SHU Students Present Research at Academic Festival

Participants present their findings in a variety of fields and disciplines

Sacred Heart University recently held its annual Academic Festival, which is a chance for students to showcase their capstone projects, senior theses and other research.

The Committee for Undergraduate Research organizes the event at the end of each school year. This year’s research topics varied greatly and included sports, pollution, social media, artificial intelligence, social justice and more.

“Having the opportunity to get up in front of their peers and professors gives students the challenge and opportunity to grow professionally,” said Matthew Moran, exercise science professor. “Engaging with peers is healthy for the University’s academic spirit and for students’ development moving forward.”

A presentation about stress-reducing techniques practiced in sports focused on tennis players, who not only train physically, but mentally as well. To succeed on the court, they must condition their bodies, but they also need to develop self-confidence, psychological stability and goal-setting skills.

In her study, Katsiaryna Starastsenka ’24, a tennis player, shared how these and other attributes helped her improve her game and boosted her adrenaline and self-confidence on the court.

Another presentation, “Growth Mindset in Higher Education: Does Professor Identity Matter?” analyzed whether a professor’s social identity and gender impact students’ perceptions of them.

“When professors are perceived to promote a growth mindset—i.e., the idea that intelligence can be improved through hard work—students show greater motivation and performance,” Abigail V. Wilk ’24 wrote in her research abstract. “Yet, the impact of a professor’s social identities, such as race and gender, on student perceptions remains unexplored.”

For her study, Wilk had participants rate four teaching philosophies that conveyed either a growth or fixed mindset, each of which she paired with an image of a professor: a Black female, a Black male, a white female and a white male. She found that most participants preferred the growth mindset professors, regardless of their race or gender.

Prizes were awarded in various categories, including best visuals, most creative, most transformative for social justice and best technology prototype. To see the list of winners, visit the Academic Festival webpage.