Iyshuri Knapp was all smiles while presenting her project in the Cici & Hyatt Brown Hall for Health and Innovation — even though her project involved rats. The senior Biology major examined the effects of spilanthol (bioactive alkamide found in various plants) on taste reactivity, consumption and neural activation in response to sodium chloride in the gustatory cortex of rats.

Not a pin-drop could be heard in Lee Chapel as junior Georgie Gonzalez played his cello to music created by acclaimed Soviet-Russian composer and pianist Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975). Gonzalez, majoring in Music Performance – Orchestral Instrument, shined on stage and beamed afterward, noting that his months of efforts were “intensive but also very rewarding.”

Similarly, junior Philosophy major Brooke O’Brien captivated the classroom setting in Elizabeth Hall with her “Disability and Ableism in Fairytales.” O’Brien, sitting in a wheelchair — the result of a surgery years ago to address scoliosis — ably navigated a fairytale world that often portrays disability as bad and immoral, or something that must be overcome for a character to experience “happily ever after.” In the end, she revealed the importance of adapting and retelling such tales in more positive, inclusive light.

Showcasing Student Achievement

Those were a mere three scenes from the 25th Stetson Showcase, held throughout the campus on April 15, as part of the university’s annual celebration of student academic achievement. Among the approximately 150 projects were research posters, recitals and readings, along with oral and visual presentations, theater performances, art shows, and more. The works by current Stetson students, from all years and schools, were displayed in professional settings for fellow students, faculty and staff, Showcase judges and interested members of the community. (See the complete schedule here.)

This year’s theme was “Hatters Do,” reflecting new initiatives in immersion learning and hands-on opportunities outside the classroom (Hatter Ready) — putting activity and engagement at the forefront of students’ academic lives.

David Burgos, a junior Finance major, took the AI theme literally in making a lively and especially on-target presentation, “Catalyzing Market Innovation Through Artificial Intelligence.” In the Lynn Business Center, he explained AI’s powerful analytical and intuitive capabilities while also exhibiting his own promising future.

In completing his project — “Do Side Springs Support the Biodiversity of Springs?” — senior Biology major Nicolas Buxo took videos at eight locations in the side spring of Blue Springs during six trips. The goal was to study possible differences between the fish in the main spring and those in the side spring. Last October’s Hurricane Milton notwithstanding, Buxo got the job done. Standing next to his poster presentation, he said, “I loved every second of this.”

‘Reach Beyond the Classroom’

Kimberly Reiter, PhD, associate professor of History, who as committee chair of Stetson’s Undergraduate Research Committee was the lead Showcase organizer, lauded the students’ efforts.

“Once again, the students who presented their research, artwork, music and community outreach demonstrated what is best about Stetson — our commitment to undergraduate immersional and experiential learning at all levels, and the potentials that embedded undergraduate creativity and Hatter Ready bring to our academic community to reach beyond the classroom,” Reiter commented. “Showcase continues to demonstrate what we can do when we invest in our students’ experiential opportunities to travel, research, create and invent.”

In addition to the displays of academic achievement, a Donor Appreciation Luncheon was held, enabling students to meet and mingle with charitable donors. (View photos of the luncheon.)

To conclude the big day, Graeme Harper, PhD, professor of creative writing and dean of the Honors College at Oakland University in Michigan, served as the keynote speaker prior to a presentation of Showcase excellence Maris awards. Appropriately, Harper spoke about why it’s so important for young researchers to begin changing the world for the better while they are still undergraduates.

SHOWCASE EXCELLENCE AWARDS: MARIS WINNERS

Presentation judges for each Showcase location determine the appropriate criteria for their awards. In general, students are asked to discuss their projects at a level that anyone not knowing the area can understand. Part of an effective presentation is effective communication, and judges keep this as a consistent criteria for choosing the best presentations.

The winners at each location receive a Maris prize of $200 and a certificate of excellence. Honorable mentions also are chosen for each venue.

Posters

Nicole Stover “Gene Regulation of Catalase and Copper/Zinc Superoxide Dismutase in Response to Normoxic Stress on Eruca sativa in a Nutrient Film Technique System”

Avery Brooks “The Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Seedling Growth of Arnoglossum floridanum”

Arts and Museums

Danielle Hunt “The JungleBrunch89”

Music

Rayah Yehnert Flute

Oral Presentations

Anthony Cagle “The Effects of Steviol Glycoside and Aspartame on Development of Gastrulation Stage Axolotl Embryos”

Kyanna Buisch “Age Differences Between Religious Traditions and Depression”

Madelyn Emmons “The Lion, The Bus, and The Homework”

Dylan Anthony “Dissecting the Domains of Fus1 Required for Yeast Cell Fusion”

Braedyn Wasden “The Spaces and Bodies of Ligotti and Kafka: Between Space and Body in Capitalist Organizational Management”

Nicole Alvarez-Ruiz “A Coffee Venture: Cafe Querido”

Sara Ward, John DeVaul, Rayner Almaraz “Panel on Public Safety”

Runners-Up

Posters

Raven Hufstetler “The Role of Nuclear Localization in the Transformative Properties of the Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Small Tumor Antigen”

Alex Meza “The Effect of Thyroxine on the Development of Zxolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, Embryos”

Naya Adla “Computational and Probabilistic Modeling Approaches for Analyzing Hate Speech on Twitter in the MENA Region”

Arts and Museums

Reagan Shivers “Keeping the Home Hearth Burning: The Historic Preservation of Mount Vernon 1850-1865”

Music

Ken Browning Baritone Voice

Oral Presentations

Celine Jose “Examining the Role of Fus1 Protein Domains Through Mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cell Fusion”

Nikki Membiela“Biracial Double-Consciousness in the Works of Nella Larsen”

Maria Fernanda Castillo Enriquez “Ballet for the World Initiative: A Student-led Organization Creating Fine Arts Opportunities for the Community”

Zoe Stuckwisch “Evaluation of Fish Biodiversity and Abundance on a Restored vs. Unrestored Shoreline in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida”

Jason Albea “Cold War Alliance: American Military Bases in the Philippines and the Marcos Era, 1965-1986”

Michael Leitelt “Smiles and Trust: Founder Self-Presentation and Investment”

Temi Adediji, Morgan Myers “Sowing Seeds of Potential”