College of Science, Health & Engineering

The following examples show the types of research that have taken place over the past several years in the College of Science, Health and Engineering. Departments vary in size, therefore the number of research topics varies.

Biology • Lake and prairie restoration • The RNA helix structure • The effects of exercise on the endocrine and reproductive systems • Bacterial genetics

Chemistry and Biochemistry • Synthesis and characterization of novel magnetic solids • Studying genetic regulation and DNA repair • Analysis of smoke produced during field burning • Improving methods used to obtain DNA evidence • Synthesis of compounds useful in neuroscience applications • Investigating the biochemistry of cell signaling pathways • Studying biochemical processes through pulsed laser photoacoustics

Communication Disorders • Pediatric audiology • Causes of stuttering • Treatment outcome measures in neurogenic communication disorders • Effects of the environment on communication of individuals with neurogenic disorders (e.g., aphasia, dementia) • Application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health in communication disorders • Phonological treatment

Computer Science • Computational intelligence • Intelligent informatics • Secure computing • Computing systems design • Algorithm analysis • Numerical computing • Cognitive science • Software engineering • Multimedia computing • Image processing

Dental Hygiene • Periodontal debridement • Dental endosopy • Advanced local anesthesia techniques • Use of articaine for profound anesthesia • Advanced clinical instrumentation • Stress reduction • Degree completion programming • Dental teams • Professionalism

Engineering and Design • Manufacturing processes and materials • Materials testing • Fluids engineering • Microprocessor engineering • Package engineering • Mechanical design • Computer aided design • Desktop publishing

Geology/Earth Science • Radon gas distribution in Pacific Northwest caves • Permian bryozoans in South Island, New Zealand • Chemical analysis of water, waste, water, soil and sediments • Patterns of extinction and replacement in the Great Basin • Alkaline igneous rock and related precious metal deposits

Mathematics • Biostatistics • Math anxiety • Mathematics education in America and abroad • Ring theory • Remedial mathematics • Map projections • Differential geometry • Reliability theory • P-ADIC numbers • Harmonic analysis

Occupational Therapy • Drug court • Equine assisted psychotherapy • Peer mentoring • Autism spectrum disorders • Congenital heart disease • Visual perception

Physical Therapy • Self-efficacy and exercise adherence in patients with cardiopulmonary disease • Utilization, validation, and development of functional outcome measures • Determinants of functional outcomes in rehabilitation populations • The role of professionalism and leadership in physical therapy practice • Diagnostic and clinical use of electrical stimulation in rehabilitation • Collaboration of interdisciplinary education • Health related quality of life • Multidisciplinary mentoring of students on humanitarian clinical teams • Human systems adaptations to constraints of movement • Models of physical therapy intervention for children with developmental delay • Physical exposure assessment • Work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity and spine • Electromyography evaluation of skeletal muscle • Clinical motion capture including electrogoniometry and 3D video analysis • Occupational epidemiology • Foot and ankle dysfunction • Construction and agricultural musculoskeletal disorders

Physics • Star Formation • Medical Imaging • Cosmic Rays • X-ray absorption • Stereoscopic computer modeling • Elementary particle interactions