Research Poster Session 2011

In October, 120 students showcased their summer research and experiential learning at the 2011 Student Research Poster Session in the Smail Gallery of Olin-Rice Science Center. Students who did research, either on or off campus, presented their work through posters that detailed their methodologies, data, and results and included background, summary, and literature review.

Held during Family Fest weekend, the session is attended by students, faculty, families, and alumni. In addition to work on campus, posters also featured research done at Medtronic, 3M, the Minneapolis Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, in the field in Australia, and elsewhere.

In conjunction with the poster session, four alumni scientists came to talk with students and to share their experience in industry, government, and academia. The group, all PhDs in their fields, included Michael Danielson ’98, director, Chemistry Research, BioThera Pharma; Heather Evans ’97, science policy analyst for the federal government; Paul Letourneau ’69, neuroscience professor at the University of Minnesota; and David Whitman ’85, director of Product Development in the Infection Prevention Division at 3M.

“I’m really impressed with how inquisitive the students are,” says Evans. “I’m happy I could be a sounding board to some of the seniors.” Crediting Macalester with excellent preparation for her career in science policy, she noted, “I use not only my technical background in physics and materials science, but also my comfort in writing, analyzing and public speaking.”