SUNY Cortland's Student Research Showcase Set for April 17

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SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum chats with students at Transformations, the college's annual academic showcase of student research and creative work.

CORTLAND, NY (04/08/2015)(readMedia)-- Stem cell therapy, the effects of exercise intensity on memory and a historical analysis of Cortland during the Prohibition era represent just a few of the topics to be explored at Transformations: A Student Research and Creativity Conference.

The annual academic event will again showcase SUNY Cortland's best student research and creative work across all academic disciplines on Friday, April 17. The conference, now in its 19th year, takes place from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Sperry Center. It is free and open to the public.

Diane L. Gill '70, a professor in the kinesiology department at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) and a former physical education major at the College, will kick off the event's schedule with a keynote address at 12:30 p.m. Gil's work focuses on the connections between psychology and physical activity.

Regular classes across campus will continue during the conference. Complimentary refreshments will be served from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Sperry Center first-floor food service area.

"Once again, this year's conference will feature many transformational experiences that our students have had through their work with faculty on research and creative activity in a variety of settings: the laboratory, the studio, in the field or in the community," said Bruce Mattingly, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Transformations Committee.

More than 60 projects and presentations represent the hands-on research and creative work that 116 SUNY Cortland students have been refining throughout the 2014-15 academic year. Transformations highlights student work at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as the meaningful working relationships those students share with faculty members. Every project featured at the event includes at least one faculty mentor.

Among this year's many poster and presentation session titles:

• "The Effect of Heroin Self-Administration on Perineuronal Nets Using an Animal Conflict Model of Abstinence and Relapse"

• "Effect of Weight Loss on Wrestlers' Mood and Motivation"

• "Capturing Parents' Perspectives for a Youth Needs Assessment"

• "Moot Court Oral Argument Demonstration: Somerville and DeNolf v. Olympus"

• "Determining the Impact of Road Salt Application to a Small Creek"

• "The Impact of Media during Hurricane Katrina"

• "Stem Cell Therapy to Treat Wounds in Racehorses"

• "The Not-So-Dry Years of Prohibition in Cortland"

• "How to Improve Students' Working Memory"

• "Getting It Up: Improving the HPV Vaccine Uptake Among Male College Students"

• "Institutional Linkages to Foster Employment Through the Creation of New Business Enterprises"

• "Writers Read: Performances from the Professional Writing Program"

Gill, the event's keynote speaker, focuses on social psychology and physical activity with an emphasis on mental well-being. She has published more than 100 journal articles, several book chapters and her own scholarly text, Psychological Dynamics of Sport and Exercise.

She is the editor of the Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal and previously served as editor of the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology and Quest, a scholarly journal for higher education professionals in kinesiology and physical education. Gill also has led the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, the exercise and sport psychology division of the American Psychological Association and the research consortium of American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

At UNCG, Gill has served as associate dean of the School of Health and Human Performance, head of the Exercise and Sport Science Department, and director of the Center for Women's Health and Wellness. From 2010 to 2014 she was the Linda Arnold Carlisle Distinguished Excellence Professor of Women's and Gender Studies. Prior to arriving at UNCG, Gill held positions at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, and the University of Iowa. She earned her master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Transformations was renamed from Scholars' Day in 2011, when a special planning committee reorganized the event to reflect the College's strategic priorities, which include achieving academic excellence and promoting transformational education.

Besides Mattingly, the Transformations Committee includes: Martine Barnaby, associate professor of art and art history; Phil Buckenmeyer, associate professor and chair of kinesiology; Patricia Conklin, associate professor of biological sciences; Daniel Harms, associate librarian at Memorial Library; David Miller, distinguished teaching professor of geography; Lisa Mostert, media operations associate with Campus Technology Services; Charlotte Pass, associate professor of literacy; and Kevin Pristash, associate director of college union and conferences.

Transformations is supported by the President's Office, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Office, and the Auxiliary Services Corporation. The Student Alumni Association provides volunteers for the event.

For more information, including the complete schedule of events, visit the Transformations web page or contact Mattingly at 607-753-4312.

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