Exhibition showcases research projects during Homecoming

Leigh-Anne Brown Arizona Daily Wildcat Molecular cellular biology and microbiology junior Elizabeth Hogan explains her project to passers-by at the Student '98 Showcase held on the UA Mall Saturday. Hogan's work on dispensable chromosomes in different plants was one of two projects that won best of show.

Just ask Bridget Watts, who showed off her research on the prey handling techniques of a desert shrew to University of Arizona students Saturday.

The ecology and evolutionary biology senior was one of more than 130 students presenting the results of her research on the UA Mall this weekend during the largest-ever Student Showcase.

Watts, whose research aimed to investigate instinctive and learned behavior in the desert shrew, said she was "very impressed" by the event.

"I came last year, and that's what made me want to get involved," she said. "There's something in it for everyone to see."

The showcase, in its sixth year at the UA, is the largest student-run exhibition of its type, said chairwoman Jody Servon.

"It's extremely important for the community to see what the university is doing," Servon said. "This is a great resource for businesses."

Showcase organizers select graduate and undergraduate winners from nine categories including arts, science and education, as well as two President's Award winners, a Director's Award winner and a Professional Development Award winner.

UA President Peter Likins spoke to a crowd of over 100 onlookers Saturday during the awards ceremony.

"This Student Showcase is a marvel," Likins said. "When you discover the essence of the university under this tent ... I hope it enables you to go away with a different feeling."

Likins presented the "best of show" President's Awards to Elizabeth Hogan, a microbiology and molecular and cellular biology junior, for her project entitled "An Investigation Into the Importance of Dispensable Chromosomes Present in the Genome of Nectria Haematocca," and Melanie Ayers, a education and mathematics graduate student, for her exhibit, "Linking Home and School: A Bridge to the Many Faces of Mathematics."

Hogan, Ayers and other winners will have the opportunity to present their work to the Arizona Legislature Feb. 18.

"We need to make a special effort to get our (UA's) research seen," Servon said. "It was an exceptional success last year."

Thomas Hixon, dean of the Graduate College, said he was "tickled" with this year's contributors.

"I'm looking forward to taking them to the Legislature so they can see the value of their investment," he said.

Some participants have even higher goals than meeting state lawmakers. Mechanical engineering senior Colin O'Connor was one of 13 students working on the Daedalus Solar Car Project.

The group, which nabbed second place in the undergraduate engineering category, hopes to eventually compete in SunRayce '99 - a solar car race that runs from Washington, D.C., to Orlando, Fla.

O'Connor said he was impressed with the showcase overall, and felt it was important to student research.

"It's a great opportunity for people who work very hard without recognition," he said.

Student Showcase is sponsored each year by the Graduate and Professional Student Council.

"It consumes a considerable amount of the graduate student budget for the entire year," Executive Vice President Jonathan Hartman said.

GPSC President Barbara Cohen said she was pleased with the event's outcome.

"It's continuing to grow," Cohen said. "People at the university are overjoyed that this is going on."

UA alumna Lin Georgi, class of '62, said the showcase was an important part of her return to the university.

"I like it very much," Georgi said. "It's a wonderful example of the quality students you have here. I'm proud to be affiliated with this university."

Erin Mahoney can be reached via e-mail at Erin.Mahoney@wildcat.arizona.edu.