CTL Day April 23
Catalyst Day — held each fall and spring — is designed to showcase Ripon College’s Catalyst curriculum and celebrate the achievements of the students who are completing the junior-level collaborative capstone. Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to watch teams of students present problem solving projects that tackle worldwide issues.
The Challenges
Catalyst 300 students are tasked with developing solutions to prominent real-world issues. This term, students were given the choice of the challenges. Learn more about the challenges on the Catalyst Curriculum page.
Morning sessions
10:00-11:30 am
9:45-2:30 coffee and cookies in Great Hall
| Location: Great Hall - Moderator: Paul Jeffries | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Group Number and Members | Title of Presentation | Short Abstract |
| 10:00-10:30 | Group 13: Anna Bose, Gavin Engh, Tyrell Hilton, Noah Hinkfuss, and Logan Neuendorf |
Avoiding Arsenic: An Education Program for Fond du Lac County Residents on Well Water Contamination | Arsenic is one of the most common contaminates found in private wells in Fond du Lac County. Educating residents on well testing will help protect human health. |
| 10:30-11:00 | Group 2: Angelina Bahr, Alec Marcinkevic, Layne Marquez, Angelica Martorello, Jeremy Saloun |
Tackling Pollution from the Roof Down with Rooftop Gardens In Milwaukee Communities | In urban areas like Milwaukee, air pollution tends to concentrate in certain neighborhoods, with elevated levels of harmful pollutants, including carbon dioxide (CO2). This project proposes the implementation of rooftop gardens in high-pollution areas as a sustainable solution to mitigate CO2 levels and improve air quality. By utilizing rooftop spaces, the project aims to not only help absorb carbon but also reduce possible heat islands. The project focuses on a targeted area within Milwaukee, exploring the potential environmental and social benefits of rooftop gardens in combating pollution from the 'roof down.' |
| 11:00-11:30 | Group 5: James Branksi, Grace Blakeslee, Yoon Myint Mo, Andre Robertson, Jax Spoden |
Farming for the Future: Expanding Harvestable Buffers in Fond du Lac County into Grassed Waterways to Prevent Soil Erosion | Every year, soil erosion continues to create more unusable crop land within Fond du Lac County by depleting the soil of necessary nutrients and eroding the composition of crop fields. Our solution aims to tackle this growing economic and environmental challenge by expanding upon the current Harvestable Buffer Program in Fond du Lac County and transitioning the buffers into grassed waterways, providing local farmers a long-term preventative aid. |
| Location: Todd Wehr 104 - Moderator: Kelly Foust | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Group Number and Members | Title of Presentation | Short Abstract |
| 10:00-10:30 | Group 8: Lainie Heizler, Jack Ives, Thirzah Koetz, Anthony Snow, Gage Taylor |
Rooted in Resilience: Addressing Food Insecurity in Ashland County through Permaculture | This project examines the social determinants of health, with a focus on addressing food insecurity in rural Wisconsin. Our proposed solution, permaculture, mimics natural ecosystems to create self-sufficient and regenerative environments, which can reduce food insecurity rates in Ashland County through a self-sustaining approach. |
| 10:30-11:00 | Group 12: Miki Canak, Caden Gramlich, Connor Handrick, Shaniya Harris, Carl Travis |
Pathways to Potential: Empowering Foster Youth Through Mentorship to Promote Success | Our goal is to set foster children up for success by building relationships, teaching important skills such as financial literacy and professionalism, and providing a safe space that promotes growth. This program will provide foster children with crucial relationships/connections by being paired up with mentors so that they can have shared experiences. |
| 11:00-11:30 | Group 3: Alex Mosqueda, Adam Mellema, Ella Ten Pas, Matt Hegge, Ozzy Hershberger |
Early Action, Better Outcomes: Cancer Screening for Black Communities in Wisconsin | Our project looks at addressing the cancer disparities of Blacks within Wisconsin as well as possible solutions to the problem. The presented solution aims at providing cancer screenings to areas with a high Black population at no cost to them. |
| Location: Bear Auditorium - Moderator: Yonatan Sarig | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Group Number and Members | Title of Presentation | Short Abstract |
| 10:00-10:30 | Group 4: Ashley Anadell, Ka'Jon Gray, Connor Reiner, Catherine Skoglund, Ethan Sledge |
More than a Reaction: Combating Anxiety, Isolation, and Bullying of Children with Food Allergies Through Action Kits in Wisconsin | Children with food allergies face bullying, anxiety, and social isolation. Through the production of allergy action kits and educational materials, we seek to combat this issue. |
| 10:30-11:00 | Group 10: Oumar Bah, Marsanna Johnson, Rocco Luczak, Yeva Pipan, Preston Reese-Grimm |
Using Creative Expression to Educate Wisconsin Preadolescents About Responsible Alcohol Consumption | Many Wisconsinites engage in excessive alcohol consumption. This type of extreme consumption can lead to several detrimental health effects, personal relationship problems, and general malaise. Researchers have discussed and examined the root causes of this issue in detail. Groups have attempted various solutions to remedy excessive drinking in the adult and teenage populations. While some of these endeavors have seen partial success, they have, by and large, been insufficient at addressing the problem. Our solution, incorporating an issue-oriented art project in middle schools, seeks to provide preadolescents the education necessary to prevent them from engaging in precarious alcohol-related behaviors later on in life. Through art and creative expression, this approach works to engage students and create meaningful and positive outcomes for drinking behavior as they develop. By addressing and informing the students early on, this solution will mitigate certain challenges before they occur and result in individuals who drink responsibly, slowly bringing about the cultural change necessary to have a healthier drinking culture. |
| 11:00-11:30 | Group 14: Ayanna Jorgenson, Cole Hitner, Evan Olson, Finely Manning, Logan Slate |
Fine Arts; Forward: Providing Equal Fine Arts Education Access in Milwaukee Public Schools | Fine Arts; Forward aims to tackle the unequal access to fine arts education for underprivileged and economically disadvantaged students in the Milwaukee Public School District by increasing fine arts budgets and educational instruction time. |
Lunch Break
Pickard Commons
11:30 am-1:00 pm
Afternoon sessions
1:00-2:30 pm
9:45-2:30 coffee and cookies in Great Hall
| Location: Great Hall - Moderator: Timothy Reed | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Group Number and Members | Title of Presentation | Short Abstract |
| 1:00-1:30 | Group 9: Jack Anderson, Gabi Bukoski, Jayden Fitch, Juan Gatica, and Grace McCrery |
Fighting Food Insecurity in Milwaukee: Sustainable Solutions for a Hunger-Free Community | Food insecurity in Milwaukee has been a constant problem for lower-income neighborhoods, as continual access to healthy food is a challenge. This project aims to transform vacant lots into community greenhouses, empowering residents to grow their produce and create a sustainable, affordable food source. Additionally, the project implements a meal and produce delivery service to underserved communities, reducing transportation barriers and increasing access to fresh food |
| 1:30-2:00 | Group 6: Rori Beatty, Chase Hanselman, Brendan Kile, Sophia Larson, Jorge Verduzco |
Reimagining Rush Hour: The Role of an Express Line and Staggered Business Hours in Solving Chicago’s Traffic Issues | This project analyzes rush hour traffic congestion in Chicago and explores viable solutions, including introducing an additional express line and implementing staggered business hours. These measures aim to alleviate traffic issues in downtown Chicago, ultimately enhancing traffic flow, safety, and overall quality of life. |
| 2:00-2:30 | Group 1: Jenny Cortes, Derrick Klapp, Macey Manni, Kyler Manning, Braeden Picard |
Avian Crisis: How H5N1 is impacting Wisconsin Agriculture | The H5N1 strain of Avian Influenza has been rapidly spreading on poultry farms both state and nationwide, causing mass livestock deaths and an increase in animal product prices. To curb the rapid spread of H5N1 across poultry farms in Wisconsin, we will focus on introducing legislation to ensure cleaner and healthier conditions for poultry, preventing the future spread of H5N1 statewide. |
| Location: Bear Auditorium - Moderator: Hang Li | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Group Number and Members | Title of Presentation | Short Abstract |
| 1:00-1:30 | Group 7: Ronnie Berg, Emily Braun, Connor Dalton, Cooper Herr, Angela Mosconi |
Hurricanes and Heavy Rains: Intense Flooding in Fort Lauderdale and Improving Underground Pipe Infrastructure with Modern Sensor Technology | This project aims to create a pilot program in a Fort Lauderdale residential area for flood prevention/ limited damage by replacing the old and worn-down pipe drainage system with a new, modern, and innovative system using modern sensory equipment and computer systems. |
| 1:30-2:00 | Group 11: Ryan Barajas, Brogan Burke, Stephanie Cox, Alexander Fahrenkrug ,Madison Klinger |
Mental Health of Wisconsin Farmers: An Expansion of Support Networks | An overview of mental health challenges faced by Wisconsin farmers which aims to expand existing support networks to enhance access to resources, reduce stigma, and create community driven solutions to improve well-being. |