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����Թ� at Salem held its fall Undergraduate Research Conference, an event that recognizes students for their research and allows them to share what they learned through discussions with the academic staff.

The conference is open to all undergraduates in any discipline and in any for-credit course on any ����Թ� State campus. Faculty judges evaluate the presentations based on originality; significance; evidence of learning about the research and information gathering process; and overall quality.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Lee Gilman, an assistant professor of behavioral neuroscience in ����Թ� State’s Department of Psychological Sciences, who leads research on how interactions between diet, stress and genes affect brain and body health.

The URC committee includes Dr. Rachael Blasiman, chair; Dr. Kristenne Robison, Dr. Omid Bagheri, Cyndi Peterson, Dr. Tsunghui Tu, Steve Toepfer and Krista Hawkins. 

The winners of the 2022 ����Թ� State Salem Undergraduate Research Conference are:

Poster Presentation:

• First place: Gus Holman for “Climate Controlled Production of Morel Mushrooms;”
• Honorable mention to Abigail Jackson and Kobi Ream for “Prioritization and Delegation in Nursing.”

First Place Oral Presentations:

• Olivia Coontz for “An Investigation into a Prosthetic’s Effect on Mental Health;”
• Elly Exline for “The Accuracy of Artificial Intelligence Using MRI Imaging in the Field of Neuroradiology;”
• Julia Chappelear for “Accessibility in Writing;”

Second Place Oral Presentations:

• Blaine McCurdy for “An Examination of Trends Between Tabletop Role-Playing and Mental Wellness;”
• Hannah Heath for “The Struggles with Invitro Fertilization;”
• Seth Barrett for “The ‘T’ in Healthcare: Discrimination Against Transgender People by Healthcare Systems and Governments;”

Third Place Oral Presentations:

• Caleb Garlock for “Optimizing Optic Flow;”
• Maria Poppenhouse for “The Effects Hospitalized Children Have on the Parent-Child Relationship;”
• Donna Finch for “How We Can Help Slow Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans.”

Honorable Mention Presentation:

• Samantha Wehr for “The Calm Life: Analysis of Coping with Stress and Majors.”

Photo A: Winners from the 2022 Undergraduate Research Conference at ����Թ� State Salem include (front, from left) Donna Finch, Hannah Heath, Maria Poppenhouse, Olivia Coontz, Caleb Garlock, Gus Holman; and (back, from left) Samantha Wehr, Seth Barrett, Kobi Ream, Abigail Jackson, Julia Chappelear, Blaine McCurdy. Not pictured is Elly Exline.

Photo B: Dr. Rachel Blasiman, conference chair, with keynote speaker Dr. Lee Gilman.

Photo C: Dr. Gilman’s advice to students.

Photo D: Second year rad tech students who participated in the conference were (from left) John Rupert, Elly Exline and Carly Mustake.