More than 160 SUNY Oneonta students participated in the 2026 Student Research and Creative Activity showcase on April 22 in the Hunt Union Ballroom.
The annual SRCA showcase gives students the chance to share their scholarly and creative work with the campus community through academic conference-style presentation sessions. This year’s single-day event featured 112 projects, making it one of the largest showcases of Student Research and Creative Activity ever presented at SUNY Oneonta.
Academic Research & Student Creativity on Display
Students presented faculty- and staff-sponsored projects across academic disciplines, from Psychology (“The Dark Triad and Aggression: Do Emotion Regulation Strategies Matter?”) to Communication and Media (“Bridging The Gap: Making Geological Field Research Accessible Through Film”) to Theatre (“Laughter and Resistance: Reimagining Commedia dell’Arte as Contemporary Student Advocacy”) and many more.
“I think my favorite part about presenting is just how curious people are,” said Kate Edwards, a senior majoring in Environmental Sustainability. “I didn't realize how much I could teach someone about a topic, because usually I'm the one being taught. People come to ask questions and you know the answers to them and you can like explain it to them.”
Edwards presented “What’s in the Soil? Comparing Contamination in Oneonta and Long Island,” a research project evaluating soil quality in Oneonta and Long Island to assess contamination levels in rural and suburban environments. Her faculty sponsor was Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Sustainability Wendy Lascell.
“Honestly, I feel really proud—I’ve worked really hard to get my research where it needs to be,” said Julia Mooney, a junior majoring in Exercise Science. “I'm so happy for all the other presenters, and I get to hear their research. It's just a great experience and I’m grateful opportunity for me.” Mooney presented “The Disparities of Youth Sports,” a study to understand how disparities in childhood physical activity opportunities influence their future physical fitness habits. Her sponsor was Dr. Rebecca Foti, assistant professor of Sport & Exercise Sciences.
A Keynote Address from a SUNY Oneonta Aluma
This year, SRCA featured a luncheon keynote address from SUNY Oneonta alumna Kimmy Cushman (’17), who is a Scientific Advisor for Planet Based Treaty. In her keynote address, titled “From Physics to Food Systems: Following My Passions to Find the Career of My Dreams,” Cushman discussed the lessons she learned at SUNY Oneonta that took her into her future and led her to feeling more fulfilled than she could have ever imagined.
In the nearly 10 years since her graduation from SUNY Oneonta, Cushman has spent time as a Research Assistant at Yale University, where she earned her PhD, a teacher at Kids & Us Language School in Spain, and her current Scientific Advisor and Campaigner role. In her keynote address, Cushman shared her journey to become a grassroots organizer, and how, along the way, she experienced the highs and lows that led her to where she is today, flourishing at Plant Based Treaty.
Faculty Mentorship and Grant Funding Drive Student Success
Students completed their creative activity and research projects under the mentorship faculty and staff sponsors from 23 different departments and offices this year. Twenty-seven of the 112 projects received support from the Student Grant Program for Research and Creative Activity, funded by the University Foundation and the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association.
“This has been a great celebration of the research and creative activities that our students have been engaged in,” said Associate Director of Scholarly Activities Audrey Porsche, who coordinated this year’s SRCA showcase. “It’s made possible through charitable gifts to the University Foundation and Alumni Association and the showcase provides a great opportunity for our students to share what they have accomplished alongside their faculty sponsors. These students are getting research and creative experiences that will help them post-graduation, whether they are going on to graduate school, internships or careers. It’s all great experiential learning in action!”
