April 18, 2017

Chambersburg, Pa. — Wilson College students will present the results of their undergraduate and graduate research at Wilson’s 8th annual Student Research Day on Friday, April 28. The public is invited to join Wilson students, faculty, staff and administrators at all events.  

A total of 29 students will present their work, which was produced in conjunction with faculty advisers, beginning at 9 a.m. Sessions will run concurrently in the Brooks Science Center auditorium and John Stewart Memorial Library’s Lenfest Learning Commons. In addition, a dance presentation choreographed and performed by students will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the dance studio in Davison Hall. All presentations will conclude by 5 p.m.

In addition to the oral presentations, other students will share their work graphically in a poster session, to be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m., also in Brooks.

“Student Research Day is an important day at Wilson College, providing a time to showcase the remarkable achievements of our students, “said Elissa Heil, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty. “It’s also a celebration of our strong student and faculty collaboration, upon which Wilson College prides itself.”  

Oral presentations throughout the day focus on the humanities, sciences and social sciences, including the prestigious Disert Scholar session from 4:30 to 5 p.m. in the Brooks Complex. The Disert award, given to the student with the best honors thesis proposal, went this year to Anna Harutyunyan of Armenia, who will present the results of her research on how an iron derivative of the AIDS drug AZT (Fe-AZT) affects cancer cells in the liver.

Other presentations will include examinations of: artist and feminist icon Frida Kahlo and the effect of her chronic physical pain on her self-portraits; the effects of gluten proteins and low-gliadin wheat products on celiac disease in mice; the relationship between outdoor recreation and depression; Christianity, capitalism and America’s devaluation of the poor; Holocaust remembrance and collective memory; a risk assessment for oak wilt – a threat to oak trees similar to that of Dutch elm disease – in Pennsylvania; pets and their relationship to their owners’ personality traits and self-esteem; factors that increase the contamination risk of pathogenic E.coli in the Conococheague Creek; and effects of apiary practices on Colony Collapse Disorder in European honey bees;

Also on Student Research Day, Wilson senior Amanda Dunn will hold a capstone exhibition of her artwork in Wilson’s Bogigian Gallery. The exhibition will continue through May 14.

Wilson’s Student Research Day will conclude with the annual Academic Awards presentation at 6 p.m. in the Brooks auditorium.

Student Research Day at Wilson was founded in 2010 as a way to recognize and celebrate the research, scholarship and creative activities of students and their faculty mentors. For more information, visit www.wilson.edu/student-research-day.

MEDIA CONTACT:    
Cathy Mentzer, Manager of Media Relations
Phone: 717-262-2604
Email: cathy.mentzer@wilson.edu

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Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 34 majors and master’s degrees in education, educational technology, special education, the humanities, accountancy, management, nursing, fine arts and healthcare management for sustainability. Wilson is committed to providing an affordable education that offers value to its students beyond graduation.

Located in Chambersburg, Pa., the college has a fall 2016 enrollment of 1,098, which includes students from 18 states and 16 countries. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.