EXCEL would like to congratulate those students who participated in this year's Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence on April 2, 2009. The showcase, which was held in the UCF Student Union, is a forum for University of Central Florida undergraduates to present their research to others. The showcase is a wonderful way for students to display and speak about their research experiences and accomplishments.

Many of the EXCEL students highlighted in the showcase obtained access to research in labs that are of interest to them by participating in the EXCEL Undergraduate Research Experience (URE). We are proud of the outstanding work our students are doing in the lab under the guidance of their faculty mentors.

The next Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence is scheduled for April 1, 2010. Please visit www.showcase.ucf.edu for more information.

2009 Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence EXCEL participants:

JUAN ALARCON
Mechanochemical Approach to Alkyne Synthesis
Mentor: Dr. Richard Blair, Chemistry

MALIHA BEG
Effects Of Seed Sensity and Habitat On Seedling Emergence Of Chamaecrista Fasciculata
Mentor: Dr. Pedro Quintana-Ascencio, Biology

DANIEL CARLYLE
Elucidating SNARE Complex Formation in Plasmodium Falciparum
Mentor: Dr. Debopam Chakrabarti, Molecular Biology & Microbiology

LAUREN CAVETTE
Measuring and Teaching Creativity to Improve Engineering Curriculum
Mentor: Dr. Yan Wang, Industrial Engineering & Management Systems

KENNETH ETCHEVERRY
Development Of A Flow-through Layer-by-Layer Deposition Method For A Smart Capillary Tube
Mentors: Dr. Hyoung-Jin Cho, Mechanical Materials & Aerospace Engineering and Dr. Lei Zhai, Nanoscience Technology

HUMA KHAN
Enterococcus Faecalis, A Model System For Synthesis Of Labile Selenoenzymes
Mentor: Dr. William Self, Molecular Biology & Microbiology

RACHEL KING
Genetic Variation in Male Quality Has A Direct Influence On Female Physiology and Fitness
Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Fedorka, Biology

KANIEL MARTIN
Simple Bayesian Classifier
Mentor: Dr. Michael Georgiopoulos, School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

KATHERINE RILEY
Weighing In: Using Photographs to Estimate Polar Bear Body Condition
Mentor: Dr. Jane Waterman, Biology

KRISIA ROSARIO
Novel Precipitation Agents for the Rapid Identification of Pharmaceuticals
Mentor: Dr. Richard Blair, Chemistry

KEVIN SCHILLO
The Design of A Future Supersonic Commercial Airliner
Mentor: Dr. Educardo Divo, Engineering Technology

TIFFANY THOMPSON
Growing Up Fast- Differences In the Movement of Juvenile Cape Ground Squirrels Xerus Inauris Prior to Dispersal
Mentor: Dr. Jane Waterman, Biology

KEON VEREEN
Optical Measurements in Nucleate Boiling In a High Pressure Refrigerant Flow
Mentor: Dr. Ranganathan Kumar, Mechanical, Materials & Aerospace Engineering