97-05-16 Undergraduate Research Forum

OHIO STATE UNDERGRADUATES TO COMPETE IN RESEARCH FORUM

     COLUMBUS -- More than 60 Ohio State University undergraduate
students will showcase their research Tuesday, May 20, at the
Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St.

     They will be participating in the Richard J. & Martha D.
Denman Undergraduate Research Forum from 3 to 6 p.m. in the West
Ballroom.  Kathryn Sullivan, president of the Center of Science &
Industry in Columbus, will give the keynote address at 6:45 p.m.

     Each year, the Undergraduate Research Forum gives Ohio State
undergraduates a chance to pursue professional-quality research
with faculty members in their chosen specialties.

     This year, 67 undergraduates are participating in the
competition and all will present their work on Tuesday. Three
students in each of six research categories will share $6,000 in
prize money, with a first prize of $500, second prize of $300,
and third prize of $200.

     The six research areas are the biological, engineering,
and physical sciences; a combination of the administrative,
educational, and social and behavioral sciences; the arts and
humanities; and medicine. Following are four examples of the
research projects:

     Marissa Cruz Camacho, a senior from Maumee majoring in
community health nursing, will present “‘I Need a Hug’:
Evaluation of the Effectiveness to a Violence Prevention
Intervention,” in which she investigated ways to help inner-city
school children express their emotions through positive actions
such as hugging instead of violence.

     Julie H. Rafeedie, a senior from Youngstown majoring in
architecture, will present “Ecological Design and Form,” in which
she explored how both old and new technologies for
environmentally-conscious building design will combine to affect
architectural form in the future.

     Garth C. Robins, a senior from Shaker Heights majoring in
physics, will present, “Magnetization Studies in Thin Film
Metallic Tri Layers,” in which he investigated the magnetic
properties of thin metal films, the components that control data
storage capacity in magnetic recording systems like computer disk
drives.

     Siew Chung Shee, a senior from Dublin majoring in civil
engineering, will present “Building Simulation for Crime
Prevention in a Virtual Environment,” in which he constructed a
three-dimensional virtual reality model of the Alfred P. Murrah
Federal Building in Oklahoma City and identified possible design
changes that would reduce the likelihood of buildings becoming
targets for terrorist attacks.

     The event showcases the achievement and talents of Ohio
State’s undergraduate students, and highlights the opportunities
these students have to work with faculty on significant research
projects.

     The forum is funded by a major gift from alumni Richard J.
And Martha D. Denman of California, with support from the Office
of Academic Affairs, the University Honors Center, and
Undergraduate Student Government.

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Contact: Kirsten Brackney, (614) 292-5881; Brackney.5@osu.edu

Written by Pam Frost, (614) 292-9475; Frost.18@osu.edu


[Submitted by: Von Vargas  (vargas.12@osu.edu)
               
Fri, 16 May 1997 15:42:49 -0400 (EDT)]
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