LEHMAN, Pa. — The 2018 Celebration of Scholarship winners have been announced. Coordinated by Penn State Wilkes-Barre and the campus' Nesbitt Library, the competition drew more than 145 students this year.
Best Poster Presentation for Applied Sciences
Jordan Sipos, "Mass Shooting Incidents in the US"
This project shows the mass shooting incidents in the United States beginning from 1999 through the most recent Parkland shooting in 2018. The definition of a mass shooting in this poster is four or more deaths per incident. (Faculty adviser: Dimitrios Bolkas)
Best Poster Presentation for Natural Sciences
Susan Huey, "Curved Nails, The Blair Family Mystery"
The Blair family has had a mystery for many years when it comes to fingernails. It would seem that some family members have a mutation for a curved claw-like nail. To delve into this mystery and see if we can solve it, a combination of research, genetic testing, and inheritance patterns is needed. (Faculty adviser: Renee Rosier)
Best Poster Presentation for Social Sciences
Maquiyyah Spears, "A Proposal to Reform Marijuana Laws: What Factors have Influenced a More Positive Perspective on the Use of Marijuana"
Looking into factors such as the history of marijuana, the dangers compared to other legal drugs, the social and economical benefits, and pop culture influences of the positive perspectives for the legalization of marijuana and proposal reforms. (Faculty adviser: Melissa Naylor)
Best Poster Presentation for Humanities
Michael Elko, "Animal Farm: An Issue of Communism"
Discusses Animal Farm and dives into different viewpoints on its ban. (Faculty adviser: Lynda Goldstein)
Nesbitt Library Information Literacy Award
Brian Hardiman, "How Does Group Influence Affect Cooperation with Law Enforcement?"
The poster discusses the affects group participation can have on someone's willingness to participate with law enforcement and shows the three main factors behind this idea and how they relate with each other. The poster also shows how this can be seen in everyday life and in recent popular news. (Faculty adviser: Melissa Naylor)
Best Poster Presentation Overall
Ian Chamberlain, "The Environmental Concerns of the Joshua Tree"
Joshua Trees are an important icon of the U.S. Southwest. Climate change and other environmental challenges threaten the Joshua Trees to extinction. Due to the increasing environmental extremes of the desert, Joshua Trees may not make it into the next century. What can we do to reduce our negative impact on the environment and save the Joshua Tree? (Faculty advisers: Bill Bachman/Terry Clemente)
Dr. Rosier’s Telescoping Spoon Award (Biology)
Ian Chamberlain, "The Environmental Concerns of the Joshua Tree"
Susan Huey, "Curved Nails, The Blair Family Mystery"
For more information, visit http://sites.psu.edu/wbscholarship/2018-celebration-of-scholarship/.