ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. -- Elizabethtown College hosted the 16th annual Landmark Conference Summer Research Symposium on campus on Thursday, July 10. Several Etown student-athletes presented their research along with their peers from other Landmark institutions.

The event brought together students from the conference schools and featured over 100 under-graduate researchers to share the outcomes of their faculty-mentored summer research projects. Elizabethtown College student (and student-athletes) that participated in the Summer Creative Arts and Research Program (SCARP) took part in the Symposium, showcased their findings and presented their work through oral presentations and poster sessions.

Among those that shared their work at the Symposium and were available for comment were Isabell Anderson (cross country/track & field), Molly Kleinert (soccer), Matt Lamb (track & field), Ella Powers (track & field), and Joey Wagner (track & field). These student-athletes answered what it meant to be able to present their research at the Landmark Symposium, describe their subject or topic of their research, and what they are most proud of about their projects.

Ella Powers
-Being able to present my research felt like winning my first race all over again. Having it all come together so well made all the hard work worthwhile.
 
-My research was about bees and how their honey can help people build up a tolerance to pollen therefore helping their allergies. I am the most proud of how much awareness I was able to spread not just at Etown, but my hometown too. So many people are now changing the way they buy and store their honey because of my research and are now leading healthier lifestyles.

Molly Kleinert
-It was such a rewarding opportunity and honor to be able to present my research at the Landmark Research Symposium so I could share with others my hard work in the educational field I have done this Summer. It was a neat experience to see how this conference brought together researchers from Etown and the other Landmark schools, which allowed me to learn a lot from others in different disciplines as well.  

-My research topic was on an ELA Analysis of Curriculum and Benchmarks Within Different Districts. I am most proud of my ability to challenge myself to grow my ELA knowledge in terms of curriculum and benchmarks that teachers use and students engage with throughout different districts so I can advocate for the best literacy programs for my future students. It has also been a great opportunity for me to engage in professional development in literacy knowledge and build professional connections with school districts throughout the research process.

Matt Lamb
-Presenting my research at the Landmark Research Symposium was a truly valuable experience for me. It gave me a chance to share my work with an audience of my peers from colleges and universities in the Landmark Conference. Everyone that approached me had thought-provoking questions which helped me engage in some wonderful conversations. My work done this summer was a large stepping stone for me and I'm grateful I was able to share it at the event.

-My research topic was the synthesis of luminescent metal complexes used as potential ion sensors when incorporated into metal organic frameworks (MOFs). The thing I am most proud of regarding my work is the wide set of skills I developed in the lab. I have a greater confidence when performing tasks such as synthesis and characterization using a variety of techniques and instruments. I believe my work and the time spent doing it will help me achieve my goals post-graduation as I look to apply to graduate school.

Joey Wagner
-It meant a lot to share my work in such a supportive environment. Everyone was so willing to ask questions, give feedback, and share praise for all the projects. Having an oral presentation, it was special to see the conversations continue between sessions with complete strangers coming up to me to support my work. It's a special event that will sit fondly in my memories.

-My research was developing an AI tutor that enhances student learning opposed to a tool that just provides answers. I'm most proud to have been a part of this moment in history. In the past month alone, several papers have been published from large schools like MIT, Cambridge, and several others on this very topic. It's unbelievable to me that this work is right on the frontlines of AI in education with them. 

Isabell Anderson
-Presenting at the Landmark Research Symposium was very rewarding. It was my first time giving an oral presentation on research that I had actually conducted myself. Previously, I have presented posters, but oral presentations are much more intimidating in my opinion, so it was really helpful to get a chance to present in that format in front of people I wasn't familiar with. 

-My research was based around double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) Recognition through triplex formation with PNA. In the past, it has been difficult to strongly and selectively recognize dsRNA that have a lot of pyrimidines in it, so my project focuses on synthesizing a new PNA nucleobase that will stabilize the triplex and allow for better pyrimidine recognition. With this project, I am proud of how far I got in the synthesis of this nucleobase. Last summer, I was only able to get through one step of the synthesis, so getting through 4-5 steps this summer has been really nice. 

Goucher College is set to host the Landmark Summer Research Symposium in 2026.