KDC

TOPEKA – David Toland, Acting Secretary for the Kansas Department of Commerce, delivered testimony to the House Rural Revitalization Committee earlier today, focusing on challenges and how the agency can better serve communities in rural parts of Kansas.

Topics included several challenges facing rural Kansans, including population loss, business closings, and even how one defines a community as “rural.”

“If you’re in Dighton, Scott City is a big town. If you’re in Scott City, Garden City is a big town,” Toland said. “So while it’s all rural, it’s not all the same.”

Toland explained several issues the Department of Commerce has had in attempting to interact with rural communities throughout Kansas, to include the difficulty in raising awareness of Commerce programs available to aid rural areas.

He noted that while these programs are dedicated to helping rural communities, and have been successful when utilized, Commerce must do more to clearly explain what’s available to communities they aim to help.

“We talk in acronyms that people don’t understand, we communicate through mediums that rural people may not be plugged into, and we’ve failed to respond to the reality that, in many communities, the only staff person – if they have any staff at all – is a city clerk who is overwhelmed with just trying to survive the day,” Toland said.

However, Secretary Toland expressed hope for Kansas’ rural communities. In his testimony, he noted the positive steps that are being taken by state government to address ongoing rural issues.

Proposals included agencies being more flexible to rural needs. He used the example of Commerce’s Rural Opportunity Zone employer match, which was added after counties unable to secure the funds necessary to match investments asked that employers using the program provide the funds instead.

Another example centered on the Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance and its work with communities in Western Kansas. According to Toland, their system of creating alliances and relationships between rural communities is exactly the sort of model state agencies should adopt.

Secretary Toland also mentioned that state agencies should be listening more to those within the rural areas.

“Solutions are best when they come from rural communities,” Toland said. “Residents know best what can make their town better, and they have a better definition of what it means to prosper than some demographer or economist can come up with.”

Rep. Don Hineman (R-Dighton), chair of the Rural Revitalization Committee, was happy to hear the ideas Secretary Toland brought.

“His testimony made it clear that he shares my passion for rural Kansas,” said Hineman. “I look forward to working with him and the team at Commerce for the betterment of all Kansans.”

Even with the tough road ahead, Secretary Toland said there is reason to hope for the sustainability and prosperity of rural communities throughout the state.

“There is a new emphasis on rural in our statehouse, and that is good news for Kansans, regardless of where they live – rural, suburban, or urban,” Toland said. “Governor Kelly has made rural a priority, as has the legislature. This matters because what happens in rural Kansas matters to our entire state – to our economy, to our politics, and to our identity as Kansans.”

The office of Sen. Rick Billinger (R-Goodland), 40th Dist. has released a calendar of 2019 Town Hall meetings in northwest Kansas during early March.

Joining Sen. Billinger will be Sen. Elaine Bowers (R-Concordia), 36th Dist., and Reps. Don Hineman (R-Dighton), 118th Dist., Adam Smith (R-Weskan), 120th Dist., Ken Rahjes (R-Agra), 110th Dist. and Barbara Wasinger (R-Hays), 111th Dist.

Friday – March 1, 2019
Senator Billinger with Senator Bowers, Representatives Rahjes & Wasinger (Depending on the town)

• 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Ellis Co. Ellis (Rep. Rahjes & Rep. Wasinger); Ellis Public Library – 907 Washington Street
• 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. Rooks Co. Stockton (Sen. Bowers, & Rep. Rahjes); Stockton City Building – 115 S. Walnut Street
• 11:15 – 12:15 Phillips Co. Phillipsburg (Sen. Bowers, Rep. Rahjes); Branding Iron II – 1310 State Street
• 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Norton Co. Norton (Rep. Rahjes); Norton Public Library – 1 Washington Square
• 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Graham Co. Hill City (Rep. Rahjes & Rep. Hineman); Graham Co. Court House, Commissioners Office, 410 N. Pomeroy Ave

Saturday – March 2, 2019

Senator Billinger with Representative Smith

• 8:00 -9:00 a.m. (MT) Wallace Co. Sharon Springs; Senior Center – 223 N. Main Street
• 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. (MT) Sherman Co. Goodland; Farm Bureau Office – 1610 Main Street
• 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Cheyenne Co. St. Francis; St. Francis Public Library – 121 N. Scott Street
• 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Rawlins Co. Atwood
• 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Decatur Co. Oberlin; BEE Building – 104 S Penn (SE Corner of Penn & Commercial)

Tuesday – March 5, 2019

Senator Billinger with Representatives Hineman & Smith (Depending on the town)

• 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Thomas Co. Colby (Rep. Hineman & Rep. Smith)
• 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Logan Co. Oakley (Rep. Hineman)
• 11:00 – 12:00 Sheridan Co. Hoxie (Rep. Hineman)
• 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Gove Co. Quinter (Rep. Hineman); Quinter City Building – 202 Gove Street
• 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Trego Co. WaKeeney (Rep. Hineman); Livestock Market

– SUBMITTED –

KU NEWS

LAWRENCE — This spring, 50 University of Kansas students will receive $1,000 scholarships as they work on mentored research and creative projects.

“We are excited by all of the innovative research these students will be doing and are pleased that we are able to help fund this step in their path to success at KU and beyond,” said Alison Olcott, director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and associate professor of geology.

Students apply for Undergraduate Research Awards by writing a four-page research proposal under the guidance of a mentor. Faculty reviewers evaluate the applications based on the merit of the applicant’s proposal and a recommendation from the mentor.

Students interested in applying for summer or fall 2019 UGRAs can find more information and apply on the Center for Undergraduate Research website. The student proposal deadline for summer and fall awards will be March 28.

Kansas students receiving awards for the spring of 2019 are listed below by county, along with hometown, project title, mentor, and mentor’s department. A full list of student award recipients is listed online.

Douglas County

Aaron Barrett, senior from Lawrence: “Randomized Conjugate Gradient Algorithm to Solve Large Linear Systems for Exascale Computing,” mentored by Agnieszka Miedlar, assistant professor of mathematics

Sofia Chana, junior from Lawrence: “Discrepancies Between Teacher- and Child- Reports on Proactive and Reactive Dggression: Does Prosocial Behavior Matter?” mentored by Paula Fite, professor of psychology and applied behavioral science

Sarah Cluff, senior from Lawrence: “A Study of Population Structure and Migration in Giant Honey Bees Apis dorsata and Apis laboriosa,” mentored by Deborah Smith, professor of ecology & evolutionary biology

Chantelle Davis, senior from Lawrence: “Effects of Ephemeral Flow on Bank Storage, Aquifer Recharge, and Water Chemistry in Western Kansas Streams,” mentored by Randy Stotler, associate professor of geology

Hannah Glatter, senior from Lawrence: “Operant Demand for SafeRide Services in Undergraduate Students,” mentored by Derek Reed, associate professor of applied behavioral science

Elise Klaske, senior from Lawrence: “Nativism and Maria Montessori: the Montessori Method in the United States, 1911-1920,” mentored by Jonathan Hagel, assistant teaching professor of history

Grayson Petter, senior from Lawrence: “Unveiling Star Formation and Its Demise in Ultra-Compact Galaxies Using VLA Measurements,” mentored by Gregory Rudnick, professor of physics & astronomy

Sharyn Serbet, sophomore from Lawrence: “A Chytrid Community on a Land Before Time: The Diversity and Interactions of ~407 Million-Yr.-Old Fungi with the Earliest Land Plants,” mentored by Carla Harper, postdoctoral researcher at Biodiversity Institute

Sydney Weese, senior from Lawrence: “Anatomy and Art: Antonyms or Analogous?” mentored by Mary Anne Jordan, professor of visual art

Ellis County

Sarah Rooney, senior from Hays: “Assessing the Role of Parental Psychological Control in the Relationship Between Alexithymia and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents in Juvenile Detention,” mentored by Paula Fite, professor of psychology and applied behavioral science

Ford County

Nila Khan, sophomore from Dodge City: “Effects of Elevated Carbon Dioxide Levels on Leaf Hair Initiation and Density Across Arabidopsis thaliana Lines,” mentored by Joy Ward, Dean’s Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and James Fischer, doctoral candidate in ecology & evolutionary biology

Geary County

Sierra Mortimer, senior from Milford: “Identifying Genes Responsible for the Proper Migration of Neuroblasts in C. elegans,” mentored by Erik Lundquist, professor of molecular biosciences

Johnson County

Skylar Pryor, senior from De Soto: “ACT UP: Protests, Rituals, and the Call for Humanity,” mentored by Sandra Zimdars-Swartz, professor of religious studies

Corey Monley, senior from Lenexa: “Internet Gaming Focus Groups,” mentored by Bruce Liese, clinical director at Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment

Eleanor Stewart-Jones, junior from Mission: “Understanding the Factors Governing Oxygen Atom Transfer of Manganese-oxo Complexes,” mentored by Timothy Jackson, professor of chemistry

Rose Argent, senior from Olathe: “Species Delimitation in the Widespread Northern Philippine Bent-toed Gecko, (Cyrtodactylus philippinicus),” mentored by Rafe Brown, professor of ecology & evolutionary biology

John Higgins, junior from Olathe: “An Assessment of the Supply of Affordable Rental Housing and the Experiences of Residents in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Properties in Douglas County,” mentored by Kirk McClure, professor of urban planning

Jennifer Nguyen, junior from Olathe: “Optimization of Decellularization of Meniscus for Potential Use as a Scaffold,” mentored by Jennifer Robinson, assistant professor of chemical engineering

Michelle Oboro, junior from Olathe: “Stigma and Attitudes Surrounding the Intersection of African American Women, Domestic Violence, and Substance Abuse,” mentored by Carl Lejuez, professor of psychology

Preetkamal Punia, senior from Olathe: “Analyzing Factors Affecting Pre-Medical Students Cultural Competency,” mentored by Tracey LaPierre, associate professor of sociology

Ali Ciersdorff, senior from Overland Park: “fMRI Connectome: Reexamining the Correlations Between Attachment and Brain Functioning and Structure,” mentored by Omri Gillath, professor of psychology

Joseph Denning, senior from Overland Park: “Drop the Base: Omission MMN Sensitivity to Morphological Status, Predictability, and Their Interaction,” mentored by Robert Fiorentino, associate professor of linguistics

Elizabeth Liu, senior from Overland Park: “Effects of age on foraging shovel-snouted lizards (Meroles anchietae) in the Namib Desert,” mentored by Maria Eifler, collection manager at Biodiversity Institute

Catherine Pham, senior from Overland Park: “Investigating the Relationship Between Island Sensitivity and Working-Memory Capacity,” mentored by Robert Fiorentino, associate professor of linguistics

Tyler Thornton, junior from Overland Park: “Interrelations Between Polysubstance Use and Temporal Discounting in Undergraduate Students: Implications for the Reinforcer Pathologies Model of Addiction,” mentored by Derek Reed, associate professor of applied behavioral sciences, and Gideon Naudé, doctoral candidate in applied behavioral sciences

Anna Trofimoff, junior from Overland Park: “Effect of Relative Humidity on Internal Fiber Architecture in Emulsion Electrospun Fibrous Scaffolds for Targeted Release of Estrogen Receptor Agonist,” mentored by Jennifer Robinson, assistant professor of chemical engineering

Sara Carlsen, junior from Prairie Village: “Parents as Participants: Social Media Use Through a Dual Lens,” mentored by Germaine Halegoua, associate professor of film & media studies

D’Arlyn Bell, senior from Shawnee: “Political Organizing of the Poor by Nonprofit Social Service Agencies,” mentored by Charles Epp, University Distinguished Professor of public affairs & administration

Julia Davis, senior from Shawnee: “Quality of Life Parameters for Three Medically Complex Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” mentored by Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, associate professor of music education and music therapy

Leavenworth County

Maisie Conrad, senior from Leavenworth: “Using EEG Data to Further Investigate the Dual Process of Attention Among Avoidantly-Attached Individuals,” mentored by Omri Gillath, professor of psychology

Marshall County

Jake Hill, senior from Home: “HAF-8 Dimerization Partners,” mentored by Lisa Timmons, associate professor of molecular biosciences

Miami County

Natalie Eppler, senior from Paola: “The Importance of Gene, BTH_II1576 to Antibiotic Production in the Bacterium Burkholderia thailandensis,” mentored by Josephine Chandler, assistant professor of molecular biosciences

Dylan Sims-West, senior from Paola: “Analysis of Novel OPY Mutation in Danaus plexippus Through Pigment, Proteomic, and Genetic Analysis,” mentored by James Walters, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology

Sedgwick County

Trevor Lies, senior from Cheney: “The Effect of Construal Level on Perceptions of a School Shooter,” mentored by Monica Biernat, University Distinguished Professor of social psychology

Samantha Ellis, senior from Wichita (67235): “Interactions of Stress Levels, Sleep Quality, and Alcohol Intake in University Students,” mentored by Nancy Hamilton, associate professor of psychology

Shawnee County

Adrienne Cox, senior from Topeka: “The Qipao: How the Manchu Dress Became Chinese,” mentored by Megan Greene, associate professor of history

Payton Leiker, junior from Topeka: “The Fsr Quorum Sensing System Contribution to Enterococcus faecalis Biofilm Development,” mentored by Lynn Hancock, associate professor of molecular biosciences

Wyandotte County

Jacob Asherman, senior from Kansas City, Kansas: “Investigating the Impacts of Hail Parameterizations in Idealized Supercells in the WRF Model,” mentored by Justin Stachnik, assistant professor of geography & atmospheric science.

FHSU University Relations

Graduate researchers from Fort Hays State University will present their research projects on Tuesday, Feb. 26, in Topeka as part of the 16th Annual Capitol Graduate Research Summit.

Students will join their peers from other Kansas Board of Regents public four-year universities in the Capitol rotunda. Researchers will present their projects to legislators and the public.

“The annual Capitol Graduate Research Summit is a unique opportunity for state legislators and guests visiting the Capitol to learn about the quality scholarly activities FHSU graduate students and faculty mentors are undertaking,” said Dr. Jennifer Bonds-Raacke, dean of the Graduate School.

The students selected are involved in research that includes physical and natural sciences, engineering, sociology, history and education.

“Each FHSU presenter understands how their research findings have important implications for the citizens of Kansas as well as their disciplines,” said Bonds-Raacke.

Students participating are listed in alphabetical order.

Pike Holman, Aurora, Colo., graduate student majoring in geosciences, will present “Thoracic Rib Histology of a Skeletally Mature Adult from the Species Dolichorhynchops Osbori (Sauropterygia; Plesiosauria).” Dr. Laura Wilson, associate professor of geosciences and curator at Sternberg Museum, served as the research mentor.

Ashley Lockwood, Hoisington graduate student majoring in psychology, will present “Mental Health and Law Enforcement: An Exploration of Current Training Practices and Future Directions.” Dr. Tamara Lynn, assistant professor of criminal justice, and Brooke Mann, instructor of psychology, served as research mentors.

Aline Rodrigues de Queiroz, Guarulhos, Brazil, graduate student majoring in biology, will present “Influence of Shaded Conditions in Germination, Vegetative Development, and Reproduction of Asteraceae Species Native to Kansas.” Dr. Brian Maricle, associate professor of biological sciences, served as the research mentor.

Edward Shelburne, Hempstead, Texas, graduate student majoring in geosciences, will present “Analyzing Convergent Evolution in the Feeding Structure of Xiphactinus audax and Megalops atlanticus Using Landmark-Based Geometric Morphometrics.” Wilson served as the research mentor.

Kara Sill, Medicine Lodge graduate student majoring in geosciences, will present “GIS Spatial Analysis and its Susceptibility to Wildfires.” Dr. Thomas Schafer, associate professor of geosciences, served as the research mentor.

The public is invited to view the posters and talk to the students about their research.

CONCORDIA — Cloud County Community College has announced the names of students on the Fall 2018 President’s List. To be named to the President’s List, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours of college coursework and earned a semester grade point average of 3.9-4.0.

The following Hays students have been named to the Cloud County Community College Fall 2018 President’s List:

Jace Armstrong
Tanner Brown

Cloud County Community College (CCCC) is one of 26 public two-year community and technical colleges in Kansas and is coordinated by the Kansas Board of Regents. CCCC’s service area encompasses a 12-county area primarily in north-central Kansas with its two physical campuses in Concordia and Junction City.