By Emily Christensen | Photos Julie Drewes ’90

Whether it’s discovering the connection between gut bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease or analyzing how college students interpret the cues of sexual assault, Wartburg College students are finding ways to engage in meaningful research, all before earning an undergraduate degree. 

In addition to completing mandatory classroom research projects, many Wartburg students delve even deeper into their passions, seeking tangible ways to solve real-world issues, while padding a resume already laden with extracurriculars. For many, the hours spent poring over data and presenting their findings translate into a comfortable confidence that can set them apart in the interview process. 

“That is very attractive to employers, and it speaks to their competence to take charge of something and complete a project on their own,” said Dr. Brian McQueen, assistant professor of sociology. 

The benefits grow exponentially for those continuing with graduate studies. 

“They’ve done research and presented at conferences, but they’ve also developed a research agenda, which is increasingly important as graduate schools become more competitive and selective,” McQueen continued. “During the selection process, we can focus our efforts on the schools that would be a good fit for their research.”

A tradition of excellence

When Dr. Roy Ventullo, professor of biology and the Dr. Myrle Burk and Vera Burk Will Endowed Chair in Biology, came to Wartburg in 1994, senior research projects were embedded in the biology curriculum. Students would take one term to write and research their proposal. Their findings were presented to the professor between classes and in the evenings. 

Ventullo was aware of how research was presented at the national level. He asked his chair, Dr. Ann Henninger, for permission to expand the research methods curriculum to two terms and to arrange a group poster presentation for all students at the end of the year. The first presentation in Buhr Lounge was well attended and positively received. 

Ferol Menzel, then dean of academic affairs, named Ventullo as director of undergraduate research, a newly created position. In 2012, more than 400 students—from across all academic disciplines—participated in the college’s inaugural Research, Internship, and Creative Endeavor (RICE) Day. 

“This is more the norm now, but we were on the leading edge of research presentations when we started doing those poster sessions,” Ventullo said. “We used to write four or five requests for McElroy grants and were the only college requesting money. Now other schools are competing for those same dollars.” 

Finding funding

With the new position came a small budget to provide fellowships for students who spend their summer working alongside faculty—or on their own—researching a mutually agreed upon topic. That same fund helps students cover the cost of traveling to regional and national conferences to present their findings. 

Dr. Shawn Ellerbroek, associate professor of chemistry/biochemistry and the Ralph E. Otto Endowed Professor in Chemistry, and his students have benefitted from the fund several times over the years. 

“Through the support, in part, of this program, my laboratory has been able to publish four peer-reviewed articles in science journals in the last five years,” Ellerbroek said. The students were named as co-authors of those articles and were able to present their findings at major conferences in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, New Orleans, and San Diego. 

This year, Ellerbroek went from being the program’s biggest “client” to its director, taking the reins from Ventullo.

“I’m stepping into the directorship in large part due to my past success with undergraduate research,” he said. “I understand what it takes to get undergraduate research done on this campus.”