Everything from a solar-powered swimming pool vacuum to a study of human aging was displayed Friday and Saturday at the fourth annual Student Showcase, which took place on the UA Mall.

The showcase was visited by a constant flow of curious students, University of Arizona alumni and community members who were on campus for Homecoming.

About 80 projects were displayed. Undergraduate and graduate students presented their class projects, doctoral dissertations or their hobbies.

Cash prizes of $500, $250 and $125 were given for the best of show and for first and second places, respectively.

"Every year I see exhibits that are destined to improve humanity in the future," UA President Manuel Pacheco said.

Sixteen faculty members, 16 students and 12 community members judged the works, selecting the best from each of eight categories for graduates and undergraduates separately.

"I feel surprised. I didn't expect to win," said Jian-xiang Zhang, educational psychology graduate student, who won the graduate best of show prize.

His project was titled "Horse, Man, and Cart: Pictographic Language Learning." With the use of video and sound, Zhang's project provided an innovative way to teach Chinese through technology.

Zhang, who spent four months working on his project, said his intent was to show how to apply modern technology to education.

Greg Kaczynski, media arts junior, said the response he got from people regarding his project was mostly positive. His project, "Glorified G," was a video which compiled movies that portray the use of firearms in a heroic way, such as "Robocop" and "Desperado." With this project, Kaczynski said he hoped to inspire some to become more educated about guns.

In addition to the blank stares and positive responses that he received from the public, Kaczynski also received an invitation to speak to a class of Tucson fourth graders.

Maribel Alvarez, doctoral candidate in anthropology, said the showcase was an opportunity to "gauge people's reactions." Her project was a study of the symbolism behind the Mexican figure taking a siesta, whom she named "Pancho."

Alvarez said those of a higher social and economic class have an interest in preserving the image of Pancho as a lazy worker, since he has his head down. But for others, Pancho is a symbol of hard work.

It took Alvarez two years to work on this project, which is also her doctoral dissertation.

For other students, the showcase was an opportunity to display a creation that can possibly be in the market in a few years.

Mahammad Farid, Edward Tesch, Karon Christensen and Curtis Yeh, mechanical engineering seniors, designed an instrument to test the capability of pneumatic valves. Parker Hannifin Corp., a Tucson company, funded the project and will take the idea and expand it so that the instrument can test various types of valves, Farid said.

Overall, the showcase was an opportunity for students to show the public what they can do best.

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