2013 Chlapaty Fellows Selected
May 9, 2013 | Kristi Lynch
Fourteen University of Dubuque students have been designated as Joseph and Linda Chlapaty Fellows for 2013. Selected by a faculty committee, the students will carry out their Fellowship projects the summer of 2013.
“We are grateful to Joe and Linda Chlapaty for their unfailing generosity to the University,” commented President Jeffrey F. Bullock. “While their names are most often associated with buildings on campus whose construction they have funded, they have quietly and consistently provided funds to undergird the University’s academic program. This particular gift that underwrites the Chlapaty Fellows program creates a significant opportunity for talented undergraduates to do scholarly research with a senior scholar-mentor, to do special preparation for graduate entrance examinations, and to build a network of professional contacts.”
The Chlapaty Fellowship program is a competitive program designed to aid in the preparation of talented undergraduate students for graduate study. Fellowship projects are to be completed during the summer following the students’ sophomore or junior years. Awardees are expected to commit 40 hours each week for 10 weeks to the Fellowship and up to fourteen students may be awarded this Fellowship each year. Each Chlapaty Fellow will receive a stipend of $4,500, and an additional $1,000 for research supplies or travel costs associated with their research project.
These fourteen students and their advisors will focus on the following projects during the second summer for the Chlapaty Fellowship program:
Alex Beck (YEAR, business/marketing, Maquoketa, IA) and Rafic Sinno, assistant professor of business and Dr. Adam Hoffman, associate professor of environmental chemistry; Investigating Household Discard Behavior Changes from Landfilling to Recyling/Composting – Waste not, want not?
Tyson Carter (YEAR, biology, WHERE, Canada) and Dr. Rasika Mudalige-Jayawickrama, assistant professor of plant biology; Defining the Orchid Floral microRNA Profile and Their Role in Floral Development
Nate Ellison (YEAR, environmental science, Bozier City, LA) and Dr. David Koch, assistant professor of environmental science; Spatial Distribution and Movement Patterns of Turtles in Mississippi River
Joey Kilsdonk (YEAR, criminal justice/business, Appleton,WI) and Dr. Michael Hepner, assistant professor of criminal justice; How the Zone of Transition in Dubuque Resembles the Social Disorganization of the City of Chicago
Stephany Miller (YEAR, biology, Dubuque, IA) and Dr. Gerald Zuercher, associate professor, department of natural and applied sciences; Kinship Patterns for Southern Flying Squirrels Isolation: Connectivity
Maria Mondragon (YEAR, biology, Elgin, IL) and Dr. Gerald Zuercher, associate professor, department of natural and applied sciences; Genetic Effects of Population Fragmentation on Southern Flying Squirrels
Eric Nie (YEAR, environmental science, Jesup, IA) and Dr. Adam Hoffman, associate professor of environmental chemistry; Monitoring the Impact of the Dubuque Sanitary Landfill on the Surface Water Quality of Catfish Creek
Vincent Obah (YEAR, criminal justice, Chicago, IL) and Dr. Michael Hepner, assistant professor of criminal justice and Paul Jensen, teaching specialist faculty, philosophy and religion; Rating the Effectivness of Police Interview and Interrogation Techniques Pre and Post CTK Training
Rachel Perkowitz (YEAR, criminal justice, Round Lake, IL) and Dr. Michael Hepner, assistant professor of criminal justice; Exploring the Possible Effects of Social Strain on Chicago Natives in Dubuque
Tyler Porter (YEAR, environmental science, Dubuque, IA) and Dr. David Koch, assistant professor of environmental science; Impact and Movement Patterns of Smallmouth Bass in Eastern Iowa Coldwater Streams
Lauren Smith (YEAR, biology, Spring Grove, IL) and Dr. Rasika Mudalige-Jayawickrama, assistant professor of plant biology; The Role of TCP Genes in Regulating Plant Architecture and Flower Development of Orchids
Andy Smothers (YEAR, Master of Divinity, Monticello, IA) and Bradley Longfellow, professor of church history and dean of the seminary; Historical Use of Non-Geographic Presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Paige Triervieler (YEAR, biology, Dubuque, IA) and Dr. Rasika Mudalige-Jayawickrama, assistant professor of plant biology; Examining the Expression Pattern of the SMAC/DIABLO Gene in Healthy and Cancerous Human Tissue
Jessica Wetherell (YEAR, biology/psychology, Hudson, IA) and Dr. Gerald Zuercher, associate professor, department of natural and applied sciences; Assessing Site Fidelity by Bats in Eastern Iowa
“Joseph and Linda Chlapaty have again given a wonderful gift to the students of the University of Dubuque in the form of the Chlapaty Fellowship Program,” commented Dr. Adam Hoffman, associate professor of environmental chemistry and director of the Chlapaty Fellowship Program. “I'm very excited for the second year of the program, as its unique three-pronged approach will afford the Chlapaty Fellows an unbelievable opportunity that will prepare them to excel in their future graduate school endeavors. It is going to be a real pleasure to work with the extremely talented and motivated individuals that were chosen as Fellows this year. Across campus, we've seen an increase in students attending graduate school, and this program will only increase the opportunities for our students.”
The goal of the Chlapaty Science Fellowship Program is to increase the probability of success of UD students in graduate studies in science and mathematics by focusing on three areas:
1. To demonstrate strength in independent scientific research.
- Complete a research project, under the supervision of a UD faculty member
- Present research results in written and oral form
2. To prepare for graduate school entrance examinations (such as the MCAT, GRE, and
LSAT).
- Participate in a test review course
- Complete practice tests
3. To develop a network of professional relationships beyond the University of Dubuque.
- Visit graduate schools and science professionals in the region
- Participate in regional conferences
