National Undergraduate Research Week, April 11 – 15
Newswise — Newburgh, N.Y. – April 2011 – They are the scientists, environmentalists, clinical psychologists and doctors of tomorrow.
Today, eager undergraduate college students are researching diverse topics, alongside expert faculty. Their accomplishments are noted and their praises are sung during National Undergraduate Research Week.
The United States House of Representatives passed a resolution declaring April 11-15, 2011 Undergraduate Research Week, and related activities are being promoted by the Council on Undergraduate Research in Washington, D.C. Consequently, Edward A. Diana, County Executive of Orange County, N.Y., issued a proclamation encouraging institutions of higher education, businesses, and philanthropic entities within the county to support undergraduate researchers and their faculty mentors.
Music, with its universal appeal and affect on people, has been the focus of at least two studies at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. Gigianna Santiago of Newburgh, a biology/pre-veterinary major, and Christine Gizzi, a psychology major from Ballston Spa, N.Y., worked together to study the effect of listening to music on the diving reflex. Biologist Carl Hoegler and psychologist Amanda Maynard were their mentors.
Newburgh resident Gabriela Murphy-Goldberg found that music has a positive effect on muscle performance in humans. Murphy-Goldberg, a biology/pre-med major, worked with Hoegler.
Glass eels, toothpick-sized transparent fish who swim from their birthplace in the Sargasso Sea up the Atlantic coastline to the Quassaick Creek in Newburgh, will be observed and counted by freshmen studying with biologist Suparna Bhalla.
Numerous Mount students, in fields from biology to sociology, have conducted research including Middletown resident Christopher DiRusso’s analysis of licorice root extracts. DiRusso, a biology/pre-med major, was supervised by natural sciences professors Lynn E. Maelia and Suparna Bhalla.
Bhalla and Maelia also mentored the research of Alyssa Scagnelli, Staten Island, N.Y.; Mary McEwan, Pittsford, N.Y.; Sara Cutie, Greenwich, N.Y.; and Giuseppe Troia, Walden, N.Y.
Ariel Saulnier from Fishkill, N.Y., is presenting her research on cancer cells at two conferences. Bhalla and fellow biology professor James Moran were her advisors.
Chemistry professors William Lahar and Janet Petroski supervised Brian Browne of Wallkill, N.Y.
“The Comforting Zone: Web-based presence for grief and loss” was one of several projects mentored by Lawrence Force, director of the Center on Aging and Policy. Shakira Morris, Bronx, N.Y. and Megan Wickes of Walden, N.Y. conducted the research.
“Spiritual Wisdom: The Voices of Aging Maryknoll Sisters” was studied by Cathleen Kehoe of Seaford, N.Y., supervised by Force and Geraldine Abbatiello, a gerontological and psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Other projects on aging included social media and end of life care, by Ally Dutcher of Bennington, Vt. and Melanie Sussman of Garrison, N.Y.
Social science professors Margaret Bussigel, Jennifer Gonyea, Paul Schwartz and Sarah Uzelac work with Kyle Meditz of Sound Beach, N.Y. and Lauryn Kilker of Hopewell Junction, N.Y. on a research project on homelessness. Uzelac also mentored Vanessa Reyes of Newburgh, N.Y.
Center for Adolescent Research & Development director Frances Spielhagen works alongside students Ben Liberatore of Rosendale, N.Y. and Stephanie Conte of Washingtonville, N.Y. in a research project on mentoring. Spielhagen also mentored Carmel, N.Y. resident Elizabeth Leist.
Psychology professors Yasmine Kalkstein and Amanda Maynard supervised the social science research of Chris Boydston of Monroe, N.Y.; Katie Ketterer of Bethpage, N.Y.; Lida Colon of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Marie Rotter of Medford, N.Y and Ashley Griswold of Haddam, Ct. . Mount students also recently presented at the 65th Annual Eastern Colleges Science Conference, held at Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport, Ct. and at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research at Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y.
Ranked a Top-Tier Regional University (North) by U.S. News & World Report, Mount Saint Mary College offers strong undergraduate preparation in accounting, biology, business, chemistry, English, Hispanic studies, history, history/political science, human services, information technology, interdisciplinary studies, mathematics, media arts/public relations, nursing, psychology, social services and sociology, as well as master’s degrees.
To learn more about the college, visit www.msmc.edu
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