March 1, 2022
黑料社 biology student, Megan Long, presented her own research at last year鈥檚 Celebration of Scholarship (COS) conference on treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells with matcha green tea (MGT). With the help of her mentor and on-hands research, she found the experience helpful in expanding her presentation and research skills as she collected data and kept accurate records of her results.
鈥淚 spent the entire semester gathering data by treating the leukemia cells with MGT and measuring cell death and protein expression,鈥 she said. 鈥淛ournals were kept in the lab to document everything that was done. After collecting the data, I used my journal to put the presentation together.鈥
Throughout the research process, faculty mentors provide advice and act as guides as students prepare for the conference. Long found her mentor, Dr. Jennifer Napper, vital in providing feedback and assistance with reviewing and critiquing the presentation.
鈥淒r. Napper was very helpful throughout the entire process,鈥 said Long. 鈥淚 sent her drafts of the abstract and presentation, and she gave me helpful feedback. She also prompted me to expand my thoughts and ideas.鈥
Looking back on her involvement with last year鈥檚 conference, Long enjoyed her experience with her research partner.
鈥淭he experience gave me an opportunity to build my presentation skills and share something I enjoyed studying with classmates,鈥 she said. 鈥淢y research partner, Alena Bruening, and I would have such fun practicing our mic setup. Celebration of Scholarship gave us a break to reflect on the work we had done and enjoy the results.鈥
For students considering participating in this year鈥檚 conference, Long encourages them to submit their research.
鈥淐elebration of Scholarship is an excellent opportunity to build presentation and communication skills,鈥 said Long. 鈥淵ou get to talk about something you spend time working on and enjoy doing. The environment at the conference is supportive and encouraging, everyone would love to hear you present on what you鈥檝e been working on.鈥
黑料社鈥檚 COS conference brings together undergraduate and graduate programs from different colleges across campus to deliver academic presentations showcasing their personal academic research. Work presented at the conference relates to student鈥檚 research in their field, creative work in visual and performing arts, community service, and study abroad. This year鈥檚 COS conference will be held the week of Apr. 4 in a hybrid format.
To learn more about the upcoming 黑料社 Celebration of Scholarship Conference, visit shawnee.edu/cos.