On November 15, students from Colorado State University’s eight colleges participated in CSU’s third Graduate Student Showcase. The one-day conference at the Lory Student Center provided students with the opportunity to showcase their research and creativity, connect with other graduate students and faculty, learn about other disciplines, and gain confidence. Throughout the day, students presented scholarly posters, performances, and visual arts presentations to judges and spectators in the LSC Ballroom.

“The GradShow is a wonderful opportunity to experience the passion, innovation, and energy of graduate students and those across the campus,” said Jodie Redditi Hanzlik, Dean of the Graduate School. “It is also an opportunity to acknowledge the strength of our graduate programs and specifically, our faculty, who are responsible for creating a learning environment that provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to produce such scholarship.”

The event continued into the afternoon with professional development workshops, culminating with an awards reception. Nearly $17,000 in cash prizes were given in recognition of research excellence. The Office of International Programs sponsored three Global Impact Awards, with each award recipient receiving a $350 cash prize.

Global Impact Awards

The Global Impact Award honors a graduate student, or student team, that demonstrates an active commitment to making a global impact through research. Examples might include field research that was conducted at an international location, research that was accomplished by partnering with an international organization or institution, or research that has the capacity to address a significant global challenge.

Zika virus infection detection using an electrochemical paper-based analytical device
Lei Wang
Biomedical Engineering

An epidemic exploded Zika virus (ZIKV) infection with estimations of over one million infections in Brazil alone. While ZIKV infections are generally mild, recently they have been associated with an alarmingly high rate of microcephaly in newborns. Currently, there is still no commercial vaccines or diagnostic assays available. Emerging ZIKV infectious creates a strong need for a low-cost, point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platform that would enable rapid and sensitive Zika virus infection detection. In our study, a ZIKV immunity electrochemical Paper-based analytical devices (ePADs), inexpensive electrochemical sensor technologies designed for point-of-use applications, has been developed for the early ZIKV infection detection.

 

Barriers and Strategies for Disaster Risk Reduction in Earthquake-Prone Cities
Stacia Ryder
Sociology

This poster provides an overview of (1)barriers to disaster risk reduction (DRR) and (2)strategies for reducing disaster risk in 11 earthquake-prone cities including Antakya and Istanbul, Turkey; Bandung and Padang, Indonesia; Chincha and Lima, Peru; Christchurch, New Zealand; Delhi and Guwahati, India; San Francisco, USA; and Thimphu, Bhutan. The goal is to provide information about the different barriers to implementing DRR and to describe the tools and resources that practitioners and organizations in these 11 cities have access to. The poster offers practical advice to help guide the development of risk reduction tools for use in earthquake-prone cities worldwide.

 

Sustainable Transfer of Innovative Drinking Water Technology to Sub-Saharan Africa
Jessica Baker
Civil & Environmental Engineering

According to the UN, 10% of the world’s population does not have access to safe, disinfected water, a basic need for life, even after generations of international development efforts. Experience suggests this is due to a combination of many factors, including cultural, political, or economic. Innovative technology alone is not enough; how that technology is transferred is critical to its sustainability and impact. For this project, I will be taking pre-engineered water tanks and modifications developed at CSU and transferring these technologies to a developing nation in Sub-Saharan Africa, taking into consideration both the technical and the social aspects.