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K-State News
Kansas State University
128 Dole Hall
1525 Mid-Campus Dr North
Manhattan, KS 66506

785-532-2535
media@k-state.edu

Sources: Megan Miller, mmiller@k-state.edu;
and Carol Shanklin, 785-532-7927, shanklin@k-state.edu,
http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/shanklinbio.html
Hometown interest: Manhattan, Silver Lake and Topeka. Also: Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Woodstock, Ga.; La Crescent, Minn.; and Independence, Mo.
News release prepared by: Megan Molitor, 785-532-3452, molitor@k-state.edu;
and Greg Tammen, 785-532-4486, gtammen@k-state.edu

Friday, Feb. 10, 2012

Cats at the capitol: 10 graduate students to present research that benefits state

MANHATTAN -- Studies that range from the shelf life of meats to improving unpaved roads with plant material are among the research topics that will be presented by Kansas State University graduate students at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit.

The ninth annual summit is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in the auditorium of the Docking State Office Building in Topeka. It is free and the public and the campus community are invited.

Ten K-State graduate students will share their findings with legislators, the Kansas Board of Regents, industry representatives and other attendees. Following the summit, two K-State graduate students will be chosen as winners and receive awards.

"Each year K-State graduate students show some of the most dynamic research at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit," said Carol Shanklin, dean of the Graduate School. "Our graduate students presenting this year are outstanding. Their projects not only directly benefit Kansas residents, but also highlight the value of graduate education to economic development of the state and advancement of our work force. K-State is a leader is providing excellent opportunities for our graduate students."

Graduate students at the University of Kansas, the KU Medical Center and Wichita State University also participate in the summit. In total, 32 graduate students will showcase their research. The summit is supported by KansasBio and the graduate schools and graduate student organizations at each university.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback recently signed a proclamation declaring the week of Feb. 13-17 as Graduate Student Research Week. It is meant to acknowledge the contributions that graduate student researchers make to advance knowledge within their fields as well as contributing to the economic development of the state.

The K-State students presenting at the summit, including two students selected as alternate presenters, are the following:

* Theresa Young, master's student in history, Manhattan, "Living Tools: Tree Use in the Nineteenth Century." Young's faculty mentor is Bonnie Lynn-Sherow, associate professor of history.

* Kyle Steele, master's student in animal sciences and industry, Silver Lake, "Shelf Life of Five Meat Products Displayed Under Light-Emitting Diode or Fluorescent Lighting." Steele's faculty mentor is Elizabeth Boyle, professor of animal sciences and industry.

* Stephanie Shishido, doctoral student in diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, Arroyo Grande, Calif., "Gap Junction Enhancer Increases Efficacy of Cisplatin to Attenuate Mammary Tumor Growth." Shishido's faculty mentor is Thu Annelise Nguyen, assistant professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology.

* Ashley Miller, master's student in human nutrition, Woodstock, Ga., an alternate selection, "Defining and Characterizing the 'Nutty' Attribute Across Food Categories." Miller's faculty mentor is Delores Chambers, associate professor of human nutrition.

* Steven Klankowski, doctoral student in chemistry, La Crescent, Minn., "High Performance Lithium Ion Battery Anode Based On Core-Shell Heterostructure of Silicon Coated Vertically Aligned Carbon Nano Fibers." Klankowski's faculty mentor is Jun Li, associate professor of chemistry.

* Wilson Smith, master's student in civil engineering, Independence, Mo., "Feasibility of Using Lignin: Plant Derived Material for Stabilization of Unpaved Roads." Smith's faculty mentor is Dunja Peric, associate professor of civil engineering.

* Jingqun Ma, master's student biomedical sciences, Xianyang, China, "Effect of Alferon 'N' Injection (interferon alpha) on Influenza 'A' Virus Replication In Vitro." Ma's faculty mentor is Juergen Richt, regents distinguished professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology and Kansas Bioscience Authority eminent scholar.

* Miguel Arango, doctoral student in agronomy, Bogota,Columbia, "N2O-N Emissions and the Relationship with Denitrifying Enzyme Activity in Corn Under Different Management Strategies." Arango's faculty mentor is Charles Rice, university distinguished professor of agronomy.

* Phillip Defoe, doctoral student in agronomy, Grand Bay, Commonwealth of Dominica, an alternate selection, "Gardening on Arsenic and Lead-contaminated Brownfields: Is it Safe?" Defoe's faculty mentor is Ganga Hettiarachchi, assistant professor of agronomy.

* Vuyiswa Bushula, doctoral student in plant pathology, Springs, South Africa, "Genetic Diversity in Fusarium Thapsinum Isolates from K-State." Bushula's faculty mentor is Christopher Little, assistant professor of plant pathology.

* Ayomi Perera, doctoral student in chemistry, Heiyanthuduwa, Sri Lanka, "Design of a Mycobacterial Porin-Based Dye Sensitized Solar Cell." Perera's facuty mentor is Stefan Bossmann, professor of chemistry.

* Ximena Cibils Stewart, master's student in entomology, Montevideo, Uruguay, "Within-plant Distribution Impacts Cabbage Aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) Reproductive Potential on Winter Canola in Kansas." Stewart's faculty mentor is Brian McCornack, assistant professor of entomology.