Can smiling reduce stress levels? Can Zumba increase memory? Can we combat invasive species through predictive modeling?
St. Ambrose University students gathered at the 14th Annual Undergraduate Scholars Conference in early May to answer these and other intriguing questions as they shared the results of their scholarly work.
Sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), the conference celebrates the learning and discovery St. Ambrose students gained through their various research projects. This year's topics ranged from the simple smile to the complex study of Iridium-catalyzed Borylation presented by Chemistry students James Hay, Ike Appleton, Tyler Chettinger, and Sam McCammant.
"This event is the ideal opportunity for students who are planning to go on to graduate school to experience what it might be like to present and discuss their research," said Interim CAS Dean Patrick Archer, PhD. "It is equally impactful for students who plan to follow a career path immediately after graduation as it provides the opportunity to help them articulate and defend their ideas publicly."
Keynote speaker Marie Adams, PhD, '13, reflected on her research experiences and the trajectory of her liberal arts foundation.
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"Who I am now as a person and as a professional is directly related to my experience in undergraduate research and a liberal arts education. It has impacted life skills that I use every day," Adams said. "Soon after starting at St. Ambrose, many people didn't understand my decision when declaring English, Psychology, and Theology as my majors. When in fact, selecting these three majors together was one of the most intentional decisions I had ever made.
"I saw a future career for myself where I would need the skills from all of them, and I knew St. Ambrose could get me access to all this and more. In order to be a psychologist, I knew enough early on to know that learning skill and theory would only get me so far. When a client is in my office sitting, sobbing in front of me, I need to match their humanity with my own. That's where my other majors came in."
All 13 of the conference presentations exemplified the dedication, creativity, and experiential learning any St. Ambrose curriculum demands and inspires. Biology student Andrew Powell '22 noted he learned a much broader lesson as he and his team toiled away in the summer heat, searching local culverts and ditches for invasive species.
"I believe the big takeaway is that if you see something you want – that degree, doing meaningful research, getting published, or landing that career – then pursue it with everything you've got," he said.
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