By Carlee Delp, Research Communications Intern

To say I was impressed by the Undergraduate Exhibition Poster session would be an understatement. As a student enrolled in the College of Communications, I did not realize how completely removed I happened to be from the science community.

Students from all Penn State Campuses presented their research on Wednesday, April 9^th in various disciplines including arts and humanities, engineering, health and life sciences, physical sciences, and social and behavioral sciences.

Students shared their research on large posters to passers-by in hopes of being awarded the Gerald A. Hauser Award, the award given to the best overall project.

While much of the scientific findings seemed to be in a foreign language to me, I found the students at the exhibition to be inspiring. The passion they held for their research, as well as the time and energy spent executing it, radiated from within them.

“These are my peers that are going places,” I thought to myself after leaving.

One student that I spoke with, Kelly Carey, told me that she and her team had created a methanol detector for Kenyans to use to test if a common alcohol, Chang’aa, was toxic or not. This device is being used in Kenya today to save those who could have otherwise been plagued with blindness and/or death from drinking the Chang’aa.

The fact that my fellow Penn Staters are completing groundbreaking research – and making a DIFFERENCE – is extremely admirable!

It is my hope that Penn State students, such as Kelly, will receive more recognition within our community from administrators and especially from fellow students.