Over 60 students present research at HECBC conference

Over 60 Alvernia students presented their research at the Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC) Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference hosted at Albright College.

"Our students had stellar research presentations at the HECBC conference and I am grateful that I got to attend and listen to their presentations and passion for their subject matter," said Senior Vice President and Provost, Leamor Kahanov, Ed.D. "Research is a transformational part of the student experience and it is exciting to see students across all majors embracing the many research opportunities facilitated by our dedicated faculty members at Alvernia."

HECBC includes all five institutions of higher learning in Berks County: Alvernia University, Albright College, Kutztown University, Penn State Berks and Reading Area Community College. The annual HECBC Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference allows students to share their research and creativity with each other and the community. The conference is open to any undergraduate student seeking an opportunity to share their expertise with other scholars.

"I thought the HECBC conference was a great experience," said occupational therapy major Marissa James. "After working hard on my research all year, it was very rewarding to be able to have conversations with people who were interested in learning more. Hearing different thoughts on my topic helped me broaden my perspective on different ways it can be beneficial to others. Completing this type of research project taught me the importance of group collaboration as well as how information learned in school can be applied to the community to make a difference."

The conference allowed students to experience an environment where they gained insights and formed connections in a professional setting. By working alongside a faculty mentor, students used critical thinking skills, gathered data, and formed evidence-based conclusions to build their research projects.

"My partner, Matthew Knowles, and I had a fantastic opportunity to showcase our most recent robotic project at Albright College," said engineering major Hao Ha. "We were very thankful to receive a lot of feedback, learn and share our work with others and the community who participated as well as make new connections with other presenters and learn about their unique projects. Special thanks to my mentors, Dr. Salem Elsaiah and Dr. Joseph Mahoney for introducing and sponsoring us for this experiment. Lastly, we are very grateful for this opportunity to present as Alvernia University's first Electrical Engineering cohort."