Research poster session on Friday

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

 

 

NSF research poster session set for Friday 

Ten undergraduates from across the U.S. will exhibit their research posters at Oklahoma State University on Friday, July 25, following an intense eight-week program designed to provide research experiences.  The poster session, set for noon to 4 p.m. in the parlor on the first floor of Murray Hall, will feature original research from the students who’ve been working with mentors to focus on various aspects of the biological basis of human and animal behavior.

“They’ve also spent time in seminars learning about ethics in research, how to apply to graduate programs, and how to be successful in graduate programs,” said Sheila Kennison, professor of psychology, who directs the program with Jennifer Byrd Craven, associate professor of psychology.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the intent of the program is to increase the number of students who choose careers in research. “We are pleased to play a role in creating a pipeline of students into science careers and also to advertise OSU to talented students who might consider applying to one of our graduate programs,” said Kennison.

Student researchers in this summer’s program are Kirsten Akerman from Russell Sage College; Zachary Buchin, James Madison University; Scott Goeppner, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth; Erin Harrington, Valpraiso University; Faith Lemons, John Brown University; Anne Sabol, Ohio State University, Samantha Sellers, Columbia College; Ariel Steele, St. Thomas University; Stephen Slykerman, Oklahoma State University, and Savannah Walton, University of Tulsa. 

Mentors for the students came from four departments at OSU, psychology, zoology, and communication sciences and disorders in the College of Arts and Sciences and the department of nutrition in the College of Human Sciences.

The 2014 program culminates in the research poster session on Friday in which students present their projects to each other, mentors and to the public. This is the fourth year the program has been held at OSU and the second grant from the National Science Foundation to provide funding.