MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Nine Middle Tennessee State University students attended the annual Tennessee Psychological Association’s convention this semester and participated in its research poster session and competition, with three bringing home top awards.

“We had undergraduate and graduate students from all over the state come to share their work,” said James Loveless, MTSU associate professor of psychology who organizes the event held at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs. “For most, it’s their first experience presenting to a professional audience. The care and attention they put into their presentations is really cool to see, and it is really gratifying hearing students had a great time.”

MTSU undergraduate presenters included Chloe Emmert, Gamze Mert, Cash Petree and Batoul Sawas. MTSU graduate presenters included Leah Hostettler Brown, Claire Dobson, Cameron Harmon, Cody Kimbrell and Kaitlyn Thornsbury.

Dobson took home third place for her work on sleep and child behavior, Kimbrell took home second place for his investigation into belief formation and change, and Petree took home first place for his research on food reinforcement and childhood obesity.

‘An incredible amount of opportunities’ for research

Top-winner Petree, a senior psychology student, said he first learned about research opportunities for MTSU undergraduates through his psychology coursework.

“I learned that you could do research with professors as a volunteer research assistant,” Petree said. “I was interested in Dr. Jessica Gaby’s research in her Olfaction and Taste Lab, so I asked to join her lab and have been a member since January.”

Petree turned this first foray into research into earning one of the university’s internal grants for undergraduate research, better known as the URECA grant; joining the university’s Student Organization for the Advancement of Research, better known as SOAR; landing a spot in one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research fellowships this past summer at Penn State University; and presenting at the state psychology convention in Cool Springs.

“It was an incredibly enjoyable time to discuss my findings with other researchers and professionals, and it helped me solidify my interest in working in research in the future and will strengthen my graduate applications intensely,” said the Nolensville native about the convention, his first time formally presenting a poster at a conference.

“Then, winning the top undergraduate award in addition to the experience was a very unexpected thing, but it was very exciting! It feels really good to have developed my skills in research to be recognized in this way.”

Petree credited in part his mentor Gaby, the university’s Undergraduate Research Center, and the Psychology Department’s outreach, such as James Loveless’ involvement in the convention and encouraging students to participate, for his success.

Cody Kimbrell, in his first year of a graduate psychology degree with a clinical concentration, got his start in MTSU research as an undergraduate in mentor William Langston’s Identity, Experience, Belief and Personality Lab.

“Dr. Langston has been great to work with,” said Kimbrell, who is from Murfreesboro. “He gives a lot of autonomy to those working in his lab, which means that we get to experience every aspect of project design in some capacity.

“The university has honestly been wonderful (for research.) Every professor is interested, helpful and kind. Faculty have also been very clear in relaying information for grants or other supplies to support the research experience.”

Kimbrell was another first-time presenter at this year’s conference and said he found it a fun opportunity to engage with those in his field.

“I was asked a lot of questions about my project that helped me develop new possible directions for future research, and looking at other students’ projects also helped spark some of these ideas,” he said.

Kimbrell also called his second-place win for his research “unexpected.”  

“I am confident of myself, my lab and our work, but every poster at the event was interesting and presented well,” said Kimbrell, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. “Overall, I am thankful for the award and the opportunity!”

Loveless, key in supporting these students through organizing the event and encouraging them to participate, highlighted the integral professional skills students earn through these events.

“Presenting to local and state professional meetings provides the opportunity to do so with a lower level of pressure than one might experience at a regional or national conference,” Loveless said. “We always want to help MTSU, its faculty and its students take every opportunity to interface with these organizations to build connections and explore points of opportunity that would benefit us all.”

Learn more about the opportunities at MTSU’s Psychology Department at https://psychology.mtsu.edu/.

— Stephanie Wagner (Stephanie.Wagner@mtsu.edu)