powerpoint presentation sample for research

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How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation of Your Research Paper

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A research paper presentation is often used at conferences and in other settings where you have an opportunity to share your research, and get feedback from your colleagues. Although it may seem as simple as summarizing your research and sharing your knowledge, successful research paper PowerPoint presentation examples show us that there’s a little bit more than that involved.

In this article, we’ll highlight how to make a PowerPoint presentation from a research paper, and what to include (as well as what NOT to include). We’ll also touch on how to present a research paper at a conference.

Purpose of a Research Paper Presentation

The purpose of presenting your paper at a conference or forum is different from the purpose of conducting your research and writing up your paper. In this setting, you want to highlight your work instead of including every detail of your research. Likewise, a presentation is an excellent opportunity to get direct feedback from your colleagues in the field. But, perhaps the main reason for presenting your research is to spark interest in your work, and entice the audience to read your research paper.

So, yes, your presentation should summarize your work, but it needs to do so in a way that encourages your audience to seek out your work, and share their interest in your work with others. It’s not enough just to present your research dryly, to get information out there. More important is to encourage engagement with you, your research, and your work.

Tips for Creating Your Research Paper Presentation

In addition to basic PowerPoint presentation recommendations, which we’ll cover later in this article, think about the following when you’re putting together your research paper presentation:

• Know your audience : First and foremost, who are you presenting to? Students? Experts in your field? Potential funders? Non-experts? The truth is that your audience will probably have a bit of a mix of all of the above. So, make sure you keep that in mind as you prepare your presentation.

Know more about: Discover the Target Audience .

• Your audience is human : In other words, they may be tired, they might be wondering why they’re there, and they will, at some point, be tuning out. So, take steps to help them stay interested in your presentation. You can do that by utilizing effective visuals, summarize your conclusions early, and keep your research easy to understand.
• Running outline : It’s not IF your audience will drift off, or get lost…it’s WHEN. Keep a running outline, either within the presentation or via a handout. Use visual and verbal clues to highlight where you are in the presentation.
• Where does your research fit in? You should know of work related to your research, but you don’t have to cite every example. In addition, keep references in your presentation to the end, or in the handout. Your audience is there to hear about your work.
• Plan B : Anticipate possible questions for your presentation, and prepare slides that answer those specific questions in more detail, but have them at the END of your presentation. You can then jump to them, IF needed.

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Effective?

You’ve probably attended a presentation where the presenter reads off of their PowerPoint outline, word for word. Or where the presentation is busy, disorganized, or includes too much information. Here are some simple tips for creating an effective PowerPoint Presentation.

• Less is more: You want to give enough information to make your audience want to read your paper. So include details, but not too many, and avoid too many formulas and technical jargon.
• Clean and professional : Avoid excessive colors, distracting backgrounds, font changes, animations, and too many words. Instead of whole paragraphs, bullet points with just a few words to summarize and highlight are best.
• Know your real-estate : Each slide has a limited amount of space. Use it wisely. Typically one, no more than two points per slide. Balance each slide visually. Utilize illustrations when needed; not extraneously.
• Keep things visual : Remember, a PowerPoint presentation is a powerful tool to present things visually. Use visual graphs over tables and scientific illustrations over long text. Keep your visuals clean and professional, just like any text you include in your presentation.

Know more about our Scientific Illustrations Services .

Another key to an effective presentation is to practice, practice, and then practice some more. When you’re done with your PowerPoint, go through it with friends and colleagues to see if you need to add (or delete excessive) information. Double and triple check for typos and errors. Know the presentation inside and out, so when you’re in front of your audience, you’ll feel confident and comfortable.

How to Present a Research Paper

If your PowerPoint presentation is solid, and you’ve practiced your presentation, that’s half the battle. Follow the basic advice to keep your audience engaged and interested by making eye contact, encouraging questions, and presenting your information with enthusiasm.

We encourage you to read our articles on how to present a scientific journal article and tips on giving good scientific presentations .

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How to Make a Successful Research Presentation

Turning a research paper into a visual presentation is difficult; there are pitfalls, and navigating the path to a brief, informative presentation takes time and practice. As a TA for  GEO/WRI 201: Methods in Data Analysis & Scientific Writing this past fall, I saw how this process works from an instructor’s standpoint. I’ve presented my own research before, but helping others present theirs taught me a bit more about the process. Here are some tips I learned that may help you with your next research presentation:

More is more

In general, your presentation will always benefit from more practice, more feedback, and more revision. By practicing in front of friends, you can get comfortable with presenting your work while receiving feedback. It is hard to know how to revise your presentation if you never practice. If you are presenting to a general audience, getting feedback from someone outside of your discipline is crucial. Terms and ideas that seem intuitive to you may be completely foreign to someone else, and your well-crafted presentation could fall flat.

Less is more

Limit the scope of your presentation, the number of slides, and the text on each slide. In my experience, text works well for organizing slides, orienting the audience to key terms, and annotating important figures–not for explaining complex ideas. Having fewer slides is usually better as well. In general, about one slide per minute of presentation is an appropriate budget. Too many slides is usually a sign that your topic is too broad.

Limit the scope of your presentation

Don’t present your paper. Presentations are usually around 10 min long. You will not have time to explain all of the research you did in a semester (or a year!) in such a short span of time. Instead, focus on the highlight(s). Identify a single compelling research question which your work addressed, and craft a succinct but complete narrative around it.

You will not have time to explain all of the research you did. Instead, focus on the highlights. Identify a single compelling research question which your work addressed, and craft a succinct but complete narrative around it.

Craft a compelling research narrative

After identifying the focused research question, walk your audience through your research as if it were a story. Presentations with strong narrative arcs are clear, captivating, and compelling.

• Introduction (exposition — rising action)

Orient the audience and draw them in by demonstrating the relevance and importance of your research story with strong global motive. Provide them with the necessary vocabulary and background knowledge to understand the plot of your story. Introduce the key studies (characters) relevant in your story and build tension and conflict with scholarly and data motive. By the end of your introduction, your audience should clearly understand your research question and be dying to know how you resolve the tension built through motive.

• Methods (rising action)

The methods section should transition smoothly and logically from the introduction. Beware of presenting your methods in a boring, arc-killing, ‘this is what I did.’ Focus on the details that set your story apart from the stories other people have already told. Keep the audience interested by clearly motivating your decisions based on your original research question or the tension built in your introduction.

• Results (climax)

Less is usually more here. Only present results which are clearly related to the focused research question you are presenting. Make sure you explain the results clearly so that your audience understands what your research found. This is the peak of tension in your narrative arc, so don’t undercut it by quickly clicking through to your discussion.

• Discussion (falling action)

By now your audience should be dying for a satisfying resolution. Here is where you contextualize your results and begin resolving the tension between past research. Be thorough. If you have too many conflicts left unresolved, or you don’t have enough time to present all of the resolutions, you probably need to further narrow the scope of your presentation.

• Conclusion (denouement)

Return back to your initial research question and motive, resolving any final conflicts and tying up loose ends. Leave the audience with a clear resolution of your focus research question, and use unresolved tension to set up potential sequels (i.e. further research).

Use your medium to enhance the narrative

Visual presentations should be dominated by clear, intentional graphics. Subtle animation in key moments (usually during the results or discussion) can add drama to the narrative arc and make conflict resolutions more satisfying. You are narrating a story written in images, videos, cartoons, and graphs. While your paper is mostly text, with graphics to highlight crucial points, your slides should be the opposite. Adapting to the new medium may require you to create or acquire far more graphics than you included in your paper, but it is necessary to create an engaging presentation.

The most important thing you can do for your presentation is to practice and revise. Bother your friends, your roommates, TAs–anybody who will sit down and listen to your work. Beyond that, think about presentations you have found compelling and try to incorporate some of those elements into your own. Remember you want your work to be comprehensible; you aren’t creating experts in 10 minutes. Above all, try to stay passionate about what you did and why. You put the time in, so show your audience that it’s worth it.

For more insight into research presentations, check out these past PCUR posts written by Emma and Ellie .

— Alec Getraer, Natural Sciences Correspondent

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Research Paper PowerPoint Templates

Download and use any of our Research Presentation Templates to help you effectively communicate your research findings to your audience. Designing a PowerPoint presentation from start to finish can be stressful, but using our ready-made Research PowerPoint Templates is a quick and easy way to get the details of your research to your audience.

You can personalize these templates by tailoring them to your presentation style. They are professionally and creatively designed for all types of research. Shapes, icons, colors, diagrams, images, charts, graphs, and more. We made available our Research Templates and Google Slides designs to help you illustrate your research work.

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Research is a creative and systematic work to broaden one’s knowledge of a subject. It entails the objective collection, organization, and analysis of information to improve understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be a continuation of previous work in the field. Using a well-crafted Research Template will help you save time and reduce stress while delivering your research to your target audience. You can use the Research Plan PowerPoint Template to reveal the research test processes or techniques. It could present business, marketing, and management research models in various industries.

Our Research Templates are designed to assist researchers in enhancing their research work by using 100% editable PowerPoint templates. These have been developed in formats that enable universal research use and acceptance. Our Research Templates are compatible with both MAC and Windows computers, as well as Google Slides, Keynote, Office 365, and Microsoft PowerPoint. All of our Research Templates are well-designed with shapes, icons, symbols, and other PowerPoint elements that will make your presentation visually appealing and allow you to communicate with your audience more effectively and quickly.

How Do You Write A Research Presentation?

A brief introduction, your hypotheses, a brief description of the methods, tables and/or graphs related to your findings, and an interpretation of your data should all be included in your presentation. The presentations should last no longer than 10 minutes. That’s not a lot of time. Allow approximately 1 minute per slide.

How to make a PowerPoint presentation from a research paper?

The simple step-by-step procedure for creating an incredible PowerPoint presentation from a research paper is outlined below:

• Introduction – 1 slide
• Hypotheses/ Research Questions – 1 slide
• Several kinds of literature – 1 slide
• Data Collection & Methods – 1 slide
• Data Presentation/ Discovery – 3-5 slides
• Conclusion – 1 slide

What Should A Research Presentation Template Include?

The presentation should include a summary of several hypotheses, a brief description of the methods, tables, and/or graphs related to various materials and methods, an interpretation of your data, a conclusion, and an acknowledgment.

How Many Slides Should A Research Presentation Have?

You should probably divide the presentation into sections based on the number of slides you believe is appropriate. Allow two to three minutes per slide, which means that for a 15-minute sensation, you should have no more than five to seven slides. Also, check out our gallery of research poster templates  available for PowerPoint and Google Slides.

What is the purpose of a research presentation?

A research presentation can be used, among other things, to defend a dissertation, for an academic job interview, for a conference, or to request funding. The purpose of your presentation will determine the remainder of the procedure.

Crafting Engaging and Informative Experiences: How Our Research Paper PowerPoint Templates Stand Out

Designing a PowerPoint presentation from scratch can be a daunting task, but our ready-made Research PowerPoint Templates are here to make your life easier. In this section, we’ll delve into what sets our templates apart and how they can help you create engaging and informative research presentations.

Ready-Made Templates for Stress-Free Presentations

Research presentations require a careful balance of information and engagement. Our Research PowerPoint Templates are designed to take the stress out of the presentation design process. You don’t have to spend countless hours crafting slides from scratch. Instead, you can download our templates and focus on tailoring them to your unique presentation style.

Professional and Creative Design

One of the standout features of our templates is their professional and creative design. We understand that research presentations need to convey complex information in a visually appealing way. That’s why our templates come loaded with a variety of elements, including shapes, icons, colors, diagrams, images, charts, and graphs. These elements are thoughtfully integrated into the templates to help you illustrate your research work effectively.

Versatile Templates for All Types of Research

Whether you’re working on a thesis, conducting marketing analysis, or presenting scientific findings, we have templates that cater to various research domains. Our library includes templates such as the Research Plan PowerPoint Template, Market Research Diagram PowerPoint Template, Animated Research PowerPoint Template, Medical Research PowerPoint Template, and many more. Each template is designed to meet the specific needs of different research projects.

Compatibility and Editability

We understand that researchers use a variety of tools and platforms for presentations. That’s why our Research Templates are compatible with both MAC and Windows computers, as well as popular software like Google Slides, Keynote, Office 365, and Microsoft PowerPoint. You can easily edit and customize these templates to make them your own, saving you valuable time in the process.

Effective Communication Made Easy

Our templates aren’t just about aesthetics; they’re about enhancing your ability to communicate your research effectively. Whether you’re presenting to colleagues, peers, or potential funders, our templates provide you with a visual framework that ensures your message gets across clearly and concisely.

In summary, crafting engaging and informative research presentations has never been easier. Our Research PowerPoint Templates offer a hassle-free solution to transform your research findings into compelling visual narratives. With professionally designed elements and compatibility across various platforms, our templates are your secret weapon for successful research presentations. Download one today and see the difference for yourself.

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[Updated 2023] Top 20 PowerPoint Templates to Devise a Systematic Research Methodology

Kritika Saini

Developing a systematic research methodology is essential for conducting effective investigations. It ensures clarity, rigor, validity, replicability, ethical integrity, and efficiency in the research process. It serves as a roadmap that guides researchers through the study, enabling them to generate reliable findings and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their respective fields.

Research Methodology Templates to Conduct Rigorous and Reliable Research

By following a well-structured approach, you can enhance the efficiency of your research and produce meaningful results. Therefore, SlideTeam brings you a collection of content-ready and custom-made PPT templates to help you save time by providing pre-designed structures and frameworks for research methodologies. You can customize these templates to fit your specific projects, eliminating the need to create a methodology from scratch. 

This time-saving aspect allows you to focus more on the actual research process. Secondly, these ready-made templates provide you with consistency and standardization in methodologies. They ensure that essential elements are included and organized in a logical manner, making it easier for readers and reviewers to understand and evaluate the research. They also serve as a helpful guide, ensuring that researchers cover all necessary components and follow best practices. They provide a clear and structured format for learning about research methodologies and help researchers develop a systematic approach to their work. Overall, research methodology templates streamline the process, enhance consistency, and serve as educational resources for researchers at various levels of expertise.

Browse the collection below and ensure that your methodology is comprehensive and well-written. 

Let's begin!

Want to elevate your creativity? Check out this blog.  

Template 1: Research method PPT Template

Save time and ensure consistency with our research methodology template. Designed to streamline your research process, our content-ready template provides a pre-designed structure and framework for developing your methodology section. Use this actionable PPT to focus more on conducting your research while ensuring that all essential elements are covered and organized in a logical manner. Enhance your efficiency and maintain consistency with our research methodology template. 

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Template 2: Research Methodology Process Analysis Template

This is a content-ready PowerPoint template to maximize the effectiveness of your research. This professional and appealing template guides you step-by-step through the research process, from defining your research question to analyzing and interpreting data. With a structured framework in place, you can ensure that your methodology is comprehensive, rigorous, and adheres to best practices. Save time and maintain consistency by using our research methodology process template, empowering you to conduct high-quality research and generate meaningful insights.

Template 3: Business Research Design and Methodology Template

Accelerate your business research endeavors with our business research methodology proposal template. This comprehensive e template provides a solid framework for crafting a well-structured and persuasive research proposal. Streamline the proposal development process by leveraging our template's pre-designed sections, including problem statement, research objectives, methodology, timeline, and budget. Present your proposal with confidence, knowing that you have followed a proven format and incorporated essential elements. Take your business research to the next level with our business research methodology proposal template. 

Template 4: Market Share Research Methodology Template

Wish to uncover valuable market insights? Deploy this ready-made PowerPoint template that simplifies the process of analyzing market share data, allowing you to assess your company's performance in relation to competitors. With pre-designed sections for data collection, analysis, and visualization, easily track market trends, identify growth opportunities, and make data-driven decisions. Save time and enhance your market research efforts with our market share research template, empowering you to stay ahead in a competitive business landscape. 

Template 5: PESTEL Analysis Research Methodology PPT Template

Gain a comprehensive understanding of your business environment with our pre-designed PESTEL analysis research methodology template. This versatile template provides a structured framework for conducting a thorough analysis of the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors impacting your industry or market. Easily identify key trends, opportunities, and risks by utilizing our pre-designed sections and guidance. Streamline your research process and make informed strategic decisions using our PESTEL Analysis research methodology template, ensuring your business stays ahead of the curve.

Template 6: Research Methodology with 3 Step Process Map PPT Template 

Looking for ways to create a research methodology process? Achieve research success with our content-ready PPT template which simplifies the research journey into three steps. Collect data, conduct research, and evaluate your findings to draw meaningful conclusions. With our template, you'll stay organized and ensure consistency throughout your research process. Maximize your research potential and achieve impactful results using our premium PPT slide.

Template 7: Rational Sections Research Methodology Template

This is a well-structured PowerPoint template that features distinct sections that guide you through every aspect of your research. From clearly defining research objectives to selecting appropriate data collection methods, analyzing data, and interpreting results, this PPT slide ensures you cover all essential components. With pre-designed sections for literature review, research design, data analysis, and more, you can streamline your research process and maintain consistency. Harness the potential of each section in our research methodology template to conduct rigorous and impactful studies. 

Template 8: Research Methodology with Analysis PPT Template 

Unleash the power of data-driven insights with our ready-made PPT template. This all-inclusive template integrates research methodology and data analysis, providing a comprehensive framework for conducting robust studies. From defining research objectives to data collection, cleaning, and analysis, our template guides you through each step of the research process. With pre-designed sections for statistical analysis, visualizations, and interpretation, uncover meaningful patterns and trends in your data. Elevate your research endeavors with this actionable template and unlock valuable insights for informed decision-making.

Template 9: Research Methodology Workflow PPT Template 

Wish to optimize your research workflow? Use this content-ready PPT template that simplifies the process of planning, executing, and documenting your research methodology. With pre-designed sections for each stage, including research question formulation, data collection, analysis, and reporting, this pre-designed template ensures a structured and organized approach. Streamline your workflow, enhance collaboration, and maintain consistency throughout your research project with our professional and appealing PPT slide. 

Template 10: Research Methodology with Literature Review PPT Template

Deploy this content-ready PowerPoint template to elevate your research that showcases crucial elements of literature review, providing a seamless framework for conducting rigorous investigations. With this pre-designed PPT template exhibiting research objectives, appropriate methods, a thorough literature review, and findings with existing knowledge, you can save time, maintain consistency, and produce impactful research. Leverage our PPT template to uncover valuable insights and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in your field.

Template 11: Framework of Exploratory Research Methodology PPT Template  

Embark on a journey of discovery and provide a structured framework for conducting exploratory research using our content-ready template. Delve into uncharted territories and uncover new insights by incorporating this premium template. Use this PPT slide to identify problem, data collection methods, analysis techniques, and interpretation. This PowerPoint template guides you through the exploratory research process. Unlock novel perspectives, generate hypotheses, and fuel innovation using our ready-made slide.

Template 12: 5 Steps Indicating Research Methodology Process PPT Template

Looking for ways to streamline your research journey? Deploy this content-ready PowerPoint template to simplify the research process into five clear and manageable steps: Define, Design, Collect, Analyze, and Report. Each step is accompanied by pre-designed sections, ensuring a systematic approach to your research project. From formulating research questions to presenting your findings, this premium template provides a structured framework for success. Save time, stay organized, and achieve research excellence with this ready-made template.

Template 13: Graph of Primary Research Methodology PPT Template  

Experience the power of data-driven insights with this professional and appealing PPT template. Designed for primary research, this template offers a comprehensive framework that includes field trials, observations, interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Easily visualize and navigate through each stage of your research process, from data collection to analysis. Organize and document your findings to maximize the effectiveness of your primary research and make informed decisions using our ready to use PowerPoint template. 

Template 14: Research Methodology Framework of Market Analysis PPT Template 

Use this content-ready PPT template tailored specifically for market analysis to guide your research process. From defining research objectives to selecting appropriate data collection methods, analyzing market trends, and drawing meaningful conclusions, our template covers all essential aspects. Streamline your market analysis, maintain consistency, and make data-driven decisions with ease using our Research Methodology Framework for Market Analysis template. Stay ahead of the competition and capitalize on market opportunities. 

Template 15: Four Steps Process of Research Methodology PPT Template 

This is a ready to use PPT template that provides you a structured and organized approach for your research methodology It includes a four-step process: Project Design, Data Acquisition, Data Analysis, and Strategy Recommendation to plan your research project, gather relevant data, analyze it using appropriate techniques, and derive actionable strategy recommendations. Save time and enhance the effectiveness of your research with our premium template, empowering you to make informed decisions and achieve impactful results.

Template 16: Market Research Methodology and Techniques PPT Template 

This comprehensive template equips you with a range of methodologies and techniques to effectively study and understand your target market. From surveys and interviews to focus groups and data analysis, this premium template covers a wide array of research methods. It provides pre-designed sections for each technique, guiding you through the research process and ensuring consistency.

Template 17: Quantitative Market Research Methodology Framework PPT Template 

This template serves as a guide to direct your market research endeavors. Showcasing each stage of the research process, including research design, data collection methods, analysis techniques, and reporting, this template ensures a systematic approach to quantitative market research. Create professional and engaging presentations, highlighting your research methodology with ease.

Template 18: Process Tree for Research Methodology PPT Template 

Use this content-ready PPT template that outlines the sequential steps involved in conducting a research study. It serves as a roadmap, depicting the flow of activities from research question formulation to data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Like the branches of a tree, each step branches out into sub-steps and tasks, highlighting the interconnectedness and dependencies. Grab this ready-made PowerPoint template that provides you with a clear and engaging overview, ensuring researchers stay organized and follow a systematic approach throughout their research journey.

Template 19: Flowchart for Research Methodology PPT Template

Deploy this pre-designed PPT that illustrates the logical flow of steps and decisions involved in conducting a research study. Similar to a roadmap, it presents a series of interconnected boxes or shapes connected by arrows, representing the sequential progression of activities. Each box represents a specific task or process, and the arrows indicate the direction of the flow. Incorporate this PPT slide to help your audience understand the research process at a glance, making it engaging and crisp to follow the logical progression of their study.

Template 20: Eleven Stage Process for Research Methodology PPT Template  

Unleash the power of simplicity in research methodology using our PPT template that eliminates complexity and guides you through each step effortlessly. From defining objectives to data analysis, we've got you covered. Simplify your research journey and unlock meaningful insights with ease.

Our content-ready and custom-made templates empower researchers to streamline their work, save time, and maintain consistency. With its comprehensive structure and pre-designed sections, it simplifies the research process, ensuring all essential components are covered. Maximize your research potential and achieve impactful results with our user-friendly template.

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FAQs on Research Methodology

What are the four types of research methodology.

The four types of research methodology commonly used in academic and scientific studies are:

Descriptive Research: This type aims to describe and document the characteristics, behavior, and phenomena of a particular subject or population. It focuses on gathering information and providing an accurate portrayal of the research topic.

Experimental Research: This approach involves the manipulation and control of variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships. It often includes the use of control groups and random assignment to test hypotheses and draw conclusions.

Correlational Research: This methodology examines the statistical relationship between two or more variables without direct manipulation. It aims to identify patterns and associations between variables to understand their degree of relationship.

Qualitative Research: This approach focuses on exploring and understanding the subjective experiences, perspectives, and meanings attributed by individuals or groups. It involves methods such as interviews, observations, and analysis of textual or visual data to uncover insights and interpretations.

What are the 3 main methodological types of research?

The three main methodological types of research are:

Quantitative Research: This approach involves the collection and analysis of numerical data to uncover patterns, relationships, and statistical trends. It focuses on objective measurements, often utilizing surveys, experiments, and statistical analysis to quantify and generalize findings.

Qualitative Research: This methodology aims to understand the subjective experiences, meanings, and social contexts associated with a research topic. It relies on non-numerical data, such as interviews, observations, and textual analysis, to explore in-depth perspectives, motivations, and behavior.

Mixed-Methods Research: This type of research integrates both quantitative and qualitative approaches, combining the strengths of both methodologies. It involves collecting and analyzing both numerical and non-numerical data to gain a comprehensive understanding of the research problem. Mixed-methods research can provide a more nuanced picture by capturing both statistical trends and rich contextual information.

What are the 7 basic research methods?

There are several research methods commonly used in academic and scientific studies. While the specific categorization may vary, here are seven basic research methods:

Experimental Research: Involves controlled manipulation of variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships.

Survey Research: Utilizes questionnaires or interviews to collect data from a sample population to gather insights and opinions.

Observational Research: Involves systematic observation of subjects in their natural environment to gather qualitative or quantitative data.

Case Study Research: In-depth analysis of a particular individual, group, or phenomenon to gain insights and generate detailed descriptions.

Correlational Research: Examines the statistical relationship between variables to identify patterns and associations.

Qualitative Research: Focuses on understanding subjective experiences, meanings, and social contexts through interviews, observations, and textual analysis.

Action Research: Involves collaboration between researchers and participants to address real-world problems and generate practical solutions.

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Because you only have 10 or 12 minutes, you need to be concise. Limit intro slides, and clearly state the goals of the project early in your talk, and at the end tie results and future directions into goals. Limit the number of slides, one rule of thumb is 1 slide per minute. Don’t repeat the title of your talk, but do introduce yourself. Don’t use an outline slide. If you need to, go over the outline verbally on your title slide. Every slide needs to have a message you can state in one declarative sentence. Sometimes this statement can be the title of the slide. Beforehand, make sure your PowerPoint file and all of your movies run properly on the computer you will using to present the talk. Also, learn how to use the remote control mouse. Limit the amount of text on your slide. This isn’t simply the reiteration of a paper. It is very unsatisfying to listen to a talk where the speaker is just reading long passages of text off of their slides. One reason that students have text-rich slides is that they don’t have the confidence they will remember what to say. Trust yourself and practice. Use bullet points for text and make efficient use of figures and diagrams. If you need to put a lot of text into your slides when you’re putting them together in PowerPoint, put it into the notes section (at the bottom) for your reference. We would rather hear you say it than read it. Don’t put material on your slide that you don’t talk about. Clear out the clutter. Be sure that the legend titles and values on your graphs are large enough to read at the back of the room. Explain the axes of graphs. All axes have titles, numbers, and units! All pictures (microscope, EM, etc) should have a labeled dimension bar. In general, any data value presented should have an SD or SEM value associated with it. Do not use jazzy PowerPoint backgrounds. They divert attention and make you look like someone who either has never given a PowerPoint talk or is trying to deceive the audience by replacing substance with style. They also make it hard to read the text. Either use a white background or a dark (solid blue, etc) background. Better yet, make a standard template for your lab. Excel is easy to use but is not designed for scientific data. If you must use Excel use a white background (default gray only reduces contrast), and remove default horizontal lines. DO NOT USE YELLOW LINES, they are impossible to see. Good alternatives are Origin or SigmaPlot. In giving numbers, think about how many significant digits you use – if the extra numbers are beyond your error, drop them (don’t just use the number that your spreadsheet spits out). If you use an acknowledgment slide, point out a couple of people, don’t just breeze through it. (Some people like to put it as the second slide after the title slide). If your work was collaborative or you are extending someone else’s work, clearly delineate what others have done and what you have done. You don’t want to sound like you’re taking credit for other people’s work. Finally, think about your audience. They are there to learn and they want to be interested. Be clear. State both the long-term significance of your work and the near-term goals you are working toward. Clearly describe your results and future work.

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Friday, March 29, 2024

Two graduate students, Jaymi Peterson and Ramona Weber, were K-State award recipients at the annual Capitol Graduate Research Summit at the State Capitol in Topeka.

MANHATTAN — Two Kansas State University graduate students were recognized for their outstanding research poster presentations at the annual Capitol Graduate Research Summit , or CGRS, held at the State Capitol in Topeka on March 21. Ramona Weber, doctoral student in health and human sciences specializing in kinesiology, Hanover , presented "Effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on tumor oxygenation." Weber's major professor is David Poole, university distinguished professor of kinesiology. Jaymi Peterson, doctoral student in food, nutrition, dietetics and health, Chanute , presented "Effects of pH and wet cooking on sorghum starch digestibility, phenolic profile, and cell bioactivity." Her major professor is Weiqun (George) Wang, professor of food, nutrition, dietetics and health. Both Peterson and Weber received $500 scholarships from the Graduate School for their presentations. The CGRS — coordinated between Kansas' six state universities — is an annual showcase in which graduate students present posters of their research to state legislators and the public to showcase their work and promote the value of graduate education. This year, more than 40 students discussed the implications their work has for issues of interest to Kansas legislators and residents. Outstanding presentations received awards from the participating institutions. Additionally, BioKansas presented three awards. During her presentation, Weber spoke with faculty and graduate students from the University of Kansas Medical Center about the impact of breast cancer, a disease that affects approximately one in eight women. Weber said learning about the research and experiences of graduate students from other departments and universities demonstrated the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. They discussed the dietary aspects of her research, and how it could help improve the chemotherapy process. Prior to the summit, Weber contacted State Rep. Lisa Moser, who represents the 106th District which includes Hanover. Moser visited with Weber at the Capitol and discussed Weber's ongoing research in breast cancer, as well as the impact of breast cancer in rural communities. Weber noted that effective communication of research results, both within the scientific community and the public, is integral to her doctoral training. "There is a significant gap between the public and scientists, which often results in misinformation," she said. "Impactful communication of research can bridge this gap and foster a trusting relationship, enabling continued support for the advancement of science." Peterson also had the opportunity to speak with legislators. She said the process of preparing her research presentation taught her the value of learning to discuss her work in a variety of formats for different audiences, so that it can be relatable to everyone. "One legislator spoke with me in depth," she said. "They were interested to learn about their potential uses for health-foods. When I explained to them that a majority of the public doesn't know what sorghum is or how it could be potentially leveraged for the Kansas economy, the legislators were very interested to learn more." She said the legislators who she spoke with seemed surprised that, according to Peterson's research, cooking food samples for 10 minutes improved starch digestibility. By doing this, the nutritional profile of sorghum for food applications could improve. "They were pleased to learn more about sorghum and how we could use this undervalued cereal grain to better the Kansas economy," Peterson said. "They agreed with me that to better leverage sorghum for Kansas farmers, it is important to first educate the public on sorghum polyphenols and their potential health benefits." Weber and Peterson were two of ten K-State graduate students who presented their research at this year's CGRS were selected to represent K-State based on their presentation at the university's Research and the State poster forum, which took place Oct. 24. They included Brooke Balderson, doctoral student in health and human sciences — couple and family therapy, Manhattan ; Savannah Stewart, doctoral student in food science, Valley Center ; Holly Ellis, master's student in architecture, Grimes, Iowa ; Andrea Salazar, doctoral student entomology, Ecuador ; Manivannan Selladurai, doctoral student in grain science, India ; Amirsalar Bagheri, doctoral student in chemical engineering, Iran ; Reza Nematirad, doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering, Iran ; and Fidelis Onwuagba, master's student in geology, Nigeria . To learn more about the summit, its participants and their research, visit the Capitol Graduate Research Summit website .

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• Published: 26 March 2024

Present-day thermal and water activity environment of the Mars Sample Return collection

• Maria-Paz Zorzano 1 ,
• Germán Martínez 2 , 3 ,
• Jouni Polkko 4 ,
• Leslie K. Tamppari 5 ,
• Claire Newman 6 ,
• Hannu Savijärvi 7 ,
• Yulia Goreva 5 ,
• Daniel Viúdez-Moreiras 1 ,
• Tanguy Bertrand 8 ,
• Michael Smith 9 ,
• Elisabeth M. Hausrath 10 ,
• Sandra Siljeström 11 ,
• Kathleen Benison 12 ,
• Tanja Bosak 13 ,
• Andrew D. Czaja 14 ,
• Vinciane Debaille 15 ,
• Christopher D. K. Herd 16 ,
• Lisa Mayhew 17 ,
• Mark A. Sephton 18 ,
• David Shuster 19 ,
• Justin I. Simon 20 ,
• Benjamin Weiss 13 ,
• Nicolas Randazzo 16 ,
• Lucia Mandon 21 ,
• Adrian Brown 22 ,
• Michael H. Hecht 23 &
• Jesús Martínez-Frías 24  

Scientific Reports volume  14 , Article number:  7175 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Astrobiology
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The Mars Sample Return mission intends to retrieve a sealed collection of rocks, regolith, and atmosphere sampled from Jezero Crater, Mars, by the NASA Perseverance rover mission. For all life-related research, it is necessary to evaluate water availability in the samples and on Mars. Within the first Martian year, Perseverance has acquired an estimated total mass of 355 g of rocks and regolith, and 38 μmoles of Martian atmospheric gas. Using in-situ observations acquired by the Perseverance rover, we show that the present-day environmental conditions at Jezero allow for the hydration of sulfates, chlorides, and perchlorates and the occasional formation of frost as well as a diurnal atmospheric-surface water exchange of 0.5–10 g water per m 2 (assuming a well-mixed atmosphere). At night, when the temperature drops below 190 K, the surface water activity can exceed 0.5, the lowest limit for cell reproduction. During the day, when the temperature is above the cell replication limit of 245 K, water activity is less than 0.02. The environmental conditions at the surface of Jezero Crater, where these samples were acquired, are incompatible with the cell replication limits currently known on Earth.

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Introduction

The Mars Sample Return (MSR) program is a unique space project aimed at collecting a set of up to 38 samples and 5 witness tubes (or controls) from Mars with the Perseverance rover 1 , and is currently planning to retrieve up to 30 samples back to Earth by 2033 2 , 3 . Since February 2021, when Perseverance landed on Jezero crater [18.4663° N,77.4298° E] at solar longitude Ls = 5.2°, the rover has been exploring the surface of Mars and acquiring a collection of samples 4 . After the first Martian year of surface operation, 21 of these tubes were sealed as part of the “Crater Floor Campaign” (which ended on sol 380, where a “sol” is one rotation of Mars, i.e., a Martian day) and the “Delta Front Campaign” (which began on sol 415 and ended on sol 707, around mid-February 2023). Most samples were collected in pairs so that one sample from each pair was deposited on the ground forming the Sample Depot or First Cache at Three Forks 5 . The second sample in the pair was retained in the rover main collection. As the rover continues its exploration route towards the top of the delta fan and crater rim (Fig.  1 ), the sample cache increases in size and diversity with new added samples. The rover collection will be delivered in the future to the MSR sample receiving lander, while the Sample Depot at Three Forks would be used only if the rover failed before delivering its samples to the vehicle that will bring the samples to Earth. Upon reception on Earth of the sample collection, one of the first investigations to be implemented will relate to sample safety assessment and the search for Martian life in biocontainment 2 , 6 , 7 .

(Left) Perseverance’s traverse during the first 766 sols, from the landing site, through the Crater Floor and Delta Front campaign, and towards the western delta of Jezero crater, Mars. The white line indicates the rover traverse, green dots mark the deployment sites of the First Cache, and red crosses mark the sampling sites (including the sample sealed on sol 749, acquired above the delta after the construction of the sample depot). Credit: CAMP and MRO HiRISE, The University of Arizona. (Right) Annotated landscape of the Sample Depot at Three Forks, as seen by Perseverance, with the different sealed tubes. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS .

For planetary protection and life assessment purposes, there is a need to determine first the potential habitability of Jezero Crater's surface and the collection of samples that will be brought to Earth. Water is a requirement for known Earth life. On Earth, water activity, a w , is a measure of how much water (H 2 O) is free, unbound, and available for microorganisms to use for growth, and thus the habitability of an environment is restricted by the thermodynamic availability of water (i.e. the water activity, a w ) 8 , 0.6 below 200 K. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 181, 164–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2016.03.005 (2016)." href="/articles/s41598-024-57458-4#ref-CR9" id="ref-link-section-d299620939e1295">9 . The currently accepted lowest documented limit for life is a w  = 0.585 10 . This low level of water activity allows the germination of the xerophilic, osmophilic and halophilic fungus Aspergillus penicillioides . The present lower temperature limit for cell division is 255 K (− 18 °C) as reported by Collins and Buick 11 in experiments with the psychrotrophic pink yeast Rhodotorula glutinis. For planetary protection purposes, some margin is added to this limit, and it is assumed that cell replication needs water activity a w  > 0.5 and temperatures T > 245 K (− 28 °C) 12 , 13 . These physical parameters are commonly used to assess at a planetary scale the habitability of a region and to define the planetary protection protocols and restrictions that should be applied to prevent forward contamination associated with space exploration missions 14 , 15 . To determine the potential present-day habitability of the surface of Jezero Crater, we will analyse these two environmental parameters: temperature and water activity and the possible interaction of atmospheric water (H 2 O) with salts. Similar analysis has been done previously at a planetary scale using global circulation models 16 , 17 and at a local scale using in-situ environmental measurements at Gale Crater 18 and Phoenix landing site 19 , 20 .

Salts were found at Jezero Crater in the abrasion patches associated with each sample 4 . Hygroscopic salts can absorb atmospheric water vapor (H 2 O molecules in gas state) to form liquid solutions (brines) in a process called deliquescence 21 . Additionally, salts in contact with the atmosphere can hydrate (solid-state hydration) and dehydrate, capturing and releasing H 2 O molecules. The plausible existence of brines or salt hydrates on the surface or subsurface has several implications for Mars's past and current habitability. Experiments in simulation chambers have shown that for certain temperature and a w conditions, Mg, Ca, and Na perchlorates and sulfates can hydrate or deliquesce, forming stable liquid brines under present-day Martian conditions 22 , 23 , 24 . The Planetary Instrument for X-Ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) and the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC) instruments have investigated the abrasion patches and found hygroscopic and deliquescent salts such as Mg, Fe (hydrated) and Ca sulfates (anhydrite mostly), chlorides and perchlorates (Initial Reports-PDS; 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ). Also, the SuperCam (SCAM) instrument found that the visible/near infrared (VISIR) spectra of the abraded patches in the rocks of some of the sample pairs (the ones named Roubion, Montdenier, and Montagnac) are consistent with a mixture of hydrated Mg-sulfates, whereas SCAM Raman and Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and SHERLOC detected anhydrous Na perchlorate 25 , 26 , 29 . Previous Mars exploration missions have detected Mg- and Ca-perchlorates at the Phoenix 30 , 31 and Mars Science Laboratory 32 landing sites. Amongst the salts found at Jezero, and on Mars, calcium perchlorate is the deliquescent salt that has the lowest eutectic point (198 K) 16 , 33 , and thus, this is the lowest temperature limit for liquid water (brine) stability of single component brines on present-day Mars. Sulfate signatures were detected in the SCAM VISIR spectra of the abraded patch of the sample named Bellegarde 26 , 29 as well as in the Hogwallow Flats region explored in the Delta Front Campaign, which showed a hydrated sulfate-cemented siltstone 34 . Also, PIXL and SHERLOC detected sulfates in these environments. The presence of these different types of salts suggests that Jezero Crater was exposed to episodic water events, with different salt solutes that precipitated during evaporation 28 , 35 , 36 , 37 . Previous in-situ research by the Curiosity rover at Gale Crater has shown that sulfates are the main carrier of soil hydration 38 , which is consistent with orbital observations at the planetary scale 39 .

To characterize the near-surface water cycle at Jezero and the habitability of the Martian rocks that have been sampled, we need to quantify the amount of water that is available daily for exchange with outcrops and regolith, evaluate the potential hydration state of the salts that have been found on Mars and at Jezero and estimate the moles of H 2 O in the headspace gas of the sealed samples using the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) instrument observations 40 , 41 , see Supporting Information A.

The collection of samples acquired during the first Martian year and the environmental conditions during the sealing are summarized in Table 1 .

The annual and diurnal variation of the water vapor volume mixing ratio (VMR) at Jezero crater is shown in Fig.  2 using MEDA observations 42 . Daytime MEDA Relative Humidity (RH) measurements are too low (i.e., ≤ 2%, the RH uncertainty) and thus cannot be used to estimate VMR with sufficient accuracy. MEDA relative humidity and pressure measurements at 1.45 m above the surface suggest a strong diurnal and seasonal variability of the water VMR, see Fig.  2 -Top. The water volume mixing ratio peaks at Ls = 150°, at the end of the northern hemisphere summer after the release of water vapor from the northern polar cap. Predawn MEDA measurements (when the confidence in VMR retrieval is higher) have been used to estimate the (total column) night-time precipitable amount of water. The results are compared with the daytime zonally averaged orbital observations provided by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) onboard the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter for this region in Fig.  2 -Bottom. There is coherence in the seasonal behavior, the zonally averaged orbital daytime observations and the in-situ nighttime observation differ by a factor of 2–3. According to MEDA in-situ night-time measurements, the greatest amount of nighttime precipitable water is around 10 pr-um at Jezero crater, and was reached around Ls = 150°, during the northern hemisphere summer, around the sampling time of Robine. A precipitable micrometer (pr-μm, which equals 1 g of H 2 O per m 2 ) is the thickness of the water layer that would be condensed on the surface if all the water vapor of the corresponding atmospheric column would accumulate on the surface. Orbital and in-situ measurements have been compared with a Global Circulation Model, see Supporting Information D, and the annual trends are in agreement.

(Top) Annual (sol number and Ls) and night-time (LMST) variation of the Water Volume Mixing Ratio (VMR), with error bars, at Jezero crater during the first Martian year provided by the MEDA instrument at 1.45 m above the surface. Daytime relative humidity measurements (marked in gray) fall below the 2% accuracy of the MEDA relative humidity sensor and the VMR cannot be estimated. The spring equinox starts at L s  = 0°, the summer solstice at L s  = 90°, the autumnal equinox at L s  = 180°, and the winter solstice at L s  = 270°. (Bottom) Total column of H 2 O abundance (in precipitable microns): TES zonally-averaged orbiter data for MY24 to MY27 (daytime, ~ 14 LMST) compared with MEDA (pre-dawn) in-situ surface measurements (lower data set) at Jezero Crater. For orbital data, the error bars are the 1-sigma standard deviation on the average that is plotted. MEDA error bars are derived from the MEDA reported uncertainty value in the relative humidity (RH) measurements and in the humidity sensor board temperature.

An example of the amplitude of the diurnal variability of the near-surface H 2 O content is illustrated in detail in Fig.  3 . Here we compare the nighttime H 2 O VMR values of several consecutive sols (sols 293 to 303, around the sampling sol of Robine at Ls = 146° at the end of the northern hemisphere summer) with the results of the Single Column Model (SCM). The SCM provides an estimate of the diurnal H 2 O VMR and can also be used to extrapolate the VMR value at the height of the sealing station (around 0.84 m, where two other MEDA temperature sensors are). The corresponding air temperature measurements at 1.45 m, through day and night, are also included for completeness. This example shows, for instance, a diurnal variability of H 2 O VMR of a factor of 5 or more; in this case, the H 2 O VMR ranges between 40 and 240 ppm. The lowest ground temperatures are reached just before sunrise; at this moment, the relative humidity of the ground peaks, and sometimes frost conditions can be met when saturation is reached. This is confirmed by measurements and models (see Supporting Information B).

Near-surface diurnal cycle of water Volume Mixing Ratio (VMR) and air temperature (T) as a function of LMST during the sols around the sampling time of Robine. Single-column model (SCM) VMR results—dark and light blue lines—at 1.45 m and 0.84 m, respectively, are compared to MEDA values (including the uncertainty in H 2 O VMR retrieval) at 1.45 m for sols 285 to 305 (Ls = 139°–149°). The SCM air temperature estimate—black line—for the same period compared with the Air Temperature Sensor (ATS) observations at 0.84 m (with 300 s moving average). The time of sealing is marked with a vertical dashed black line, whereas sunset and sunrise times are marked with a blue and orange line, respectively.

On the surface of Mars, there is a strong anti-correlation between water activity and temperature, as illustrated in Fig.  4 . All other factors being equal, for the same amount of water VMR, the relative humidity increases with decreasing temperature. Although MEDA surface measurements suggest a factor 5 reduction of the water VMR at night-time, the large temperature decrement overcomes this and results in an increased night-time relative humidity (and water activity). Figure  4 shows the pairs of (simultaneous) derived groundwater activity and measured ground temperature (with accuracy 0.75 K) as measured by MEDA instrument throughout the night during one full Martian year at the base of Jezero crater. This analysis is shown in the Supporting Information E, divided into four seasons. The values are compared with the known phase and hydration state changes of some of the salts reported in the abraded patches. The deliquescence curve for calcium perchlorate (the salt found on Mars with the lowest eutectic temperature, 198 K) is also included for reference.

Diurnal variation, as a function of LMST, of the derived surface water activity concerning liquid (with a w error bars) and measured ground temperature provided by MEDA during one full Martian year. For illustration, the environmental data are overlayed with the hydration lines of calcium and magnesium sulfates, and calcium perchlorate deliquescence and efflorescence lines. The water activity a w is derived assuming equilibrium, from the relative humidity (RH), with respect to liquid, as a w  = RH/100, All data points to the left of the ice saturation line (RH ice  = 100%) are saturated with respect to ice and may allow frost formation 70 . The Deliquescence RH (DRH) and hydration state lines of some perchlorates and sulfate salts are included for reference 19 , 72 .

Once the samples are sealed, they may experience changes in water activity caused by exposure to different thermal environments (either on the surface of Mars, within the rover, during the launch, cruise, entry, descent and landing phases, or during storage on Earth). For illustration we have modelled a simplified, T/ a w cycle for the gas space of a sealed sample (Fig.  5 ) assuming a range of possible temperature changes experienced by the samples on Mars, on the rover or on its way to Earth. We assume that the water VMR is constant in the tube and equal to that in the atmosphere when the samples were sealed. We take this assumption because the type and amount of salts captured within the bulk of the 3–6 cm deep drilled core is not exactly known. Therefore, it is not possible to accurately simulate how much captured water will be released from the core salts into the headspace gas when the sample tubes are heated. We compare the isobaric lines, for the higher and lower partial pressure reported in Table 1 , with the eutectic points of different salts of relevance to Mars, which may be within the sampled rocks. All isobars pass below the eutectic points of these salts, suggesting that if there are no additional water sources in the rock samples, no pure salt would deliquesce (although mixtures of salts may behave differently).

Modelled thermal-water activity curves experienced by the samples within the sealed tubes. The H 2 O partial pressure isobars (i.e., constant water vapor pressure) for the higher and lower partial pressure reported in Table 1 are compared with the eutectic points of different salts of relevance to Mars, which may be within the sampled rocks (colored symbols), the temperature-dependent deliquescence relative humidity (DRH) for calcium perchlorate (red line), and the ice liquidus line (i.e., equilibrium between water ice and liquid brine; light yellow) 17 , 70 , 73 . For comparison, the isobar for the H 2 O partial pressure values that are expected at polar regions, i.e. 0.4 Pa and 1.4 Pa 19 , is also included.

Within the first Martian year, Perseverance has acquired an estimated total mass of 355 g of rocks and regolith, and 38 μmole of Martian atmospheric gas (Table 1 ). A preliminary MSR study estimated that the atmospheric sample needed to implement volatile studies should be at least 19 μmole 43 , ideally within one single dedicated tube. The First Sample Cache, which constitutes a contingency collection formed by a set of 10 sample tubes, contains a total of 21 μmole of gas and 158 g of rock mass. The amount of gas available at the First Sample Depot meets the requirement of gas amount proposed by Swindle et al. 43 , although the gas is distributed within the headspace of different sample tubes, the witness tubes and in one dedicated “atmospheric” sample (Roubion). The water content in the sealed gas varies from sample to sample, depending on the sealing time and season.

The analysis of atmospheric data from one full Martian year suggests that the surface at Jezero crater can act as a water sink at night, with most of this water released back into the atmosphere after sunrise. The combined analysis of orbital and in-situ measurements suggests that there is a strong diurnal cycle whereby the near-surface water VMR changes by a factor of 3–5, which agrees with previous observations by Curiosity at Gale Crater, Mars 44 . Comparing day-time orbital and night-time surface observations, and assuming that the entire atmosphere participates in the interchange, we conclude that the maximum amount of water potentially available for this daily interchange is around 10 pr-µm, although a value near 0.5 pr-µm is more likely since models indicate that only the lowest ~ 200 m of the atmosphere directly exchanges with the surface on a diurnal timescale 45 , 46 , see Supporting Information D. Notice that this assumes a well-mixed atmosphere up to a certain height. This means that the diurnal cycle of water may thus allow for a daily transfer of about 0.5 g of water per m 2 (assuming H 2 O is well-mixed within the lower 200 m) with an upper limit of as much as 10 g m −2 (assuming H 2 O is well-mixed up to the scale height). Previous analysis of the vertical profile at arctic Martian regions suggests that during spring and summer, a large percentage of the water column (> 25% and up to nearly 100%) was confined below ~ 2.5 km 47 . These results are comparable to those provided by the REMS instrument package on the Curiosity rover at Gale crater 24 and are consistent with previous research based on orbital and in-situ observations and modelling 44 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 . We conclude that similarly to what happens on other sites on Mars 55 , there is a strong rock and regolith-atmosphere exchange mechanism on Mars 56 , likely owing to the combination of adsorption–desorption of water on the regolith grain surfaces and to hydration-dehydration of salts.

The present-day surface water activity and temperature cycle at the surface in Jezero does not allow the formation of deliquescent brines (although it may happen in the subsurface, should kinetics allow). During some periods of the year, the surface relative humidity is saturated with respect to ice, and frost can be transiently stable for some hours of the day when the ground temperature is below 185 K. The present-day surface environment at Jezero allows hydration and dehydration of different forms of salts on a diurnal and seasonal basis, as illustrated in Fig.  4 . Our analysis suggests that the daytime environmental conditions allow for MgSO 4 .4H 2 O stability. Indeed, the analysis of PIXL and SHERLOC data of the abraded patches has found hydration (3–5 waters) in association with the Mg sulfate salts 27 , which is in line with the analysis of Fig.  4 . The regolith at Jezero crater has been investigated by the Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) and SuperCam LIBS and VISIR instruments 56 . Their analysis has demonstrated that the top surface of soils, which is the part in direct contact with the atmosphere, is enriched in water and S and Cl salts that form a crust. Some targets showed a strong correlation between S, Mg, and H, suggesting the presence of Mg sulfates, which are likely hydrated. Note that the crust hydration signature is seen even during daytime when the ambient relative humidity and water activity are below 0.02, which indicates that water is not released immediately to the atmosphere due to the slow kinetics of dehydration.

The sustained hydration/dehydration cycle of salts at Jezero, within the rock matrix, exposed to this environment for millions of years may have induced the formation of voids and cracks in the rocks and may have contributed to their mechanical erosion and disaggregation 35 . Salt hydration and dehydration can indeed cause substantial volume expansion; for example, magnesium sulfate can increase its volume by up to 70% 57 , generating substantial stresses and weakening the rock 58 . Interestingly, the first abraded patch (Roubion sample), showed voids of millimetre to centimetre size, which were not visible on the rock surface. The composition analysis of Roubion abraded patch revealed that Ca- and Mg-sulfates, Ca-phosphates, and halite were present in significant concentration. In this rock, Na-perchlorates constituted more than 60% percentage out of the total SHERLOC mineral detections 25 . The sample from Roubion rock completely disintegrated during drilling, suggesting that due to this environmental cycle salt-rich samples may be fragile and disaggregate during their future mechanical manipulation on Earth.

Documenting the water content is important for sample integrity to estimate what may happen to the samples on their way to and during manipulation on Earth. When the samples are sealed, they will equilibrate over time with their headspace gas. The hydration state of the samples within its sealed capsule depends on the temperature during storage in the rover, or on the surface, or during cruise, or entry or final storage on Earth. Most of these temperatures will have to be measured, inferred, or modelled. For instance, once on the surface of Mars, the tubes may potentially, repeatedly, be heated ocationally to up to 300 K for years. Also, their minimum night-time temperatures will presumably be similar to the surrounding regolith (about 180 K), see Supporting Information C. The sample tubes are coated in alumina (white) and titanium nitride (golden parts) 59 . These coatings can interact with the incident solar radiation during the day absorbing radiation, and at night with the atmosphere above emitting infrared radiation, resulting in local temperatures that may differ slightly from the one of the natural bedrocks and regolith Martian surface, see Supporting Information C. As for the samples within the rover they will be exposed to a different thermal history. For illustration we have modelled a simplified, T/ a w cycle for the gas space of a sealed sample (Fig.  5 ). At first order, assuming equilibrium and a well-mixed atmosphere, all the isobars pass underneath the eutectic points of single salts relevant to Mars.

Based on the currently recognized limits of known life forms on Earth, cell replication requires temperatures above 245 K (− 28 °C), and -simultaneously-water activity above 0.5 12 . During all seasons, the water activity at the ground surface at Jezero crater can frequently go above the limit for terrestrial cell reproduction of 0.5, but this happens only at night, when the temperature at the surface drops below 190 K (Fig.  5 ). Therefore, the present-day Mars surface conditions at Jezero crater are very different from the known, tolerated limits for cell replication on Earth. The limits used as reference for Planetary Protection Policies are documented in laboratory growth studies that confirmed cell reproduction. There are extremely arid subsurface natural environments on Earth, e.g., the Atacama Desert’s Maria Elena South region, where, at a depth of a few dm’s, the water activity is constantly of the order of 0.14 (i.e., 14% RH). It has been shown that in this subsurface hyper arid environment, there still is as much microbial diversity as at the surface where the mean water activity value is 0.27 60 . However, in this region but the temperature never reaches 245 K. The environmental conditions at Jezero crater are inadequate for deliquescence but allow for hydration of Ca and Mg sulfates, among other salts. On Earth, some recent studies used gypsum (CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O) samples collected in the Atacama Desert as a substrate for culture experiments with a cyanobacteria strain. This research demonstrated that cyanobacteria could extract water of hydrated salts from the rock, inducing a phase transformation from gypsum to anhydrite (CaSO 4 ), which may enable these microorganisms to sustain life in this extremely arid environment 61 . The validity of these results has been questioned 62 , which suggests that the existence of water extraction mechanisms from salts and dry rocks across other organisms needs to be further investigated to understand better the limits of life on Earth and Mars 63 .

Based on the state-of-the-art research of the limits of life tolerance on Earth, we conclude that the samples' environmental conditions at Jezero Crater are incompatible with the known cell replication requirements. If future research of life on Earth demonstrates low-temperature cell replication using the water of hydrated sulfates or water adsorbed to rock grains, then the habitability of the Martian sample collection should be reassessed, as day-time temperatures at Jezero are compatible with cell replication.

Once a sampling target was identified during the rover’s surface operations, a 5 cm diameter patch was abraded within a few tens of cm of the desired sample targets, within the same lithology, to remove surface dust and coatings. In this abraded patch, which was taken as proxy for the sample, detailed images of rock textures and maps of elemental composition, mineralogy and organic molecule distribution were acquired with the rover instruments. Samples were acquired with drills and were afterwards sealed at the rover sealing station. Prior to sealing, the length of the solid cores is estimated by Perseverance using a volume probe 59 . Each tube has an internal volume of 12 cm 3 (with a tube section of 1.4103 cm 2 ). Witness tubes are assumed to have only half of their internal volume available for gas. The Initial Reports have documented all the details of sampling acquisition and instrument observation interpretation 35 (2023).

Table 1 indicates the sealing sol (starting on the first day of Perseverance on Mars operations) for each sample. The measured sample length and MEDA atmospheric temperature at 0.84 m above the surface (Ta) (which is comparable to the height of the sealing station) and atmospheric pressure (Pa) (see supporting information A), are used to calculate the total mass of rock (M), assuming a sample density of 2.6 g/cm 3 (the same one used in the Initial Reports-PDS), and the estimated partial pressure of water and number of moles of gas (n) in the headspace above the solid sample. Local Mean Standard Time (LMST) indicates the time when the sealing was activated. The solar Longitude (Ls) marks the passage of time within a Mars year and the changes through seasons.

For consistency, in the mass calculation of Table 1 we have applied to all samples the same density used in the Sample Reports (2.6 g/cm 3 ). But the actual density of each sample may vary significantly. For instance, the bulk density of regolith granular material on Mars has been estimated to range between ∼ 1 and 1.8 g/cm 3 64 ,the density of the bedrock at Jezero through the traverse of the rover has been estimated, based on RIMFAX radar measurements, to vary between 3 and 3.4 g/cm 3 65 whereas using SuperCam mineral abundances, the densities of some of the targeted rocks on the crater floor have been inferred to vary between 3.1 and 3.7 g/cm 3 66 . As for other rock types, the density of sedimentary rocks in Gale crater have been calculated to be of the order of 2.3 ± 0.130 g/cm 3 67 . We use a single-density value of 2.6 g/cm 3 for all samples, which is an average of the densities of these three rock types (dense bedrock 3.7 g/cm 3 , sedimentary 2.3 g/cm 3 and regolith 1.8 g/cm 3 ).

The environmental information at the time of sealing is recorded by the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) instrument package (MEDA Data; 40 ). During the sample sealing process, each tube was heated up to 40 °C (313 K) for a short period of time (minutes) as recorded by the PRT temperature sensors at the time of sealing. This does not translate to heating the sample itself to such temperature, but it is considered an upper temperature limit that the samples should not exceed. The actual temperature inside the sample tube during sealing is likely between MEDA ambient temperatures and the Platinum Resistance Thermometer (PRT) measurements. MEDA also measured the ambient pressure and temperatures (for more information on the measurement cadence, see Supporting Information A). The sample length probe is used to estimate the rock volume, and the remaining headspace volume is occupied by Martian atmosphere gas, then the temperature and pressure provided by MEDA, are used to calculate the number of moles of the sealed headspace gas. All this information is included in two main products that are uploaded to the NASA Planetary Data System (PDS): (1) the Sample Dossier, that contains all observations from the instrument payloads at the sampling site, along with relevant rover ancillary data; (2) and the Initial Report, which is an extended description of the observations of each sample prepared by the Science Team within a few weeks of sample acquisition (K.A. Farley and K.M. Stack, Mars 2020 Initial Reports—Crater Floor Campaign, 2022; K.A. Farley and K.M. Stack, Mars 2020 Initial Reports—Delta Front Campaign, 2023).

Water activity is defined as the equilibrium fugacity of water vapor over a solution (f) relative to the fugacity of water vapor over pure water (f 0 ) (a w  = f/f 0 ). At low pressures, such as on Mars, fugacities are well approximated by partial vapor pressures, leading to the more common expression a w  = e/ e s,w (T g ), where e s,w is the saturation vapor pressure over liquid water, which is equivalent to the equilibrium relative humidity (RH) divided by 100 (RH/100 = a w ) 0.6 below 200 K. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 181, 164–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2016.03.005 (2016)." href="/articles/s41598-024-57458-4#ref-CR9" id="ref-link-section-d299620939e3530">9 . We use MEDA’s Relative Humidity Sensor (HS) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) to derive the water activity at the ground and to measure ground temperature 42 , 68 . The HS measures the relative humidity (RH) with respect to ice at 1.45 m with an uncertainty of 2%. For a detailed explanation of the RH, the retrieval procedures and error sources see 69 , and the measurements acquired during the first 410 sols of operations 42 . The HS can also be used to estimate the water vapor pressure at 1.5 m as e = RH × e s,i (T b ), where e s,I is the saturation vapor pressure over ice that can be calculated theoretically for the measured T b , the temperature of the RH sensor board from the HUMICAP ® chip. Similarly, the water vapor volume mixing ratio at 1.45 m can be estimated as VMR = e/P, where P is the atmospheric surface pressure measured by MEDA. The HS output is only reliable above 2% and thus can only be used to retrieve water contents at local times ranging from ~ 20:00 to 07:00, with some seasonal variation 42 . For a detailed explanation of the RH, the retrieval procedures, error sources, and the measurements acquired during the first 410 sols of operations see 42 . The TIRS is located on the rover sensing mast at 1.5 m above the ground, with an orientation of 75° clockwise in the horizontal plane with respect to Z-axis local frame (with + X defined along the forward direction and + Y pointing to the right of the rover). TIRS measures the surface brightness temperature (T g ) in the 8–14 µm range with a downward looking channel covering an ellipsoid area of 3–4 m 2 , and with an accuracy of 0.75 K and a resolution of 0.08 K 68 . Using TIRS and HS measurements, we calculate the water activity at the, i.e. a w  = e / e s,w (T g ), where e s,w is the saturation vapor pressure over liquid water, that is also calculated theoretically in this case as a function of the measured ground temperature T g . We note that to calculate a w , we have assumed that the water vapor pressure is uniform in the first 1.5 m. Since the ground acts as a water sink, and vapor is adsorbed onto the ground at night, water vapor pressure at 1.5 m may be larger than at the ground. Therefore, for each instant of time, the reported a w represents an upper bound of the actual water activity at the ground. We compare the temperature T and water activity a w with the phase state diagram of some salts relevant to Jezero and Mars 17 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 . A note of caution is needed: as explained above, under equilibrium conditions (e.g., when a brine or a hydrated salt has equilibrated with ambient air and is not evaporating), water activity is equivalent to the relative humidity with respect to liquid; however, it is debatable if equilibrium can be reached between the atmosphere, the regolith and rock, and the salts, under the rapidly varying Martian surface conditions. Some research suggests that brine formation on Mars may be hindered by kinetics 48 , 74 , whereas other experimental work has confirmed that hydration and deliquescence can take place within a few hours under Martian representative pressures and temperatures 20 , 22 , 23 , 24 .

The column abundances shown in Fig.  2 (Bottom) for Mars Years 24–27 are from the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES; 75 ) that flew on the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft (MGS). MGS was in a near-polar orbit with a daytime LMST of ~ 14:00. The TES derived water column abundance (CA) values from the (non-normalized to constant surface pressure) climatology dataset is given in 3° latitude, 7.5° longitude, and L s  = 5° averaged bins for each Mars Year for which the TES experiment collected data. Thus, the latitudinal bin encompassing Jezero crater is 18°–21° N latitude. The CA were zonally averaged. The maximum MEDA RH values for each L s were selected and converted to the mass mixing ratio (MMR). The equivalent CA were calculated, assuming a constant MMR throughout the atmosphere, using W = [q * ΔP]/g, where W is the mass of water in a column of unit area 1 m 2 , q is the MMR, g is Mars gravity, and ΔP is the atmospheric pressure. Then, CA = W/ρ, where ρ is the density of water in its condensed phase. For non-normalized mass mixing ratios, the ratio of CA to MMR is 4.9. This provides an upper limit on the diurnal variation of column water vapor since model results indicate that only the lowest ~ 200 m of the atmosphere participates in the strong diurnal variation in water vapor VMR observed by MEDA 45 , 46 . This may also explain the discrepancy between the TES and MEDA water vapor columns shown in Fig.  2 (Bottom) since the actual water vapor VMR is likely much greater above 200 m altitude than the low pre-dawn values measured by MEDA.

A single-column model (SCM) was used to extrapolate the night-time measured VMR values to daytime near surface VMR and to calculate the estimated amount of water in the headspace gas at the time of sealing. The adsorptive single-column (SCM) model has been described in detail before and applied to other in-situ observations on Mars 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 . Derived data and SCM model data are available in the Finnish Meteorological Institute repository. The results are successfully compared with the night-time MEDA measurements. The SCM-daytime VMR model has been used to calculate the headspace gas’s water content (VMR) during the sealing time (between 16:25 and 22:16 in LMST, see Table 1 ). There were four samples in which MEDA-HS measurements were available at the time of sealing, so the observed VMR value was used with an uncertainty of about 9 ppm. For the other samples the VMR is calculated using the SCM model, which fits the measurements of nearby sols, as in Fig.  3 . The SCM gives an estimate valid as an average (lacks single sol and time precision). Thus, these values are rounded to the first significant figure. Knowing the remaining head-space volume and the water VMR, the number of moles of water can be calculated for each sample.

The annual and daily variations of the water content as measured by MEDA have been compared with predictions from the Mars Planetary Climate Model (PCM), developed at the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD, 45 ), by using observations over the Martian Year 36 (including the dust scenario of MY36) to reconstruct the simulated spatial and vertical dust distributions (thus representative of the conditions encountered by Perseverance during its first Martian year). At solar longitude Ls = 144° and at the location of Jezero (a box of 5° × 5° in the GCM), we extracted the water vapor volume mixing ratio at 5 m above the surface (this is a limit of the model and may induce some differences concerning the MEDA-measurements at 1.5 m), and the column mass of water vapor (in pr-µm). The climatology of airborne dust for year 36 was obtained using observations of the Martian atmosphere by the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) aboard Mars Odyssey, and the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) aboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) 76 .

Data availability

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Acknowledgements

M.-P.Z. was supported by Grant PID2019-104205GB-C21 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by Grant PID2022-140180OB-C21 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE., UE. G. M wants to acknowledge JPL funding from USRA Contract Number 1638782. C.D.K.H was supported by Canadian Space Agency Mars 2020 Participating Scientist Grant CSA CGCPU 20EXPMARS. S.S. acknowledges funding from the Swedish National Space Agency (Contracts 2021-00092 and 137/19). V.D. thanks the FRS-FNRS for support. Part of this research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NM0018D0004). K.C.B. was funded by NASA Mars 2020 Grant 80NSSC20K0235. J.M.F. was supported by the Spanish Agency for Research, Contract PID2022-142750OB-I00. E.M.H. acknowledges funding from NASA RSS PS 80NSSC20K0239. A.D.C. was funded by NASA Mars 2020 Returned Sample Science Participating Scientist Program Grant 80NSSC20K0237. V.D. thanks the FRS-FNRS and PDR 35284099 for support.

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M.-P.Z. conceived the research and led the writing; M.P.Z., G.M., J.P., L.K.T., C.N., H.S., D.V.-M., M.S., analyzed data, developed and applied models to compare with the measurements, M.P.Z., G.M., J.P., L.K.T., C.N., H.S., Y.G., D.V.-M., T.B., M.S., E.M.H., S.S., K.B., T.B., A.C., V.D., C.D.K.H., L.M., M.A.S., D.S., J.I.S., B.W., N.R., L.M., A.B., M.H.H., J.M.F. contributed to the scientific background and interpretation and performed the in-situ measurements with Perseverance. All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript.

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Zorzano, MP., Martínez, G., Polkko, J. et al. Present-day thermal and water activity environment of the Mars Sample Return collection. Sci Rep 14 , 7175 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57458-4

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Undergraduates convene at Johns Hopkins for humanities research symposium

The fifth annual richard macksey national undergraduate humanities research symposium featured 175 student presentations on original research.

By Rachel Wallach

In one Gilman Hall classroom, the discussion had turned to questions of honor. What was it, did it historically apply to women as well as men, and had U.S. ideas about it changed since the time of the infamous Hamilton-Burr duel?

One floor up, the focus was on what defines the genre of gothic or occult novels. One panelist held that ghost stories don't need actual ghosts; that their psychological aspects are sufficient. Another said that disconnection is what allows the occultic to take place, and a third proposed an additional type of occultic-defining narrative to add to the accepted two: multigenerational circularity. "It taps into our deep fear that an individual's life and death are predetermined," said Audra Nikolajski, an undergraduate at the University of South Florida. A fourth panelist discussed Latina characters in gothic literature, noting that there are few.

The presentations and their lively Q&A sessions took place during the Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium , held on the Homewood campus March 21-23. It's the fifth year for the symposium, which brings together undergraduate humanities students from across the country to present their work to a national audience. This year, 175 students gave presentations all day Friday and Saturday in panels of three to four students each.

"It's really interesting to learn about a variety of things that you don't necessarily get in the classroom. I'm super excited because of how different all of the topics are, and I'm already feeling inspired for future research," said Kayleigh Fick of the University of the Pacific. Fick would later present a rhetorical analysis of Eva Perón's speeches, and had just finished moderating a panel titled Episodes in U.S. History.

Each panel was moderated by a student volunteer—supported with guidelines and video tutorials—who also presented in a different session. Panels included themes like Culture and Community in the U.S. South, Reflections on Poetry, Humanistic Perspectives on Medicine, and The Sacred and the Spiritual.

"I was so shocked looking at the program with how interdisciplinary this conference is. I had not imagined something with so many different topics," said the College of William and Mary's Amy Weitzman, who had given the presentation about honor. "When I was choosing the panels to go to, I specifically chose ones I'd never heard anything about before. The questions that I've been asked really made me think about things I wouldn't have thought about otherwise."

A Friday evening keynote was given by Sami Schalk, associate professor of gender and women's studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her talk, open to the public, explored the Black Panther Party's involvement in 1977's 504 Sit-in—when a group of people with disabilities protested in San Francisco to demand greater accessibility and accommodations for people with disabilities—as an example of how Black cultural workers have engaged with disability as a political issue. Schalk also signed copies of her books, Black Disability Politics and Bodyminds Reimagined: (Dis)ability, Race, and Gender in Black Women's Speculative Fiction .

A Saturday afternoon plenary featured ongoing collaboration between student researchers at Johns Hopkins and Morgan State University on the Black Panther Party in Baltimore, making use of the almost complete collection of The Black Panther , the party's newspaper, recently acquired by the Sheridan Libraries .

Mingling with panelists—and the family members many brought with them—conference chair Jennifer Wester overheard discussions that didn't stop when sessions ended, and conversations sparked by passion for a common author.

"It's a nice way of highlighting what humanities research can do to engage with contemporary issues and really put a new lens on things that we thought we understood, and that's what I see these students doing, especially as young scholars," said Wester, director of the Krieger School's Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly & Creative Activity (URSCA) .

"We're always trying to convince undergraduates that you have an important voice. Your unique voice, your unique perspective, is needed. I want them to have the confidence of 'I am a scholar; I am part of the scholarly conversation.'"

The symposium is named in honor of the late Richard A. Macksey , Professor Emeritus in the Department of Comparative Thought and Literature, a legend in the fields of critical theory, comparative literature, and film studies and a leader in the humanities overall. The event is hosted by URSCA, which also publishes a peer-reviewed journal of the proceedings—the Macksey Journal —the first undergraduate journal of its kind. URSCA oversees research grants, fellowships, and programs for Krieger School undergraduates and visiting undergraduate researchers from across the U.S.

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Two K-State students recognized for research presentations at Capitol Graduate Research Summit

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Two Kansas State University doctoral students received recognition for their research poster presentations at the Capitol Graduate Research Summit .

According to K-State, the Capitol Graduate Research Summit took place on March 21 in Topeka, Kan.

K-State officials said Remona Weber and Jaymi Peterson received $500 scholarships from the Graduate School for their presentations.

Officials with K-State said Weber, doctoral student in health and human sciences specializing in kinesiology, Hanover, presented “Effect of dietary nitrate supplementation on tumor oxygenation.” Weber’s major professor is David Poole, university distinguished professor of kinesiology.

K-State officials indicated Peterson, doctoral student in food, nutrition, dietetics and health, Chanute, presented “Effects of pH and wet cooking on sorghum starch digestibility, phenolic profile, and cell bioactivity.” Her major professor is Weiqun (George) Wang, professor of food, nutrition, dietetics and health.

Officials with K-State said the CGRS — coordinated between Kansas’ six state universities — is an annual showcase in which graduate students present posters of their research to state legislators and the public to showcase their work and promote the value of graduate education. This year, more than 40 students discussed the implications their work has for issues of interest to Kansas legislators and residents.

K-State officials noted outstanding presentations received awards from the participating institutions. Additionally, BioKansas presented three awards.

Officials with K-State said during her presentation, Weber spoke with faculty and graduate students from the University of Kansas Medical Center about the impact of breast cancer, a disease that affects approximately one in eight women.

K-State officials indicated Weber said learning about the research and experiences of graduate students from other departments and universities demonstrated the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. They discussed the dietary aspects of her research, and how it could help improve the chemotherapy process.

Officials with K-State said prior to the summit, Weber contacted State Rep. Lisa Moser, who represents the 106th District which includes Hanover. Moser visited with Weber at the Capitol and discussed Weber’s ongoing research in breast cancer, as well as the impact of breast cancer in rural communities.

Weber noted that effective communication of research results, both within the scientific community and the public, is integral to her doctoral training.

“There is a significant gap between the public and scientists, which often results in misinformation,” she said. “Impactful communication of research can bridge this gap and foster a trusting relationship, enabling continued support for the advancement of science.”

Peterson also had the opportunity to speak with legislators. She said the process of preparing her research presentation taught her the value of learning to discuss her work in a variety of formats for different audiences, so that it can be relatable to everyone.

“One legislator spoke with me in depth,” she said. “They were interested to learn about their potential uses for health-foods. When I explained to them that a majority of the public doesn’t know what sorghum is or how it could be potentially leveraged for the Kansas economy, the legislators were very interested to learn more.”

K-State officials indicated she said the legislators who she spoke with seemed surprised that, according to Peterson’s research, cooking food samples for 10 minutes improved starch digestibility. By doing this, the nutritional profile of sorghum for food applications could improve.

“They were pleased to learn more about sorghum and how we could use this undervalued cereal grain to better the Kansas economy,” Peterson said. “They agreed with me that to better leverage sorghum for Kansas farmers, it is important to first educate the public on sorghum polyphenols and their potential health benefits.”

Officials with K-State indicated Weber and Peterson were two of ten K-State graduate students who presented their research at this year’s CGRS were selected to represent K-State based on their presentation at the university’s Research and the State poster forum, which took place Oct. 24.

K-State officials noted they included Brooke Balderson, doctoral student in health and human sciences — couple and family therapy, Manhattan; Savannah Stewart, doctoral student in food science, Valley Center; Holly Ellis, master’s student in architecture, Grimes, Iowa; Andrea Salazar, doctoral student entomology, Ecuador; Manivannan Selladurai, doctoral student in grain science, India; Amirsalar Bagheri, doctoral student in chemical engineering, Iran; Reza Nematirad, doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering, Iran; and Fidelis Onwuagba, master’s student in geology, Nigeria.

K-State officials noted to learn more about the Capital Graduate Research Summit, its participants and their research, visit the website .

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