Cal Poly's "learn-by-doing" philosophy translated into the highest academic honors for students at the annual California State University Student Research Competition held recently at San Jose.

Two Cal Poly students shared a first-place prize and another a second-place at the contest, which involves students from all 23 CSU campuses.

Cheryl Bloch and Drew Lepis, Graphic Communication majors, took first place in the Business, Economics, and Public Administration category. Bloch, a resident of Paso Robles, and Lepis, from Placentia, are both undergraduate students who competed in a category for graduate students and undergraduates.

Agriculture graduate student David Nelson from Fair Oaks took second place in the Health, Nutrition, and Clinical Science category.
Bloch and Lepis presented their research on "A Technology for
Improving Printing Business Effectiveness: Dry Trap vs. Wet Trap Using Hi-Fi Color Printing." This is a technique for widening the color range in printing jobs that require the highest quality.

Nelson's study, titled "Anorectic and Toxic Effects of Simmondsin When Fed to Male Spraque-Dawley Rats" demonstrated seminal research on the potentially harmful effects of a weight-loss product sold over the counter.

Cal Poly's other presenters who made the cut on the university level to advance to the finals were Cari Ahlem, a graduate agriculture student from San Luis Obispo, and Morgen Steenhagen, an undergraduate political science major from San Diego.
Ahlem competed in the Health, Nutrition, and Clinical Science
category and presented her research on "Dairy Product Consumption and Dietary Diversity."

Steenhagen presented her study on "Progressive Trends Toward Acceptance of Same-Sex Couples in California" in the Behavioral and Social Science category.

Faculty advisors Louise Berner, associate professor of food science and nutrition, and Harvey Levenson, head of Cal Poly's Graphic Communication Department, attended the competition.

"What we saw from Cal Poly's success at the competition is that keeping academic standards high pays off in a big way," Levenson said. "This was not only a prestigious competition but also a tough one with critical judging criteria. Cal Poly's students showed what can be achieved through a focus on scholarship, critical thinking, and good research."