Chemistry, biology students present at Minnesota Academy of Science symposium -

Photo of a Kristen Oberle standing in front of a large poster displaying scientific research and data. Her hair is long and curly, she is smiling, and she is wearing a white blouse with green pants, a cross necklace, and a nametag that reads "Winchell Undergraduate Research Symposium. Kristen Oberle, she, her, ��ݮ��Ƶ."

Kristen Oberle '26 was one of four ��ݮ��Ƶ Kate's STEM students who presented at the annual symposium.

On April 26, four ��ݮ��Ƶ students from the Departments of Chemistry and Biology presented posters at the Minnesota Academy of Science Winchell Undergraduate Research Symposium (WURS) held at North Hennepin Community College:

Kristen Oberle ’26 (chemistry; mentor: Daron Janzen, PhD)
Naturelle Vang ’25 (chemistry; mentor: Janzen)
Lalisse Burka ’26 (chemistry; mentor: Janzen)
Caroline Davis ’25 (biology; mentor: Tami McDonald, PhD)

Oberle, Vang, and Davis were recognized with Judges’ Choice Awards for their poster presentations.

WURS is an annual event dedicated to preparing undergraduates to enter STEM fields by providing students a forum to present their scientific research. The event features four main components: a keynote lecture, student oral presentations, breakout sessions, and student poster presentations. By attending the conference, students not only have the opportunity to present their research, but also network with peers and professionals in the fields they aspire to enter.

“Attending this symposium gave me a space to fit into the scientific community,” said Davis. “It gave me confidence to share my work as I got to see other undergraduate students with similar projects. It also provided me a chance to interact with professionals in many scientific fields, so I could explore more about what I want for my career.”

A photo of Caroline Davis in front of a green poster presenting scientific research and data. She is wearing glasses, a striped black and white shirt, a navy blue cardigan, navy blue pants, a necklace, a black purse, and a lanyard with her nametag. Her hair is tied into a ponytail. She is smiling.

Caroline Davis '25.

Naturelle Vang '25.

Caroline Davis in front of a purple and white poster presenting scientific research and data. She is smiling and wearing a white blouse with green pants, a cross necklace, and a lanyard with her nametag. Her hair is long and curly.

Kristen Oberle '26.

Undergraduate research opportunities play a huge role at ��ݮ��Ƶ Kate’s — approximately 20% of College for Women students participate in research, supported by the Collaborative Research program. In March, this institution-wide emphasis was recognized by the Council on Undergraduate Research, who announced ��ݮ��Ƶ Kate’s as one of two recipients of its annual Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments (AURA). This national award recognizes institutions with exemplary programs that provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduates. For AURA recognition, campuses must demonstrate depth and breadth in their undergraduate research initiatives and evidence of continual innovation.

“The high quality of the undergraduate research experiences at ��ݮ��Ƶ Kate's were showcased at the Minnesota Academy of Science Winchell Undergraduate Research symposium,” said Daron Janzen, PhD, chemistry professor. “Our students’ enthusiastic professional presentation skills at this conference not only brought acclaim to these amazing presenters and their research projects, but also to the strong undergraduate research program at ��ݮ��Ƶ Kate's. We are very proud of these excellent scientists.”

��ݮ��Ƶ Collaborative Research at ��ݮ��Ƶ Kate’s

Collaborative Research is part of the Office of Scholarly Engagement, ��ݮ��Ƶ Kate’s hub for engaged learning.