Power of the pitch: Abington student researchers compete, develop career skills

Penn State Abington student researchers delivered their well-practiced elevator pitches on April 12 at the annual ACURA (Abington College Undergraduate Research Activities) exhibition. About 60 students presented 31 projects, answering questions from faculty judges about the process and results, according to Ann Schmiedekamp, the professor of physics who coordinates ACURA. 

The tools students develop and refine through ACURA can transform their professional and personal lives. They experience academic rigor at a graduate school level and commit to a long-term project, according to Elizabeth Hughes, an assistant professor of sociology and a faculty mentor for an award-winning project. 

“Outside the classroom, qualitative interview skills help you communicate more effectively. You are listening for key words and ideas and following up to get a sense of people’s reality. It’s really deep listening, which is an important skill,” she said. 

"Students also learn how to convey data to a broad audience, to code, and to think critically and analytically,” she continued.  

Graduation isn't the end of the ACURA experience for Abington students. Some extend their research relationships with faculty mentors, continuing their studies which can culminate in having the results published in a scholarly journal. 

The 2023 ACURA projects are available to explore online including these award winners:

Division of Arts and Humanities 

First place: Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Among U.S. Practitioners of Asian Medicine by Priya Mathiy, Alyssa Dass, Sareena Gurung, and Joshua M. Kuntz. Faculty mentor: Pierce Salguero, professor, Asian history and health humanities

Second place: AH2 Enslavement to Sharecropping: Finding and Marketing an Independent Identity for the Stagville State Historic Site by Al-Abyad Hussein and Samuel Carper. Faculty mentor: Sharon Holt, associate teaching professor, history

Division of Science and Engineering 

First place: SE6 Ascorbate's Antiproliferative Effects on Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Cells by Andrew Harnishfeger and Michael Krawitz. Faculty mentor: Thomas McGuire, teaching professor, biology  

Second place: Using Consumer-Grade Electronics to Measure Vibration of Rocket During Engine Test by Akinade Peter-Koyl and Ryland Wulff. Faculty mentor: Masataka Okutsu, assistant professor, engineering 

Honorable Mention 

• Extraordinary Stability of MoSe2 Under High Dose Gamma-Ray Irradiation for Nuclear and Space Applications by Javari Cherry, Teresa Aditya, and Zhuhang Yu. Faculty mentor: Burcu Ozden, assistant professor, engineering 

• Using Augmented Reality to Design and Analyze Warehouses by Eric J. Estadt, Hoang Nguyen, Sethu Senthil, Parth Shah, Kevin Skinner. Faculty mentor: Sabahattin Ozden, assistant professor, information technology 

• Chemistry of Wine by Saranya Ananth, Margarita Badalyan, Alysse Tucker, Aidan Gonzalez, and Nour Alatki. Faculty mentor: Kevin Cannon, professor, chemistry 

Division of Social Sciences 

First place: Quality of Life and Coping in Individuals with Chronic Illness by Lexie Williams. Faculty mentor: Diane Rosenbaum, assistant professor, psychology 

Second place (tie)  

Social Influences on Video Gaming Behaviors in College-Aged Populations by Jaden Jones. Faculty mentor: Glenn Sterner, assistant professor, criminal justice 

Black Men's Romantic Partner Preferences: Exploring How Race and Color Matter by Dante Thomas. Faculty mentor: Elizabeth Hughes, assistant professor, sociology 

 Honorable Mention  

• Reproductive Justice Narratives of People with Disabilities: Overturned and Overlooked by Cameron Manser. Faculty mentor: Abigail Akande, assistant professor, rehabilitation and human services 

• Cooking, Cleaning, and Contributions: Exploring Gendered Division of Labor in Thanksgiving Family Celebrations by Kyleigh Byers, Emma Jamison, and Fi Montany. Faculty mentor: Beth Montemurro, distinguished professor of sociology 

• Long-term Impacts of Clergy Perpetuated Child Sexual Abuse on Victims by Kayla Hernandez. Faculty mentor: Glenn Sterner, assistant professor, criminal justice

• Examining Public Stigma Toward Substance Use by Maria Badalyan. Faculty mentor: Glenn Sterner, assistant professor, criminal justice 

Students who utilize the tools available in the MakerSpace on campus exhibited their work at the ACURA event, demonstrating uses of technology and creative ideas. 

In addition to the Abington honors, three research projects earned University Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards for excellence in information literacy skills such as in a bibliography that captures the scholarly conversation in a field of study; in a literature review that contextualizes the student’s work within their discipline; or in the use of manuscript, archival, or other primary sources to conduct original research. 

• First place: Quality of Life and Coping in Individuals with Chronic Illness by Lexie Williams. Faculty mentor: Diane Rosenbaum, assistant professor, psychology 

• Second place: Long-term Impacts of Clergy Perpetuated Child Sexual Abuse on Victims by by Kayla Hernandez. Faculty mentor: Glenn Sterner, assistant professor, criminal justice 

• Third place: Black Men's Romantic Partner Preferences: Exploring How Race and Color Matter by Dante Thomas. Mentor: Elizabeth Hughes, assistant professor, sociology

About ACURA (Abington College Undergraduate Research Activities) 

Penn State Abington students can earn credit while devoting at least two semesters to approved research projects with faculty mentors. ACURA’s mission is to develop students who are critical thinkers and creative scholars by engagement in scientific experimentation, inquiry-based research, and creative works. 

About Penn State Abington 

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With more than 3,100 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 25 majors, undergraduate research, the Schreyer Honors College, NCAA Division III athletics and more.