Honors Independent Research Conference

                  On Thursday, April 29, 2010, the Honors Independent Research Conference was held in Conference Rooms A/B and C/D in the Kessel Student Center.  A “research study” may sound intimidating, academic, and science-related.  However, the presenters at the last Honors event of the year, showed quite the opposite. There were just as many students presenting business related studies as those related to science, and the topics addressed varied widely.
                  Due to the large turnout and the many presentations, students were divided into two rooms: one mostly for studies in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences and the other mostly for the Lubin School of Business. 
Students, mentors, and guests in attendance not only witnessed real science, progress, innovation, and imagination in action, but they were also provided with pizza, soda, and fruit.  While enjoying the food, the audience heard several presentations, such as Matthew Hartog’s.  He studied and experimented with plants to figure out how to control, and hopefully to combat, the invasive plants that have been wreaking havoc on our eco-system.  Other presenters in the “science” room were Jessica Anderson, Steven Daoud, Hisham Hosein, Brandon Lentine, and Brittany Perry. 
                  The other room featured presentations on marketing schemes, student loans, and accounting issues.  Students who presented included Amanda Amos, Joan Bitanga, Nicole Capozzoli, Shayne Holt, and Jacqueline Pelliccia. 
                  Both rooms held a brief question and answer period after each presentation which proved to be a useful tool for the audience’s full understanding of each topic presented.  Overall, the Honors College students displayed the true essence of education—not for money and materialistic gain, but to better themselves and improve our world.