Exhibition interaction

Graduate fair allows different fields of study to be shown together

By DAVID SMITH
Collegian Staff Writer

From a study of John Milton to a study of rat bones, from research on plant growth to a poetry reading, the exhibits and performances of the Graduate Research Exhibition were as diverse as the students who created them.

Part science fair, part talent show, the 13th annual Graduate Research Exhibition was held Friday in the Recital Hall of the Music Building and Saturday in the HUB Ballroom.

Keith Hitchcock (graduate-theatre) and Daniel Magill (graduate-theatre), who competed in the performance option of the exhibition Friday night, said they had worked on their performance for a month and a half. They performed "The Question," a comedic piece filled with stage combat and slapstick humor.

This is the second year the performance option has been offered as a part of the exhibition. It was added because there are some graduate students who cannot present their work in a two-dimensional medium, said Nancy Brown, editor of Research/Penn State magazine.

"So last year we came up with what you might call a talent show," Brown said.

Each performer is given 10 minutes. Performers are judged on artistry, technique and suitability.

First place in the performance option went to Seong-Ae Lim (graduate-music) for her performance of Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 82, 1st movement.

"I won honorable mention last year, so I decided I'd try again," Lim said.

Saturday's poster competition in the HUB Ballroom featured posters explaining students' research

- Rodney A. Erickson, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School

"Fifty percent of a student's score is based on the content of their poster, 30 percent is based on the display and 20 percent is based on their five-minute oral presentation," Brown said.

The poster competition was divided into five categories: arts and humanities; engineering; health and life sciences; physical sciences; and social and behavioral sciences.

A first, second and third place winner was awarded in each category, winning $500, $250 and $175 respectively. Honorable mentions won $100.

Anat Grant (graduate-acoustics) won an honorable mention in engineering for her exhibit "Cool Sounds -- Thermoacoustic Prime Movers and Refrigerators," which explained her research into sound-powered refrigerators.

Grant said she found the exhibition interesting because of its diversity.

"That's what's neat about it for us. We're engineers so it's really interesting to see what history majors are doing," Grant said.

During his presentation of the winners, Rodney A. Erickson, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School, said that next to commencement, the presentation of the exhibition winners is his favorite part of his job.

"It's much more (to the graduate students) than just monetary rewards," Erickson said. "It's the recognition of the value of their research by faculty and peers."