The WiSys Quick Pitch Competition aims to encourage innovative and entrepreneurial thinking at UW comprehensive campuses. Participating students are empowered to consider the impact of the research they are currently undertaking or other innovative ideas they may have and how such ideas could ultimately benefit the local economy (e.g. development of a new product, technology, or service) and/or society (e.g. changes in public policy and/or benefits to the environment).
While AI technologies such as generative, predictive analytics, and automated communication systems are increasingly common, limited academic research has explored their use in customer facing, relationship driven sales roles. To address this gap, we are conducting semi-structured, in-depth practitioner interviews, seeking to better understand how sales professionals in the beverage industry integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their daily work. We are almost finished interviewing 12-15 sales professionals in various roles including account managers, CEOs, sales directors, those in adjacent positions within the industry. Interviews explore how participants define AI, how they use it in practice, and the perceived impact on efficiency, decision-making, and performance. We also examine attitudes toward AI, including perceived benefits, challenges with integration, ethical concerns, and how sales professionals balance AI-generated insights with human intuition. Final results will contribute to research on current AI usage in sales and provide practical insights to help organizations integrate AI in ways that enhance human relational strengths in the sales process.
Nanoparticle therapies can depend not only on which ligands are present, but on how they are arranged and connected within a nanoarchitecture. This project builds a foundation for site- and density-controlled functionalization by comparing gold nanoparticle (AuNP) films with and without added crosslinkers. Close-packed, dodecanethiol-capped AuNP films are assembled at the air–water interface in a Langmuir trough to form an uncrosslinked baseline. Dithiol crosslinkers are then introduced in parallel samples to create interparticle binding and increase structural integrity. Mechanical stability is quantified using Langmuir compression isotherms, including minimum collapse pressure and qualitative collapse behavior. Preliminary comparisons suggest that crosslinked films resist collapse more effectively than uncrosslinked controls, establishing a more durable platform for future experiments. Ongoing work will use this platform to examine how localized (clustered) versus more uniform ligand presentation may influence functional performance, supporting modular, bifunctional nanoparticle designs relevant to nanomedicine.
As a student who has been through mulitple levels of education, I believe we have faced self-censorship, which is refraining from our own ideas due to the fear of controversial backlash. I also believe this is destroying our free speech rights that build society. Self-censorship is the main cause of this rising issue that takes place at numerous educational institutions across the U.S. and prevents the collaboration of new ideas or concepts that improve critical thinking skills. This project is intended for students, faculty, staff, and policymakers who have the power to change campuses and develop policies to uphold our free speech rights. I designed a PowerPoint presentation that included striking images, constitutional rights, and statistical examples to emphasize my topic. This project will draw my audience into a conversation about our current state by examining the values of free speech rights and expressions that can help us grow diverse perspectives.
This study focuses on the digital migration of American TikTok users to a Chinese local social media RedNote, following the 2025 U.S. TikTok ban and its impact on intercultural communication between American and Chinese users. Through a qualitative analysis of 50 selected bloggers, their posts, comments, and constructed a timeline using public data, the research identifies three key areas: (1) primary interaction themes, (2) opportunities and challenges in cultural exchange, and (3) the sustainability of RedNote for the U.S. users. The findings reveal that lifestyle and language-learning content dominate cross-cultural exchanges, enabling users to develop mutual curiosity, informal cultural learning, and opportunities for clarification of misunderstandings. Regarding the timeline, the sustainability of RedNote for American users may be limited. This study demonstrates how platform design, linguistic accessibility, and sociopolitical conditions could collectively shape the sustainability of intercultural interactions online. Although digital migration can facilitate initial cultural engagement, long-term participation depends on the development of shared community norms and meaningful cultural resonance.
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.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients often face significant challenges after their initial hospital stay, particularly when transitioning back into the community. Resource facilitation plays a critical role in this process by connecting patients with essential community supports, such as support groups, housing services, vocational opportunities, and social reintegration programs. These resources help individuals regain independence and improve overall quality of life.
In addition, training healthcare providers who work with TBI patients is essential for increasing awareness and effective use of these community resources. When providers are well-informed, they are better equipped to guide patients toward appropriate services. Research has shown that access to and utilization of community resources not only improves patient outcomes but also reduces societal costs, including healthcare expenses, incarceration rates, and loss of tax revenue.
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.
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.
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.
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.
