Think you need to wear goggles
and a lab coat to do research?Think again.
At UST, our students and professors work side by side conducting research. Our students roll up their sleeves and gain valuable experience.
Amy Gunty
Major:Psychology with a minor in Math
Hometown:Phoenix, Ariz.
Faculty Collaborator:Dr. John R. Buri
- Fell in love with all things Italian during her J-Term abroad in Italy sophomore year
- Accidentally decided on her major after a chance meeting in which Dr. John Buri, a St. Thomas psychology professor, sparked her interest in the field
- Doesn't miss an episode of Grey's Anatomy
- Researched family dynamics in early childhood and their effect on one's view of the world later in life with a Bush Foundation Grant
What's next for Amy?
Present research at a regional conference. Present research at a national conference. Get published. Attend graduate school.
Annie Gatto
Majors:Psychology & Catholic Studies
Hometown:White Bear Lake, Minn.
Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Mary Anne Chalkley
- Focused on how adults communicate and make decisions as their parents age.
- Interviewed children and parents to find out how their interactions and communication patterns changed at difference periods in their lives.
- Worked as an intern in the Regions Hospital psychology department.
- Is working on an extension of the project, which will analyze the data to create broader themes of family communication.
What's next for Annie?
Annie is very interested in gerontology and family dynamics, and also has spent much of her life working with people with disabilities. She would love to incorporate these interests into a career. She also is a bridesmaid in five upcoming weddings, and someday hopes to own her own vineyard in Tuscany.
Barjeta Balidemaj
Majors:Biology with Pre-Med & Psychology
Hometown:Pristina, Kosovo
Faculty Collaborator:Dr. William Ojala
- Lives on campus with her three best friends
- Already a published researcher and she's only 21 years old
- Used her Bush Foundation Grant to study "bridge-flipped" isomers, employing crystallographic methods
- Still finds time to volunteer at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn.
What's next for Barjeta?
Survive her upcoming biology test. Anticipate an exciting senior year. Get into medical school.
Caitlyn Gomez
Majors:Psychology & Spanish
Minors:Justice & Peace Hometown:Omaha, Neb.
Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Britain Scott
- Investigated how certain physical environments affect a woman’s self-concept, the likelihood of behaving in an eco-friendly way and feelings of connectedness to nature.
- Surveyed women who were immersed in both a natural and built environment to ascertain the effect our environments have on our relationship with nature.
- Her fall semester was spent studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain and will be in Buenos Aires, Argentina spring semester to study “Human Rights in Latin America.”
- Says that her most memorable moment as St. Thomas was “the first day I walked through the psychology department and felt at home. You don’t realize how much you love UST until you study somewhere else!”
What's next for Caitlyn?
Caitlyn plans to go to graduate school for clinical psychology and become a clinical psychologist for the immigrant population. She wants to counsel in Spanish and specialize in psychological issues related to human rights violations in Latin America or at the United States/Mexico border.
Christian Lytle
Majors:Physics & Math
Hometown:Rochester, Minn.
Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Josh Nollenberg
- Revived the Society of Physics Students Club at UST
- Spent a summer in Los Alamos, N.M. working in the facility where the first atomic bomb was created
- Doesn't miss a note in the UST Handbell Choir
- Used his Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship to create a computer program that corrects the view of light beams bent around galaxies millions of miles away
What's next for Christian?
Take a break from astrophysics to explore experimental physics. Apply to grad schools. Scour the United States for the finest rare steak.
Danielle Scotti
Major:History
Hometown:Mendota Heights, Minn.
Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Joseph Fitzharris
- Studied the conditions, duties, roles and trials of the Army nurse during various war eras throughout history.
- Interviewed countless women with Army experience to discover how the role of the female nurse has developed over the last century.
- Went to Italy in the spring of 2008 to study Hitler and Mussolini, international relations, art history and the Italian language. Learn more about Study Abroad opportunities at St. Thomas.
- Says that her favorite thing about St. Thomas is “the close-knit community of students and faculty at St. Thomas. Being here feels like being home.”
What's next for Danielle?
Danielle recently took the LSAT and is considering law school or graduate school after graduation. She plans to use the knowledge of history she obtained at UST in whatever career she pursues.
Emily Sauter
Majors:Communication & Political Science
Hometown:Roseville, Minn.
Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Kevin Sauter
- Studied for a semester during her junior year in Ireland at the University of Limerick. Learn more about Study Abroad opportunities at St. Thomas.
- Found her niche in the St. Thomas Anime Club, Japanese Club and Karate Club
- As a Bush Foundation Grant recipient, studied the art of persuasion and applied rhetorical theory to everyday public speeches in Minnesota
- Plans to present her research findings at an upcoming research conference and eventually turn them into a book about communication
What's next for Emily?
Take a year off to work as a freelance production assistant. Travel the globe. Apply to graduate schools. Contemplate a career in politics.
James Feeks
Major:Physics Hometown:Lakeville, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Gerald Ruch
- Worked with his astronomy professor to set up a robotic mount and mount a telescope in the new St. Thomas Observatory.
- Designed the telescope’s mechanical and electronic components of the mirror cover; a transportation device for a secondary telescope and a system to align the telescope to the North Star.
- “It was really exciting knowing that we were making history at St. Thomas. We finally have our own, functional Observatory which will be so beneficial to students, professors and the surrounding community. It was great to be able to participate in making that happen for the University.”
- Says his favorite experience at St. Thomas was “making ice cream using liquid nitrogen. It was delicious!”
What's next for James?
James is considering graduate school for medical physics. He’s excited to see the tremendous possibilities come from the new observatory.
Jeff Buchholz and Joe Maniaci
Research Partners
Jeff:
Major:Electrical Engineering Hometown:Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Joe:
Major:Electrical Engineering Hometown:Shoreview, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Greg Mowry
- Tested the electronics of a wind turbine system in order to design the electronics for the second generation system.
- Jeff’s favorite part of the project was testing the generator for the first time and having the test set-up work perfectly.
- Joe’s favorite part was the hands on learning “like being able to test electronics and sometimes exploding components and tripping circuit breakers to find out where the problems are.”
- Says that his most memorable experience at St. Thomas was “creating a digital clock for my digital design class.”
What's next for Jeff?
Jeff hopes to attend graduate school and will continue to test, characterize and modify the next generation of electronics for the wind turbine to create a system that works satisfactorily.What's next for Joe?
Joe will be going to Hawaii for J-Term to study philosophy.
Plans to finish his undergraduate degree at St. Thomas and then begin working in his field of study.
Jared Brown and Justin Falzone
Research Partners
Jared:
Majors:Mathematics & Actuarial Science Hometown:Grand Rapids, Minn. Justin:
Major:Electrical Engineering Hometown:Shoreview, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Heekyung Youn
- Created an insurance contract to help third-world farmers in Kakamega, Kenya. The contract is based on the amount of rainfall necessary for maize to grow properly. The payout starts when rainfall falls below what’s needed, thus offsetting some of the financial burden of crop loss.
- Presented the results at the 44th Actuarial Research Conference in Madison, Wisc. The only undergraduate students to do so.
What's next for Jared?
Jared is currently a junior and plans on securing an actuary internship in the Twin Cities. Currently, he and Justin are working on simulating rainfall data to make their project more accurate.What's next for Justin?
Justin plans to start his career in the actuarial field after graduation, applying his research at a job in the field related to their project.
Jonathan Tschiggfrie
Major:Vocal Music Education Hometown:Dubuque, IowaFaculty Collaborator:Dr. Sarah Schmalenberger
- Researched the preservation of the riverboat steam calliope tradition as it relates to the musical heritage of the United States.
- Traveled more than 7,500 miles with his father, to study several still-operable steam calliopes on rivers.
- Spends much of his time at St. Thomas performing in UST choirs and studying music history.
What's next for Jonathan?
Jonathan hopes to be a high school music teacher, as well as a family man. He would also like to continue his research and compose choral music.
Kelsey Hofmeister
Major:Mechanical EngineeringMinors:Electrical Engineering & Mathematics Hometown:Maplewood, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Greg Mowry
- Built a portable biodiesel production unit using a new biodiesel process called the McGyan process.
- Goal was to develop a more efficient and cost-effective system. This included learning about heat transfer concepts, contacting companies for quotes and information on parts, and conducting experiments to understand the chemistry behind the process.
- Favorite part of the project was communicating with a large variety of people and gaining a broad perspective on biodiesel processing.
- Says her most memorable experience at St. Thomas is “being a counselor at an engineering and science camp for young girls called STEPS Camp. I wanted to help others not feel intimidated by math or science like I did.”
What's next for Kelsey?
Kelsey plans to enter the engineering industry after graduation and would love to further her education at some point.
Lucy Gansebom
Major:Biology Hometown:Peshtigo, Wisc.Faculty Collaborators:Dr. Jayna Ditty & Dr. J. Thomas Ippoliti
- Developed a new antimicrobial that is effective against resistant bacteria, which cause illness.
- Loved working with professors and fellow classmates to troubleshoot the problems that came up in the experimental stages.
- Believes that being a Tommie allows her to explore many opportunities and make a difference.
What's next for Lucy?
Lucy hopes to attend medical school after graduation.
Matt Farmer
Major:Health PromotionsHometown:New Brighton, Minn.Faculty Collaborators:Dr. Bridget Duoos
- Set out to find a correlation between strength and the speed of a golf club’s head speed.
- Used electrodes to measure participants’ max strength of two abdominal muscles.
- Loved seeing the culmination of everything he’s learned at St. Thomas come together in one project.
What's next for Matt?
Matt would like to work in corporate health and eventually go back to school for a master’s degree in health promotion behavior.
Molly Leonard
Majors:Math, Spanish & Catholic Studies Hometown:Minneapolis, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Cheri Shakiban
- Member of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA)
- Researched how numbers were perceived in Andean civilizations, and the important role they played in Incan culture
- Studied abroad in Mexico and Peru for math and Spanish majors. Learn more about Study Abroad opportunities at St. Thomas.
- Made the dean’s list last year
What's next for Molly?
Molly plans to go back to Peru in May, 2009 to continue her research.
Nate Brandt
Majors:Chemistry & Math Hometown:Minneapolis, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Joseph Brom
- Received a prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship to research photoinduced electron transfer between molecules
- Is a self-proclaimed "chemistry nerd"
- Puts the opportunity to conduct research as an undergraduate among his favorite parts of being a student at UST
- Made the dean's list last year
What's next for Nate?
Travel to Peru for a math and architecture class this J-Term. Obtain his master's and Ph.D. in chemistry. Teach at a university. Learn more about Study Abroad opportunities at St. Thomas.
Nicole Lucca
Major:English Hometown:Duluth, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Alexis Easley
- Applied post-colonial literary criticism to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.
- Explored how imperialist ideology was transmitted through children’s literature to the Empire’s next generation of colonizers.
- Went to India for J-Term her sophomore year to take a course called “The Religions and People of India.”
- Says her most memorable moment at St. Thomas was “the Young Scholars Research opportunity. My faculty advisor was incredibly helpful and supportive. Without her this project would not have been possible!”
What's next for Nicole?
Nicole is applying to teach English abroad next year. She plans to attend graduate school to pursue a master’s degree and eventually her PhD in English.
Rachel Piotraschke
Major:Geology with a minor in English Hometown:White Bear Lake, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Melissa Lamb
- Never thought she would join the sailing team, enjoy theology classes or be a geology major in college
- Received a Bush Foundation Grant to intricately map Nevada's Bitter Spring Quadrangle (BSQ)
- Camped in the Nevada desert for two weeks last summer studying normal and strike-slip faults as part of her research
- Enhances her education at UST within the Aquinas Scholars honors program
What's next for Rachel?
Continue the mapping project in the BSQ. Attend graduate school. Consider a career in environmental consulting.
Rory Mattson
Majors:Political Science & Print Journalism Hometown:St. Paul, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Steve Hoffman
- Explored the role of the Mississippi River and how it has changed over the last 100 years from serving as an artery for transporting goods to becoming an essential ecosystem.
- Poured over microfilm of newspapers from 100 years ago to see how the media influenced the public’s perception of the river.
- Participated in a January Term (J-Term) trip to New Zealand in 2008 called “Sustainable New Energy: Policy, Politics, and Ecology.”
- Says that his favorite part of the project was getting started. “There is so much information available; I read a lot to narrow down my topic. I remember a story from around the 1930s of an Italian Supreme Court re-hearing Socrates’ case. I would always come across fun stuff like that while looking for Mississippi River information.”
What's next for Rory?
Rory recently took the LSAT and plans on applying to Law School. He hopes to continue studying the Mississippi River and its history in some capacity.
Ryan Thompson
Majors:Electrical Engineering & Music Hometown:St. Cloud, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. Christopher S. Greene
- Used his Bush Foundation Grant to develop a device that visually represents the timbre or musical quality of a single pluck on a classical guitar
- His one-of-a-kind machine will help new guitarists develop better playing techniques
- Can't decide which he loves more, The Simpsons or a crunchy roll from Nami, a sushi restaurant in Minneapolis
- His favorite part of his research came when his engineering professor said, "I never knew music could be so cool!"
What's next for Ryan?
Graduate this May. Start his career in engineering. Continue to pursue his true passion, classical guitar.
Sara Padley
Majors:Elementary Education & Psychology Hometown:Rochester, Minn. Faculty Collaborator:Dr. John M. Tauer
- Spent last summer studying the role of parenting in young athletes' goals, sportspersonship and motivation as a Bush Foundation Grant winner
- Wants to solve the mystery behind the television show Lost
- Says the fact that her professors are approachable is her favorite thing about St. Thomas
- Has a weakness for banana bread
What's next for Sara?
Expand upon her research. Finish up college. Possibly become a kindergarten teacher.
Senta Riley
Major:Mechanical Engineering Hometown:South Saint Paul, Minn.Faculty Collaborators:Dr. Chris Greene
& Dr. AnnMarie Thomas
& Dr. AnnMarie Thomas
- Created a working underwater robot with four other students during a Summer Academy.
- Loves the small classes at St. Thomas, and believes that they are more conducive to learning.
- Wants to study abroad in the spring of 2010. Learn more about Study Abroad opportunities at St. Thomas.
What's next for Senta?
Senta is currently a freshman at St. Thomas. She hopes to participate in more research programs to enhance her knowledge of mechanical engineering.
Read the project abstracts of all Bush Foundation Grant recipients.
