Xiaxin Zhong, a student in psychological and brain sciences, explains her research, titled "East, West, Emojis."

Celebrating research

UD holds first Celebration of Undergraduate Engaged Scholarship

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2:52 p.m., May 3, 2016--More than 170 students put their research up for public scrutiny Friday in the University of Delaware's first Celebration of Undergraduate Engaged Scholarship.

The event was the first merger of what has until this year been separate functions – the undergraduate poster session and the senior thesis symposium – a shift organizers see as giving greater reach to both, according to Iain Crawford, faculty director of undergraduate research and experiential learning for the University.

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Those who poked around the displays and listened in on the discussions at the Perkins Student Center – with entries from almost every corner of academic pursuit at UD – were likely to come away with new insights, fresh ideas and greater respect for the complexities of science and life that were the focus of these investigations.

Crawford loved what he was hearing throughout the afternoon – students sharing their excitement about research and their ability to show future employers what they have done and now understand better. He saw new connections emerging as the young researchers and their visitors compared notes.

"It's one of those forums of deep learning," he said. "And it's nice to see the richness of what Delaware offers in undergraduate research, which has been deep here since the 1980s."

Scores of posters and presentations were submitted, covering many studies in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, history, plant science, agriculture, the environment, marine science, education, and health sciences.

It seems clear that studies in neuroscience continue to grow at UD, with 19 students presenting research in that discipline alone.

Malak Kawan was among them. She has been studying how and why laboratory rats that have never been exposed to predators still become defensive when exposed to odors from those predators – fox feces, for example.

The Saudi Arabia native said she is enjoying the chance to do research and clarify what she wants to study in the future.

"I'm leaving my options open," she said, "and trying new things. This is all new to me and I'm loving it.... And after seeing this, I wish the women in my country had more opportunities like this."

Some students came away with new connections that could fuel further study, as Juliann Emory of Newark, Delaware, and Taylor Ryan of Malvern, Pennsylvania, can attest. After their oral presentation on trends in services for those with disabilities who are aging, a woman from Drexel University with a background in the field spoke up to offer more contacts and resources for their study.

Rosymar Magana and Vanessa Santiago, both McNair Scholars from Newark studying behavioral health and nutrition, reported on perceptions Hispanic adolescents have about healthy lifestyles. They used a "photovoice" approach, asking teens to take photographs of things that represent their beliefs about physical activity and healthy eating.

They were surprised with some of the photos they got back – a photo of apple juice as a healthy beverage, a photo of a sneaker-less collection of shoes to show an obstacle to physical activity, a photo of an empty pocket as evidence of a barrier to healthy eating.

They were surprised that the students they met with didn't know how to read a nutrition label. And they were convinced by their study that more education on nutrition and healthy choices is needed.

Naiim Mason of Bear, Delaware, who is studying linguistics, cognitive science and computer science and hopes to pursue a doctorate in neuro-engineering, presented his research on the structure of the Javanese language in East Java, Indonesia.

It is challenging to characterize some languages, he said, and great debates have arisen over such questions.

"There's a reason for these debates," he said. "It is very hard to fit language into a box we've created using languages we've studied previously."

Cody Stubbs, an entomology student from Harrington, Delaware, has focused his study on insect specimens, specifically the plant-feeding auchenorrhyncha (cicadas, treehoppers, leafhoppers, for example) sent to UD by officials at the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The work is aimed at better understanding biodiversity there, which is an indication of the area's health.

Losing a great uncle to prostate cancer has added fuel to Michael Wilson's study of how to better manage bone pain for those whose disease has advanced. His uncle took opioids for relief from the pain, Wilson said, but such treatment affects quality of life and the ability to interact with others.

Wilson, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has been looking at how to attack pain at the molecular level. He hopes to attend medical school.

Margaret Billingsley of Newark explored ways of detecting metastatic cancer cells earlier and found that a silica core coated with a 15 nanometer-thick gold shell could increase the kind of signals needed to improve detection rates.

A sample of some of the other investigations:

• How insects fare in roadside habitats (William Keilsohn, entomology).

• How early intervention may affect those at risk for psychosis (Alexa Meinhardt, biological sciences).

• Argentina's political shift in the 21st century (Sarah Mottram, international relations).

• Parkinson's Disease and caregiver stress (Carly Piel, medical diagnostics).

• Comparison of interventions after ankle sprains (Michael Stant, athletic training).

• How deformation affects Kevlar fiber (Michael Carroll, mechanical engineering).

• Understanding a fundamental force in protein folding (Nicole Wenzell, biochemistry).

• The microbiome of broiler chickens' respiratory tracts (Albert D'Agostino, pre-veterinary medicine and animal biosciences).

• Baptista Boazio's engravings, including those of Sir Francis Drake's voyages (Bryce Gates, art history).

• Employment discrimination against people with disabilities (Jae Woo Chung, political science).

Article by Beth Miller

Photos by Duane Perry

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