‘They stood out from the crowd:’ Elon students present at national undergraduate research conference

Over 40 Elon University students presented research and creative projects at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) from April 7-9. The conference, held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, featured projects from more than 4,500 undergraduate students nationwide.

“Our students’ work was well-prepared and thoughtfully presented and we appreciate all the work that they and their mentors put into the projects they discussed. As always, they stood out in the crowd,” said Associate Director of Undergraduate Research CJ Fleming.

Elon students presented on a wide range of topics and across formats, including examining how Christianity is adapting to Gen Z, investigating the bacteria responsible for cystic fibrosis, and looking at predictors of the length of ACC football games.

“Elon students brought great breadth and depth to NCUR – they represented a wide diversity of disciplines, and gave high-quality presentations, showcasing remarkable research projects,” said Jen Hamel, associate director of undergraduate research.

Undergraduate research is one of the five Elon Experiences which provides a natural extension of the work students do in the classroom and ensure that Elon graduates are prepared for both graduate school and careers.

Computer science major and current president of the Undergraduate Research Student Association Archie Tan ’25 presented a poster on his work about the early detection of pancreatic cancer using artificial intelligence.

“As an undergraduate researcher, attending NCUR was an incredibly enriching experience,” said Tan. “It expanded my knowledge both horizontally—by exposing me to exciting and diverse research across many fields—and vertically, by deepening my understanding of my own work through valuable feedback, new perspectives, and practicing to generalize complex ideas. Being surrounded by thousands of passionate future researchers was truly inspiring and motivated me to continue this fulfilling journey.”

Students in the humanities also shared their work, including English major gave an oral presentation on the representation of women in gothic literature. Gannon’s project used feminist and postcolonial approaches to demonstrate the ways that women were portrayed with more agency than in earlier periods.

“The NCUR experience has been invaluable for me,” said Gannon. “I’ve gotten better at presenting my research/ideas and have had the opportunity to meet and converse with fellow researchers in and outside of my field. Overall, it was a fantastic experience that I would repeat again if I could.”

Wenona Taiping-Moccia ’25, a psychology major, presented a poster about the ways in which the perceived believability of alibis in a legal setting are impacted by how cooperative and confident they are.

“Sharing my work at NCUR was an unforgettable experience that I am incredibly grateful for,” said Taiping-Moccia. “It highlighted how much I’ve grown as a researcher and gave me the chance to connect with fellow students in a motivating and supportive environment.”

In addition to presenting, students attended two keynote sessions led by Kevin Wildenhaus, team psychologist for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Hayley Iben, director of engineering at Pixar Animation Studios. The group also attended a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

Students were accompanied by faculty members Vanessa Drew-Branch, Justin Clar, CJ Fleming, Eric Hall, Jen Hamel and Paul Miller.

“This was my first NCUR experience and I have to say I was blown away by the depth and breadth of research presented, and even more impressed by the energy of students from around the country,” said Justin Clar, incoming Director of Undergraduate Research.

NCUR was first held at the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 1987 and Elon students have been attending the conference since 1993. Elon typically has more than 40 students present at NCUR each year. Next year’s conference will be held April 13-15 in Richmond, Virginia.