Honors Capstone Research Conference
This year's Honors Capstone Research Conference was held on Wednesday, April 11. For a full list of the day's presentations, click here.
The University Honors Program holds its Capstone Research Conference each spring to celebrate the outstanding research, creative work, and other work of its graduating seniors--and its most recent August and December graduates--by showcasing the capstone projects of a select group of these students.
Interested Honors students may apply every March to present their capstone research at the annual conference, which represents work from those across AU schools and colleges.
A group of 20 students are selected from the various schools and departments to give a 10-minute oral presentation of the essence of their capstone work. Another 20 students are selected to present their capstone work during the poster presentation period.
Everyone presenting at the Honors Capstone Research Conference–- whether in the oral presentation or poster session–-is eligible for the Capstone Research Conference awards. A panel of judges at the conference selects the students who will receive an Honors Capstone Research Conference Award, given at the annual Honors Convocation during Commencement weekend.
2012 Honors Capstone Research Conference
More than 80 students applied to participate in the 2012 Honors Capstone Research Conference. A faculty committee selected 40 students to participate in the event. Another group of faculty across disciplines judged the conference presentations.The judges’ selections are listed below.
Best Oral Presentation in the Arts and Humanities
Jordan B. Hillman (CAS/Art History)
“Evolutionary Theories: Picasso’s Rose Period Women”
Advisor: Professor Juliet Bellow, College of Arts and Sciences
Best Oral Presentation in Business
Casey Petroff (CAS/Mathematics and Economics)
“An Examination of Crude Oil Benchmark Pricing”
Advisors: Professor Michel Robe, Kogod School of Business, and Professor Mary Hansen, College of Arts and Sciences
Best Oral Presentation in International Service
Kevin M. Gatter Espinosa (SIS/International Studies)
“Isla de Pascua or Rapa Nui? Easter Island and the Prospects for Independence”
Advisor: Professor Brian Norris, School of International Service
Best Oral Presentation in the Social Sciences
Margaret D. Fowler (CAS/ Economics, SIS/International Studies)
“Assessing NERICA Adoption and Impact in The Gambia”
Advisor: Professor Paul Winters, College of Arts and Sciences
Best Poster Presentation in International Service
William Bradford Hea (SIS/International Studies)
“The Sinjar Records: A Case Study of the Origins and Motivations of Al Qaeda in Iraq Recruits”
Advisors: Professors Daniel Schneider and Benjamin Jensen, School of International Service
Best Poster Presentation in the Social Sciences
David Falco (CAS/Psychology, Statistics)
“Dilution Hypothesis and Overgeneral Memory in Depression”
Advisor: Professor Zehra Peynircioglu, College of Arts and Sciences
Best Poster Presentation in Public Affairs
Kelsey D. Sherbondy (SPA/Political Science)
“Restructuring Equality: Assessing the Effects of Centralized and Decentralized Education Systems on Student Performance Cross-Nationally”
Advisors: Professor Kimberly Cowell-Meyers, School of Public Affairs, and Professor Carol da Silva, College of Arts and Sciences
Honorable Mentions
Tobin Kearn (CAS/Economics) “Industrial Concentration and Equity Returns”
Advisor: Professor Michel Robe, Kogod School of Business
Allison C. Sylvester (SIS/International Studies, CAS/Economics)
“Collective Memory of Villa Grimaldi: Contentious Frameworks for Understanding Torture after Transition in Chile”
Advisor: Professor Elizabeth Cohn, School of International Service
Christina Monica Yasunaga (CAS/Biology)
“A Study of Sexually Dimorphic Traits and Allometric Growth Patterns in a Species of Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium americanum”
Advisor: Professor Christopher Tudge, College of Arts and Sciences
