“Internet Famous: Using Social Media as a Tool for Music Education Advocacy,” “Friday Night Funkin'” and “Physiological Effects of Ocean Acidification on Two Species of Intertidal Snails” are just a few of the research topics students are presenting at the annual Made in Millersville conference. The conference will be held on Tuesday, April 11, in the Student Memorial Center from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and will showcase the work of over 200 students.
Dr. René Muñoz, director of sponsored projects and research administration, talks about the event, “Made in Millersville is a university-wide celebration and exposition of student work. All departments and disciplines are represented at the event, and students are invited to show their work in the way that best meets the needs of their field, whether that is a poster, an oral presentation, a demonstration, exhibition or performance.”
This year, there will be over 160 posters, presentations, exhibits and demos.
The diverse student presentations include research from the McNairy Library Research Fellows:
- Kylie Calogero, Music Research Fellows, “Internet Famous: Using Social Media as a Tool for Music Education Advocacy”
- Claire Devinney, Research Fellows Startup, “To Apply Thy Best Endeavors”: The Political Influence of Hannah Penn”
- Carolina Hidalgo-Ahmed, Multidisciplinary Research Fellows, “Food Knowledge”
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Samantha Reynolds, Multidisciplinary Research Fellows, “Physiological Effects of Ocean Acidification on Two Species of Intertidal Snails” Renyolds says a lot went into her presentation, “During my time as a research fellow, I worked through many experimental methods until I found my final method. At MiM I am presenting the three main methods that I researched, what I tried, and how they did/did not work for my project. I collected data on these methods for over a year, and I learned a lot in the process. The research fellows program supported my efforts, and they pushed me to continue my project even after so many methods had failed.”
- Tehya Walters, Music Research Fellows, “Getting Musical on a Friday Night: The Effects of ‘Friday Night Funkin’ on Undergraduate Students’ Musical Phrasing Ability”
- Chloe Wheeler, Music Research Fellows, “Shine a Light on CCM (Contemporary Commercial Music)”
- Nate Wilson, Research Fellows Startup, “Neural Serotonin Activity and Social Behavior: A Review.”
Other students presenting include: Katie McLaughlin, a senior Speech Communications major with a concentration in digital communications and cultural studies and a minor in creative writing and publishing, will present her poems titled “Works.” The collection contains 12 poems, all based on a month and the accompanying emotions. There is a strong theme of growing older and going through changes, all coming together to show the highs and lows of the narrator throughout the year. The collection of poems was written for WRIT 471 Creative Writing this spring semester.
Andrew Geer, a senior Government major, will present his research on Global humanitarianism titled “Humanitarian Access.” In his research, Geer focuses on the topic of humanitarian access and breaks it down into the three most important themes of constraints, which are Securing Consent, Aid Under Threat and Accessing Logistics. Following these themes, he shows the case study of the Syrian-Turkey 2023 Earthquake and how these themes fit into the region accessing humanitarian aid.
Made in Millersville provides student presenters with the opportunity to gain professional experience in a low-pressure environment. It prepares students for public speaking. Students can add this experience to their resumes to show future employers or internships that they are not only engaged in the classroom but also outside of it.
Made in Millersville is an important event for the MU community. “For students who are new to Millersville, it gives them a chance to attend and see the work being done by students. Students can see what kind of work can be done with professors in their major – who they are and who they should talk to. The peer-to-peer interaction also gives attending students a chance to ask presenters how they got started in their project, who they worked with, where they found the funds, etc. All of these elements are important to building student engagement and making sure that students become active participants in their education and get the most out of their professor’s passion for teaching and expertise,” Muñoz says.
Muñoz recognizes the impact Made in Millersville has on the MU community and how important it is to recognize student work, “Made in Millersville is a community event, and one of the reasons to hold it is so that members of the community – inside and outside MU – can see the great work our students are doing,” Muñoz says.