Research

NSF grant will help create future of equitable infrastructure

Authored on: Oct 10, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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Led by UW-Platteville, a consortium of four universities recently received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. Under the direction of Dr. Philip Parker, the Center for Infrastructure Transformation and Education (CIT-E) will use the grant to transform the approach to diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of civil and environmental engineering education.

UW-Platteville to contribute to $10 million #DiverseCornBelt project

Authored on: Oct 10, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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Dr. Pete Lammers, associate professor in the School of Agriculture, is contributing to a $10 million project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and led by Purdue University, to make Midwestern agriculture more resilient by diversifying farms, marketing and the agricultural landscape.

Zolper awarded Thompson Center funding to pursue infrastructure research

Authored on: Sep 09, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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Dr. Thomas Zolper has been awarded a faculty research grant from the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership for his project titled, “The Wisconsin Strategy: Independent Infrastructure.”  Zolper is examining how to enhance the resilience of Wisconsin energy and information infrastructure against natural and man-made failures to reduce public emergencies. 

Ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrates re-opening of renovated Boebel Hall

Authored on: Aug 08, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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More than one hundred members of the UW-Platteville and greater Platteville communities celebrated the official re-opening of Boebel Hall at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 27.

Partnership in Prototyping Center helps bring ideas to life

Authored on: Aug 08, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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New inventions poised to make an impact in a variety of fields are getting their start on the UW-Platteville campus, being designed, prototyped and tested by faculty and students. Thanks to a partnership between WiSys and Dr. John Obielodan, associate professor of mechanical engineering, half a dozen inventions have gone from idea to reality over the past two years.

Yang awarded patent for micro-grid energy management system

Authored on: Aug 08, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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WiSys, the technology transfer arm of the 11 UW System regional comprehensive campuses, was recently awarded a U.S. patent for an invention disclosed by Dr. Fang Yang, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. Yang, and her co-inventor Zhao Li, of LY Grid Innovation, created a software-based micro-grid energy management system with proactive and comprehensive control.

Larson co-authors Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness publication, highlighting fire regimes and social justice issues

Authored on: Jul 07, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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Dr. Evan Larson, professor of geography, and his collaborators have been paddling the lakes of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for the past 15 years to conduct a sprawling research project, the results of which have been recently published in the journal Ecosphere.

Dairy Innovation Hub funds second round of research grants

Authored on: Jul 07, 2021, Written by: Maria Woldt, Dairy Innovation Hub

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The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently awarded six faculty research fellowships to help increase dairy-related research capacity through the Dairy Innovation Hub initiative.

Electrical engineering students conduct broadband internet technology survey

Authored on: May 05, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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This past year, COVID-19 has brought many challenges for Wisconsinites, with one of the biggest struggles being internet access and network performances. To examine the issues, two electrical engineering students, Troy Januchowski and Jacob Hanacek, spent two semesters conducting an independent study with Dr. Xiaoguang Ma, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Horst researches use of drones in STEM education, presents at conference

Authored on: Apr 04, 2021, Written by: Justice Hendrick

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Justine Horst, a senior electrical engineering major from Hartford, Wisconsin, recently had a paper published for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Integrated STEM Education Conference. Horst’s paper, “STEM Code Using Drones,” is based off of her undergraduate research and describes a methodology of STEM education that would utilize programmable drones.

Engineering physics student conducts undergraduate research, presents at Student Showcase

Authored on: Apr 04, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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As Trevor Wavrunek, a senior engineering physics major, prepares for graduation this May, he credits his experience as an undergraduate researcher with helping him with his next academic goal. He has spent the past three years researching the topic of an alternative to solvent-based microfabrication with Dr. Gokul Gopalakrishnan, associate professor of engineering physics

Engineering student conducts research on concrete durability

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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With near-record cold stretches and snow accumulation this winter, de-icing of Wisconsin roads and highways is a common sight, but a research project at UW-Platteville is studying the long-term impacts of these treatments on concrete durability.

UW-Platteville engineering professors’ inventions awarded U.S. patents

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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WiSys was recently awarded U.S. patents for inventions disclosed by two College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science faculty at UW-Platteville. Dr. Hal Evensen, professor of engineering physics created the “Planar Field Emission Transistor.” Dr. Thomas Zolper, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and his team invented the “Variable Volume Flow Injection Nozzle.” 

Art student awarded undergraduate research scholarship, developing porcelain recipe

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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Melanie Bisbach, a cross-disciplinary fine arts major at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, is turning her passion into an undergraduate research project titled, “Understanding Porcelains and Ceramic Materials.” Bisbach, a sophomore from Dodgeville, Wisconsin, is developing her own po

Research project brings Southwest Wisconsin into the classroom

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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Growing up in Platteville, Tyler Vargo knows firsthand the beauty and diversity of Southwest Wisconsin, but like many rural areas, the region is significantly underrepresented on digital mapping platforms, like Google Maps. Through a project sponsored by the Undergraduate Research and Scholarly and Creative Activity program, Vargo is setting out to change this one location at a time.

Research explores relationship between COVID-19 knowledge and emotions, sense of control

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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In the fall of 2019, Megan Bunyer began exploring potential research topics, guided by particular interests she had in emotion, memory and sense of control. When the pandemic hit last spring, it presented Bunyer with the opportunity to explore these interests in a much more timely and novel project, as she set out to examine the relationship between knowledge surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak and emotion and sense of control. 

First-year engineering student assists with carbon nanotube research

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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Freshman Eliot Driessen, an electrical engineering major, is embarking on his first year of undergraduate research. After being awarded the Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activity Scholarship, Driessen has been assisting Dr. Hal Evensen, professor of engineering physics with his research in the nano lab. 

Discover by doing: UW-Platteville’s hands-on approach boosts student success

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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Dating back to its origins as the state’s first teacher preparation institute and the Wisconsin Mining Trade School, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville has long been known for its tradition of providing a hands-on education that extends beyond the classroom.

Undergrads team up to unravel the molecular basis of plant-microbe symbioses

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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Often reserved for upperclass students at many universities, research has been a part of Kaylee Finseth’s college experience since nearly the time she first stepped foot on campus at UW-Platteville. Now a junior, Finseth has been engaged in several research projects involving plant-microbe symbioses for the past three years. 

Criminal justice major researches treatment court

Authored on: Mar 03, 2021, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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“When you are doing research every single thing matters,” said Jacob Wehler, a University of Wisconsin-Platteville criminal justice major. “If you don’t pay attention to all the little details, you could be missing a whole plethora of conclusions or details that could sway your results.”

Research explores impacts of agricultural land changes on rural communities

Authored on: Feb 02, 2021, Written by: Alison Parkins

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A team of UW-Platteville researchers is exploring how farmers and rural communities are affected by agricultural land changes and record-high dairy farm closings and their response to policy proposals intended to address the issues.

Seven years of driftless oaks research project published

Authored on: Dec 12, 2020, Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

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Thousands of hours of field work and undergraduate research, conducted by more than 75 UW-Platteville students spanning seven years, has come to fruition. Dr. Chris Underwood, associate professor of geography and department chair, Dr. Evan Larson, professor of geography, and alumna Sara Allen, a 2013 history and geography graduate, co-authored “The Driftless Oaks: A new network of tree-ring chronologies to improve regional perspectives of drought in the Upper Midwest, USA.”

Dornak publishes research on land use, bird conservation efforts

Authored on: Nov 11, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

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Amid a decades-long trend of declining bird populations in North America, setting land aside for preservation has long been a primary approach to protect biodiversity. Dr. Lynnette Dornak, associate professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, researched the effectiveness of this method, and her work, “Assessing the Efficacy of Protected and Multiple-Use Lands for Bird Conservation in the U.S.,” was recently published by the scientific journal, PLOS ONE.

Researchers look for a taste of success

Authored on: Nov 11, 2020, Written by: Megan Hinderman

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Wisconsin is known worldwide for its dairy products, and ice cream is an almost universal favorite. Yet what we love about it can often be hard to describe. Now, mechanical engineering professors Dr. Thomas Zolper and Dr. Bidhan Roy are looking at the science behind one of the world’s most popular treats as part of their research for the UW-Platteville Dairy Innovation Hub.

Recent alumni publish academic work, credit summer research program

Authored on: Sep 09, 2020, Written by: Alison Parkins

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Two recent UW-Platteville alumni, Kathryn Bartels and Dominique Kornely, have had their research work accepted for publication in academic journals. Both alumni are former participants of UW-Platteville’s Summer Undergraduate Scholars Program and credit the program for their success.