DAHLONEGA, Ga. — University of North Georgia students are preparing to showcase their work at UNG’s Annual Research Conference on March 20, building on momentum from a fall poster session that highlighted months of research and collaboration.
Three students from Northeast Georgia were among 50 UNG students who presented psychology research during the Nov. 21 campus poster session at the Gainesville Campus. Hosted by UNG’s chapter of Psi Chi, the international psychology honor society, the event featured projects from research methods courses and served as a stepping stone toward the larger March conference.
Steffani Pass, a senior psychology major and current president of Psi Chi, said the fall session gives students valuable practice before presenting in the spring.
“The event is an opportunity for students to get their feet wet in giving presentations without high stakes,” Pass said. “Students get the opportunity to have a back-and-forth with professors.”
Angie Ramirez of Alto, Kailyn Stuffings of Clarkesville and Brittany Wiley of Cornelia were among the students who shared their research in November.
Stuffings joined fellow students Zoe Harrison, Ramirez and Amelia Seid in earning the Best Poster award for their project, “The Halo Effect: How Weight Influences Perceived Career Success.” The group used a Likert scale to measure participants’ perceptions of women shown in artificial-intelligence-generated images, asking respondents to rate perceived career success and ability to get along with co-workers. Dr. Zachary Elison, assistant professor of psychological science, served as their faculty mentor.
Stuffings, a junior majoring in psychology, said the fall event provided meaningful feedback ahead of future presentations.
“I enjoyed hearing from so many people about their opinions on our project,” Stuffings said.
Seid, a senior psychology major with a minor in Spanish, said the experience offered insight into professional collaboration after graduation.
“We had a great team,” Seid said. “We all worked together really well and learned so much about our subject.”
Dr. Ralph Hale, associate professor of psychological science, said both the fall and spring research events showcase student achievement while building critical skills.
“These experiences build scientific literacy and transferable skills that prepare students for life after graduation, regardless of their career path,” Hale said. “Watching students support one another through this process is incredibly rewarding and something I’m proud to help create each semester at UNG.”
Harrison, a senior psychology major who plans to pursue a master’s degree in counseling, said UNG’s support system has been key.
“UNG provides a lot of resources for students conducting research,” Harrison said.
For many students, the November poster session was more than a class requirement — it was a rehearsal for the March 20 conference, where they will again step forward to present their work to a broader campus audience.
