ERIE, Pa. -- Students from 11 colleges and universities will present their research at the 25th annual Penn State Behrend-Sigma Xi Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Accomplishment Conference on Saturday, April 16. More than 240 students will explain projects that advance a wide range of topics, including:
- The increase in West Nile Virus in communities where bat populations have collapsed
- The development of microscale fuel cells that can efficiently power smartphones
- The use of UV light to decontaminate food-prep surfaces
- The lower birth weight of newborns in communities affected by mass shootings
- The wage disparity in Major League Soccer, which favors foreign-born players
The oral and poster presentations, which begin at 8 a.m. in the Fasenmyer, Nick and Witkowski buildings, and in Roche Hall, are open to the public. An awards ceremony will follow in Erie Hall, beginning at noon.
The conference is sponsored by Penn State Behrend and the Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter of Sigma Xi, an international, multidisciplinary research society. The participating students attend Penn State Behrend, Allegheny College, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Gannon University, Grove City College, Mercyhurst University, Slippery Rock University, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Westminster College and Penn State’s Abington and Shenango campuses.
Penn State Behrend is committed to making research a major component of the undergraduate educational experience. The college provides approximately $350,000 each year to support undergraduate research, including study and travel grants and summer research fellowships.