecology of Wisconsin wildlife

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

In the context of human-induced rapid environmental change, monitoring of wildlife at different sites can offer useful information about how local fauna are responding to human presence. Here we build upon a previous study on the behavioral ecology of North American beavers (Castor canadensis), a native ecosystem engineer, through monitoring using camera traps. We surveyed various public lands and identified several active family groups of beavers in West-Central Wisconsin. Our camera trap data also captured the behavior of other local fauna based on our video analysis. Using Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors, our trail cameras detect captured video footage across each 24-hour cycle including social behaviors of river otters and beavers as well as inquisitive bears and foraging behaviors by squirrels, deer, and native birds. We also detected flying squirrels gliding down from trees at night, and bobcats transversing local habitats. Future research will focus on the extent to which vertebrate assemblages vary across sites and with human activity. The plethora of wildlife we monitored on our camera traps illustrates how beavers play a key role in shaping diverse and healthy wetland ecosystems. Our work has important implications for the management of wetlands and conservation of beaver populations in the region.

Presenters

Ella Oestreicher

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jada Wahl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Katelyn Boche

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Robin Pence

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Leo Pierce

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Kylie Gifford

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Liam Lamb

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Logan Meacham

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Smith

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Behavioral Ecology of Social Mammals Lab 🌈🐺✨️🦫🐿🐾

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories WI Focus, Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 106: Personal Ozone Monitor Preparation for the Summer 2026 Field Campaign

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Air pollution is a major national and global health concern that is responsible for more than 1 in 8 deaths globally and is the second leading risk factor for early death. A large portion of this pollution is from atmospheric smog whose main component is ground level ozone that is generated when other pollutants, often nitrogen oxides, are emitted into the air and undergo photochemical reactions. Ozone pollution is particularly dangerous because it is very stable, so it is often carried by the wind from urban areas to rural areas hundreds of miles away. Due to this severity, accurately and precisely quantifying ozone in the lower atmosphere is vital in making informed responses and policies. This is done by flying a Personal Ozone Monitor (POM) on an unmanned aerial vehicle to measure the nearby ozone concentrations (ppb). To ensure the readings are accurate and precise an automated calibration curve procedure was created to more easily compare the recorded measurements to predetermined and accurate measurements, POM batteries were tested for effective operational time, and temperature tests were conducted to verify calibration.

Presenters

Daniel Hernandez-Tejeda

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Patricia Cleary

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 107: Onboard-UAS Absorption Cavity Enhanced Spectrometer For In-Flight NO2 Analysis

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

NO2 is emitted into the atmosphere as a byproduct of combustion from vehicles, power plants, and industrial processes. Once in the atmosphere, the photochemical reaction of NO2 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) results in the formation of ozone within the atmosphere. Ground-level ozone is a dangerous respiratory irritant. Because NO2 is the direct emission that leads to the presence of ground-level ozone, it is pertinent to monitor the concentration of NO2 at low altitudes. To better understand the concentration of NO2 at different altitudes around the Lake Michigan waterfront, we are constructing a lightweight cavity enhanced spectrometer capable of measuring NO2 while flown on a drone. The light source is a blue LED emitting in the 300-550 nanometer wavelength range. The light is reflected between two mirrors with 99.998% reflectivity to achieve a sufficiently long path length for measurement. Absorption spectra are measured using an Ocean Optics SR6 spectrometer. Collected spectral data are converted into concentrations using a spectral fitting algorithm that incorporates known Rayleigh scattering values and literature cross sections for five main chemical species. This poster describes our instrument’s integral components, the initial construction of the optical cavity, and the development of a data analysis program in MATLAB.

Presenters

Jeremy Worden

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Aaron Langert

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Tim Day

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Todd O'Connor

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Patricia Cleary

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 108: Progressive Optimization of Biocompatible Foam for Tumor Ablation

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Tumor ablation is an effective treatment for cancer removal, but current methods can be improved using biocompatible materials to minimize complications and post-operative pain. The procedure uses a needle-like probe to burn or freeze cancerous target tissue. An essential component to this procedure is separating healthy tissue from the target tissue to prevent damage. Current methods use saline or carbon dioxide, which cause complications within the body cavity due to gravity. The development of a biocompatible foam through partnership between UW- Eau Claire and Mayo Clinic Health System allows for thermal insulation and maintained contact with the target tissue. FDA approved biocompatible materials are used to create foam that is stable throughout the procedure. Current project goals include continuing characterization of foam properties through rheology, measuring surface tension through pendent drop tensiometry, and developing freeze drying and an automated procedural device for long-term storage and clinical adoption. Quantifying foam properties through these characterization techniques and data collection allows for clinical readiness. Refinement of the biocompatible foam aims to optimize the tumor ablation procedure, resulting in minimized complications and enhanced patient outcomes.

Presenters

Valerie Giallombardo

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Emerald Olson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Hailey Stariha

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Elizabeth Glogowski

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 109: Sustainable Removal of Hazardous Textile Contaminants Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Growing awareness of hazardous chemicals in consumer textiles has intensified concerns regarding their effects on human health, environmental sustainability, and barriers to textile upcycling and recycling. These chemicals originate from manufacturing, finishing treatments, or plasticizers and adhesives used in graphics, where they can persist in fabrics and bioaccumulate over time. Recent conservation and risk assessments found that these contaminants pose a threat to human health and prevent large-scale textile reclamation. This research investigates supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a sustainable, solvent-free method for removing hazardous chemicals from textiles. With high diffusivity and complete solvent recovery without generating liquid waste, scCO2 offers a promising alternative to conventional extraction techniques. This study focuses on removing three high-priority contaminants: formaldehyde, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and bisphenol A (BPA) from textiles. Removal efficiency was evaluated across varying concentrations, reaction times, and co-solvent conditions. Gravimetric analysis, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to assess mass loss, concentration changes, and chemical signatures in extract. Results show that scCO2 can significantly reduce formaldehyde levels without damaging fabric appearance or producing solvent waste. By identifying effective processing parameters and demonstrating environmental benefits, this research supports efforts to create methods for reclaiming contaminated textiles and more sustainable use.

Presenters

Miranda Froslie

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Elizabeth Glogowski

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
Special Categories Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 110: Stimuli-Responsive Block Copolymers for Enhanced Titanium Dioxide Dispersion in Waterborne Architectural Coatings

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Architectural coatings, defined as paints and surface finishes used primarily on buildings for protection and aesthetics, require uniform pigment dispersion to achieve proper opacity, durability, and application performance. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is the primary white pigment used in these coatings due to its high refractive index, allowing it to efficiently scatter light. However, TiO2 particles frequently agglomerate in waterborne paint systems, reducing optical efficiency which increases the amount of pigment required. Because TiO2 is one of the most expensive components within paint formulation, improving its dispersion is both economically and environmentally significant. This research explores the use of stimuli-responsive block copolymers as the dispersing agents for TiO2. These polymers consist of chemically distinct segments that change their conformation in response to external stimuli, allowing them to improve pigment separation and interparticle stabilization. Dispersion quality is evaluated using Leneta charts to assess opacity and film uniformity, along with secondary tests including water droplet resistance. Rheological testing using the rheometer is also performed to generate demand curves, which describe how paint viscosity changes under applied shear and are helpful for predicting processability and behavior of paints. Successful implementation is expected to reduce TiO2 usage while maintaining performance and reducing the overall cost.

Presenters

Elle Roberts

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Nav Thaipally

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Simon Shaffer

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Elizabeth Glogowski

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 111: 50 Myths Later: Do College Students Still Believe Popular Psychology Misconceptions?

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Specious psychological statements continue to be widely accepted despite refuting data, likely in part because they are commonly encountered, intuitively appealing, and often portrayed to be scientifically grounded. Common examples include misconceptions about memory accuracy, learning styles, and brain usage. Lilienfeld and colleagues (2010) compiled and presented “50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology,” providing a foundation for acknowledging the widespread endorsement of these myths. College students are a particularly important demographic to study, as misconceptions may interfere with learning and the accurate interpretation of scientific information. In this longitudinal study, over 1,000 undergraduate students enrolled in Introduction to Psychology courses at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire completed an anonymous survey assessing their levels of knowledge of and belief in specific psychological myths. Results provide insight into which myths persist most strongly across the years, highlighting areas where targeted educational intervention might be most useful to directly address students’ misconceptions of various psychological topics.

Presenters

Ashlyn Grota

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Carla Lagorio

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 112: Nature vs Nurture in Criminal Behavior

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Understanding the development of adult behavior requires examining the complex
interaction between biological predispositions and environmental influences. Although genetic
traits such as impulsiveness or emotional reactivity may increase vulnerability to certain
behavioral outcomes, these predispositions are not without environmental context. Family
environment, socioeconomic status, and peer influence may either amplify or mitigate biological
risk factors, yet the mechanisms through which these variables interact remain less understood.
The problem addressed in this study is the lack of clarity regarding how environmental factors
shape the genetic predispositions in adult behavioral outcomes.

Presenters

Sam Maier

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 113: Political Terminology and its Impact

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

For this research project the main objective was to better understand the divide between
people by understanding the ‘why’ to how they perceive the world. Because we are in a situation
where people consistently exaggerate differences, stereotype anyone who doesn’t agree with
them and throws words around without fully understanding the meaning of. This research seeks
to understand the underlying causes to how people understand language and ideas.

Presenters

Gianna Sedlacek

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 114: AI Ethics in Professional Environments

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into professional and academic
environments, questions about fairness, accountability, transparency, and regulation have
become more urgent. While existing research explores AI literacy, trust, professional
implementation, and theoretical ethical concerns, fewer studies directly examine how the general
public evaluates specific ethical issues such as disclosure requirements, bias, data privacy, job
security, productivity impacts, and responsibility for harm.

Presenters

Demarius Miller

Cody Anderson

Liam Brennan

Carter Langel

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Sociology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 115: Queer in College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The purpose of this research is to view the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students on college campuses

Presenters

Luthane Woestman

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Sociology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 116: Public Infrastructure and Public Health

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Presenters

Anay Espino

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Sociology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 117: Student Voice in Education

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Presenters

Gao Vang

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Sociology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 118: Taxes Impact on Quality of Life in the US

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Presenters

Sedra Alghriwati

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Bird Nowak

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Ava Zaborske

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 119: Stress

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Stress and stress management impact on physical and mental health.

Presenters

Evan Insteness

Chippewa Valley Technical College

James Rislove

Faculty Mentor

Franki Larrabee

Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
Special Categories CVTC
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 120: Can You Train Self-Control? Effects of Delay Exposure on Impulsive Choice in Rats

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Impulsive choice, or the preference for smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards, is a behavioral process implicated in addiction, obesity, and other adverse health outcomes. Prior research suggests that prolonged exposure to delayed consequences can reduce impulsive choice over time, though recent findings raise questions about the generality of these effects across sex and species. The present study replicates and extends delay-exposure research by examining long-term effects in both male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Rats are randomly assigned to delay-exposure training, immediacy-exposure training, or a no-training control condition. Impulsive choice is assessed longitudinally across a 12-15 month period to evaluate the durability of training effects. Findings from this study can help clarify how experience shapes self-control and decision-making and ideally will help inform the development of behavioral interventions that are durable and clinically relevant.

Presenters

Austin Lewis

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Grace Wisnicky

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Hannah Engel

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Carla Lagorio

Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Psychology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 121: Behavior of REBCO Superconducting Tape Under Simulated Industrial Cyclic Loading

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Rare-earth-based copper oxide (REBCO) is a superconducting material capable of carrying large amounts of electricity with no resistance, with applications in devices such as fusion reactors, particle accelerators, and other magnetic field applications. Our purpose in this study is to investigate the degradation of REBCO tape under cyclic loading conditions similar to those encountered in real-world magnetic applications. Fatigue measurements of REBCO tape have shown that the tape can withstand 10000 cycles with 580 Mpa for a specific manufacturer. To test these loading parameters, an Instron tensile tester was used, with copper pieces placed on the upper and lower jaws to sandwich the REBCO samples and reduce the localized axial load from the jaws. Ten thousand cycles per sample were performed on each REBCO sample with a specified maximum and minimum load; thereafter, the samples were etched and imaged with a scanning electron microscope to assess the integrity of the REBCO layers. These results will aid to identify potential fatigue-related failures of REBCO tape and validate their reliability in cyclic loading conditions.

Presenters

Izaak Clendenning

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Matthew Jewell

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 122: Analysis of Bi-2212 Superconducting Filament Joining using Deep Learning Methods

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Composite Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-x (Bi-2212) wire has great potential as a material for high temperature superconducting magnets, due to its ability to conduct electricity without resistance. However, during heat treatment, individual Bi-2212 filaments may agglomerate or bridge, compromising wire performance. Traditional image analysis methods struggle to quantify this agglomeration because of the wide variability in filament bridging behavior—from light to fully conjoined. In this project, we apply and compare two semantic segmentation models, U-Net and SACNet, for their ability to segment and classify filaments in transverse cross-sectional images of Bi-2212 wires. Our preliminary results show that our overall pixel accuracy is about 95% while the individual filament accuracy is about 73%. The SACNet has also been adapted to operate on the UWEC BOSE supercomputing cluster, which allows higher throughput testing at a rate approximately 19 times faster than on a standard computer operating system. The process of training the model is simple and only requires editing hyperparameters within a text document. The hyperparameters are currently being assessed for their impact on the overall accuracy of the model. We hope to turn the Python-based code into a standalone software product that can be easily used by researchers without a coding background. This should allow the software to be used widely and further our understanding of the role of bridging in the performance of the wire.

Presenters

Evan Rosenick

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jayson Rugg

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Matthew Jewell

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 123: Analysis of Geometric Filament Homogeneity in Composite Bi-2212 Wires

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-x (Bi-2212) is a superconductor capable of producing large magnetic fields for advanced magnet systems. However, fluctuations in the size and shape of Bi-2212 filaments in a composite wire can affect processing capability. In this work, we compare the geometric filament uniformity of green-state densified composite Bi-2212/Ag wires to that of bronze route and powder-in-tube Nb3Sn wires in both the longitudinal and transverse orientations and explore the benefits and limitations of this technique. Filament size is the most important parameter to achieve overall uniform filaments, and transverse uniformity (which is much easier to measure) is an acceptable substitute for longitudinal uniformity in most situations. Finally, across a wide cross-section of Bi-2212 wires, the wire JE is shown to be only loosely correlated to the wire uniformity, as measured by the longitudinal coefficient of variation of the filament area. This points to the importance of powder quality and heat treatments as the primary drivers in Bi-2212 wire performance.

Presenters

Anne Carmichael

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Tyler Berlin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Matthew Jewell

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 124: Synthesis Validation of the Asymmetric Tridentate PCN Ligand for Organometallic Catalysis

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Linear alpha olefins (LAOs) are an important commodity used in high-performance plastics, motor oils, and synthetic lubricants. LAOs are short to long carbon chain molecules produced via selective polymerization of ethylene using transition metal catalysts. This project aims to develop a viable synthetic route to produce a ligand that can direct a metal complex to selectively catalyze the formation of LAOs. The ligand is referred to as the PCN-type ligand, which coordinates through phosphorus, carbon, and nitrogen to the metal. The PCN ligand features a benzimidazole central carbene with asymmetrical opposing pendant arms featuring an imine and phosphine. The pre-ligand has been verified through a multi-step synthesis process using air-sensitive techniques. Investigation into the isolation of metal complexes is underway. The synthetic steps to obtain the ligand precursor molecules have been described. The precursor molecule structures have been verified with 1H-NMR and FT-IR. Future work will validate the synthesis of the pre-ligand as well as new metal-coordinated ligand molecules.

Presenters

Andy Skoug

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Deidra Gerlach

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 125: Characterizing the genome of a novel Prevotella species recovered from cattle rumen

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Understanding the cow rumen microbiome is an ongoing project with significant implications for agriculture, as the health, weight, and methane emissions of the animal are tied to the microbiome. However, knowledge of rumen microbiomes is biased towards dairy cows and geographically influenced by European breeds. Therefore, to more comprehensively understand the contributions of the microbiome to sustainable animal agriculture, there is a need to study American and beef cattle rumen microbial communities. Using metagenomic techniques, we identified 1,329 microbial genomes from beef cattle rumen fluid. Using the Blugold HPC, we compared these genomes to a database of 12,906 microbial genomes compiled from different ruminants to determine which were newly-sampled. This identified 505 rumen microbial genomes that were uniquely-recovered in our American beef cattle metagenomes. We selected a genome classified as a Prevotella, a ubiquitous rumen genus, and characterized its phylogeny, revealing it likely represents a novel species. We will characterize its metabolic potential to understand the role of this genome in rumen microbiome carbon and nitrogen cycling. This work will lead to a more thorough understanding of the rumen microbiome, informing any efforts to improve animal health, reduce methane emissions, and otherwise improve farming practices.

Presenters

Ben Hurley

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Bridget McGivern

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
Special Categories Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 126: Potential Antibiotic-producing Bacteria from Putnam Park

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The ongoing rise of antibiotic-resistant microbes is a major concern in the medical field. Many pathogenic bacteria that were once vulnerable to common antibiotics have developed resistance, posing significant challenges to medicine and public health. Infections caused by these resistant bacteria are both expensive and challenging to treat. To address this growing crisis, we aim to identify new antibiotic-producing microbes isolated from soil samples. Following the collection of the soil, testing was done to determine the presence of any substances produced that either inhibit or kill any of the tester strains used (Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis). We have identified eleven strains of microbes that show evidence of producing an antimicrobial substance. We are working to identify these strains and determine if the antimicrobial substance they are producing is novel.

Presenters

Eszter Klein

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Daniel Herman

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 127: Carnivorous behaviors linked to fewer tapeworms for California ground squirrels

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Major food pulses can shift the diets of wildlife over short periods, but little is known about the downstream consequences of foraging decisions on parasite loads. In the current study, we capitalized on our observations of the novel emergence of widespread hunting and carnivory of California voles (Microtus californicus) by marked individual California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) in June and July of 2024. Rodents can be definitive hosts, harboring adult tapeworms in their gut if they ingest tapeworm eggs or intermediate hosts (i.e., infected insects harboring tapeworm eggs). We predicted that sudden dietary shift towards eating other mammals may influence the prevalence of tapeworms in ground squirrels. As part of long-term study on California ground squirrels in the San Fransico Bay Area, we conducted fecal floats to quantify the prevalence of tapeworms in two study populations of ground squirrels before (2023), during (2024), and after (2025) the vole hunting year. Whereas tapeworms were prevalent in squirrel fecal samples before and after the vole boom, tapeworms were rarely present in vole-year samples. Our data is consistent with the notion that dietary shifts can radically influence the prevalence of parasites suggesting that ecological shifts can influence the health of animals.

Presenters

Morgan Aldana

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Robin Pence

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Liam Lamb

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Smith

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Behavioral Ecology of Social Mammals Lab 🌈🐺✨️🦫🐿🐾

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 128: Gray Wolves in Wisconsin: Natural History, Recovery, and Behavioral Ecology

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

The North American gray wolf (Canis lupus) is a native keystone predator that contributes to healthy ecosystems across Wisconsin. Despite its broad historical range, anthropogenic development caused friction between pack territories and local farming operations, ultimately leading to the species’ extirpation from the state in the late 1950s. Over the past 25 years, wolf packs have recolonized Wisconsin forests from source populations in Minnesota, and local populations have now reached saturation in the greater Eau Claire region. Our team partnered with the Timber Wolf Information Network (TWIN), an organization established in 1989 to promote wolf awareness and conservation, to support efforts aimed at reducing human-wolf conflict. We monitored wolf activity by identifying tracks in snow and mud. Observations of raised-leg urination at scent posts provided insights into pack boundaries, breeding pair presence, and estrous cycles. Camera traps were deployed within established pack territories to quantify wolf presence and behavior, allowing us to characterize pack dynamics more accurately. These in-depth behavioral surveys will inform responses to population control and maintain beneficial populations of wolves in Wisconsin. More broadly, our project is raising public awareness about the historical impacts of wolves and the ecosystem benefits of their restored presence in Wisconsin forests.

Presenters

Robin Pence

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Leo Pierce

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Kylie Gifford

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Liam Lamb

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Logan Meacham

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Smith

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Behavioral Ecology of Social Mammals Lab 🌈🐺✨️🦫🐿🐾

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories WI Focus, Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 129: From Gluttony to Death: Insights Following Novel Carnivory by Ground Squirrels

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Widespread human impacts – from climate change to unprecedented rates of human visits in once relatively untouched wilderness areas – contribute to rapidly changing selective pressures on wildlife. Long-term studies on marked individuals can offer insights into population and community dynamics over time. The current research aims to reveal the demographic and behavioral patterns of California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) before and after a boom year of California voles (Microtus californicus). Our field study in California has live-trapped, marked, and released individual ground squirrels since 2013 at two study sites. We also directly observed behavioral interactions among squirrels, recorded predator sightings at landmarks, and conducted behavioral assays to assess fear responses to humans. In Summer 2024, we documented the emergence of widespread hunting and consumption of voles by ground squirrels in our two study populations. By Summer 2025, the ground squirrel population crashed, whereas predator numbers soared. We report on these patterns as well as increased fearfulness by squirrels and increased predator sightings, which exceeded numbers documented in previous years. Our findings offer insights into how periods of prosperity (e.g., boom years) and catastrophic turnover events (e.g., demographic crashes) shape wildlife populations that generate ripple effects within ecological communities.

Presenters

Jada Wahl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Robin Pence

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Leo Pierce

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Kylie Gifford

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Liam Lamb

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Jennifer Smith

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Behavioral Ecology of Social Mammals Lab 🌈🐺✨️🦫🐿🐾

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories Sustainability
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 131: Remote camera analysis reveals mixed pollination of Protea venusta

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Pollinators are crucial for plant reproduction and diversification. The plant genus Protea of the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, a global biodiversity hotspot, is an example of how evolutionary radiations can potentially be driven by transitions among primary pollinators. The sprawling shrub Protea venusta has intermediate morphology and is listed as either mammal or bird pollinated, yet has no empirical documentation of pollination. Although it is difficult to document field observations of ground-dwelling mammal pollination, remote motion-activated camera analysis has enhanced our ability to capture 24-hours pollinator activity. This technology allows us to both decipher temporal activity patterns and identify novel pollinators. We deployed six camera traps in a population of Protea venusta at Swartberg Pass in the Western Cape to assess whether this species is predominantly bird pollinated, mammal pollinated, or whether it functions within a mixed pollination network. Preliminary evidence suggests that both birds (such as the Cape sugarbird, Promerops cafer) and rodents (such as the spectacled dormouse, Graphiurus ocularis) visit and likely pollinate this species. Understanding an individual species such as Protea venusta is crucial in providing insight into how unique plant-pollinator networks function, adapt, and persist in one of the world's most biodiverse hotspots.

Presenters

Bryan Volla

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faith Thornton

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jaden Uttecht

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Nora Mitchell

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 132: Research in the Galápagos Islands

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

In the summer of 2025, UW – Eau Claire sent four students to the Galápagos Islands to participate in research internships at the Charles Darwin Research Station. The Galápagos Islands are a highly significant archipelago in the Pacific, renowned for their incredible diversity of wildlife, as well as their contributions to Darwin’s theory of evolution. Presently a hub for scientific research and conservation, students were assigned to various projects at the station, where they worked directly with international scientists to aid in cutting-edge research projects mainly focused on habitat and wildlife conservation. Our poster will feature a discussion of what each of us worked on during our 3 months there, with additional information about how students can get involved.

Presenters

Samuel Morehead

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Claire Pahl

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jadyn Hartwig

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Kendra Fehrman

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Robert Arndt

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Wil Taylor

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
Special Categories Global and Domestic Experiences
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 133: Isolation of Bacteria Producing Antimicrobial Substances from Soil

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Overuse of antibiotics in agriculture and healthcare settings results in increased microbial resistance to antibiotics. In order to maintain an advantage in treating disease caused by microorganisms, we must discover and develop new antibiotics and minimize misuse. This in turn creates difficulty in treating diseases that were previously treatable with antibiotics. In previous studies we surveyed 4 different farm soils and discovered many antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study we used the same soil samples to determine the incidence of antibiotic-secreting bacteria across WI and MN. We tested resistance to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. We discovered 24 isolates that produced antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Out of the 8 isolated strains, we found 4 strains that inhibited both E. coli and S. aureus, 3 strains inhibited only S. aureus, and 1 isolate was only effective against E. coli. Preliminary characterization of the isolates indicates that we have 7 gram-positive rods and 1 gram-negative rod. We are in the process of further characterizing strains and identification of antimicrobial properties.

Presenters

Abigail Ziegler

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Sasha Showsh

Biology, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Biology
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 134: Quantification of Oxidative Stress via Colorimetric Detection of 8-oxo-dG in Saliva Using DNA Aptamer-Gold Nanoparticles Complex

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between antioxidants and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. It can lead to DNA damage and plays a critical role in the development and progression of cancer. Because of this, oxidative stress serves as an important biomarker for cancer detection and prognosis. It is also implicated in a variety of other pathologies, including increased viral severity, such as that observed in COVID‑19 infections. In this study, we aim to detect and quantify oxidative stress in cancer patients by measuring 8‑oxo‑2′‑deoxyguanosine (8‑oxo‑dG), a key biomarker of oxidative DNA damage. We are developing a DNA‑aptamer–based, gold‑nanoparticle colorimetric assay to quantify 8‑oxo‑dG in saliva samples. The outcomes of this work will advance the assessment of oxidative stress levels and strengthen investigations into potential correlations between oxidative stress, cancer development, and patient prognosis.

Presenters

Rachel Gregorich

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sarah Broeckert

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Sanchita Hati

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 135: A Computational Study to Explore the Physicochemical Properties of FDA-Approved Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals and their Distribution in the Brain

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Fluorinated drugs are pharmaceutical compounds that contain one or more fluorine atoms, which enhance their metabolic stability, bioavailability, and binding affinity to biological targets. Every year, more fluorinated pharmaceuticals are being approved for use by the FDA, with 52 approved from 2018-2022. These compounds span various therapeutic areas such as antidepressants, antibiotics, cholesterol-lowering agents, and corticosteroids. Emerging research suggests that fluorinated compounds may influence health outcomes or contribute to neurological concerns. The goal of this project is to investigate key physicochemical properties of fluorinated pharmaceuticals using computational methods and to evaluate whether these compounds could affect the human body, particularly the brain, in ways not originally intended. The computational chemistry platform WebMO, along with Q Chem and the ADMET AI program are being used to calculate parameters, such as chemical hardness, blood–brain barrier (BBB) penetration, intestinal absorption, and toxicity. Thus far, our results indicate that most fluorinated drugs have at least some probability of crossing the BBB, with predicted penetration ranging from 10% to 70%. Additionally, the majority of these molecules appear to be chemically soft, suggesting that if they cross the BBB, they may be more likely to interact with regions such as the prefrontal cortex, corpus callosum, and brainstem.

Presenters

Grace Zurawski

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Jack Servais

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Mara Zimmer

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Marcus Pollard

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Soren Lesperance

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Sanchita Hati

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Sudeep Bhattacharyay

Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Chemistry and Biochemistry
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 136: Improving the Safety of Poly(caprolactone)-diacrylate (PCL-DA) Film Fabrication by Replacing Dichloromethane (DCM) with Safer Solvents

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Previous work demonstrated the production of poly(caprolactone)-diacrylate (PCL-DA) films with unique shape memory properties using UV-curing with dichloromethane (DCM) solvent. However, in 2024 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) passed new regulations on DCM usage leading to strict inhalation limitations (

Presenters

Brianna Topper

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Michaela Pfau-Cloud

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 137: Investigating Silicone Degradation in Women's Health Applications

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Menstrual cups have gained popularity with several brands and technoeconomic analyses suggesting use for up to 10 years. However, there is a lack of long-term biostability data for menstrual cups in current literature. In this work, we subjected medical-grade and food-grade silicone samples to a 1 M hydrochloric (HCl) acidic solution to determine whether environmental pH influences degradation behavior. Our findings demonstrate that food grade silicone is more susceptible to hydrolytic degradation (8.94 ± 0.41% mass loss) than medical grade silicone (0.15 ± 0.20% mass loss). Medical grade silicone also showed some mass loss, albeit a very small amount (0.69 ± 0.07%), after ten months in a vaginal fluid simulant. In follow-up studies, food grade silicone was immersed in 1M HCl and 1 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for 28 days to compare degradation under chemically accelerated conditions. Gravimetric analysis revealed significantly greater mass loss under acidic conditions (maximum 8.06 ± 0.97%) compared to basic conditions (maximum 2.76 ± 0.20%). These results validate earlier accelerated degradation testing and indicate that silicone is more susceptible to acid-catalyzed hydrolysis. Future studies will expand this workflow to better emulate real world menstrual cup use by using commercially available devices.

Presenters

Rachel Hettiarachchy

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Julia Larson

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Michaela Pfau-Cloud

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 138: Tuning the Crystallinity of Polycaprolactone by Copolymerization for Improved Utility in Bioprinting

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Poly(caprolactone)-diacrylate (PCL-DA) has been used previously to prepare scaffolds for tissue engineering but is limited to bone tissue due to its relatively high modulus, owing to its semi-crystalline structure. A derivative of PCL, poly(4-methylcaprolactone) (P4MCL) has been used to prepare elastomeric materials that could potentially be used in a variety of soft tissue applications; however, its high production cost restricts widespread use. Herein, we prepared a 90:10 (by mol) copolymer of PCL and P4MCL by ring opening transesterification polymerization (ROTEP) targeting a number-average molar mass (Mn = 10 kg/mol), as confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The resultant copolymer was end functionalized to yield photocrosslinkable PCL90-co-P4MCL10-diacrylate (PCL90-co-P4MCL10-DA), and films were prepared by UV-curing with 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophene (DMPA) as the photoinitiator. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results show that this minimal incorporation of 10% by mol. P4MCL significantly reduces PCL semi-crystallinity, particularly in the UV-crosslinked films. Ongoing work will evaluate mechanical properties, hydrolytic degradation behavior, and cytocompatibility. This approach demonstrates a cost-effective copolymer design strategy to tune the thermal and mechanical properties of degradable polyester networks, potentially broadening the applicability of PCL-based scaffolds in tissue engineering.

Presenters

Olivia Hallstrom

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Faculty Mentor

Michaela Pfau-Cloud

Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330) 77 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, USA

CERCA Posters, 2 Thursday

Department Materials Science & Biomedical Engineering
College CAS

2:00pm CDT

Poster 139: Duloxetine’s Effects on Hunger Discrimination and Food Intake in Rats

Thursday April 30, 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Davies Center: Ojibwe Ballroom (330)

Obesity is a prevalent condition that causes adverse health conditions and death, where medical and pharmaceutical treatments are options for patients. Sibutramine, a known obesity treatment, shares its pharmacological mechanism of action with duloxetine. Both are serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Duloxetine’s effects on hunger remain unclear. This study examines whether duloxetine reduces hunger in rats trained in an operant chamber to discriminate between 22-hour and 2-hour food deprivation. After 22-hour food deprivation, left-lever responses were reinforced with a 45mg sugar pellet. Right-lever responses produced eight seconds of darkness. Contingencies were reversed after 2-hour food deprivation. Male and female rats received duloxetine (1-32 mg/kg). Following injections, rats were tested for their perceived hunger (a decrease in left-lever responses). Post-test, one hour of food and water consumption was measured.  In males, but not females,17.8 mg/kg reduced hunger. Duloxetine decreased food consumption and lever pressing rates in all doses compared to the 22-hour control condition in both males and females. In the future, this lab will study whether the reduction in hunger and food intake is due solely to serotonin or norepinephrine activation, or the combination of both. The results of this study may help obesity therapies in the future. 

Presenters