The following papers and posters were selected as award winners for the UW-Milwaukee WInSTEP Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Research Competition and are being highlighted in the 2025 WInSTEP SEPA Student Research Journal. This unique journal features outstanding work done by Wisconsin high school and middle school science students in the UW-Milwaukee WInSTEP SEPA program. Congratulations!
Click on the links below to view the student research papers and posters.
WInSTEP SEPA Student Research Papers
The Effect of Nicotine Exposure on Zebrafish Embryo Mortality Rate and Heart Rate (Pariya Mirzaei, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
The Effect of Perfume on Earthworms’ (Lumbricus Terrestris) Burrowing Time (Betsy Leibl, Christ King School, Wauwatosa, WI)
The Effects of Ethanol/Nicotine on Zebrafish Embryo Development (Max Zombor, Bradley Technology and Trade School, Milwaukee, WI)
The Effects of Hand Sanitizer on Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) Burrowing Behavior (Ava San Miguel, Christ King School, Wauwatosa, WI)
Effects of Lead Exposure on Reproductive Behaviors of Fathead Minnows (Benjamin Szeflinski, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
Effects of Lead (Pb), a Heavy Metal, On the Reproductive Behaviors of Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promelas) (Alexander Refermat, Butler Middle School, Waukesha, WI)
The Effects of Lead on the Reproductive Behaviors of Male Fathead Minnows (Alanis Velez and Lillian Luttmann, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
The Effects of Sugar-free Sunkist, Sprite, and Water on Earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) (Sophia Koczela and Samantha Timmers, Christ King School, Wauwatosa, WI)
Lead Poisoning and Its Effects on Reproductive Behaviors and Secondary Sex Characteristics in Male Fathead Minnows (Taylor Hausman, Butler Middle School, Waukesha, WI)
The Study of The Effect of Lead Poisoning on Fathead Minnows’ Reproductive Behaviors and Their Secondary Sex Characteristics (Cole Johannik and Caleb Effertz, Butler Middle School, Waukesha, WI)
Toxicity of β-Alanine and Caffeine to Embryonic Zebrafish (Danio rerio) (Michael Czebotar, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
WInSTEP SEPA Student Research Posters
Acidic Nightcrawlers (Nora Booth and Charlotte Rhodes, Lake Country School, Hartland, WI)
Acid Rain: The Precipitation That Kills (Kaylee Groubert and Juliana, Lake Country School, Hartland, WI)
Caffeine and Its Effect on Zebrafish Heart Rate (Rachel Kohls, Germantown High School, Germantown, WI)
Do the Worm (Cruz Kolodzinski, Samuel Huang, and Nico Durian, Lake Country School, Hartland, WI)
The Effect of Blue Dye on Hatch Rate and Mortality of Zebrafish (Hannah Crouse, Mauston High School, Mauston, WI)
The Effect of Fast Food Packaging Chemicals on the Hatch and Mortality Rates of Zebrafish Embryos (Theodore Swiergosz, Mauston High School, Mauston, WI)
Effect of Lead on Male Fathead Minnow Reproductive Behaviors (Cayley Arts, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
Effects of Nicotine and Caffeine on Zebrafish Embryo Development (Lana Pokorny, Lillianna Polzin, Mady Gartzke, and Jessica)
The Effects of Benadryl on Embryonic Development of Zebrafish (Ethan Barsch, Union Grove High School, Union Grove, WI)
The Effects of Caffeine on Zebrafish Embryos (Anthony Gonzalez, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Milwaukee, WI)
The Effects of Chlorine on Leaf Worms as a Model Organism (Noelle Hawkins-Schmidt, Madelyn Linquist, and Mikaela Sanchez, Waukesha STEM Academy, Waukesha, WI)
Effects of Corn Syrup on Red Worms (Elijah Porter, Jeffery Locke, Sulaiman Sultan and Zawadi Wainaina, Heritage Christian Schools, New Berlin, WI)
The Effects of Lead Chloride [PbCl2] on Fathead Minnows (Kailey Petersen, Veronica Konkol, and Nina Sims, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
Effects of Lead Exposure on Reproductive Behaviors and Secondary Sex Characteristics on Male Fathead Minnows (Katie Francis and Hailey Lawrence)
Effect of Lead on Fathead Minnow Male Reproductive Behaviors (Elsa Maurer, Sophia Bauer, and Elizabeth Dring, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
The Effects of Lead on Fathead Minnows Sexual Reproductive Behaviors (Kaitlyn Peschel and Madelyn Metzger, Butler Middle School, Waukesha, WI)
The Effects of Lead on the Reproductive Behaviors of Male Fathead Minnows (Sabrina Balles, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
The Effects of Melatonin on Zebrafish Embryos (Anne Bock and Lillian Bohmann, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
The Effects of Nail Polish Remover on Cuticles (Rachel Breska, Waukesha STEM Academy, Waukesha, WI)
The Effects of Nicotine on Zebrafish (Alex Rogowski, Germantown High School, Germantown, WI)
The Effects of Perfume on an Earthworms´ (Lumbricus terrestris) Burrowing Time (Betsy Leibl, Christ King School, Wauwatosa, WI)
The Effects of Red-40 on Zebrafish Embryos (Logen Gordon, Jake Ralston, and Eli Wichman, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
Effects of Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners on Tissue (Mohana Bandaru and Lina Dubberstein, Waukesha STEM Academy, Waukesha, WI)
The Effects of Sugar-free Sunkist, Sprite, and Water on Earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) (Samantha Timmers and Sophia Koczela, Christ King School, Wauwatosa, WI)
The Effects of UV Radiation on Zebrafish Embryos (Mazie Braun, Hanna Rewolinski, and Lily LaRose, Muskego High School, Muskego, WI)
Food Dye Exposure Experiment (Ari Olender and Datru Manns, Heritage Christian Schools, New Berlin, WI)
Hairspray’s Effects On Sensitive Tissue (Katelyn Carerros, Anna Kreitzer, and Serena Krzykowski, Waukesha STEM Academy, Waukesha, WI)
How Perfume Effects a Worm’s Burrowing Time (Chase Porter, Heritage Christian Schools, New Berlin, WI)
Lead Poisoning and Its Effects on Reproductive Behaviors and Secondary Sex Characteristics in Male Fathead Minnows (Taylor Hausman, Butler Middle School, Waukesha, WI)
Road Salt or Lethal Poison? (Elliott Delie, Lake Country School, Hartland, WI)
Smokey Smoke (Sava Zolotarenko and Carson MacCudden, Lake Country School, Hartland, WI)
The Study of The Effect of Lead Poisoning on Fathead Minnows’ Reproductive Behaviors and Their Secondary Sex Characteristics (Cole Johannik and Caleb Effertz, Butler Middle School, Waukesha, WI)
Wakey-Wakey (Eric Zhang and Jack Pettit, Lake Country School, Hartland, WI)
Zebrafish Embryos Under Nicotine Solutions (Leticia Dorantes and Journey Page)
Zoomin Zebrafish (Evan, Lake Country School, Hartland, WI)