NEWS
Photo by John Sibilski
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UNDERGRADUATES GETTING A LEG UP WITH RESEARCH Timothy Pawlicki quickly recognized the biggest issue he had to overcome to help elderly patients while working at a Milwaukee-area senior living facility. “The No. 1 problem we faced was keeping people busy, and how do we get people outside, especially in the winter months?” he says. “It’s better for them if they aren’t cooped up in a living room all day.” Solving that issue led to a series of events that culminated in Pawlicki, Alex Barrington and Michael Barrowclift, all seniors, undertaking an undergraduate research project in the Opus College. The trio developed a system that allows elderly people to exercise in a portable, large virtual-reality unit that simulates an outdoor experience. “It gives the feeling of being outside,” says Barrington, who is the project manager. “We’re using scenery so people can exercise without having to go to the Grand Canyon, for example.”
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After the patients exercise, the student researchers plan to use galvanic skin response tests to determine stress levels. They also hope to determine through their research — one of 38 projects that received funding from the university’s first strategic innovation fund — if anxiety and depression among seniors lessen after using their virtual-reality exercise system.
Above: Sophomore Elise Hahn appreciates the hands-on learning she receives while conducting research in the Thermofluid Science and Energy Applications Lab with her project adviser, Dr. John Borg (not shown).
There has been a large increase in the college’s undergraduate research fellowship positions thanks to support from the GHR and Opus foundations, both resources connected to Gerald Rauenhorst, Eng ’51, the college’s namesake. The research opportunities are a great way for students to receive acclaim as experienced and competitive scholars, and they can give them a leg up on other graduates when it comes time for finding a job.