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�� Polytechnic chemistry professors’ patent detects amino acid linked to M.S., rheumatoid arthritis, cancer

giffeyt — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000

�� Polytechnic chemistry professors’ patent detects amino acid linked to M.S., rheumatoid arthritis, cancergiffeyt September 28, 2026

Faculty, student research paves way for patented biochemical discovery

Tom Giffey

More than a decade of work by two �� Polytechnic faculty members and their student researchers has led to a newly patented process that allows for the easy detection of an amino acid linked to multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and potentially cancer.

Biochemistry Professor Jennifer Grant and chemistry Professor Dmitry Kadnikov recently received official word from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that their patent for an improved chemical probe for detecting citrulline has been formally granted. This amino acid is an indicator of autoimmune diseases, such as M.S., as well as a number of neurological disorders, cancer and immunity in general.

Despite its importance – citrulline also plays a role in DNA transcription – it is difficult to detect: The modification that creates citrulline only adds the weight of one hydrogen atom to a protein, and available chemical probes were cumbersome and costly. Researchers were discouraged by these factors, and citrulline detection remained a rarely explored subject.

Grant has been intrigued by citrulline since she worked as a postdoctoral fellow 20 years ago. She saw how a chemical process to detect citrulline more easily could work in theory but learned that the sole researcher who had been investigating the process had moved on to other topics.

“I started thinking about this, and I realized I’ve got a pretty good organic chemist as a colleague,” she recalled – and thus began a more than decade-long partnership with Kadnikov to develop the new detection process.

�� Polytechnic Professors Jennifer Grant, left, and Dmitry Kadnikov successfully applied for and received a patent.

The now-patented process occurs in two steps: First, a small, sensitive chemical probe latches onto the citrulline. Then, a chemical tag is added, attaching to the probe and making it easier to detect. Crucially, the kind of tag can be modified to meet a researcher ��. needs. It may be an antigen, a nanoparticle or even a fluorescent tag useful for imaging. Grant compares the process to a factory using interchangeable parts.

“Once we have the citrulline roped in, so to speak, we add any reagent we want to,” she explained. “That is the real novelty of the project.”

The professors’ research has been boosted by grants from WiSys, the Universities of Wisconsin technology transfer agency, and the work of numerous �� Polytechnic students who have assisted with research in their labs. For example, two biochemistry alumni – Dylan Meyer, now a senior research scientist at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Justin Olson, a senior data scientist at Alpha Theory – co-authored a scientific paper with Grant. The paper, published in the journal Computational Biology and Chemistry in 2017, identified several motifs – specific sites on a protein residue that are converted to citrulline.

Such undergraduate research experiences aren’t exceptions at �� Polytechnic, where applied learning and research are core to the university ��. polytechnic identity. On campus, labs and studios outnumber traditional classrooms by a 3-to-1 ratio, and 100% of Blue Devils graduate with applied learning experiences.

In addition to their expertise in the lab, Kadnikov and Grant had to cultivate patience during the patent process. Their application was submitted in 2020, published in 2022 and cleared the final technical and legal hurdles just this year. Now that it has been approved, the professors hope the invention will be used by scientists around the world researching autoimmune diseases and other ailments.

Grant also looks forward to continuing work on citrulline at �� Polytechnic.

“As a biochemist, where my first thought is to try and understand the natural system, I wasn’t ever setting out to get a patent – so this is a real milestone,” she said.

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Faculty, student research paves way for patented biochemical discovery Professors Jennifer Grant and Dmitry Kadnikov in �� Polytechnic lab

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Hero Caption: Professor Jennifer Grant works with students in the proteomics lab at �� Polytechnic.

Jennifer Grant

Teaching Interests: Proteomics (Bio425); Biochemistry (Chem311); General Chemistry (Chem135); Human Biology Lecture & Laboratory (Bio132); Biochemistry Lecture & Laboratory (Chem311); Introduction to Biotechnology (Bio210, Online); Advanced Biotechnology (Bio470); Introductory Biology (Bio101); General Chemistry (Chem 135); Biology of Aging (Bio125)

Research Interests: The impact of proteins in disease and the creation of functional foods using biochemistry.

Professional Interests: Mass spectrometry, protein chemistry, protein separations.

Full Name: Jennifer E. Grant, Ph.D.

Job Title: Professor

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Area of Expertise: Mass Spectrometry Protein Chemistry Protein Separations

College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Biology Department

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Education:

Degree: Ph.D. Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology

University: University of Wisconsin Medical School

Degree: M.S. Biochemistry

University: Case Western Reserve University Medical School

Degree: B.A. Biochemistry

University: Oberlin College

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Before They Started Stout: Polytechnic students do more before ‘Day One’

giffeyt — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 20:46:45 +0000

Before They Started Stout: Polytechnic students do more before ‘Day One’giffeyt September 3, 2026

Whether it ��. space-oriented research, welding prowess or Science Olympiad success, Blue Devils arrive with talent and motivation

Tom Giffey

Because of its polytechnic focus on applied learning, industry collaborations, and career-oriented experiences, students at �� Polytechnic are poised to Do More on Day One. In fact, they often do more even before Day One: Diving into applied research that could impact space missions. Building high-value industrial skills on the shop floor. Winning national scholarships for success in STEM competitions.

These experiences exemplify the ambition and talent of students who are drawn to be Blue Devils. Meet three �� Polytechnic undergraduates who have been busy doing more before, during and after Day One.

Student Reese Hufnagel spoke about her research at the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Scientific Assembly in Florence, Italy, in August. / Submitted photo

Starting early with space-bound research

If she is asked to write an essay on her summer vacation, Reese Hufnagel of Anoka, Minnesota, would have plenty of material: This summer, she spent 10 weeks interning at NASA. She made presentations at space conferences in Italy and the United States. She and her business partner and research mentor, Professor Matthew Ray, submitted a provisional patent for their work designing materials to mitigate the risk of space debris crashing to earth.

Now she ��. beginning her third and final year at �� Polytechnic, and the coming semester will not only be filled with courses and lab work but also with submitting new research proposals, conducting materials tests, pursuing an internship for next summer and applying to graduate schools.

Hufnagel ��. �� Polytechnic experience exemplifies the university ��. “Do More on Day One” slogan: She started working on research before classes began during her first year – or, as she put it, on “Day Negative Two.” Hufnagel, who will graduate with a B.S. chemistry degree in May, was drawn to the university for both its size and its polytechnic focus, both of which have allowed her to work closely with faculty.

“The thing that mattered most to me was finding something that felt like a good fit, where I was comfortable,” she said. “I knew the way I learned best was through physically doing things, so the polytechnic aspect really stood out to me.”

Falling space debris poses an escalating risk as spacecraft get stronger and more heat resistant

Student Reese Hufnagel and Professor Matthew Ray examine the material solutions and ‘designing for demise’ to counter public safety risks.

Hufnagel was intrigued by the possibility of studying materials science at �� Polytechnic, and her mother, a school counselor, helped her contact Ray. He had an opening in his lab, and Hufnagel had lab experience from earning her associate ��. degree while in high school.

“He asked me directly, ‘What do you want to do?” recalled Hufnagel, “and I said ‘space.’ Any way we can connect it (to research), I will be there.” The connection they found was the problem of space debris surviving reentry – something that is becoming more common both because of the exponential increase in rocket launches and the fact that newer carbon-fiber materials don’t burn up as easily as older rocket components.

For the past two years, Hufnagel and Ray have focused on creating a catalytic additive that, when integrated into carbon-fiber materials, can cause them to disintegrate when they reach a specific trigger temperature. This research led them to form a business partnership, Aurora Catalytic.

“Once we realized that there was commercialization potential with it, then we basically just wanted to see how far we could take it,” Hufnagel said. It was on behalf of Aurora Catalytic that she spoke at both the Wisconsin Space Conference in Kenosha and the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Scientific Assembly in Florence, Italy, where she made connections with scientists from around the world.

Before attending the conferences, Hufnagel interned at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, conducting validation tests on equipment for a probe slated to be sent to Venus.

Hufnagel said these opportunities would have been unlikely if she was an undergraduate at another institution. “It allowed me to start doing something that I wanted to do right away,” she said of the university ��. polytechnic approach. “And you can’t do that at other schools.”

Isaah Holden has balanced his mechanical engineering studies at �� Polytechnic with his employment at OEM Fabricators. / Submitted photo

Love of welding leads to engineering program

While a junior at Unity High School, Isaah Holden of Luck took a welding class and fell in love. He progressed quickly, practicing multiple techniques during extra hours in an open lab. Within months, through the Youth Apprenticeship Program he landed a job with Schaffer Manufacturing, a metal fabrication business in nearby Milltown. Through on-the-job training, Holden learned how to read blueprints, fit parts and size up welds. Eventually, he earned his American Welding Society D1.1 qualification, and after graduating high school was hired by OEM Fabricators.

“It was really just a gradual progression of on-the-job training, being obsessed with welding, and having people around me who supported me that paved the way to where I am now,” he said.

Holden knows that welders are in high demand and can be well-paid, especially when working on pipelines or in oil fields. But he also knew the occupation had drawbacks: It ��. dirty, physically demanding and potentially dangerous.

To give himself additional career options, Holden enrolled at �� Polytechnic based on the reputation of the engineering program.

�� mechanical engineering major Isaah Holden, inset, and an example of his welding work. / Submitted photo

“The first time I stepped on campus was the day of orientation,” said Holden, who expects to graduate this fall with a B.S. in mechanical engineering. “I really liked how small it was compared to some larger universities. I also liked how the engineering department really invested in labs for the students. It wasn’t like all you were going to be learning was textbook material: You actually apply the things you’ve been learning.”

Throughout his college career, Holden has continued to work at OEM Fabricators. “I started at OEM as a welder and eventually worked my way into engineering as I progressed through my mechanical engineering degree at Stout,” he said. “Having a welding background has helped me a lot because I understand both sides of manufacturing. I can design something on the computer, but I also understand what it actually takes to build and weld it out on the shop floor.”

Holden credits his �� Polytechnic experience with giving him this dual perspective.

“Stout has prepared me really well through the hands-on classes and projects we have done,” he said. “I’ve gained a ton of experience with several different manufacturing techniques and engineering methods that involve different types of analysis. College also teaches you how to work through the struggle and the grind, and that you can do and manage hard things. I think Stout ��. mechanical engineering program has been a really good balance of all that.”

�� Polytechic first-year student William Engel was drawn to the university because of its packaging program.

Science Olympiad standout drawn to packaging

William Engel, an incoming freshman from Boyceville, excelled as a competitor in Science Olympiad, earning nearly 170 medals and nine state championships in the STEM-based competition.

Earlier this year, he was chosen from among more than 4,000 applicants as one of five winners of a $10,000 Science Olympiad Founders’ Scholarship, with other recipients heading to schools such as Michigan State, University of Pennsylvania and University of Texas. Engel was the first Wisconsin student to ever receive the honor.

What really sparked his interest in science and technology, however, was a trip to IKEA. While hunting through the store for a desk for his brother, Engel became fascinated with how IKEA products were packaged, from the shape of the boxes that held the company ��. furnishings to their strategic placement on pallets. Packaging, he learned, was an entire discipline of its own – a discipline, he discovered, he could pursue at �� Polytechnic.

�� Polytechnic student William Engel at a Science Olympiad competition. / Submitted photo

In fact, the university ��. B.S. packaging program is ranked No. 3 in the nation, something Engel learned while touring �� Polytechnic in advance of the Wisconsin Science Olympiad State Tournament, which was held on campus last year. “We were shown the mechanical engineering, plastics, and the packaging labs, while also meeting with the professors along with students who all were passionate about their fields and simply loved being at Stout,” Engel said.

“I really like that Stout is a polytechnic university and emphasizes experiential learning,” he continued. “I find hands-on work to be extremely beneficial for learning. While on the packaging program tour I was amazed that Stout holds such a high ranking.”

After eight years competing in Science Olympiad, Engel knows a lot about high rankings. “Science Olympiad helped me build important skills by teaching me how to work under pressure, and problem solve with limited materials,” he said.

Engel also enjoyed interacting with other Science Olympiad coaches and competitors: “It ��. fun to collaborate with other schools to improve not only our skills but to share our knowledge with other teams as well.”

Now, he ��. looking forward to similar collaboration in a polytechnic environment. Even before he began classes this semester, Engel said, he had the opportunity to connect with professors in the packaging program.

As the semester begins, Engel said, “I am excited to start learning more and getting hands-on experience in my major, and to also get to know more people from other places across the state.”

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Whether it ��. space-oriented research, welding prowess or Science Olympiad success Blue Devils arrive with talent and motivation Student Reese Hufnagel during NASA internship summer 2026

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Hero Caption: �� Polytechnic student Reese Hufnagel during her summer internship at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. / Submitted photo

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PHOTO ESSAY: Understanding the World at a Deeper Level

goersab — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:45:00 +0000

PHOTO ESSAY: Understanding the World at a Deeper Levelgoersab December 29, 2025

Honors Chemistry students’ experiments spark curiosity

Abbey Goers

The first snowfall of the season blankets the grass and clings to pine boughs. Walking through campus, winter arrives early as the ground turns white.

But inside a Jarvis Hall Science Wing chemistry lab, liquids turn vivid pinks and deep blues in beakers — a stark contrast to the scene outside. Clear flames ignite compounds and burn a sun-kissed orange hue. And the faint smells of ammonia, tropical-fruit-flavored antacids and roasted sugar waft through the air.

“What ��. burning?” a classmate asks. Nothing to be alarmed about. It ��. all part of the experimental process in Professor Marcia Miller Rodeberg ��. College Chemistry Honors I course, as seven pairs of students conduct research in preparation for the STEMM Student Expo on Dec. 11.

Students choose their projects based on their interests. The smell of roasted sugar stems from Hayden Weber and Erick Day ��. lab station, where they’re just “Fuelin’ Around.” They use a deflagration spoon, or burning spoon, to hold small amounts of fructose, sucrose, starch and organic acids over a Bunsen burner flame, waiting for it to ignite.

The sugar takes a bit to ignite, but once it does, the blue flame *pops* and a white and orange flame erupts above the spoon. They measure the carbon levels and combustion rates of each substance and find how much water is lost in the combustion process to determine the mass of carbon in each.

Griffin Boldt and Carson Stehr are curious about “Refilling the Hindenburg” and want to know how much helium it took to lift the massive zeppelin. They wonder what combination of metal, acid and acid concentration results in the largest rate of hydrogen production.

The Hindenburg was a German passenger zeppelin – the largest airship by volume of its time. It crashed and burned while landing on May 6, 1937, in New Jersey. The disaster, probably caused by a spark that ignited the hydrogen gas used to lift the craft, ended the era of rigid airship travel.

“Because of hydrogen ��. explosive properties, you don’t get to interact with it every day,” said Boldt, of St. Paul. “I’ve always liked learning about history, so I thought it would be fun to see how much basic lab material we’d need to fill the Hindenburg.

“We figured it would be a cool way to connect our data with a real-world scenario,” added Stehr, of Baldwin. “Finding the rate of hydrogen production alone is not necessarily the most interesting experiment. But calculating the conditions necessary to make a massive object lift off the ground is much more intriguing and provides our experiment with a little bit of scale.”

Using a fume hood for safety, the pair mix individual fragments of magnesium, calcium and zinc with hydrochloric acid to produce and measure different levels of hydrogen gas. As the mixture combines, bubbles rise through the liquid, producing gas as they break the surface. Boldt and Stehr predict that a higher concentration of hydrochloric acid combined with calcium will have the fastest production rate.

Chemistry interests Boldt and Stehr because it explains how the world works and shows how things are connected at a deeper level. “I have taken for granted that things just work, but chemistry opens up a new world of understanding. Chemistry plays a role in everyday life and helps me appreciate the intricacies that everything relies on at some level,” Stehr said.

At another lab station, Elliot Harding and Camdin Lillesve are conducting a “Comparison of Gas Production by Commercial Antacids.” They measure the dissolving rate of the calcium carbonate levels in various antacid brands. They can determine which brands may relieve the feeling of indigestion most effectively.

Across the lab, Maddy Weiss and Reesi Williams are finding “The Sweetest Absorption” by measuring glucose levels in beverages, including orange juice, apple juice, an energy drink and coffee, while Natalie Schmit and Jadyn Swinehart measure the free fatty acid content in various kinds of salad dressing oils.

The salad dressings tested are pumpkin seed oil, peanut oil, olive oil, vegetable oil and Italian dressing. They use the titration method, adding a base of potassium phthalate to each oil, turning the solutions into different shades of pink. A lighter pink equals a lower concentration of free fatty acids, and the better quality of the oil.

Grady Hatlestad and Gavin Staudacher are looking into the “Hard Facts about Campus Water.” They study seven samples of campus tap water to test the pH balance. Different calcium levels determine the hardness levels of the water samples. Using a solution of ammonium chloride and ammonium hydroxide, they first titrate deionized water as a control. The sample turns immediately blue, showing there is no calcium present.

However, a sample of water from the lab faucet turns pink, showing that calcium is present. The brighter the pink, the higher the level of calcium.

Cole Remiger and Chenue Thao are experimenting on “Tick Tock, It ��. Iodine O’clock” by creating an iodine clock reaction, which illustrates the different rates at which chemical reactions occur: one that produces iodine and a second that consumes it.

Something has gone awry, however. The experiment is meant to result in a dramatic color change — from a colorless liquid to deep blue — upon reacting with starch. Instead, the liquid turned dark brown in color. The students think perhaps they didn’t boil the starch long enough on the hot plate, and the reaction failed — all part of the scientific process.

The STEMM Student Expo, along with Research Day, are two of �� . College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management ��. biggest events of the year, showcasing hundreds of projects across more than a dozen fields of study. Research Day 2026 will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Boldt and Stehr, who are computer and electrical engineering students, encourage others to participate in STEMM Student Expo and Research Day because the events give students the “opportunity to dive into a topic to be invested in and learn more about it. Instead of doing one lab experiment and moving on, you get to slow down a little and learn more about a topic that interests you. It is one of the best ways to understand and build off that topic,” Stehr said.

“There are so many cool projects and topics at the STEMM Expo, and you never know what you might find. You might be inspired to find a topic of your own to research or discover something interesting to learn more about,” Stehr added.

Boldt encourages community members and industry professionals to attend the events because “it ��. a great opportunity to better know the students living in their community and to find future employees. It ��. much better to meet with somebody face-to-face instead of scrolling through endless resumes,” he said.

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Marcia Miller-Rodeberg

Teaching Interests: Biochemistry, General Chemistry

Research Interests: Transient Kinetic Studies of Azo Dye Oxidation Catalyzed by Horseradish Peroxidase Purification and Characterization of Bacteriocins Produced by Fermenting Bacteria

Professional Interests: Catalytic Mechanisms of Enzymes Bioinorganic Chemistry and Metalloenzymes Active Learning in Science Classes and Modern Teaching Methods

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Curriculum Vitae: Dr. Marcia Miller-Rodeberg (406.73 KB)

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University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Degree: B.A. Chemistry and Biology

University: University of Minnesota-Morris

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Real-world research: Engineering team designs South African trolley system; science students investigate heavy metals

goersab — Thu, 15 May 2025 12:30:00 +0000

Real-world research: Engineering team designs South African trolley system; science students investigate heavy metalsgoersab May 15, 2025

Cross-disciplinary teams present prototypes at Research Day, Engineers Without Borders' design challenge addressed by nearly 90 students

Abbey Goers

More than 300 undergraduate and graduate students and faculty presented their research across realms during �� . annual Research Day on May 6, with individuals and cross-disciplinary teams representing more than 30 degree fields.

Research ranged from heavy metals present in everyday products to regional topics, like housing and water quality in the Chippewa Valley, to health and wellbeing interests of the nation ��. citizens, to developing global solutions through an Engineers Without Borders’ international design challenge.

Nearly 90 students in 23 teams addressed the EWB challenge. One group focused on engineering a safer, more accessible transportation system in South Africa ��. suburbs. Revitalizing Makers Valley: Future-Ready Roads for Safety, Efficiency, and Growth was presented by:

Gabriel Morken, manufacturing engineering, Eau Claire
Ann Moss, computer and electrical engineering, Johnsburg, Illinois
Christian Bretey, mechanical engineering, Eau Claire
Christian Klein, mechanical engineering, St. Paul

Gabriel Morken, Ann Moss, Christian Bretey and Christian Klein at Research Day

Two biochemistry and molecular biology and chemistry students focused on heavy metals. Some products, such as chocolate, have trace amounts occurring in them naturally through the farming process, and some products are manufactured to contain heavy metals. The researchers were:

Natalie Chartrand, of St. Croix Falls: An Analysis of Heavy Metals in Chocolate
Riley Strobush, of St. Paul: Trace Metals in Various Nicotine Salts Brands

Research Day invites industry professionals and the campus and surrounding communities to engage with students and faculty and discuss their research and creative works through posters, prototypes, exhibits and collaborative faculty-student oral panel presentations.

Engineering a safer transportation system in South Africa

The Impacts of Engineering course introduces students to the engineering design process from initiation to completion and broadens their awareness of the social, environmental and economic implications of engineering.

Engineers Without Borders’ international Engineering for People Design Challenge brings together more than 12,000 engineering students from more than 40 universities in the U.S., United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa.

This year ��. challenge was organized by Engineers Without Borders UK and South Africa, in collaboration with the nonprofit Makers Valley Partnership.

Lecturer Mark Dolan talks with engineering students as they build prototypes for the EWB challenge

Students developed sustainable engineering solutions centered around the needs of the 46,000 residents of Makers Valley, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. The area experienced urban decay and high unemployment, but in recent years has seen a wave of regeneration driven by social and creative enterprises.

Solutions students addressed included the general built environment, food security, reliable access to energy, waste reduction and recycling, safe drinking water, sanitation and transport infrastructure.

“The design challenge reinforces the goal of Stout ��. applied learning concept. Student teams work together, use applied math in their engineering calculations, write a professional-quality paper suitable for the EWB competition and build a functioning prototype of their proposed solution,” said engineering Lecturer Mark Dolan.

Morken, Moss, Bretey and Klein researched the current road conditions of Makers Valley and the city ��. most popular modes of transportation.

They found that Makers Valley does not regularly maintain its paved roads, which are pitted with numerous large potholes and litter; and biking and walking are most common, as many people can’t afford cars, Morken said.

“With the rough roads and concerns for the safety of bikers and pedestrians, even with sidewalks, Makers Valley is looking for safe and inexpensive updates to its transportation system,” Bretey said.

Gabriel Morken, Ann Moss, Christian Bretey and Christian Klein's trolley prototype

There is also a lack of trust in public transportation, Klein added. Feuds between taxi companies cause fear through intimidation tactics used on drivers and customers. And while school buses provide transportation for children to and from school, there are fees for the service, Moss explained.

“Many of the taxi drivers jack up their prices so they can afford to live. What shocked me about this was that I never stopped to consider just how many aspects of life poverty can affect,” Morken said. “We tried to figure out a way to get cars off the road, while simultaneously trying to figure out a way to have accessible transportation for anybody. We thought that a trolley system would solve both of those problems.”

The team landed on the idea of engineering a trolley system because it ��. a permanent network and can be designed as hybrid, running mainly on electricity. “But since the electrical grid is not always reliable in Makers Valley, the trollies could also run on fuel as a backup,” Bretey said.

“If we used an electric bus, that vehicle would have to stop and take breaks to regain a charge and be out of service during that time,” Moss added. “A trolley receives power through its connection to the track and would only need fuel when the power grid is down. This means that a trolley can be in commission longer than a bus could.”

The initial infrastructure cost of a trolley system is higher than a bussing system because of the need to install tracks, Morken said. “However, we thought that a trolley would be better in the long term because usually they can carry more passengers, have lower operating costs (some don’t need a driver) and they can be powered by electricity,” he added.

The team ��. design also incorporated safety features for pedestrians and bikers, with marked and lighted crosswalks and a separate lane for bicycles, with reflective posts between the car and bike lanes, Bretey added.

Moss hopes the team ��. research can help ensure the safety of Makers Valley commuters. “Even if only a part of our design were implemented, it could make a positive difference in the city. I believe that our design can work for other places as well that struggle with pedestrian safety and unreliable transportation systems,” she said.

Student projects submitted to the EWB challenge may be picked up by a company, nongovernmental or other organization and become a real solution for people.

The Impact of Engineering course is part of Stout Core, foundational general education classes where students gain global perspective and ethical reasoning to understand social responsibility, so they graduate ready to do more on day one.

Heavy metals in consumer products

Heavy metals can build up in the human body over time and lead to severe health issues.

Lead is known to cause neurological damage and cognitive impairments, particularly in young adults. It can also lead to developmental issues, memory loss, insomnia and muscle weakness.

While iron, manganese, and zinc are essential micronutrients, excessive amounts can cause organ damage and oxidative stress; can affect the nervous system; and can cause nausea, vomiting and weaken the immune system, Strobush explained.

Cadmium and nickel in long-term exposure are known to cause kidney failure and increased risks for cancer, anemia and cardiovascular diseases, added Chartrand, who conducted an analysis of four of her favorite chocolate brands.

Chemistry student Natalie Chartrand tests heavy metals in chocolates

“Heavy metal exposure should be kept to a minimum, especially in foods, which is why the FDA and other health organizations regulate it. While the FDA has strict guidelines on heavy metals, it ��. impossible to completely eradicate all heavy metal exposure in our daily lives,” she said.

Chartrand knew chocolate contains heavy metals, usually found in trace amounts in chocolates that are less processed, like dark and semi-sweet chocolates.

“Both lead and cadmium are common environmental pollutants found in modern farming practices; these metals can be absorbed into the cacao beans we use to make chocolate,” she said. “Nickel is used in the manufacturing process of chocolate, though it shouldn’t end up in the product itself.”

Because of this, she wasn’t surprised to find detectable lead levels in three of her chocolate samples.

“Lead is naturally found in cacao beans and is retained through the manufacturing process, at levels so low they’re not considered toxic, but are detectable on our instrument, nonetheless. I found no cadmium in any of my samples, and only very trace amounts of nickel,” she said. “Just because studies have found small amounts in chocolates doesn't mean that the highly processed chocolates we eat regularly will contain the same levels.”

Chemistry Professor Jonathan Frisch, Riley Strobush and Natalie Chartrand

During Strobush ��. initial research, she found numerous studies on heavy metals in vape pods and cartridges, but relatively few on nicotine salts. She conducted her research on four brands of nicotine salts.

“Although there are traces of metals in the liquid, the liquid is heated into a vapor through a metal coil, introducing more metals into the aerosol that is consumed by the user when using their e-cigarette,” she said. “Lead was the most frequently detected heavy metal in my samples, contrary to my initial expectation of a more balanced distribution of heavy metal elements.”

She was also intrigued by the marketing of the products. “Each of them has colorful, appealing designs and flavors that you would see on candy or soda. It hides the harsh potential health impacts caused by consuming the liquids,” she said.

Strobush hopes her research raises awareness about the dangers of these products and encourages more rigorous testing, especially in the aerosol form. “This could lead to improved regulations and safer product formulations, ultimately protecting public health,” she said.

Strobush noted that she is not a user of nicotine salts or similar substances. She and Chartrand took the necessary precautions during their studies to ensure their peers’ and their own safety.

Biochemistry and molecular biology student Riley Strobush presents at Research Day

Chemistry and physics Associate Professor Jonathan Frisch served as Strobush ��. and Chartrand ��. research mentor. In Frisch ��. College Chemistry I course, students learn the chemistry and physics behind several types of chemical instrumentation and gain practical experience using those instruments to investigate samples of their choice.

“The students are allowed to ask any questions they want, at which time they design and carry out experiments to answer those questions. Every semester, I am surprised by some of the results. There are contaminants in and on all sorts of things I would have never expected or even thought about analyzing,” he said.

Outstanding researchers recognized at Research Day

After the poster and exhibit session, where Chartrand, Strobush and the engineering students shared their work, an award ceremony recognized outstanding researchers – both faculty and students.

Since 1987, �� has awarded faculty for their outstanding research, nominated by a review committee of their peers.

The Outstanding Researcher honors for leadership and significant contributions to research and scholarly activities are awarded by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, on behalf of the Provost's Office and the committee. This year ��. recipients are:

Julie Watts: Senior Outstanding Researcher
Nicole Hayes: Emerging Outstanding Researcher
Pranabendu Mitra: Outstanding Research Mentor.

Outstanding student researcher awardees are:

Valacia Casper: CAHS, undergraduate
Elaina Blazei: CSTEMM, undergraduate
Bex Cermin: CAHS, graduate student
Cortney Dean: CSTEMM, graduate student
Nikolaus Nelson (CAHS) and Theodore Welch (CSTEMM): Honorable Mentions.

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Cross-disciplinary teams present prototypes at Research Day, Engineers Without Borders' design challenge addressed by nearly 90 students

Cross-disciplinary teams present prototypes at Research Day, Engineers Without Borders' design challenge addressed by nearly 90 students Chemistry Professor Jonathan Frisch, Riley Strobush and Natalie Chartrand

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Hero Caption: Biochemistry and molecular biology student Riley Strobush tests heavy metals in nicotine salts. She presented her findings at Research Day on May 6.

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Why are rubies red and emeralds green? Their colors come from the same metal in their atomic structure

hugginsm — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 18:16:08 +0000

Why are rubies red and emeralds green? Their colors come from the same metal in their atomic structurehugginsm February 4, 2025

Dean Dan Freedman explains the science between the color of gems.

This article appeared in Phys.org, Geeks are Sexy, NewsBreak and others, and originated from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

The colors of rubies and emeralds are so striking that they define shades of red and green – ruby red and emerald green. But have you ever wondered how they get those colors?

I am an inorganic chemist. Researchers in my field work to understand the chemistry of all the elements that make up the periodic table. Many inorganic chemists focus on the transition metals – the elements in the middle of the periodic table. The transition metals include most of the metals you are familiar with, like iron (Fe) and gold (Au).

One feature of compounds made with transition metals is their intense color. There are many examples in nature, including gemstones and paint pigments. Even the color of blood comes from the protein hemoglobin, which contains iron.

Investigating the colors of compounds containing transition metals leads you into some really amazing science – that ��. part of what drew me to study this field.

Rubies and emeralds are great examples of how a small amount of a transition metal – in this case, chromium – can create a beautiful color in what would otherwise be a fairly boring-looking mineral.

Minerals and crystals

Both rubies and emeralds are minerals, which is a type of rock with a consistent chemical composition and a highly ordered structure at the atomic level.

When this highly ordered structure extends in all three dimensions, the mineral becomes a crystal.

With a theory developed by physicists in the 1920s called crystal field theory, scientists can explain why rubies and emeralds have the colors they do. Crystal field theory makes predictions about how a transition metal ion ��. structure is affected by the other atoms surrounding it.

Rubies are mainly made up of the mineral corundum, which is composed of the elements aluminum and oxygen in a regular, repeating array. Each aluminum ion is surrounded by six oxygen ions.

A crystal of corundum looks like this at the atomic level, with the aluminum ions shown as red balls and the oxygen ions shown as white balls. / Eigenes Werk/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Emeralds are mainly made up of the mineral beryl, which is made from the elements beryllium, aluminum, silicon and oxygen. Beryl ��. crystal structure is more complicated than corundum ��. because of the additional elements in the formula, but each aluminum ion is again surrounded by six oxygen ions.

Pure corundum and beryl are colorless. The brilliant colors of rubies and emeralds come from the presence of very small amounts of chromium. The chromium replaces about 1% of the aluminum in the corundum or beryl crystal when a ruby or emerald forms underground at a high temperature and pressure.

But how can one element – chromium – create the red color of a ruby and green color of an emerald?

Color science

Rubies and emeralds have the colors they do because, like many substances, they absorb some colors of light. Most visible light, like sunlight, is composed of all the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. These colors make up the visible light spectrum, which is easy to remember as ROY G BIV.

(Objects absorb some visible light wavelengths and reflect others, which is why we see them as having a color. Fulvio314/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA)

One of the main reasons why objects have a color is because they absorb one or more of these visible colors of light. If a substance absorbs, for instance, red light, it means that the red light gets trapped in the substance and the other colors reflect back to your eyes. The color you see is the sum of the remaining light, which will be in the green-to-blue range. If a substance absorbs blue, it will look red or orange to you.

Unlike the colorless aluminum ion, the chromium ion absorbs blue and green light when surrounded by the oxygen ions. The red light is reflected back, so that ��. what you see in rubies.

In an emerald, even though the chromium is surrounded by six oxygen ions, there is a weaker interaction between the chromium and the surrounding oxygen ions. That ��. due to the presence of silicon and beryllium in the beryl crystal. They cause the emerald to absorb blue and red light, leaving the green for you to see.

The ability to tune the properties of transition metals like chromium through changing what is surrounding it is a core strategy in my field of inorganic chemistry. Doing so can help scientists understand the basic science of metal-containing compounds and the design of chemical compounds for specific purposes.

You can take delight in the amazing colors of the gemstones, but through chemistry, you can also see how nature creates those colors using an endless variety of complex structures made with the elements in the periodic table.

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Dean Daniel Freedman explains the science behind why rubies are red and emeralds are green. Rubies

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Curious Kids: Why is the sky blue?

hugginsm — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 22:01:59 +0000

Curious Kids: Why is the sky blue?hugginsm January 20, 2025

Dean Dan Freedman answers the question of a 'curious kid.'

This article appeared in the Seattle PI and MSN.com, and originated from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts, as part of Curious Kids, a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

You might think that explaining why the sky is blue would be kind of simple. But even a brief explanation of it requires a lot of science. The colors of everything you see are produced in different ways. Some of those colors are explained with physics, others by my own field of chemistry.

The nitrogen and oxygen that you are breathing right now are made up of very small particles called molecules. A molecule of nitrogen or oxygen is really, really small. Each molecule is only about 0.4 nanometers, or 16 billionths of an inch. It would take 250,000 nitrogen molecules to equal the width of one strand of your hair. You can think of the molecules as behaving like very tiny balls that constantly bounce around.

When sunlight travels through the atmosphere, it passes between lots of those teensy nitrogen and oxygen molecules. Sometimes the light runs right into one of them.

In short, the sky looks blue because the blue portion of sunlight is much more likely to bounce off the molecules in the atmosphere than the other colors of light.

Tennis balls and marbles

Now, picture the nitrogen and oxygen molecules as tennis balls and the light as heaps of marbles.

When one of those light marbles hits a nitrogen or oxygen tennis ball, the tennis ball “eats” the marble and then very quickly spits it back out again, but in a random direction. That process is what physicists call scattering.

It was around 1870 when the British physicist John William Strutt, better known as Lord Rayleigh, first found an explanation for why the sky is blue: Blue light from the Sun is scattered the most when it passes through the atmosphere. His discovery is why the scientific term for this effect is called Rayleigh scattering.

The other gases in the atmosphere can be really important too, such as the effects of carbon dioxide or methane on the global climate. But they have only a very small effect on the color of the sky.

If there were no scattering, the sky would be dark like it is on the Moon, which does not have an atmosphere.

A rainbow represents all the different components that make up sunlight. As that light passes through the water droplets suspended in the air, it is broken up into the component colors called the visible spectrum – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, more easily remembered as ROY G. BIV.

Light at the blue end of the rainbow is scattered more efficiently than the other colors. It is as if the tennis balls are very selective in terms of which marbles they eat, and they prefer the blue ones over the other colors.

The result is that the blue light is scattered across the sky so you see blue everywhere on sunny days. The rest of the colors mainly travel straight through the atmosphere.

There ��. a scientific explanation for why red and orange streaks stretch aross the sky at dawn or twilight. / Elenakirey/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Redder when the Sun sets and rises

Of course, the sky is not always blue.

And Rayleigh scattering also explains why the sky tends to be reddish when the Sun is close to the horizon – at sunrise and sunset.

When the Sun is near the horizon, its light passes through a lot more of the atmosphere to reach the Earth ��. surface than when it is directly overhead. The blue and green light is scattered so well that you can hardly see it. The sky is colored, instead, with red and orange light.

Colors mean a lot to us in so many different ways. Understanding the science behind colors and expressing ourselves through art with colors have been important for humans for our entire recorded history. That ��. something to keep in mind as you decide what color shirt to wear tomorrow morning.

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STEMM Student Expo highlights first-year to senior projects, collaborations on Dec. 12

goersab — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

STEMM Student Expo highlights first-year to senior projects, collaborations on Dec. 12goersab December 9, 2024

Honors Chemistry student teams pair up to develop biodiesel, test toxic chemicals in the lab

Abbey Goers

At �� . STEMM Student Expo, hundreds of first- to senior-year science, technology and engineering students will debut their applied research and projects from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12, in the Memorial Student Center second floor.

From research to prototypes to solving problems for an industrial or community partner to creative activities, it is an opportunity for students across the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management to collaborate on projects and discuss their research with each other, faculty, industry partners and university and community members.

Among the STEMM students will be 23 Honors Chemistry first-year students, who worked in teams to develop and complete their own chemistry lab projects, including one team of brothers who created a biodiesel and another team who tested how different lab chemicals can damage clothing, equipment and even skin.

Honors Chemistry first-year students are just some of those who will present their projects at the expo

The STEMM Expo is one of a number of signature events taking place this week, which also include the Stout Game Expo and the School of Art and Design Senior Show, which showcase what distinguishes �� . polytechnic model of education.

The Stout Game Expo, western Wisconsin's largest game developers’ event, will feature the works of about 250 students from 6 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 11, in the upper level of the Memorial Student Center.

During SGX, first-year to senior students in game design and development-art; and the game design concentration in computer science debut original, playable tabletop games, board and card games, conventional video games, virtual reality experiences and rhythm games.

The SOAD Senior Show celebrates more than 100 students’ works in graphic design, video production and animation, industrial and product design, interior design, game design and studio art. It is from 6 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 13, in Applied Arts and Micheels Hall.

Metals, comics, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking and photography exhibitions and sales by students will also be throughout the building.

Biodiesel and toxic chemicals in Honors Chemistry

In the first-year Honors Chemistry course, Professor Marcia Miller-Rodeberg gave the students free rein to decide what their projects would be for the STEMM Expo.

“The point of these projects is to give the students to opportunity explore things that are interesting to them and learn how to conduct experiments,” she said.

Connor Tieman and Carter Tieman, lab partners and twin brothers from Thorp, designed an experiment that would teach them about a specific field in chemistry.

Brothers Connor Tieman and Carter Tieman create a biodiesel with canola oil

“We decided to create a biodiesel – a renewable energy mostly composed of canola oil,” said Connor, a mechanical engineering major. “We became interested when researching renewable energy and the chemistry behind the process. We delved deeper and discovered that we could make our own, given the right materials.”

In their project, Blazing Biodiesel, they pursued developing a functional biodiesel that would perform as effectively as possible.

“To start our experiment on day one, we heated the canola oil, dissolved methanal and sodium hydroxide into the oil and allowed the solution to separate for a week. On our next lab day, we took samples of the biodiesel, the newly separated glycerol, and the stock canola oil and carefully combusted each sample to test how well they combusted,” said Carter, environmental science major.

They think the STEMM Expo is the perfect opportunity to implement their ideas. “Participating in the expo is allowing us to creatively engage with projects that allow us to have self-directed learning, which leads to a deeper understanding and the satisfaction of completing a project,” Connor said.

Lauren Barclay and Allie Turany determine how textures fair against different lab chemicals

Lab partners and mechanical engineering majors Lauren Barclay and Allie Turany wanted to determine how skin, different fabrics and personal protective equipment hold up against common chemicals used in an average chemistry lab.

“In most chemistry labs, the instructor will issue a warning when strong chemicals are being used and will typically require the use of gloves and eye coverings, as chemicals can eat through clothing and should be used carefully,” said Barclay, of Prior Lake, Minn. “This made us think, ‘How toxic are these chemicals, and what would happen if they spilled on your skin or clothes?’”

For their project, You Vs. Toxic Lab Substances, they tested whether what they’d heard was exaggeration or truth, having never experienced a chemical spill or accident themselves.

They used common clothing materials, rubber gloves, and untreated and untanned squirrel hide as a substitute for human skin, placing each in beakers of various acids with high molarity.

“We hypothesized that the cotton and the gloves would fare the best in terms of testing, since they are used for PPE. The synthetics – a half cotton blend and full polyester – were likely to have worse results, or lose more mass, than the cotton since it is a cheaper alternative and made with plastics. The skin was most likely to have detrimental results,” said Turany, of Cornell.

Barclay and Turany look forward to seeing the diverse range of projects displayed at the expo and learning about their peers’ studies in different majors and classes.

“People attending can learn a lot about many different topics. We put a lot of work into completing our projects. We would love to show them off to those interested,” Barclay said.

�� . Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering offers six undergraduate degrees, including computer and electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, plastics engineering, engineering technology and packaging, as well as four minors and a master ��. in manufacturing engineering.

Along with the environmental science major, �� has undergraduate programs in biology; applied biochemistry and molecular biology; chemistry and physics.

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Graphic design, interactive media senior awarded national AIGA Worldstudio D×D Scholarship

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Honors Chemistry student teams pair up to develop biodiesel, test toxic chemicals in the lab honors_chemistry_individual_experiements_4.jpg

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High aspirations: Recent grads leverage Prehealth courses to pursue medical careers

polingj — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:34:10 +0000

High aspirations: Recent grads leverage Prehealth courses to pursue medical careerspolingj October 15, 2024

Brooks, Charest begin medical school, following in footsteps of recent alum who benefited from focused lab, research experiences

In 2010 when the $43 million, gleaming Jarvis Hall Science Wing addition was dedicated at ��, Gov. Jim Doyle and others called it the finest science facility in the state.

By at least one measure, the building with state-of-the-art lab equipment and classrooms is living up to its lofty billing: It has turned out dozens of graduates with a focus in Prehealth Sciences who have gone on to successful careers in professional health fields, including as doctors, pharmacists, dentists, chiropractors and more in Wisconsin and beyond.

Two recent graduates are beginning medical school this fall, Anna Brooks at the UW-Madison and Olivier Charest at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada. “I am extremely grateful for all the doors that Stout has opened for me,” Brooks said. “It ��. an amazing place to go to college.”

Anna Brooks, a 2023 �� applied science graduate with a focus on Prehealth Sciences, celebrated her white coat ceremony after beginning medical school this fall at UW-Madison. / Contributed photo

Prehealth Sciences is a focus area that offers targeted preparation for admission to professional schools. It can be added to �� . preparatory bachelor ��. programs, including biology, chemistry, physics, applied science, biochemistry and molecular biology, and health, wellness and fitness. The programs provide students with lab-based classroom and research experiences, part of the polytechnic advantage.

Brooks and Charest were aiming for medical school all along, knowing Prehealth Sciences would put them on the right track. They appreciated the mentorship of professors like Jim Burritt, Jen Grant and Dr. Alex Hall. Focused and inspired, they conducted research projects, mentored other students and were involved on campus and in the community, earning scholarships and awards and graduating with honors.

“The strength of UW Stout for Prehealth students is that not only do we have a lot of hands-on opportunities, but class sizes are small. Students really get to know their professors, who also really get to know them,” Hall said. “This allows for a lot of collaboration, research opportunities and mentorship.”

Anna Brooks works on a research project in a �� lab. / ��

‘This is exactly what I want to do’

Brooks recalled one class where students worked on removing a gene from a strain of yeast and another in which they led their own project studying the impact of various medications on cancer cells that had been created in the lab by the professor.

“I’ve heard from other students at big institutions who didn’t have the hands-on research opportunities I had at Stout, like the Cadaver Lab,” said Brooks, who loved the small class sizes and ability to work closely with her professors.

Brooks, who was born in Ukraine, graduated in May 2023 from �� in applied science then was chosen for a 10-week internship at UW Medical School Urology Lab. In 2022, she interned at the University of Washington Medical School.

Anna Brooks accepts her diploma in applied science from ��. / ��

While applying to medical schools in 2023, she worked as a phlebotomist at Mayo Clinic Red Cedar in Menomonie. “I witnessed the whole synergy of the team and what a physician does. It was a pleasure to see that kind of collaboration,” she said. “It reassured me that this is exactly what I want to do.”

She remembers the day in January when she received a call from a dean at UW-Madison telling her she’d been accepted into the medical school, something she first considered as a 10-year-old while coming across a medical publication. She celebrated with her Mayo Red Cedar co-workers, exclaiming, “I’m going to be a doctor!”

Olivier Charest, a 2024 graduate, began medial school this fall at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada. / Contributed photo

‘The support is there and the equipment top notch’

Charest, who graduated in applied science this past May, also was a Blue Devil athlete. He played hockey but saw his career derailed in his second season by a knee injury. He had other knee injuries going back to his high school days; one subsequent interaction with a physician who helped him avoid surgery with a knee strengthening program sparked an interest in medicine as a career.

“If I could have the same impact that doctor had on me, the empathy she had toward my situation, if I could add this to any patient I see on a daily basis that ��. what I’m really looking forward to as a doctor. Most patients come in in a vulnerable position. I was able to be in the shoes of my future patients,” he said.

Charest had a competitive internship in summer 2023, one of 18 chosen from 300 applicants, at the University of Rochester Medical School in Rochester, N.Y., focusing on pediatrics. “I saw the research side and the clinical side. Being able to see what I’ll do in the field was great,” he said.

Olivier Charest, left, with Professor Jen Grant and student Ava Cinealis, accepts a �� research award. / ��

While at ��, Charest became a certified nursing assistant and volunteered as a CNA in palliative care at Dove West Healthcare in Eau Claire and in the emergency department at Red Cedar Mayo. “Many people believed in me and paved the way for me to succeed, so being able to have these opportunities meant the world to me,” he said.

His education at �� gave him the independence to explore opportunities in the labs and through research. “The program teaches you a lot of qualities you need in the field and helps you grow a little faster. The support is there, and the equipment is top notch.”

Kym Ludwig Klimek, a 2013 graduate, earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UW-Madison and is a pharmacist in Green Bay. / Contributed photo

From Prehealth Sciences to professionals

Charest and Brooks are excited to take the next step in their careers this fall. They will have four years of medical school, followed by a three- to seven-year residency, depending on the field of medicine they choose.

The University of Sherbrooke, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, is about an hour ��. drive from the Montreal suburbs where Charest grew up. Brooks has moved to Madison with her husband, also a �� graduate.

Another spring 2024 graduate, Chaeyun Jung, began pharmacy school this fall at the University of Minnesota.

December 2023 graduate Henry Scheit is attending St. Catherine University in St. Paul for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Trever Koester, a 2018 graduate, finished Harvard Medical School and is a surgical resident doctor at the University of Michigan Medical. / Contributed photo

They add to an already long list of graduates in the past 15-plus years choosing a variety of health and medical fields. They include:

Kym Ludwig Klimek, 2013 graduate, finished pharmacy school at UW-Madison and is a pharmacist in Green Bay.
Nolan Green, 2015 graduate, is a doctor of osteopathy with Mayo Clinic. He graduated from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dylan Meyer, 2015 graduate, did post-doctorate research at Harvard Medical School and is a research scientist at Vertex Pharma in Boston.
Matt Flesher, 2017 graduate, graduated from the St. Scholastica physical therapy program and works at Tamarack Health in Hayward.
Trever Koester, 2018 graduate, finished Harvard Medical School and is a surgical resident at University of Michigan Medicine.
Neal Wrobel, 2019 graduate, earned a Ph.D. in biomedical science at Rush University in Chicago and is a biomedical research scientist at Rush University Medical Center.
Issabella Stueck, 2020 graduate, attended Palmer College of Chiropractic and is a chiropractor in Appleton.

Other recent alum are working as dentists, physician assistants, nurses, surgical first assistants, athletic trainers, clinical lab technicians and clinical trial coordinators.

###

In 2010 when the $43 million, gleaming Jarvis Hall Science Wing addition was dedicated, Gov. Jim Doyle and others called it the finest in the state. Anna Brooks white coat

Capitol project: Biochemistry student ��. research on prion disease highlighted in Madison

Ava Cinealis was interested in science when she graduated from Sheboygan North High School, but she wanted to do more in college than learn it from a book: She

Alexandra Hall, M.D.

Dr. Hall trained and worked as a family physician for over two decades and now works full-time for the Biology department. She has been teaching since 2013 and loves sharing her knowledge of and enthusiasm for the marvels of the human body with her students. As the Pre-Health Advisor, she also supports Stout students pursuing future careers in the health professions.

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Physics professor's presentation going beyond 'Oppenheimer' to address WWII nuclear weapons research

polingj — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 17:19:09 +0000

Physics professor's presentation going beyond 'Oppenheimer' to address WWII nuclear weapons researchpolingj March 5, 2024

With film in Oscars spotlight, Alan Scott will examine other scientists on both sides of war involved in bomb development

World War II was fought in laboratories as well as land, sea and air, according to Alan Scott, a physics professor at ��.

The historic development of the atomic bomb has been in the spotlight with a new film about the life of lead scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer. “Oppenheimer” has been nominated for 13 Academy Awards, or Oscars, which will be announced Sunday, March 10.

The University of Chicago team that worked on the Chicago Pile-1, the first nuclear reactor. See full caption below.. / Los Alamos National Laboratory

From 5 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, in Jarvis Hall Science Wing room 114, Scott will present “Ethics and Perspectives of Scientists Involved in WWII.” The event is free and open to the public.

Connecting themes of the movie to the presentation, Scott will highlight the circumstances, ethics and motivations of the physicists other than Oppenheimer from both sides of the war.

“German scientists first discovered nuclear fission and were working on an atomic bomb. The prospect of Germany being first to construct such a bomb, if feasible, frightened the Allied scientists and leaders,” Scott said.

Scott has bachelor ��., master ��. and Ph.D. degrees in physics.

The event is sponsored by �� . Center for Applied Ethics.

To learn more about �� arts and humanities events scheduled this spring, go here.

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Photo caption

The University of Chicago team that worked on the Chicago Pile-1, the first nuclear reactor, included in the front row Enrico Fermi, left, and Walter Zinn, second from left; and in the second row Harold Agnew, left, Leona Woods, second from right, and Leo Szilard, right. / Los Alamos National Laboratory photo

World War II was fought in laboratories as well as land, sea and air, according to Alan Scott, a physics professor at ��. Atomic research

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Inspiring Graduate: Anna Brooks, B.S. Applied Science

goersab — Wed, 24 May 2023 15:45:00 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Anna Brooks, B.S. Applied Sciencegoersab May 24, 2023

'I am extremely grateful for all the doors that Stout has opened for me.'

Inspiring Graduate: Anna Brooks (’23)

Hometown: Menomonie, originally Cherkasy, Ukraine
Degree: Applied Science, concentration in Biology, Premedical Specialization
Minor: Chemistry

On the night of Feb. 20, 2022, the first bombs struck Anna Brooks’ hometown of Cherkasy, Ukraine. “A cozy and peaceful town was forever changed. And so was I,” she shared in her address as commencement speaker at �� . College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management ceremony on May 6.

“That night, as I sat with my mom and my husband in our home in Menomonie, figuring out what on earth would we do next, I grew 10 years older. Later that morning, dozens of people at Stout approached me to offer their help and condolences. Suddenly, I realized that I was a part of something bigger and stronger than myself. I was a part of the Stout community – my village – my family of choice,” she said to her fellow CSTEMM graduates.

Inspiring Graduate Anna Brooks with Chancellor Katherine Frank at commencement / ��

Brooks had earned a business degree in Ukraine and moved to the U.S. several years ago. But her dream was to go to medical school. After her husband graduated from ��, she decided to change her career and pursue a degree in applied science, with a premedical specialization. “Little did I know that it involved inheriting a whole community.”

In her final commencement statements, Brooks added, “I remembered one simple truth: our strength is in our people. As I look at hundreds of beautiful, inspiring, hungry souls in front of me, I see the faces of future communities. … In this divided world, let ��. be the force of unity and humility. Let ��. bring our people together just as Stout did for us.”

This summer, Brooks will complete an internship at the Urology Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School, before beginning her applications to medical school.

“I am proud of overcoming all the difficulties in my studies and persevering on my premedical path. I am graduating with a 4.0 GPA which is an achievement of its own,” Brooks said.

"I am extremely grateful for all the doors that Stout has opened for me."

Anna Brooks was the student speaker at the CSTEMM ceremony / ��

“Anna is a great example of what having a second chance, a second bachelor ��. degree in her case, can do for someone,” said Dr. Alex Hall. “She is a reminder that we are welcoming of people of all backgrounds, and of our goal to give back to the state of Wisconsin, as she ��. very interested in being a doctor in the Menomonie area when she ��. done with her training.”

How have your Stout education and experience changed you?

Stout has completely changed my view and understanding of the world, especially how I approach information. I have noticed that my thinking is much more critical. I always look for peer-reviewed evidence when approaching any new concept. My view of the human body has deepened immensely.

The education I received at Stout has interested me even more in learning as much as possible.

How has �� prepared you to work in your field?

I believe that evidence speaks for my competitiveness in the field. I have done hands-on research at Stout, presented it at the NCUR 2023, and participated and won the SDoH Challenge with Mayo. I also served as a tutor and teaching assistant.

Anna Brooks in an applied science lab / ��

My first internship experience was in public health. In the second, my team at Washington Medical School wrote and published a study about cultural support for neurocritical patients.

My internship this summer in Madison will help fill a gap year between my undergraduate and graduate degrees.

What stands out about your �� experience?

My professors were more than just teachers: they became my friends, people who encouraged and supported me through difficult times, people who challenged me to get out of my comfort zone.

Thanks to my mentors, I learned way more than I expected and could ever dream of. They will forever occupy a special place in my heart.

My teachers became my guides in the vast worlds of knowledge: Dr. Alex Hall taught me how humans work both on the inside and with each other. Dr. Brian Teague became my research mentor in all my projects in genetics, and a dozen more of amazing professors followed suit.

Dr. Alex Hall and Anna Brooks / Anna Brooks

How did you overcome the challenges you faced in earning your degree?

After the first year of my undergraduate degree, I was faced with debilitating anxiety. I was afraid that I had to pause my education because I simply could not get out of bed. I had a lot of support from my husband and the rest of the family.

I took the time to reflect on ways I could combat the ailment. I knew that I would forever regret leaving school for any reason. The hard work paid off and I was able to return to the classroom.

A year after that, my mother had to leave Ukraine and stay with my family here. It was difficult to focus on schoolwork while the tragedy was unfolding. But I was inspired by the strong women in my family and could not stop working for the better of my patients' future. In the end, the pressure made me the resilient and determined scholar I am today.

How did your involvement impact your experience?

In my first year at Stout, I became a member of the Pre-Health Society and became obsessed with the opportunities the club offered. I was elected president for the next two years. It is with a heavy heart that I leave the team I organized so many events with. Blood drives, bone marrow donor sign-ups, the Relay for Life, speaker nights and dozens of other events taught me about working with a team and making a true difference.

I have received a few scholarships: Howe HE Scholarship; Enger Scholarship; WI Regents Opportunity Scholarship; and Herman Arneson Scholarship. The trust and support I received from the people who chose me as an awardee inspired me to one day establish my own scholarship.

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Our B.S. Applied Science program takes a polytechnic approach to applied science and technology that prepares you for a wide range of industry opportunities.

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