Undergraduate Research

Heart attacks and other cardiovascular conditions kill thousands of Americans every day, and as a high school student, that statistic turned personal for Elon University senior Amanda Clark. The biochemistry major focused her undergraduate research while at the university on identifying some ways that heart disease develops, which could in turn lead to better treatments, and her work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on Lumen Scholars in the Class of 2011.

Hundreds of Elon University students will be involved in activities during CELEBRATE! 2011, a weeklong celebration of student achievements in academics and the arts that begins April 26 and runs through May 2. Programs include seminars, art exhibitions, plays, a film festival, dance and music performances.

Though most news coverage of the Catholic Church focuses on its scandals, the positive impacts of the world’s largest organization can often be understated, which Elon University senior Stephen Ferguson argues based on his research into the emerging public perception of the institution. His work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on undergraduate research to be presented during CELEBRATE! 2011.

Work by Elon University students and professors took center stage Wednesday in the opening hours of SURF 2011 with a new morning format for the annual event that recognizes faculty and undergraduate research. Twenty-two professors took part in third annual "Celebration of Faculty Scholarship" in McKinnon Hall, where they shared work in a poster presentation side-by-side with students who had been accepted to display findings of their own endeavors.

What can dance instructors do differently to help novice students avoid injury? And how do advanced students help in that regard? For Elon University senior Bridget Kelly, answering those questions has earned her acclaim at a major international conference, and her work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on undergraduate research to be presented during CELEBRATE! 2011.

CELEBRATE! Week 2011 got underway Tuesday with a series of events that included a dance concert on the patio of the Center for the Arts. Watch some of the performance and view a gallery of images captured by Brian Meyer and Kim Walker in the Office of University Relations.

Historically, North Carolina has voted Republican in presidential elections, but many political observers were surprised two years ago when President Barack Obama won the Tar Heel State. Elon University senior McKenzie Young investigated the factors behind the state’s recent voting behavior, and her work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on Lumen Scholars in the Class of 2011.

Four Elon students presented their research at the 2011 NC Political Science Association meeting at UNC-Charlotte on Feb. 25, 2011.

More than 5.3 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia that impairs memory and behavior. Elon University senior Caroline Peckels is analyzing compounds found in walnuts that may one day lead to new treatment for patients with the degenerative condition, and her work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on Lumen Scholars in the Class of 2011.

Many people don’t think twice about water, or how new roads, parking lots and buildings to accommodate a growing population can harm water quality. As Elon University senior Samuel Shoge discovered in Alamance County, more asphalt and concrete means more pollution in local streams and lakes, and his work is the latest to be featured in a series of E-net profiles on undergraduate research to be presented during CELEBRATE! 2011.