The conference was created out of a collaboration with faculty at Kent Campus and Open Campus/Deerwood Center and is open to any student, in any program, on any campus. The goal of the conference is to give students real experience in researching, conceptualization, writing and presenting. Students who participate in the conference have the opportunity to write a paper or create a poster display on their selected topic and present it to the panel of faculty judges to determine the winning submissions.

The participating students this year began this process in February with their 250 word proposal identifying the topic they wanted to research and present. Each student who participated was assigned a faculty mentor from their respective program of study to help guide them through the process. There were even a few mentors from local community organizations who volunteered their time to assist the students as they researched and created their presentation.

Below are the winners for the paper and poster categories:

Paper
Best Presentation: Molly Nyren
Topic: “Demonstrating the Diversity and Unity of Life Through Phylogenetics.”

Most Promising for Future Research: Josh Champion
Topic: “What is Energy?”

Poster
Most Creative Poster: Casey Dentmon, Katelynn Jackmann and Carrie Wind
Topic: “The Dental Destroyers: The Effects of Meth and Mountain Dew”

Most Innovative Research: Russell Chavers
Topic: “Color Duplex Doppler Ultrasound (CDDU) Analysis of Cavernous Venous Occlusive Disease (CVOD) Patients: Are Arteriogenic Risk Factors implicated?”

Best Future Research: Mary Bishop
Topic: “Influence of Simulated Microgravity on the Transcriptome of the Mutualistic Bacterium Vibrio Fischeri”

Best Poster: Lindsey Arington, Neha Johnson and Laruen Sonnier
Topic: “You Betel Believe It: Bringing Awareness of Betel Nut Chewing to the United States.”

Congratulations to each of these students for their exceptional work on these presentations and for choosing to further their knowledge and skills by participating in this student conference.

This conference will be an annual event and will be hosted in the 2015-16 academic year, so faculty members at each campus are encouraged to share this opportunity with students next year. Look out for more information in the Fall Term announcing dates and details.

See the great pictures that were taken from the event.