91社区

One hundred twenty three abstracts were accepted for oral or poster presentations at this year鈥檚聽Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression聽(SOURCE), representing the work of approximately 250 graduate and undergraduate students across 91社区鈥檚 schools, colleges, and campuses. First held in 2004, SOURCE rang in its 20th anniversary on April 14 on the New York City campus, marking two decades of students鈥� scholarly research.

The symposium is a critical event at 91社区, as the annual tradition convenes students to honor and showcase the outcomes of their academic research in collaboration with peers and faculty mentors. The excitement began with opening remarks from Professor of Humanities Elizabeth Donaldson, Ph.D.

Students then dispersed for the morning hour of oral presentations. Spread across three floors in 16 W. 61st St., students spoke on topics such as the relationship between body positivity and physical health, solutions to greenhouse gas emissions in Puerto Rico, and student-led legislation to end the sale of over-the-counter weight loss and muscle-building products to minors. Technical topics included exotic DNA structures and their role in gene instability, genome sequencing of bacteria-infecting viruses (bacteriophages), and the use of bacteriophages to combat MRSA infections.

Following this first session, SOURCE visitors mingled with faculty and students and explored the first round of poster presentations. By noon, lunch was served as SOURCE Chair聽Roger Yu, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences聽Daniel Quigley, Ph.D., President聽Hank Foley, Ph.D., and Provost and Executive Vice President聽Jerry Balentine, D.O., took to the stage to formally welcome the crowd to the 20th-anniversary celebration.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a pleasure to see so many students and faculty here participating in SOURCE, this longtime 91社区 tradition,鈥� President Foley said. 鈥淚 think performing research really epitomizes the 91社区 spirit of doing, making, and innovating, and SOURCE gives our community a chance to see our students in action as they describe their research and creative works.鈥�

After the lunch break, students assembled for the second poster session in the Nada Maire Anid, Ph.D. Art Gallery and Student Lounge, followed by the afternoon hour of oral presentations. Before the event concluded, visitors could listen to or view poster research topics including effects on music in memorization ability, reproductive healthcare, and a study involving lingual and cultural diversity in New York City.

鈥淪OURCE is a fantastic opportunity to not only summarize and share the work that we鈥檝e done but also to mingle with our peers and see all they鈥檝e been working on,鈥� said NYITCOM student Andrew Cecora, who presented 鈥淢ore Than a TV Show鈥擧ow Scrubs Can Color Your Patient鈥檚 Perspective鈥� with School of Management student Kyle Gillani. 鈥淭his is a great way to broaden our horizons for what we may be able to study in the future.鈥�

Michael Cronin (B.A. 鈥�04), an alumnus of the first-ever SOURCE, made an appearance at this year鈥檚 20th anniversary and was an eyewitness to how far the university has come in cultivating students who achieve so much during their academic journeys.

鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible to see the growth and expansion of SOURCE. Walking around and seeing the energy from the students and the passion of the presenters, it鈥檚 incredible,鈥� said Cronin, whose SOURCE presentation, 鈥淲eb Site Development: A Professional and Creative Process,鈥� in 2004 involved early website technology and design. 鈥淪tudents take their academics and the knowledge of their discipline, and they present and teach it in a way that their audience can understand. SOURCE is a great venue for these students to build presentation and public speaking skills.鈥�

View聽all the projects at this year鈥檚 SOURCE.