Cox, Etzel, and McArthy Win Lee University’s Student Research Showcase
The Lee University Squires Library recently hosted the 6th annual Student Research Showcase, where students of various disciplines presented research or papers completed over the last academic year.
“At Squires Library, we seek to guide students in locating relevant information and to encourage their research and scholarship,” said Dr. Louis Morgan, director of Library Services. “Our annual showcase highlights students’ research projects and provides an excellent opportunity for them to gain experience presenting their work and receiving helpful feedback.”
This year’s winners include Emma McArthy, who won $150 for first place; Carolyn Etzel, who received $100 for second place; and Samantha Cox took third place with $50.
McArthy, a sociology and human development double major, presented “When Worlds Collide: Exploring Attachment Theory Among Internationally Adopted Children.” The project explores attachment theory among children who are adopted internationally in an effort to increase understanding of the complexity of attachment and to bring awareness to the struggles many adoptees and adoptive families face. She created a survey for adoptive parents and used their responses to predict how various factors of a child’s life prior to being adopted affect the attachment style he or she forms with his or her family.
“My eventual goal is to attend law school and work as an adoption attorney,” said McArthy. “God has provided me with a clear calling to serve the adoption community, and the orphan crisis is one of my great passions.”
Etzel, a junior double major in theatre and bi-vocational theology, presented “The Intersections of Greco-Roman Theatre & Early Christian Liturgy,” a condensed version of her research paper that won the Southeastern Theatre Conference Young Scholar’s Award earlier in the semester. The paper/project seeks to examine the correlations between the structure of Greco-Roman theatre and early Christian liturgical worship, specifically highlighting the dramatic structure of the sacraments and the liturgical calendar and the use of cosmogonic myths in ancient theatre and religion.
“I was honored to be selected among such excellent research presentations,” said Etzel.
Cox’s project, “The Application of Hypochlorite and UV Light to the Treatment of Wastewater,” conducted with Olin Corporation, utilized UV light and hypochlorite to try to treat humic acids found in wastewater. This re search is particularly important for industrial wastewater treatment.
This year’s showcase took place virtually, and all presentations can be viewed at https://studentresearchshowcase2021.wordpress.com.
“The virtual format of our showcase was well received by students and faculty judges alike,” said Diette Ward, coordinator for the event and Lee’s librarian for instruction and electronic resources. “The conversations about each presentation were thought provoking and insightful. This was a spectacular group of presentations and presenters.”
For more information about Squires Library or the Student Research Showcase, email [email protected].
