Indiana University East held Student Research Day on April 2. The annual event features the work of on-campus and online undergraduate students and for the campus to celebrate their achievements.

This is the second year in a row the event was held virtually under COVID-19 safety and health guidelines. Student Research Day presentations were held on Canvas throughout the day.

The keynote address by Katelyn Brown, D.D.S., B.S. and B.A. ’16, and awards presentation was held on Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/events/3756379024476213. Brown is an associate dentist and practices locally in Richmond. She completed her doctorate from the IU School of Dentistry in July 2020.

Student presentations included independent scholarship from courses, independent studies, summer research programs, Honors Program projects and creative endeavors. Honors Program students will also have the option to present at the Mid-East Honors Association (MEHA) Conference. The annual Student Showcase included works of art from students in the 2020 summer and fall semesters, 2021 spring semester, and Senior Capstone exhibits. Merit monetary awards are given annually through the sponsorship of Stagg Safety of Richmond, Robert Warfel, president.

Award winners received $200 for first place, $150 for second, $100 for third and fourth $75. Funding provided for by the Office of Academic Affairs. Winners this year were:

Oral Presentation Award Winners

• First Place: Austin Haus, humanities and music double major, Richmond, Indiana, “Evolution of Technique and Composition With the Piano.”
• Second Place: Makenna Gunckel, elementary education major, Arcanum, Ohio, “The Benefits of Delaying Kindergarten Entrance Age.”
• Third Place: Hannah Buehner, Spanish and communication studies double major, “Las Jarchas: Sharing Timeless Truths with Future Generations.”
• Fourth Place: Renee Cooper, elementary education major, Richmond, Indiana, “Two-Way Immersion Schools.”

Poster Presentations

• First Place: Kyle Raihala, mathematics major, Richmond, Indiana, “Analysis of the Cycling Network’s Safety in Trier, Germany Using Arc GIS Pro.”
• Second Place: Sandy Zimmerman, history major, Virginia Beach, Virginia, “Magic and Ritual Beliefs as Justification for Murder, Enslavement, or Wrongful Death.”
• Third Place: Jonathan Kerby-White, mathematics major, Bloomington, Indiana, “Limits: The Fundamental Concept of Calculus.”
• Fourth Place: Katharine (Kat) Sterrett, business administration major, Manilla, Indiana, “The Balance Sheet and Financial Disclosures.”

Honors Showcase
Four-way tie for first place:

• Donovan Chang, mathematics major, Seoul, South Korea, “Hitting Times on Star-Shaped Graphs.”
• Shannon Dice, general studies major, Connersville, Indiana, “Rural Indiana Treasures.”
• Calev Isaacson, mathematics major, Phoenix, Arizona, “Modeling Quantum Gravity.”
• Tatyana Whited, business administration major, Brownsburg, Indiana, “Breaking Down Barriers and Building Bridges: Bringing More Women Into the Study of STEAM.” Whitehead received the Vanguard Award, given to the senior honors thesis that displays extraordinary vision and social impact.