Glitter, Beehives and Plagues: 17th Student Conference pushes the envelope of inquiry

23rd April 2021

By Steven Krolak

(NEW ALBANY, Ind.)–With awards for presentations ranging from Leonard Bernstein to beneficial beehives to ancient plagues, the 17th annual IU Southeast Student Conference concluded two days of inspired and impassioned inquiry.

Some 170 presenters, from freshmen to graduate students, and supported by 40 faculty members, brought forth 130 presentations in a virtual format that allowed for audience interaction.

Below is a complete list of award winners from this year’s event.

Graduate Awards

AwardPresenterTitleAdvisor
Chancellor’s Award for Interdisciplinary AchievementBrandon Visetchaisri Glitter and Be Gay: Sexuality In The Life and Music of Leonard BernsteinAnn Niren
The Outstanding Presentation related to Diversity AwardMeghan LutherThe Role of Environmental Literacy in the Promotion of Human Quality of Life and Human DignityJames Hollenbeck
The Outstanding Presentation in AnalyticsScott Robinson The Plague of Galen: Historical Antecedents of Global PandemicDonna Dahlgren
The Outstanding Presentation in Public ServicePamela EddsThe Impact of a Refresher Course of Psychomotor Skills on Nursing Students undergoing Obstetrical SimulationLaura McIlvoy

Undergraduate Awards

AwardPresenterTitleAdvisor
Chancellor’s Award for Creative AchievementAlex ConnCostume Designs for World Premiere of Bittersweet Hard CandyNatalie Bowman
Chancellor’s Award for Interdisciplinary AchievementJaime Young IrvinMusicians from NowhereTimothy Haertel
The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Excellence AwardKhaja Hussain, Brandon Young, David PhaireDeep Learning for Translating American Sign Language to EnglishSuranga Hettiarachchi
The Outstanding Presentation related to Diversity AwardHayden SeelyeThe World of Harry Potter: An Allegory to Our Societies Social InjusticesSusan Popham
The Outstanding Fine Arts Studio or Art History AwardCecilia Winters, Liliana Velasco, Robert GrahamIUS Athletic Stained Glass WindowDonna Stallard
The Thomas Kotulak Outstanding Political Science AwardKeziah JonesCold War Negotiations: Reagan’s Take on an “Evil Empire”Rebekah Dement
The Social Sciences Award for Community or Civic EngagementHalee TannerThe Ramifications of Ratification: The Continued Disenfranchisement of African American Women After the Nineteenth AmendmentElizabeth Gritter
The Glenn Mason Outstanding Presentation in Natural ScienceJohn WohllebInvasion of the PlantsJames Hollenbeck
The Bernardo Carducci Outstanding Presentation in PsychologyRena AndrewsBatallions and Bias: Social Perceptions on Table-Top Gaming EnthusiastsMeghan Kahn
The Outstanding Presentation in Analytics (Business)Mitchell Lockhart, Rachel Rozenboom, Roberto Martinez, Savannah Dietrich The Hot Spot: Louisville, KentuckyRanida Harris
The Louise Suleiman Outstanding Nursing AwardBrittany McCartyPatient BelongingsJanice McMahan
The Lillian Yeager Outstanding Nursing AwardMadison QueryVenous Thromboembolism Toolkit: A Management Project at Memorial Hospital and Health Care CenterJanice McMahan
The Outstanding Poster Presentation in Natural SciencesKaycee RanneyThe Benefits of a Beehive on Indiana University Southeast campus and the Management and Upkeep of the Hives and Surrounding HabitatDavid Taylor
The Outstanding Poster Presentation in Public ServiceKimberly Eckart, Jessica Biggerstaff, Ashton Bowles Researching Nursing Student Mental Health and Seeking a Specialized CounselorJulia Mattingly
The Outstanding Community Engagement Poster AwardJennifer SteigerwaldBlack Hole ProjectJanice McMahan
Outstanding Poster PresentationKyla Barr, Troi Simms, Samantha Johnson, Aubrey GrahmEstablishment of Peer Mentor Program within the School of NursingJulia Mattingly
The Outstanding Oral Presentation in Natural SciencesDanielle WattMultiple Caulobacter Bacteriophages Isolated and Characterized from Local Water SpecimensPamela Connerly
The Outstanding Oral Presentation in EducationImani MaeneThe Teacher’s AntidoteRebekah Dement
The Outstanding Oral Presentation in Business (Business, Economics, and/or Entrepreneurship)Kayla CroneBuilding a Framework: The Importance of Analyzing WorldviewJared Law-Penrose
The Outstanding Oral Presentation in PsychologyKatherine Heishman, Leslie VenzorThe Effects of Sexual Objectification on AnxietyTodd Manson
Outstanding Oral Presentation in SociologyBrook ElstonGender Inequality in Popular Animated FilmsSara Hare
Outstanding Oral Presentation in Criminal JusticeSierra FrenchUnworthy Victimhood: The Implications of Victim Stereotyping in Rape TrialsRebekah Dement
The Outstanding Oral Presentation in Public ServiceGiscard CineyUsing AI based Game-Based Learning to Educate and Change the Driver’s Mindset to Increase Road SafetySridhar Ramachandran
The Outstanding Presentation in PhilosophyJoseph TegardenBad ConscienceLeigh Viner
Outstanding Oral PresentationJohn ClereComparing the Quality, Detail and Color Accuracy, and Cost of Photogrammetry and Structured Light ScanningBradford Griggs
Outstanding Oral PresentationSadie RothrockThe Other Side of the Electoral College: An Exploration into the Less-Publicized Benefits of the Electoral CollegeRebekah Dement

Looking ahead, Dr. Diane Wille, dean of research and graduate studies, hopes for a safer working and studying environment that will allow students and faculty to collaborate on research and creative work. 

While satisfied with the synchronous virtual format of this year’s event, she looks forward to an in-person conference with record-breaking numbers of presentations and posters.

“It would be great if we ran out of rooms for presentations, and if poster boards and table-top posters took over every inch of the Hoosier Room and spilled out into the Commons and all the way down the hall,” Wille said.

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