The University of Cincinnati s WISE Program Leads to WISE UC Undergraduate Women

The young women worked side by side with mentors at UC and at Cincinnati-Children’s Hospital Medical Center as part of UC’s Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) summer research program.

“WISE sparked my interest in research,” says LeAnn Logan, of Xenia, Ohio. “I definitely want to pursue graduate studies.” For Logan’s project, she grew diamond thin films and studied them for potential applications in optical and electronic devices.

“There’s a realistic aspect that you learn from research,” says Jennifer Balitsis. “It’s not perfectly predictable.” Balitsis, from Finneytown and a graduate of Ursuline Academy, studied the development of intense ultrasound ablation techniques for the treatment of liver cancer.

The REWU program is organized by Urmila Ghia, professor of mechanical engineering and winner of the 2004 Rieveschl Award for Distinguished Scientific Research. The goals of the WISE/REWU program are to involve more women in the research process early in their scientific careers, to introduce them to the world of graduate studies and to encourage them to blaze new trails in science and engineering.

“The WISE program has given me more strength and confidence as a well-educated young woman,” says Balitsis.

The students will share their summer research findings in a special presentation 11:30 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8 in Room 427 of the Engineering Research Center.