About 40 West Virginia University students will take their research projects to Charleston as part of the fourth annual Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol Thursday, Feb. 8.

Twelve colleges and universities will be represented at the event from 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Capitol Rotunda. In all, 106 students will participate.

Undergraduate Research Day allows students to present their discoveries in poster format and talk to legislators about their findings, said Keith Garbutt, Eberly Family Professor and dean of the Honors College at WVU . The projects are original research, and the posters have been designed for a general audience.

Studentsmentored by faculty from the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources; Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences; and the Eberly College of Arts and Scienceswill present their posters in the areas of animal science, plant science, biology, psychology, computer science and information technology, forensic science, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, sociology/social work, engineering, history, African studies, political science, English, environmental studies and geology.

In addition to WVU , other schools represented are Bethany College, Fairmont State University, Glenville State College, Marshall University, Ohio Valley University, Shepherd University, the University of Charleston, West Liberty State College, WVU Institute of Technology, West Virginia Wesleyan College and Wheeling Jesuit University.

Research of the kind conducted by these students is the basis of our economic future, and this event offers a great opportunity for members of the state Legislature to interact with students who will be the innovators of the future,Garbutt said.It also highlights the importance WVU places on the one-on-one academic activities that take place between students and faculty.

Garbutt, co-chair of the events organizing committee, said legislators have shown a lot of interest in the students and their projects in the three previous years.

The students really appreciate the interest shown by members of the state Legislature,Garbutt said.Visits with the students have increased each year. We feel this is a clear indication of the interest legislators have in higher education in West Virginia.

The following is a list of WVU participants along with their hometowns, disciplines, research posters and advisers:

• Naushin Ahmed , Morgantown, BiologyInvestigating the Role of Vitamin C in Plant-Pathogen Interactions(Carina Barth, adviser)Catie Blankenship, Fairmont, BiologyThe Potential Effects of Allelopathic Compounds from Ailanthus Altissima on the Germination and Growth of Native and Invasive Tree Species Under Field and Greenhouse Conditions(James McGraw, adviser)

• Emily Calandrelli , Morgantown, EngineeringEffectiveness of an Intervention Calculus Course(Robin Hensel, adviser) Carrie Cecil, New Martinsville, HistoryThe Influence of Social Conditions onPropaganda in Britain: The Empire Marketing Board, 1926-1933(Joseph Hodge, adviser)

• Brent Chanin , Central Valley, N.Y., EngineeringInertial Manipulation as a Device for Aircraft Steering Control(James Smith, adviser)Gatha Clevenger, Gerrardstown, Animal and Nutritional SciencesFunctional analysis of DEAD -Box RNA Helicases in Arabidopsis During Cold Stress(Dale Karlson, adviser)

• Lauren Cook , Hurricane, PsychologyEffects of Variable Behavior on Human Problem Solving(Philip Chase, adviser)Curran Gehring, Redmond, Animal and Nutritional SciencesDifferential Gene Expression and Changes in Small Intestinal Histology Development in Response to Varying Dietary Nutrient Content and Feed Form in Male Broiler Chicks(Joe Moritz, adviser)

• Jackie Grimes , Sewickley, Pa., EngineeringInvestigation into the Behavior of a Circular Hydraulic Jump in Microgravity(John Kuhlman, adviser)Curtis Groves, Wheeling, EngineeringCessna Aircraft Company/Raytheon Missile Systems Student Design/Build/Fly Competition(Curtis Groves, adviser)

• Jessica Hall , Canton, Ohio, Forensic ScienceDNA Analysis of Insects Used in a Death Investigation: Finding a Reliable Method for Identifying Bluebottle and Greenbottle Flies(Jeffrey Wells, adviser)Zane Harvey, Wellsburg, PhysicsConstruction and Operation of a Retarding Field Energy Analyzer for a Helicon Plasma Source(Earl Scime, adviser)

• Meagan Hubbell , Haymarket, Va., and Steven Hard, Point Marion, Pa., EngineeringDesign of an Adjustable Slope, Moving Ground Plane Wind Tunnel(James Smith, adviser)Kristen Hunter-Cevera, Ellicott City, Md., BiologyDiversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Across Vegetation Gradients on an Acidic Mine Site(Jonathan Cumming, adviser)

• Ryan Imperio , Burlington, BiologyInvestigating the Role of Vitamin C in Plant Root Development(Carina Barth, adviser)Natalie Johnson, Morgantown, BiologyNuclear Intronic Sequence Analysis of Crocodilian Phylogeny(David Ray, adviser)

• Robert Leonard , Hurricane, PhysicsSpatial Stratification of Bond Angles in the Crystalline Silicon/Silicon Nitride Interface(Martina Bachlechner, adviser)Jason Likens, Tunnelton, BiologyDisruption of Normal Limb Regeneration and Exoskeleton Synthesis by Methoprene in the Mud Fiddler Crab, Uca Pugnax(Christy Foran, adviser)

• Keri Morgan , Lewisburg, BiochemistryThe Effect of Sugar-induced Weight Gain on the Reproductive Cycles of Young Female Rats(Janet Tou, adviser)Justin Morris, Morgantown, EngineeringDefect Replication(Wils Cooley, adviser)

• Ryan Murphy , Philippi, PhysicsAbsorption Spectroscopy of Helium Ions in aHelicon Plasma Source(Earl Scime, adviser)

• Vanesah Noechel , Cumberland, Md.; Andrea Ramsey, East Bank; and James Mark, Elkins, PsychologyOral Health Among Pregnant Women in West Virginia: Practices, Knowledge and Emotional Factors(Daniel McNeil, adviser)Eli T. Owens, Fairmont, PhysicsMolecular Dynamics Simulations of Hypervelocity Impacts(Martina E. Bachlechner, adviser)

• Stephen Parker , Heaters, EngineeringHeat Transfer Roof Project(James Smith, adviser)Kerri Phillips, Weirton, and Tristan Wolfe, Morgantown, EngineeringStudy of the Circular Hydraulic Jump of Water in Microgravity(John Kuhlman, adviser)

• John Ruth , Bruceton Mills, and Jon Kweder, Nesquehoning, Pa., EngineeringDesign and Construction of the WVU Facility for Outdoor Rotor Testing(James Smith, adviser)Ben Saunders, Charleston, PsychologyEffects of Acute and Repeated Caffeine Administration on Delay Discounting in Rats(Karen Anderson, adviser)

• Rebecca Scoville , Houma, La., HorticultureThe Effects of Plant Growth Regulators and Nutrient Salt Media Formulations on the Micropropagation of Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis(Todd West, adviser)William Trevor Swan III , Morgantown, Engineering, and Eli T. Owens, Fairmont, PhysicsComputational Impactor Creation and its Application(Martina E. Bachlechner, adviser)

• Kara Walton , Morgantown, GeologyPaleobotany of the Sykes Mountains Formation, Big Horn Basin, Shell, Wyo.(Thomas Kammer, adviser)Ashley Wise, Morgantown; Ross Israel, Morgantown; and Kylie Edmond, Morgantown, EnglishAn Empirical Assessment of Modern Appalachian English(Kirk Hazen, adviser)

For more information on WVU s involvement in Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol, contact Garbutt at 304-293-2100.