Allyson Terry ’14 presents her psychology research during Science-Palooza.
Oglethorpe students majoring in biology, chemistry and psychology verbally and visually present on the topics they studied this semester during the annual Science-Palooza poster session event. This year, I was one of them.
Students enrolled in “Cancer Biology” explained the multiple processes of how cancer cells travel to organs in the body. Cell Biology students conducted experiments that showed how different chemicals can affect cell growth and development. Psychology students expanded on previous psychological research by creating experiments that focused on everything from race and pro-social behavior to belief in being able to influence random chance events.
Cancer Biology students also hosted a cancer awareness event that was featured on Cure Childhood Cancer’s website.
Presenting at this event does a lot more for the students involved than simply showing off the eye-catching posters they created. By presenting at this Science-Palooza, I personally experienced the positive effects on a student’s academic and professional development. As a Psychology major, I conducted a study that looked at how people perceive interracial couples in comparison to same-race couples. Every time someone approached me I delivered a three-minute explanation about my four months of hard work. It seemed redundant and cumbersome at times, but the more I interacted with spectators interested in my research, the more comfortable and fluid I became in presenting.
And, when questions are asked during the event—you are the only one who can answer them. Being solid in your approach and strong in your knowledge of the topic you studied increases the feeling of accomplishment. Conducting individual research is a difficult task, but when you have the opportunity to share all you have done with people who are genuinely interested, you know your late nights in the library have not gone in vain.
Events such as Science-Palooza enable students of different majors and academic interests to see first-hand what their peers are doing on campus.
