Category: Research
The bee population has slowly been declining across the globe, causing scholars to panic about the lasting impact the decline will have on native plant communities. Nikhil Thacker, Luther College senior of Iowa City, Iowa, researched and observed bumble bees, known scientifically as Bombus, and how to preserve the areas the bees rely on for their survival.
A Luther College collaboration on childhood obesity research shows that community- and school-based interventions are effective in reducing the rise of childhood obesity.
Currently, there is a shortage of Registered Nurses in the United States due to changing retirement rates and an increased rate of burnout in nurses. Mariah Olson, Luther College senior of Lewiston, Minnesota, researched how shift rotation and length affect resilience and stress levels in the nursing profession for her summer research project at the college.
In 1685, hundreds of thousands of Huguenots were forced to flee France attempting to seek refuge in other countries. Anna Barton Luther College sophomore of Eagan, Minnesota, researched the lives of French Huguenots to create a game based in 17th and 18th century Europe for her summer research project at the college.
In 1685, hundreds of thousands of Huguenots were forced to flee France attempting to seek refuge in other countries. Karina Hoff, Luther College sophomore of Hortonville, Wisconsin, researched the lives of French Huguenots to create a game based in 17th and 18th century Europe for her summer research project at the college.
Runestone Interactive was founded in 2011 by Brad Miller, Luther College professor of computer science. Tyler Conzett, Luther junior of Galena, Illinois, maintained and developed features for Runestone Interactive’s online webservice for his summer research project at the college.
Invasive species have the ability to spread to a degree that can cause damage to the environment, economy and human health, among other things. Shelja Thakur, Luther College senior of Satiwala, Himachal Pradesh, India, saw the first-hand effects of these invasive species during her summer research project when she participated in land stewardship projects on Luther’s natural areas to remove plants such as European buckthorn and garlic mustard.
The landscape surrounding Decorah is home to many springs and streams, making it a prime destination for recreation. Unfortunately, these waters are also home to high levels of bacteria such as E. coli, particularly after summer rains. Tiwonge Chirwa, Luther College junior of Lilongwe, Malawi, was selected to research antibacterial resistance of bacteria inhabiting water sources in and around Decorah.
Monarch butterfly populations increase dramatically over the course of several generations each summer in Iowa, then early each fall the adults travel about 2,000 miles south to Mexico to spend the winter. This unique migratory phenomenon is threatened due to a dramatic decline in the monarch populations. Elizabeth Glennon, Luther College junior of Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, is studying butterfly diversity in prairies and specifically the use of milkweeds by monarch butterflies as part of her summer research at the college.
Biosafety level 1 bacteria are often used for research because they are generally harmless to humans. Alexander Schaeffer, Luther College sophomore of New Prague, Minnesota, is researching outer membrane protein expression in biosafety level 1 bacteria as part of his summer research at the college.