Research Opportunities
There are numerous student lead-research opportunities, with aid from faculty advisors, going on at Alma College within our IPHS Department. Topics from aqua aerobics, body composition, altitude physiology, HESPAN starch, forearm blood flow and public health risk factors are all topics that could be researched.
Any idea that a student has is a potential option for research here at Alma College!
Recently, student researchers have examined the effects of muscle contraction type on muscle tissue oxygenation responses in the arm and leg. This research project was funded through a PRISM grant, which is a summer research opportunity for students interested in math and science-based research. The purpose of this study was to examine the muscle tissue saturation (TSI%) response during isometric, concentric and eccentric contraction of the flexor carpi ulnaris and the gastrocnemius with our new NIRS equipment.
Another student-led research opportunity was inspired by travel during Spring Term to Colorado. This study looked at the effects of altitude on RPE, oxygen consumption and total work completed on a bicycle. This experiment was comparing sea level values at Alma College, versus altitude values on Shrine Mountain, CO (~11,000 ft).
Furthermore, this designed a study to look at the effects of cordyceps sinensis supplementation on anaerobic muscle power output. This study was designed to examine the effects of one week of 525mg of pure Cordyceps sinesis taken three times a day on anaerobic muscle power output within college-aged students at Alma College.
Finally, two students wanted to study the effects of tattoos on active sweat glands and sweat function. This study looked into the possible effects of tattoos on the body’s ability to produce sweat efficiently compared to un-tattooed skin. There is no current research on this topic, and it was expected that the tattooed skin will have a lesser production of sweat, as well as a lesser number of sweat glands, due to damage presented by the tattoo.
*Check out the student research that is being presented at this years national American College of Sports Medicine Conference, in San Diego, CA! (www.acsm.org)
