Spoon River College students participated in a research poster session November 20 at the Canton Campus. A total of 102 posters from the disciplines of Art, Biology, Chemistry, Drama, Environmental Science, Film, and Microbiology covered topics ranging from how social media affects mental health to the pros and cons of nuclear energy.
Biology professor Amy Rutledge said they began doing the research posters in 2014. “It’s a great way for students to gain experience in researching and presenting, and also allows them to branch out and learn about topics more in depth than what might be covered in the classroom.”
Honorable Mentions were awarded to the best poster from each category, and from those a Best of Show was selected, which went to Amy Barnes for her research, “The Analysis of Non-Traditional Methods of Bug Splatter Removal from Vehicle Windshields.” Testing a number of products, she found that wet dryer sheets worked best, with Bounce sheets being the most cost-effective and efficient.
Honorable Mentions were awarded to “Twilight Snow” by Eva Knollman; “Oedipus Rex” by Xander G. Fields; “I’m Damian Worden and this is Science Fiction” by Damian Worden; “Absorption of Paper Towels” by Taryn Wickman; “The Liquid Tree Microalgae” by Elliot Dalpiaz; and “Bubonic Plague” by Gillian Jensen.
Students awarded Honorable Mentions received $25 SRC gift cards, and Best of Show recipient received a $50 SRC gift card.
Spoon River College employees Sarah Fouts, Lindsey Larson, and Jill Olson served as volunteer judges. “It takes a significant amount of time to read all of the posters, and we really appreciate our volunteers who are willing to give of their time,” Rutledge said. “We also appreciate those who talked with the students about their work. It makes a difference to students when they are given the opportunity to discuss their research with others.”