Austin Stoudt Takes Research to the Pa. Capital

2017 May 4

Austin Stoudt of Robesonia, PA, recently participated in the annual Undergraduate Research at the Capital event. Stoudt is a student at Kutztown University and a graduate of Conrad Weiser High School.

Three Kutztown University students, Danielle Cannon, Carly Plesic and Austin Stoudt, took their research to the capital on April 25.

Stoudt, a biology major from Robesonia, Pa., shared his research on honey bees he completed with Dr. Robyn Underwood, assistant professor, Department of Biological Sciences. Stoudt studied the effect of diet and the use of synthetic pollen on the exoskeleton strength and wing development of honey bees. Preliminary results indicated that the exoskeleton strength was not significantly affected by diet. Wing measurements showed a significant difference in wing length that favored bees feeding on synthetic pollen.

Cannon, an anthropology major from Albrightsville, Pa., and Plesic, an anthropology major from Harrisburg, Pa., presented their research completed with Dr. Khori Newlander, assistant professor, Department of Anthropology and Sociology. The study employed portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for the chemical analysis of pottery sherds collected from Stoddartsville, an early-19th century milling village built along the upper Lehigh River in northeast Pa. The analysis demonstrated that chemical data can be used to source pottery sherds to the potteries from which they originated, documenting the links developed between Stoddartsville and the surrounding region as the village grew into a short-lived center of trade and industry.

Undergraduate Research at the Capital is an educational event allowing undergraduate students enrolled in Pennsylvania's colleges and universities to showcase their research talents to the commonwealth's key decision-makers. All fields of research are encouraged. Participants spend the day in the capitol building, share experiences and ideas with counterparts from other schools and enlighten state legislators on the topics important to students and society.

For more information on the event, visit www.pasen.gov/URCPA/.