Several Union students recently presented their research at the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium Upstate New York Undergraduate Research Conference at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, N.Y. Over 30 oral presentations and nearly 60 poster presentations took place during the conference on Sept. 20.
Benjamin Silberman ’15, presented his research, “The Development of Silica Based-Aerogel Windows,” during one of the oral presentation sessions. Nathaniel Hawthorne ’16, Benjamin Nadareski ’16, and Joshua Yoskowitz ’16 all presented their results during the conference poster sessions. The titles of their projects were “Hydrophobic Silica Aerogels for Aerogel Window Applications,” “Proton Induced x-ray Emission of Atmospheric Aerosol Samples in an Urban Area in Upstate NY,” and “PIXE Analysis of Aerosol and Soil Samples Collected in the Adirondack Mountains,” respectively.
This year’s conference marked the fourth annual celebration of undergraduate research for the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium. Other members include Colgate University, Hamilton College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, St. Lawrence University and Skidmore College.
“This conference provided our students a wonderful opportunity to hone their presentation skills in a friendly environment of their peers and faculty members from a range of disciplines,” said Rebecca Cortez, director of Undergraduate Research and associate professor of mechanical engineering. “All of the students did a fantastic job explaining the significance of their research to a variety of students and faculty members with diverse backgrounds and experiences.”
The aim of the conference is to provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to present their work at a professional meeting without the barriers of high travel and registration fees. It is also an excellent opportunity for faculty in the area to meet one another, foster collaborations, and share the work of their research labs.