Years of intense investigation in libraries, frustration and long nights may lead to even more sleep deprivation for the 11 winners of last week's Cal State Long Beach Student Research Competition.
Of the 32 students vying for top honors, only the top 11 have a chance to compete in the state finals, May 1 and 2 at California State University Chico.
"Six out of ten CSULB winners in last year's statewide competition came home winners, and this group is as good as any to defend our record," said Keith Polakoff, associate vice president of Academic Affairs.
The competition on Friday was open to all students and required the submittal of the each student's research paper and a faculty nomination for each to the University Academic Projects office. The subject matter was the students' choice.
"This competition is absolutely great for CSULB students," said Sharon Olson, director of University Academic Projects.
Competitors gave ten-minute oral presentations on their research papers to fellow students and a jury of faculty members. Winners received cash prizes, compliments of President Robert C. Maxson's office. The prizes were $200 for first-finishers place and
$100 for second place.
"The purpose of the competition is to focus attention on the outstanding accomplishments of students engaged in significant research and creative activity at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in all academic disciplines," Polakoff said.
Robert Hull, second place winner in the engineering and computer sciences category, completed his thesis on problematics, merging data sets based on names.
"I am so very excited about winning," Hull said. "Just to be in the competition is great."
Anna Mc Carthy and Jane Curtis, co-authors of a study on rape prevention aimed at college students, received the first place award in the social and behavioral sciences category.
"It's nice to get recognition," Mc Carthy said. "I am really
pleased."
"It's a wonderful experience to know your work is valued and the nature of our research is important and necessary," Curtis said.
Graduate student George Peck's research on ariendo donax, a plant whose rapid growth clogs waterways, earned him second place in the biological and agricultural sciences category.
"I am very honored because competitions like this are very important in motivating students to do well and learn to present the results of their work in a structured way" Peck said.
Adeline Schmitz, first-place winner of the engineering and computer science award, happy that her four-year project on aircraft systems is a success. She completed her undergraduate work in Belgium, earned her master's in France and is currently working jointly at CSULB and Claremont on a Ph.D. in aerospace
engineering and applied industrial sciences.
Junior Stephanie Evans' childhood fascination with "School House Rock", a children's television program, led her to research the accuracy of the program as compared to actual events. Her study resulted in a first place finish in the Humanities and Letters category.
"I am overwhelmed. I started Long Beach under the McNair Program (a federal program for first generation college students). Without the program, I would not be here," Evans said.
Other winners in the research competition include Michael Klyde, second place in the social and behavioral sciences, Jason Atalia, first place in biological and agricultural sciences, Michele Walker first place in and second place in Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences, and Jaime Perez second place in Humanities and Letters.