Penn State New Kensington engineering students Sandra Muhhuku, left, and Lindsey Grasinger, defend their research, “The Effects of Different Loads on a Bridge Truss,” for reviewer Jeff Roth, assist professor of administration of justice at the campus.
Annual event held in conjunction with Career Days
UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Students at Penn State New Kensington will have the opportunity to present their research in a public forum at the ninth annual Research and Creative Exposition from 1 to 3 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, in the campus Athletics Center.
The exposition provides students, under the guidance of a faculty adviser, with the opportunity to choose a topic, conduct research, draw conclusions and present their information in a public setting. A concurrent job fair in the Athletics Center also gives students and visitors the chance to speak with potential employers from the region.
Students will display their written research in a poster format at the innovative event. Posters are designed to convey the project's significance to scholars in the field and potential significance to the general public.
A panel of reviewers from the campus and local businesses will evaluate each project. They will talk with students about their research, ask questions and take notes. Participants are judged on content, display and oral defense of their project.
Last year, 70 students researched 53 projects that were exhibited. Students explored a variety of issues, from the effects of sleep deprivation on grade-point averages, to the advantages of green roofs, to a study of Uber's customers.
Career Day complements the research component by creating new opportunities for the students and faculty to build stronger contacts with local industries through sharing of career information while also highlighting the campus' many research and creative avenues.
Representatives from 34 companies will discuss career options, internships and job opportunities for current students and recent graduates. Organizations attending Career Day represent a variety of fields, including business, engineering, science, information technology, psychology, marketing, administration of justice, communications, finance, accounting, social services and human services. Campus faculty will also talk with the business representatives as companies focus on career paths within their organizations that relate to academic disciplines.
For more on the research exposition, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Academics/ugradresearch.htm