HAZLETON, Pa. — Penn State Hazleton’s Undergraduate Research committee has announced the winners of the campus’ 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium. 

Held from April 1 to 5 at the Mary M. and Bertil E. Lofstrom Library, the symposium showcased student research or scholarly work performed with Penn State Hazleton faculty members. Works were submitted in two categories: arts, humanities and social sciences and science, technology, engineering and math.  

The winners and their submissions were: 

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) 

First place: Matthew Greenfield, Isabella Mystkowski and Issa Rodriguez, “Preliminary Testing of Brook Trout Microsatellite Markers for Population Analysis,” advised by Megan Schall, assistant professor of biology

Second place: Trevor Ruggiero and Isabella Colyer, “Toward Photochromic Diarylethenes for Use in Metal-Organic Frameworks," advised by Dan Patel, assistant professor of chemistry

Third place: Morgan Dwyer, Megan Lapchak and Mary Walter, “Sequencing Analysis for Trophic Studies on Invasive Flathead Catfish,” advised by Megan Schall, assistant professor of biology

Arts, humanities and social sciences 

First place: Jacob Kepping, “Death Across Ancient Mediterranean Societies, advised by Eileen Morgan, assistant teaching professor of English

Second place: Imani Becarie, “Comparative Analysis: American vs. Caribbean School Systems,” advised by Eileen Morgan, assistant teaching professor of English) 

Third place: Kendall Lobb “Is Telehealth Effective in Treating Patients? (Research adviser: Eileen Morgan, assistant teaching professor of English

Students could also elect to compete for the University Libraries' Undergraduate Research Award: Excellence in Information Literacy. The winners in that category were: 

Science, technology, engineering and math 

First place: Dario Lobo and Brian Tylutke, “Providing Net-Zero Power for Local Community Park,” advised by Joseph Ranalli, associate professor of engineering

Second place: Morgan Dwyer, Megan Lapchak and Mary Walter, “Sequencing Analysis for Trophic Studies on Invasive Flathead Catfish,” advised by Megan Schall, assistant professor of biology

Arts, humanities and social sciences 

First place: Alonna Weaver, “Does History Repeat Itself: An Analysis into the Potential Connections between 1967-69 and 2020-23," advised by Shannon Richie, reference and instruction librarian

Second place: Kendall Lobb, “Is Telehealth Effective in Treating Patients?" advised by Eileen Morgan, assistant teaching professor of English

Winners of the Undergraduate Research Symposium will now have the option to compete in the Eastern Regional Undergraduate Research Symposium at Penn State Lehigh Valley on April 20.