UWO student scholars to present research Thursday at McNair and Beckman Research Showcase

UW Oshkosh students, faculty, staff, and Oshkosh community members are invited to the Culver Family Welcome Center between 4 and 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, to engage with student scholars and gain insight into the research process and broader impact of these studies.

Senior Diana Koehler, pictured above, studies her microplastics research data.

Sixteen University of Wisconsin Oshkosh student scholars who spent their summer researching topics ranging from microplastics in Lake Michigan to global hunger, will be presenting their findings Thursday, Sept. 26 at the 2024 McNair and Beckman Research Showcase.

Included in the Showcase are the first two Beckman Scholars: Aedon Langkau, of Oshkosh, a junior majoring in chemistry with an emphasis on biomolecular science; and Diana Koehler, of Appleton, a senior majoring in biology.

While McNair, a federally funded TRIO Program has occupied a strong presence at UWO since 2007 during which it has supported over 200 scholars, the Beckman Scholars Program is new to UW Oshkosh.

Like McNair, Beckman Programs are in place to assist high-achieving, highly motivated undergraduates prepare for graduate study by engaging in a paid, faculty-mentored research project.

Eligible McNair scholars can come from any discipline and receive a summer research stipend of $4,300 plus paid graduate school visits and conference attendance. Beckman scholars conduct research exclusively in chemistry or the biological and medical sciences and receive a stipend of $18,200 over two summers and two semesters.

The program is named for prominent chemist, inventor and philanthropist Arnold Beckman, who with his wife, created the foundation that supports young scientists.

Researching real-life issues

Langkau is making strides in his research on proteins secreted by the bacterium named Mycolicibacterium species RJGII-135. He said preliminary research on this bacterium has shown that it can eat complex, difficult to degrade molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Langkau worked under the mentorship of Sabrina Mueller-Spitz, an associate biology professor at UW Oshkosh.

"Due to the ability of RJGII-135 to degrade PAHs, my mentor has theorized that it may also be able to degrade Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), which is the primary component of some plastic products including recyclable water bottles," Langkau said. "With this in mind, a major goal of our research is to determine if this bacterium is able to degrade PET, which would allow us to possibly contribute to the growing global understanding of how microorganisms may be used to recycle plastic-waste."

Koehler spent her summer analyzing water samples taken from 15 of Wisconsin's Lake Michigan beaches via Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, an analytical method that uses infrared light to identify and quantify the composition of materials. Her mentor, Greg Kleinheinz, is the engineering technology department chair and Environmental Research and Innovation Center director.

"My project is significant because for mitigation efforts to take place, sources of microplastics must be identified," she said.

Koehler said she was drawn to the STEM field because of her curious nature.

"The world is full of mysteries and unanswered questions," she said. "I love being able to ask a question and work to find the answer."

Lankau also said he likes knowing that his work in research can potentially solve real world problems.

"I find studying and performing research in the field of biomolecular science to be very satisfying not only because it feels like I'm uncovering small mysteries, but also because it provides a way to potentially help people on a large scale, whether it be through working in medicine, or through remediating pollution in the case of my personal research project," he said.

Through his work as a Beckman Scholar, Langkau has found that persistence is key to research and that failed experiments also have value.

"In my experience with research, much of my time has been spent troubleshooting or repeating experiments," he said. "As a result, the struggle has not revolved around trying to meet a high expectation once, such as getting an 'A' on an exam, but instead around being able to learn from mistakes, not give up, and try again. As a result, I feel that research has strengthened me by improving my ability to see things not going as planned as opportunities to learn and as natural parts of progression instead of failures."

Cordelia Bowlus, who oversees both the McNair Scholars Program at UW Oshkosh and the Beckman Scholars Program, underscores the importance of the program in nurturing future researchers.

"Aedon and Diana have been imitable representatives of the Beckman Scholars Program, pushing through challenges and embracing Dr. Arnold O. Beckman's words: 'Don't be afraid of making mistakes. If you're not making mistakes, you're probably not doing very much,'"she said. "One of the Beckman Program's strengths is that it funds participants over 15 months, giving them the time they need to work through challenges. I am excited to see Aedon and Diana present at the Showcase and take their research to the next level in time for the 2025 Beckman Symposium in August."

The 2024 McNair & Beckman Research Showcase will feature the following poster presentations:

McNair Scholars

• Ramzy Baji, Menasha, biology, Insect Herbivory of Common Buckthorn in its Introduced Range Compared to its Native Range
• Sam Badjie, Brikama, The Gambia, biomedical sciences, Examining the Role of Societal Viewpoints on the Adoption of Preventative Primary Healthcare Institutions in the Gambia
• Damon Braatz, Shawano, psychology, The Influence of Trait Aggression on the Accessibility of Aggressive Concepts
• Muhammed Kambi, Jeshwang, The Gambia, psychology, Directed Forgetting for Everyday Environmental Sounds
• Kyra Cooper, Fond du Lac, accounting, Predicting ESG Score Using Performance Indicators: A Multiple Regression Analysis of ESG Scores and Business Metrics
• Diana Koehler, Appleton, biology, Investigating the Presence and Composition of Microplastics in Nearshore Environments of Lake Michigan: A Beckman Scholars Research Project
• Fatima Muniz, Neenah, mathematics, A Computerized Search for Unilateral and Equitransitive Tilings by Squares
• Piper Novy, Wauconda, Illinois, geology, "Pressure-Temperature Conditions of Metapelites in the Lake Superior Region, USA"
• Jazmine Peterson, Whitewater, psychology, College Students' Perceptions of Procedural Justice and Legitimacy of Police Procedures
• Amanda Pierron, Neenah, political science, The Modern US Feminist Movement: A Measure of Mobilization Across the Upper Midwest (1970-2020)
• Aspyn Rafac, Indian Lake, Ohio, political science, Synergistic Challenges: How Food Access and Resource Utilization Interact to Influence Global Hunger
• Ariana Sotelo, Milwaukee, criminal justice/Spanish, From Heritage to Higher Education: Unveiling the influence of immigrant parents experiences on first-generation Latino college students
• Pa Nhia Thao, Green Bay, economics, Exploring the Socioeconomic Status of Hmong in the United States
• Anastasha Westbrook, Marshfield, biomedical sciences, Diversity and Disparity of Crocodilians (Crocodylomorpha) Before and After the K-Pg Extinction
• Daisy Wilson, Weyauwega, biology/psychology, PET Synthesis and Biodegradation

Beckman Scholars

• Aedon Langkau, chemistry, Extracelluar Proteome Characterization of Mycolicbacterium Species RJGII-135
• Diana Koehler, biology, Investigating the Presence and Composition of Microplastics in Nearshore Environments of Lake Michigan: A Beckman Scholars Research Project*

*Both Beckman and McNair

Learn more:

McNair Scholars Program at UWO

Beckman Scholars Program at UWO

Study Chemistry at UWO

Study Biology at UWO

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.