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Drew University Celebrates Student Research at Day of Scholars

Poster session featured more than 70 students spanning the humanities to sciences

April 2024 – Drew University undergraduate research was on full display at the annual Day of Scholars event.

More than 70 students presented research on topics spanning Alzheimer’s therapy, confounding seasonal death rates in the Roman Empire, immune responses to DNA viruses, college dorm sleep quality, cultural memory of summer camp, Twitter diplomacy, and local ecology.

For students, it was an opportunity to showcase their hard work—the culmination of myriad hands-on learning experiences that broadened horizons and honed skills.

“Working with [Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Science & Sustainability Tammy] Windfelder to create an experiment that would profile meaningful results and field experience made me much more confident in finding a position after graduation,” said GJ Nazziola C’24, who researched owl population on Drew’s campus. “Getting to present research that I’m passionate about at Day of Scholars was an extremely rewarding experience.”

Muhammar Mir C’24, who presented posters on color metamerism and optimizing virtual water trade of Jordan, used Day of Scholars as a chance to practice effectively communicating complex topics.

“I have completed a variety of research projects, from DSSI to my honors thesis in mathematics,” said Mir. “While I find the esoteric nature of my projects interesting and exciting, it brings me great joy to share my enthusiasm, knowledge, and findings with others. Being able to communicate science with not just other scientists, but a general audience, is what makes science meaningful. Science communication is a skill that is just as important as any specialized research skill, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to demonstrate that at Day of Scholars.”

For Tyler Cochran-Branson C’24, presenting at Day of Scholars represented the final piece to complete the academic puzzle.

“The process of putting together my thesis has been the culmination of all of the work I have done in college,” said Cochran-Branson, who researched the intersection of anthroposophy and alt-right radicalization through the lens of the Waldorf school system. “I have been so lucky to work closely with my professors, and their wisdom and guidance have helped me develop the skills necessary to take on such a big project. I also love research and writing, so it has been a lot of fun!”

For more photos, head to our Instagram page.

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