Research

Brandywine hosts annual undergraduate research showcase

MEDIA, Pa. -- Each year, Penn State Brandywine honors students across numerous academic disciplines during its annual Exhibition of Undergraduate Research Enterprise and Creative Accomplishment (EURECA). This event serves as an occasion for Brandywine undergraduates to present their research to the campus community and outside guests after several months of hard work and dedication. 

This year’s EURECA featured more than 15 poster presentations and two oral presentations from students in academic programs such as English, psychology, biology, human development and family studies and communications. Students are also able to give video and computer presentations, short readings, artistic displays and performances.

Senior psychology majors Dennis McCune and Karmanpreet Singh were presented the Social Science and Humanities Research Award for their study, “Effects of Stimulus Variability on Pitch Discrimination: Lexical Tones and Musical Intervals.” This honor recognizes a social science and humanities project that holds importance in the field of study and has a potential impact on the public. 

“We looked at the correlation between perceiving pitch in music and tonal languages and compared the normalization processes found in speech and music,” McCune said. 

He went on to explain that their research could further the understanding of language and potentially lead to alternative ways to learn new languages faster.

The Enterprise Award, which recognizes an endeavor from any field, was presented to senior human development and family studies major Somnang Roun of Philadelphia. Known by his friends as Sam, Roun’s enterprise project “Parenting Classes for Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia” studies the relationship between immigrated Cambodian parents and their children.

“The purpose of my research is to develop methods to close the gap between parents and children and build an understanding relationship between the two,” Roun explained.

He plans on continuing his work after graduation through the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia’s Legacy Project.

The STEM Research Award honors a project that is in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering or mathematics and possibly holds significance to the general public. This year’s recipient was freshman Marina Mathew for her work titled, “Location and Function of Dynamin-Like Protein in Crithidia Fasciculata.”

Penn State Brandywine has been hosting EURECA for more than a decade and remains committed to giving its undergraduates the opportunity to conduct research in their respective fields of study. By conducting research alongside scholars, students become stronger critical thinkers and develop into more effective problem-solvers.

Last Updated April 25, 2014

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