By Jeff Samoray, OU Web Writer

The Oakland University Research Advisory Committee named 12 OU students as the most recent recipients of the provost-sponsored University Student Research Scholar Awards. These students join the existing 18 research scholars in pursuing the excitement and challenge of conducting research projects.

"I am constantly impressed with the quality and diversity of student projects," said Virinder Moudgil, interim vice president for academic affairs and provost. "The results of these projects likely will result in work that will be publishable in journals. This initiative, which includes the students who take advantage of the opportunity and the commitment of faculty mentors, is a key component to Oakland University's distinctive undergraduate experience."

The recent research scholars to be named include:

• Mary Johnston, a graduate student from Harrison Township, is working with Associate Professor B. Joyce Wiencek from reading and language arts on a project titled "Interactive Storybook Reading for At-Risk Kindergarten Students Taught by a Paraprofessional."
   
• Russell LaClaire, a graduate student from Clarkston, is working with Professor R. Craig Taylor from chemistry on a project titled "Synthesis & Reactions of Iminoether Complexes of Platinum (II) and Platinum (IV)."
   
• Michael Leeds, an undergraduate from Auburn Hills, is working with Assistant Professor Elysa Koppelman from philosophy on a project titled "Ethics and the Treatment of Machine Intelligences."
   
• Marcin Markowicz, a graduate student from Rochester, is working with Assistant Professor Roman Dembinski from chemistry on a project titled "Fluorous Mitsunobu Reaction."
   
• Robert Martin, an undergraduate from Farmington Hills, is working with Associate Professor Kevin Grimm from English on a project titled "The Uniqueness of Dantean Thought in the Cultural Context of Medieval Italy."
   
• David Masica, an undergraduate from Rochester Hills, is working with Professor Uma Venkateswaran from physics on a project titled "Measurement of the Electrical Resistance of Carbon Nanotubes."
   
• Carrie Prather, an undergraduate from Auburn Hills, is working with Associate Professor Fay Hansen from biological sciences on a project titled "In Vitro Model for Muscle Mast Cell Proliferation During Angiogenesis."
   
• George Rang Jr., an undergraduate from Ray, is working with Professor Mohamed Zohdy from computer science and engineering on a project titled "Collaborative Control of Multiple Robot Arms."
   
• Aaron Smith, an undergraduate from Rochester, is working with Associate Professor G. Rasul Chaudhry from biological sciences on a project titled "Osteogenesis of Embryonic Stem Cells."
   
• Daniel Steffy, an undergraduate from Royal Oak, is working with Assistant Professor Serge Kruk from mathematics and statistics on a project titled "A Heuristic Approach to Optimization of University Timetables."
   
• Adrian Vesquez, an undergraduate from Shelby Township, is working with Assistant Professor Shailesh Lal from biological sciences on a project titled "Impact of Alternative Splicing on Plant Gene Expression Using Arabidopsis Thaliana as a Model System."
   
• Alok Vimalawaia, an undergraduate from Auburn Hills, is working with Assistant Professor Balaji Rajagopalan from business administration on a project titled "Examining the Impact of Open Source on Software Industry."

Award recipients receive up to $1,000 to support their research projects for a minimum of one semester and have the opportunity to apply for up to $500 in travel support to present their research results at a professional conference. Each student research scholar must submit a final research report within one year. The final report deadline for this award cycle is January 2004.

The Research Advisory Committee, comprised of faculty from a broad range of disciplines, reviews and evaluates each submitted proposal. Students are selected based on their academic strengths as well as the quality, significance and potential impact of their proposed research projects.

"I look forward to hearing more about the exciting projects our students and their faculty mentors pursue and encourage participation by those that are not yet well represented in this initiative," Moudgil said.

Applications for the program are accepted three times per year. The deadline for the next series of proposals is Feb. 11. For application and program information, visit the Provost's Program for University Student Research Scholars Web page.