Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) offers over 100 distinct undergraduate, postgraduate and minor degree options ranging from bachelor’s degrees in theater and dance to doctoral degrees in Nursing Practice and Pharmacy to minors in apologetics and biblical studies. With so many diverse areas of study, the average PBA student may never know the fascinating topics being learned by their fellow Sailfish.
Fortunately, PBA’s annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference (IRC) serves as a special opportunity for students, faculty and visitors to become better acquainted with the academic pursuits of several outstanding students, and to be immersed in a series of in-depth lectures delivered by a lineup of distinguished professors. The IRC is also a celebration of the invaluable role that research and scholarship play in the life of PBA and the intellectual growth of its students.
This year’s conference was hosted from March 25 to 26 and featured a variety of presentations exploring topics from what is causing the rising epidemic of homelessness in America to the impacts of invasive species on native water birds.
STEM Students Share the Importance of Love and Support
The conference’s keynote panel focused on some of the biological research being undertaken at PBA, as told from the perspective of four current students in the science department.
Hannah Hutchins, a master’s student studying Health Science with a concentration in Biomedical Science, Rebecca Nacy, a senior studying Biology with a concentration in Zoology, Gabriela Alves, a junior studying Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, and Joseph Harold, a sophomore pursuing Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology, all candidly shared their experiences conducting research at PBA.
The student panel emphasized the indispensable role that professor mentorship has played over the course of their personal research journeys, especially the guidance of Dr. Angela Witmer, associate professor of Biology, and Dr. Gregory Rummo, professor of Chemistry.
“The professors’ love and instruction make the difference,” voiced Nacy, who has previously done work with Dr. Witmer on her Benthic Nearshore Ecology lab.
For Alves and Harold, research is just as much about the relationships between group members as it is about collecting empirical data.
“[It’s a] family rather than a team,” Harold explained. All four of the panelists made it very clear that students conducting research must constantly “lean on each other” for support in all aspects of life.
The two-day conference held nine different sessions. It highlighted social and political issues, ecology and biology, morality and mental well-being, computers, education and AI, music and movement, business and societal issues, faith, action and theology, and health sciences.
“The IRC underscores PBA’s commitment to fostering academic excellence and innovation, allowing students and faculty members alike to share their research findings, creative projects, and scholarly insights.” said Dr. David Compton, professor of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience and chair of the Office of Academic Research. “Participation in our conference provides invaluable opportunities for students to increase their academic confidence and refine their presentation skills. It empowers faculty members to inspire our students and colleagues by demonstrating the importance of continuous learning and exploration… ultimately, it embodies the spirit of higher education—curiosity, innovation, and shared discovery.”
To learn more about PBA’s rigorous STEM programs, click here. To learn more about PBA’s Office of Academic Research, click here.
