Each April, Elon suspends classes for a day to highlight theundergraduate research efforts of students. More than 100 students madepresentations Tuesday about their research in academic disciplines asdiverse as biology, political science, art, economics and religiousstudies. Students in the performing arts also directed and presentedchoreographed scenes and dances from musicals.

Senior Robin Newton, a communications major, collaborated with Dr.Kimberly Jones on research last summer as part of the SURE program.Their research focused on the struggles of female healthcare workers inBrazil.

Newton reviewed footage from interviews of five women who worked atClemente de Faria university hospital. She worked on a documentary ofthe women that was translated into Portuguese and sent back to thehospital. With this information, “they can possibly take steps tobetter meet the needs of their workers,” she said.

During her presentation, Newton showed footage of an interview withJones, to show the student-mentor relationship at work and explain theissues faced by the women. These issues included a need for highersalaries, on-site daycare, benefits for their children, a dedicatedphone line to check on children during their shifts and more femalerepresentation in the administrative staff of the hospital.

“The struggles that these women face is something that happens all over,” Newton said.

Senior Ashley Black's presentation was titled "Analysis of NorthCarolina Wastewater Effluent for the Presence of Estrogenic Compounds."Working with her faculty mentor Lisa Ponton, assistant professor ofchemistry, Black researched various ways to successfully measure theamount of four estrogenic compounds in wastewater effluent. Thepresence of estrogenic compounds in rivers and streams can causedisruption to biological life such as fish.

Black visited the wastewater treatment plant in nearby Graham, N.C., tocollect samples, then returned to the lab to analyze them. Current EPAstandards for the analysis of organic molecules in water samples relyon removal of the compounds using liquid-liquid extraction withmethylene chloride. Black's research suggests that this method isineffective in removing estrogens from water, leading her to exploreother methods, including SPE, or solid phase extraction. Black plans tocontinue her research after finding that SPE, while capable of removingestrogens from wastewater, also causes a significant loss of materialin recovery.

For a complete SURF schedule and abstracts of studentresearch, please visit org.elon.edu/urp.

Tuesday's events conclude with a SURF awards ceremony and banquet, a7:30 p.m. concert by the Elon University Chamber Orchestra in McCraryTheatre, and the student-directed production of the play "Bent," alsoat 7:30 in the Black Box Theatre.