Student Research Forum

This annual event is open to students of all disciplines conducting work under the direction of an Ohio State Newark faculty member or lecturer.

The forum aims to increase collaborative, student-faculty research endeavors, encourage participation in academic research, and to further the goals of the Ohio State Denman Undergraduate Research Forum and Ohio State Undergraduate Research Office at the Newark Campus. This forum is an opportunity for students to present their school-funded research before a diverse panel of judges.

Benefits of participation

  • Undergraduate research requires an educational collaboration between students and faculty members.
  • Research experiences may be initiated by students who seek out faculty supervision for their projects or by faculty members who involve undergraduate students in their research teams.
  • Research can culminate in a written or oral presentation as a means of making the body of academic knowledge or creative exploration accessible to other investigators in the field, as well as to the general public.
  • Participation in undergraduate research benefits students educationally, professionally and personally.

Educational benefits

  • Working closely with a faculty mentor·
  • Learning about issues, methods, and leaders in students’ chosen fields
  • Applying concepts learned in coursework to “real life” situations
  • Sharpening problem-solving skills
  • Reading primary literature

Professional benefits

  • Exploring and preparing for future careers
  • Developing marketable skills
  • Enhancing professional communication skills
  • Collaborating with others and working effectively as part of a team

Personal benefits

  • Growing as a critical, analytical, and independent thinker
  • Meeting challenges and demonstrating the ability to complete a project
  • Discovering personal interests
  • Developing internal standards of excellence

19th Annual Student Research Forum

March 8, 2023

Student Research Forum Coordinator Nathaniel Swigger stands with the student award winners who are holding their certificates.
Professor Nathaniel Swigger, Piper Clark, Cecilia Carlisle, Hannah McCoy, Kamala Sharma, Sydney Barna, Kerianne Bowyer and Samantha McDonald

Award winners

Oral presentation, completed research

1st place: Piper Clark, "Who do you listen to? The effects of perceived gender on decision making."

Oral presentation, proposed research

1st place: Piper Clark, "Does this picture make me look too much like my actual self? The psychological effects of photo editing."

Poster presentation, completed research

1st place: Sydney Barna, "Vasovagal symptoms following seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccination: The impact of fear."

2nd place: Hannah McCoy, "Comparing Live-Dead Ostracod Assemblages to Connect to Climate Change."

Poster presentation, proposed research

1st place: Kerianne Bowyer, "Beneficial insect abundance and richness at two sites in Lima, Ohio."

2nd place: Cecilia J. Carlisle, Kamala Sharma, Samantha McDonald and Jarret Rardon; "Time flies so linek: Exploring the use of prosody for adjective learning in children."