EMU undergrad projects: Cockroaches to climate change

Ypsilanti — How stressed are cockroaches? What are the effects of climate change on the Great Lakes? What about the role of student intuition on test taking?

These issues all are part of projects undertaken by Eastern Michigan University students, who are set to show off their research Friday during the 37th annual Undergraduate Symposium.

Considered the highlight of the academic year, the free event at the EMU Student Center, 900 Oakwood, features about 230 faculty members working with nearly 450 students on projects and presentations from many disciplines, officials said.

Oral and poster presentations begin at 9 a.m. and run through 4:15 p.m. with a break from noon to 1:15 p.m. for a private luncheon. The Crossing Lines Design Expo runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Projects include:

■Biology major Holly McQuithey of Flat Rock comparing Madagascar hissing cockroaches to determine stress levels.

■Nursing major Chelsea Noble of Brownstown examining the roles nurses can play in recovery from substance abuse disorders.

■ Africology & Sociology major Nyambura Njee of Ypsilanti reviewing images of “blackness” in popular culture and how they are used to justify violence against the black community.

■Computer Science major Paul Gossman (Port Huron): Creation of a system that gathers data from millions of students nationwide to enhance instructor insight on student needs and behaviors.

■Athletic Training major Autumn Wright using 3-D printing and live casting to create anatomically correct models for educational purposes.

■Geology and geography student Grace Nicholas of Pinckney exploring how climate change affects the Great Lakes.

■Derek Dixon, a psychology student from Madison Heights, researching the role of student intuition on test-taking.

The keynote speaker at the symposium luncheon will be EMU alumnus Nathan Bomey, a business reporter for USA Today, based in the Washington, D.C., area.

For information, go to http://www.emich.edu/symposium/.