Academics

New Kensington undergraduate research highlighted at annual exposition

Nearly 50 projects featured at Reserach and Student Engagement Expo

Gabby Wolfkill, a biobehavioral health student at Penn State New Kensington, presented her undergraduate research project, "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace," at the 2024 Research and Student Engagement Expo at the campus on April 9. Wolfkill's project was one of nearly 50 presented at the annual event. Credit: Rebecca Dietrich. All Rights Reserved.

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. - Nearly 50 students presented more than 40 research projects at the 22nd annual Research and Student Engagement Exposition at Penn State New Kensington on April 9.

Each project included poster presentations documenting the research, which was accomplished with assistance of faculty mentors throughout the 2023-24 academic year. This year’s research projects covered topics including engineering automation, online surveillance, mental health and mood behaviors. 

In addition, 10 students were awarded Undergraduate Research Award: Excellence in Information Literacy prizes from Penn State University Libraries. The award recognizes the demonstration of literacy skills in relation to their research and poster presentations. The 2024 winners from the New Kensington campus included:

  • Kiera Bowser
  • Angelena Dove
  • Kelly Dugan
  • Madelyn Ganss
  • Clayton Groves
  • Izabel Kislan
  • Colleen Marshall
  • Alexis McKinley
  • Sonya Selvaraj
  • Lauren Sutton

Penn State New Kensington’s innovation hub, The Corner, also recognized a project as winner of the Entrepreneurial Spirit award, which is given to students who conducted effective research for important societal challenges needing to be solved. Lauren Sutton, a biobehavioral health student, was awarded the honor for her project related to the mental health of student-athletes.

The event also included a feature of several student engagement organizations and opportunities, as well as the return of Career Connections Day with more than 20 employers and internship providers from the area.

To view all of the 2024 research projects, visit the expo website. A full gallery from the event can also be viewed on the campus Facebook page.  

Last Updated April 10, 2024