WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., April 26, 2018 — West Liberty University Honors College students present their research projects in a symposium from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., Thursday, April 26 in the R. Emmett Boyle Conference Center.
Representing a variety of topics and disciplines, the research event showcases the work of students completing their senior theses.
“We recognize the dedication and creativity of our Honors College seniors who have prepared presentations, artwork, and posters that show their work. They have devoted themselves to the Honors Research Project in addition to the regular demands of advanced course work, for which they deserve high praise. Each project reflects at least a full semester of focused work, and represents a vibrant, collaborative and exemplary career of undergraduate study,” said Dr. Shannon Halicki, Dean of the Honors College and associate professor of French and Spanish.
Assistant Professor of Philosophy Dr. Aaron Harper is the Honors College research coordinator. He met with the students throughout the year to offer feedback and discuss their research projects.
Students taking part in the symposium include: Miranda Cook, Alyssa Ebert, David Howard, Anna Malone, Caleb Martin, Lydia Mathers, Shane Powell, Bethani Shackelford and Susie Smith.
Oral presentations begin at 3:30 p.m. and include:
Caleb Martin (St. Albans, W.Va.) will speak at 3:30 p.m. on his study of “A novel infection model for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli infection, Blaptica dubia – the Orange Spotted Cockroach.” Martin is a Biology Pre-Med major.
Anna Malone (Clarksburg, W.Va.) and Susie Smith, will speak at 3:45 p.m. on “Get Psyched About Preschool: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Psychology in Early Education.” Malone and Smith are Elementary Education and Psychology majors.
Miranda Cook will speak at 4:30 p.m. on “Emergency Administration of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids to Correct Fatal Arrhythmias.” Cook is an Exercise Physiology major.
Lydia Mathers (Washington, W.Va.) will speak at 4:45 p.m. on “Gifted Education in the Real World: A Handbook.” Mathers is an Elementary Education major.
From 4 – 4:30 p.m. the poster presentations take place. Students and topics include:
- Psychology major Alyssa Ebert (Cameron, W.Va.), “The Influence of Mood on Creativity”
- Biology major David Howard (Charles Town, W.Va.), “Interspecific Habitat Selection of Natricine Snakes in a Small Stream in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia”
- Music Performance and Technology major Shane Powell (Claysville, Pa.), “Conversations of Past and Present: Combining Historical Context with Modern Technology”
- Mathematics Education Bethani Shackelford (Wheeling), “Predicting an Eclipse”
Begun in 2012, WLU’s Honors College is offered to qualifying undergraduates as a program of distinction for high-achieving students. Through a combination of academic and experiential opportunities, it promotes creativity, academic rigor and intellectual exchange. The Honors College offers an enriched college experience in terms of both academic pursuits and social experiences.
These students participate in study abroad, internships and research, with opportunities for leadership roles and service.
Students achieve Honors College distinction at the end of their undergraduate career if they have completed the requisite number of Honors credit hours, through courses and seminars, and if they have completed a senior research project. For more information, please visit westliberty.edu/honors-college.