California Polytechnic State University May 18, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jo Ann Lloyd (805) 756-1511 Cal Poly Electrical Engineering Student Takes First In State University Research Competition SAN LUIS OBISPO -- A Cal Poly electrical engineering student won first place in the undergraduate division of the engineering and computer science category of the California State University's recent 2004 Student Research Competition. Sarah Ahrendes, a senior from Clovis, won for her paper “Design of High-Density, Light-Weight DC-DC Power Converter.” In addition, a computer science graduate student and an undergraduate physics student each won a second-place award in their respective categories. Ching Kang Cheng of Singapore won second place in the graduate division of the engineering and computer science category for his research on “Ontology-Based Semantic Classification of Unstructured Documents.” Physics senior Christopher France from Shingle Springs, took second place in the undergraduate division of the physical and mathematical sciences category for his paper “Theoretical Investigations of Polymer-Blend Solar Cells.” This year's competition took place at Cal State Northridge. The competition, one of the largest student-achievement events of its kind in the CSU system, gives students the chance to perform research relevant to their field of study and showcases the high-caliber research conducted by undergraduate and graduate students in all academic programs offered by the CSU. This year, six Cal Poly students were among some 200 students from the 23 CSU campuses competing for cash prizes and the honor of being named top researchers among the system's 409,000 students. The other Cal Poly students selected to compete in the final judging, their hometowns, and the titles of their research papers, were: • Biology senior Eugenia L. Hurlbut, Half Moon Bay, in the undergraduate division of the biological and agricultural sciences, for her paper “Changes in Membrane Properties of Glial Cells After Ischemia in Vitro” • Business administration senior Robert Rendler, San Jose, undergraduate business, economics and public administration category, “The Economic Impact of Cal Poly on the City and County of San Luis Obispo” and • Physical science senior Jeff Sevadjian, San Diego, undergraduate physical and mathematical sciences category, “Using Ocean Current Information to Track Biological Movement.” Each of Cal Poly's six colleges nominates deserving students, whose presentations are then heard by a faculty committee that selects which go forward to the statewide competition. Each CSU campus can enter 10 papers. Final competitors submit written papers and make oral presentations to juries of experts from major California corporations, foundations, public agencies and universities. ### CP Home • CP Find It Get Adobe Reader • Microsoft Viewers Events • Recent Releases • Cal Poly Magazine • Cal Poly Update E-newsletter • Contact Public Affairs • Alumni • Giving • Athletics Cal Poly Public Affairs California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 805.756.7266 polynews@calpoly.edu