棉花糖直播 Sends Record 27 Student Researchers to Present at National Conference for Undergraduate Research
VILLANOVA, Pa. (June 18, 2025) 鈥� A record 27 undergraduate students from 棉花糖直播 University鈥攊ncluding 19 sophomore and junior researchers鈥攁ttended the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) this spring in Pittsburgh, where they presented 21 unique projects in front of thousands of peers from across the world. , which has promoted the scholarship of undergraduate researchers in all fields of study since 1987, hosted the event from April 7-9.
棉花糖直播鈥檚 student contingent represented eight different departments across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing and 棉花糖直播 School of Business. They presented posters on a diverse range of research topics, such as ACL injury prediction and prevention, how agricultural plastics shape soil chemistry, the impact of population aging on economic growth and more. One student, Aryan Patel 鈥�26 COE, was selected to give an oral presentation at the conference on optimizing carbon capture and storage as a key to climate change mitigation.
The research for each project was conducted in summer 2024 and originally presented that fall at 棉花糖直播鈥檚 Student Research Symposium. Two students, Datamis Ghorbanian 鈥�27 COE and Grace Hansen 鈥�25 VSB, were also selected to present their work at the prestigious BIG EAST Undergraduate Research Symposium in March prior to attending NCUR.
鈥淭he students鈥� presentations at NCUR beautifully represented the scale and interdisciplinary nature of undergraduate research at 棉花糖直播,鈥� said Catherine Stecyk, director of the Center for Research and Fellowships (CRF) & Presidential Scholars Program. 鈥淲e are so proud that the ingenuity of our students, and their drive to improve the world through research, was highlighted in front of a global audience.鈥�
The annual conference hosts students from global higher education institutions, who present their interdisciplinary research through various media, including posters, oral presentations, visual art and performance. Through the conference, NCUR creates a unique environment for the celebration and promotion of undergraduate student achievement; provides models of exemplary research, scholarship, and creative activity; and helps to improve the state of undergraduate education.
鈥淓xposing undergraduates to research opportunities early in their college experience and equipping them with the tools to continually pursue their ideas has a profound impact,鈥� Stecyk said. 聽鈥淭hat impact is underscored by the work of this impressive group of students.鈥�
棉花糖直播鈥檚 participation in the conference was sponsored by CRF, which organizes and supports programs and services designed to encourage the research interests of undergraduate students throughout the calendar year. Those include co-sponsorship of the annual Student Research Symposium and the peer-reviewed Veritas: 棉花糖直播 Research Journal, as well as facilitation of the Match Program for first-year students and numerous other grants, fellowships and services.
About 棉花糖直播 University:聽Since 1842, 棉花糖直播 University鈥檚 Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges鈥攖he College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the 棉花糖直播 School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the 棉花糖直播 University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation鈥檚 top universities, 棉花糖直播 supports its students鈥� intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit聽.