William Penn Students Share Their Research In Symposium

Heather Mackey stands next to the display at Tuesdays symposium.

Heather Mackey stands next to her display at Tuesday’s symposium.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The school year is coming to a close at William Penn University, so the upper classmen students took an opportunity on Tuesday to present their findings at the Annual Senior Research and Creative Arts Symposium.

Students showcased their research from 9:45 until 1:30 inside the Penn Activity Center.

Many academic divisions were represented, including; Biology, Exercise Science, Business, Sociology, Psychology, among others.

Dr. James A. North, Professor of Biochemistry at William Penn University, is the organizer for the symposium. “It’s been growing,” said North of the annual symposium. The symposium started nearly 10 years ago, and had 3 students. “I think this year I’ve counted 60 students,” said North.

The projects on display are from the class called practicum. Students are asked to research a topic within their area of study.

Heather Mackey who was an intern and is now employed by Ajinomoto, which is located at the Cargill Complex in Eddyville. There Mackey uses a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer to determine foreign matter.

Mackey says the device creates a “fingerprint of all the materials in our process”. This allows the company to make a library of the materials, that can be used for future reference. “When we get something and we’re kind of unsure of what it is, we can test it.”

That test will allow them to search the database of materials used and known by the company, in order to help further identify and compare to the originals within the library.

A process like this will allow quality assurance to maintain a stricter control over the final product over time. A creep in slight changes may alter a product over time, and an analysis of the original helps to maintain that constant quality assurance.

The spectrum that the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer generates is what helps in generating that fingerprint. That analysis allows Mackey to search and identify any foreign materials that may be in the product.

Mackey, a Senior at William Penn, said that her time at William Penn has enabled her to find and enjoy a career with her new company. “Never knew that this company [Ajinomoto] exited, but I absolutely love it.”

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