| SPRING 2003 FEATURE... |
Undergraduate Research
a unique opportunity at Penn State Altoona
 Mention the word "research" and one often conjures up images of professors looking at molecules through a microscope or performing experiments in a chemistry lab. Mention "undergraduate research" and many would laugh off the term as an oxymoron. But at Penn State Altoona, undergraduate research is alive and well and involves so much more than the typical science lab environment.
"Research involves pursuing a topic at much greater detail than at what you would normally examine it," explains
Nicholas Miskovsky, professor of physics and head of the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. "It's applied problem-solving and it enables the student to go beyond the concepts presented in the classroom. It provides them with an in-depth exposure to a particular subject and forces them to really delve deep into a project, no matter what the subject matter. The student examines the details and learns to think like a scientist."
Because research spans all subject matters, students enrolled in each of the College's four academic divisions have the opportunity to participate in research projects. Students majoring in English, as well as those enrolled in engineering, science, or any other Penn State major, work side-by-side with faculty on this in-depth study of a topic that interests them.
What do students typically choose as research topics? Take Crystalee Calderwood's example — find something that interests you and go from there. A freshman English major at Penn State Altoona, Crystalee chose a topic to research as part of her sociology class that interested her — comic strips. (see sidebar story)
 Calderwood, like many other students at Penn State Altoona, also has the unique benefit that students at other colleges or universities may not get to experience: the opportunity to work on research projects as an undergraduate.
"It often shocks people to learn that we have so many research opportunities available here for our students," says
Richard Flarend, assistant professor of physics. "Many people think that this is a small community campus without a lot of research going on, but that's definitely not the case. We have top quality national and international projects that our students work on. Often, students at other schools can only get involved in research at the graduate level. Students at Penn State Altoona have a unique experience that they couldn't get elsewhere."
This unique opportunity to conduct research as an undergraduate is something that benefits the student not only during his or her college education, but in the future as well.
"Research provides students with a great sense of accomplishment – they learn how scientists and their faculty members think by working closely with them on a one to one basis," says Miskovsky. "This gives the students confidence and motivation, and helps them to work better toward their career goals and see these goals more clearly, as well as other career paths of which they may not have originally thought. We encourage research here at the College because we really feel it's a large part of the educational process, by helping students refine their career goals."
"It's extremely important to help students have a curiosity about the world, and undergraduate research is one method to help them develop a curiosity and a passion for a particular subject," says
Lori J. Bechtel, professor of bio-behavioral health and head of the Division of Education, Human Development and Social Sciences. "Students who complete research often want to go on to graduate school and, by completing their research, they may also have the opportunity to publish papers and travel to professional conferences. This provides them with valuable experience and increases their chances of getting into grad school."
 Research can expose students to unique situations or opportunities that may also be a benefit to them when they graduate – which
Muhammad Hasan, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering and minoring in physics, experienced when he completed research on accelerated mass spectrometry with Flarend.
"Hassan and I took a trip to Purdue University to work on their accelerator – which is one of only two in the nation and six in the world – so he got to do something that was truly extraordinary," Flarend notes.
"By conducting this project, I've gained hands-on experience of how research really works," Hassan says. "I had the opportunity at an early point in my college career that a lot of students have to wait until later to experience. The instruments I've worked with here will be the ones I will work with in my career – and this will be a help to me because I have actually used them."
Research at Penn State Altoona proved to be not only helpful in enhancing
Darrell Sharp's college experience, but was also a major factor in helping the senior electrical-mechanical engineering technology student secure a job. Following his May 2003 graduation, Sharp began a process control engineering position with the RoviSys Co. in Ohio.
"I was fortunate enough to be able to work with Dr. Zimmerman on a research project for identifying single molecules on metal surfaces from the ground up, and it's amazing to see how it's progressed in the three years I've worked on it," Sharp says. "The experience I gained from this research and from my senior project were key to me getting my job. It also helped increase my confidence level and allowed me to make presentations at the American Physical Society conference in Indiana. The knowledge I gained was exactly what (RoviSys) was looking for and they offered me the job."
Miskovsky also sees this research project as being vital in enhancing Sharp's in-class experience.
 "Darrell's a very smart student, and in terms of keeping him motivated and expanding his horizons, this research project has been invaluable."
Students also develop a close working relationship with their professors by working side-by-side on research projects – a process that is valuable not only to the student, but also to the faculty.
"Students get a lot of value from research because they learn so much more than I can ever teach in the classroom," Flarend says. "Classes are so busy with learning facts and information that students may not always have the time to learn how science or any other subject really works. And research is important whether a student decides to go to graduate school or work in the field, because they'll understand what's going on."
"As a faculty member, I couldn't have done this research without Darrell," says
Darin Zimmerman, assistant professor of physics. "I had really just started building a lab before he started, but because he's been dependable and has stuck with it for three and a half years, he's been invaluable to me. Darrell has problem-solving skills that will benefit him in his career, as well as the ability to think on his feet. Research allows the student-teacher relationship to be taken out of the classroom and into the lab, which I really enjoy. It's also enhanced my ability to teach and to build a relationship with my students."
"Undergraduate research is becoming more and more important, and we have a distinct advantage here at Penn State Altoona in that we are hiring faculty who want to come here and work on research with students," Miskovsky notes. "We have a dynamic group of faculty here who are committed to undergraduate research and are willing to spend their time working with our students."
Comic Strips are No Laughing Matter
"In a world where music videos, TV shows and video games are often scrutinized for their violence and explicit sex, other media is often overlooked as being potentially harmful to young children," says Calderwood. "I wondered what influence – if any – comic strips had on children's views about gender, since they are only a small part of what people see in the media."
Calderwood analyzed a sample of 15 comic strips from a variety of popular titles and, as a result, she came up with four stereotypical views of women and five stereotypical views of men that are prominent in comics.
"After analyzing the comics, it became clear that both women and men are very narrowly portrayed in comic strips and that this has potential negative effects on children who regularly read these comics and are also exposed to the same views through TV and other entertainment," Calderwood adds. "Is it too much to expect the less-popular and more educational forms of media for children, such as books and comics, to resist the stereotypical views of pop culture? In order to create a generation of more self-confident children, who then become productive adults, comics and other media should focus on changing the images they portray."
In addition to teaching her about the negative possible effects of comic strips, conducting this research project also taught Calderwood something else: that research was both an interesting and exciting part of her college experience.
"This project taught me how to do analysis of a particular subject and how to apply the concepts I've learned in class to everyday life."
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Substance Abuse Study Sheds Light on Adolescent Drug Use
"Anything you'll do in your professional career involves research, whether it's just reading about it or doing it," says
Nikki Shaffer, a senior majoring in human development and family studies at Penn State Altoona. "It's beneficial to do it in college when you're working with the experts, so they can help guide you through the process and act as your mentors."
 Shaffer was part of a group research project that examined drug use and adolescents in two class-five counties, Blair and Centre.
"We decided to study the trends in adolescent drug use because it's something that is relevant to the area and that describes the rapid increase in substance abuse among adolescents," says senior
Shannon Keith, who also worked on the project. "We found many interesting differences in drug use between the two counties that we didn't expect. It was difficult to compile all of the data, because you find so many small mistakes that can change the whole outcome of the research. I gained an understanding of research from working on this project – I learned how to break things down and get an answer to the questions you're asking."
By compiling the data into one document, the group wanted to provide a reference guide that could be easily accessible for professionals involved in the human services field.
"The knowledge from this report is an important step in refining programs aimed at prevention, as well as gaining funding to reduce alcohol and substance abuse within this age group," says group member
Michelle Watts.
Overall, the findings of their study showed that among adolescents of both counties, there has been a decrease in the use of some of the five substances studied. However, the increase in use of harder drugs such as heroin and other synthetics could minimize any potential benefits to either county.
"If trends in drug use continue to rise as they have in the last five years, Blair and Centre counties may witness a serious rise in related expenses that may have a negative fiscal effect on both counties," their report concludes.
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