Eight students received Ellington Beavers Awards for Intellectual Inquiry at Arcadia University’s 2011 Honors Convocation. This award is for student research that best exemplifies the substantial intellectual inquiry inherent in good research. The award was established in 1989 by the leadership of Dr. Ellington Beavers, then Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Heather M. Shappell ’11, Mathematics and Computer Science double major, conducted research with Dr. Yanxia Jia, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, to investigate “Building SunSPOT-Based Wireless Sensor Networks for Environmental and Healthcare Monitoring.” Shappell graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors.

Sajitha A. Anthony ’11, a Biology major, conducted research with Dr. Lauretta Bushar, Chair of the Biology Department. She investigated “Using Microsatellites to Measure Genetic Variability in a Population of Timber Rattlesnakes from Union County in central Pennsylvania.”

Erin R. Dubois, a graduate student in Arcadia’s Master of Arts in English program, worked with Dr. Pradyumna S. Chauhan, Professor of English, on “Kosovo Ethnic Reconciliation and the Role of English.”

Jennifer T. Arnold ’11, a Biology major in the Honors Program, collaborated with Dr. Chad Hoefler, Assistant Professor of Biology, on a research project titled, “Interactive Effects of Adult Sex Ration and Diet on Mating Behavior and Reproductive Success in a Cellar Spider.”

Lindsay Creamer Robjent, Dr. Kathleen Parafinczuk and Dr. Meagan E. Todd, who all graduated from Arcadia’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in February 2011, received the award for their work with Drs. Marty Eastlack and Rebecca Craik on “Why Can’t Older Adults Get out of a Chair: Exploring the Relationship Between Lower Extremity Muscle Strength and Ground-Reaction Force.”

Elizabeth M. McCormick ’11M, a student in the Genetic Counseling program, worked with Laura Conway, Academic Coordinator for Research and Laboratory Education, on “Assessing Phenotype-Genotype Correlation in Costello Syndrome with the use of a Severity Score.” She graduated with distinction.