URSCA: Student researchers hone scholarship skills

Students (pictured outside of Carver Hall) in the Undergraduate Research Scholarship and Creative Activities summer program bonded during their three-day training workshop in May. The workshop emphasized fundamental professional skills, ranging from responsible conduct of research to publishing research, that students will use to complete their projects. Over the 12-week summer session, students are supported by the URSCA Award to complete their projects. This year's research, scholarly, and creative projects are diverse and include the cellular and molecular biology of sperm, water chemistry of the Susquehanna River, behavioral research on diet-exercise-addictive response relationships, social surveys of the Bloomsburg community, audiology and speech pathology, and a mural painting for Danville's downtown. Since the workshop, students are working closely with their faculty mentors for excellent one-on-one individualized learning experiences tailored to the interests of the students.

Final presentations

The end of a semester at Bloomsburg, especially spring semester, always brings a flurry of activity.

A hallmark of the university is the opportunity for undergraduates to conduct research with faculty and their fellow students. The final weeks include several events dedicated to students presenting their work.

The top photo is a nursing student presenting on a study related to diabetes as part of the university Honors Program. 

Below that are photos of an anthropology student discussing archaeology and two education students discussing their work as part of Bloomsburg's Research Day, in which students from all the university's college present their work at locations throughout campus.

The final photo, taken by communications student worker CJ Shultz, is at the Frederick Douglass Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Conference held in April. 

It's remarkable to see how poised, professional and confident the students become in just a few years.

Sharing research

Catching up a little from the end of last semester. This shot was taken at the College of Science and Technology's student research symposium.  Kathleen Paiva, majoring in both education and geography, is discussing a project she did with faculty mentor Cynthia Venn to make a tactile map to teach visually impaired students about geology. Yarn, glue, pipe cleaners were all pressed into service. Biology major Taylor Ball took a real interest in the project and stuck around, paying no attention to me while I took photos.

In all, there were more than a dozen student research posters at the event and another 19 research talks.

Technical notes: Nothing remarkable. Canon 7, ISO 800 1/64th. Tokina 11mm at f/4.5. Though you'll see distortion at the edges, the lens is really useful. Click on any photo to make it larger.