First graduating class of Presidential Research Scholars shows its efforts

By Jeff Evans '01

This is a big year for the Cornell Presidential Research Scholars program (CPRS), as the first class of students prepares to graduate. On April 19 at the program's annual open house and reception in the Biotechnology Building, the graduating seniors presented posters detailing the fruits of their four years of research

Presidential Research Scholar William Adams '01, left, explains his project poster on "The 11th Amendment's Resurrection: Implications for State Employees" to Doris Davis, associate provost for admissions and enrollment, at the CPRS open house and reception in the Biotechnology Building, April 19. Charles Harrington/University Photography

Since 1996, these students, in the youngest of the three "special recognition" programs that Cornell offers for incoming undergraduates through the Office of the Cornell Commitment -- the other two are Meinig Family Cornell National Scholars and Cornell Tradition Fellows -- have investigated an array of subjects, from the practical to the profound. They range from the chemistry and nutritional ecology of natural toxicants found in animal feeds, particularly in tropical forage legumes (Heather Alcorn '01, animal science) to a study of heroism and remembrance in American-Jewish women's Holocaust literature (Shanna Bar-Giora '01, English.)

CPRS supports research projects for undergraduate students who demonstrate superior academic potential and intellectual curiosity. The university-supported program provides $10,000 in research support and up to $4,000 in annual loan reductions for financially eligible students.

At their reception, which was part of the annual Cornell Days program, these 40 pioneering students displayed their posters and talked with prospective Cornell freshman.

Addressing these prospective students, Doris Davis, associate provost for admissions and enrollment, remarked: "Undergraduate research here at Cornell is a really important part of the overall undergraduate experience, and it will absolutely be critical and important in your experience at Cornell."

During the open house, the outgoing seniors displayed posters that demonstrated their wide range of research, from "Male-Female Differences in Perception of Eating Environments" to "Vertigo," a design for a roller coaster with seats that spin riders in a somersaulting motion on certain parts of a roller coaster track.

Senior Neda Burapavong and her partner Jaclyn Engelman, both mechanical and aerospace engineering majors, have worked together on their project since the beginning of the fall 1999 semester. After working on important but tedious calculations for the roller coaster over the last few semesters, Burapavong found that "dealing with all of the manufacturing concerns, finally being able to work with our hands and seeing it take shape is really cool."