2024 Conference Recap

The 5th annual Western New York Undergraduate Psychology Conference was held on Saturday, April 13th, 2024 in Davis Hall on the University at Buffalo’s North Campus. Save the date! There were 40 student posters and 10 oral presentations. Over 150 students, faculty, and guests from 12 different institutions (Alfred University, Buffalo State University, Canisius College, D’Youville University, Daemen University, Erie Community College, Hilbert College, Houghton University, Le Moyne College, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Empire State College, and the University at Buffalo) were in attendance!

Photo credit: Dr. Wendy Quinton

Presentation Award Winners

The award for the “Best Oral Presentation” goes to…

Willow Rose

for their presentation
“How Does Mental Imagery Relate to Environmental Cognition and Behavior?”
(Rochester Institute of Technology, Faculty Advisor: Dr. Marjorie Prokosch)

The award for the “Best Poster Presentation” goes to…

Grace C. Parmelee

for their presentation
“Vasopressin-deficiency of Brattleboro rats does not alter social preference”
(University at Buffalo, Faculty Advisor: Dr. Matthew J. Paul)

The award for the “Best Poster Presentation Runner-up” goes to…

Romiere Horace and Ciara Bailey

for their presentation
“Associations Between Aggression, Impulsivity, and Cluster B Personality Disorder Symptoms”
(Rochester Institute of Technology, Faculty Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Houston)

Thank you to our faculty judges!

Dr. Sarah Blakely-McClure (Canisius College)
Dr. Jessamy Comer (Rochester Institute of Technology)
Dr. Rebecca Houston (Rochester Institute of Technology)
Dr. Kimberly James (University at Buffalo)
Dr. Beth Johnson (Alfred University)
Dr. Kim Kamper-DeMarco (Buffalo State University)
Dr. Hannah Kim (Houghton University)
Dr. Matthew Paul (University at Buffalo)
Dr. Dennis Poepsel (Daemen College)
Dr. Marjorie Prokosch (Rochester Institute of Technology)
Dr. Manpreet Rai (D’Youville University)
Dr. Howard Reid (Buffalo State University)
Dr. Hollen Reischer (University at Buffalo)
Dr. Pamela Schuetze (Buffalo State University)
Dr. Caitlin Szalkowski (Hilbert College)
Dr. Alexis Thompson (University at Buffalo)

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Conference Schedule

Saturday, April 13th, 2024

08:30 – 09:00 am: Check-in Time
09:00 – 09:10 am: Opening Remarks
09:10 – 10:40 am: Poster Presentations
10:40 – 10:50 am: {Break}
10:50 – 11:50 am: Oral Presentations: Session 1
12:00 – 01:00 pm: Lunch {provided for registered attendees}
01:00 – 02:00 pm: Oral Presentations: Session 2
02:00 – 02:10 pm: {Break}
02:10 – 02:55 pm: Keynote Speaker
02:55 – 03:10 pm: Closing Remarks and Awards

*All times are EST

A list of presentation titles and presenters can be found here.

Keynote Speaker

Gary J. Iacobucci, PhD MD

Dr. Iacobucci is a psychiatry resident physician at Erie County Medical Center and a postdoctoral research associate in the University at Buffalo Department of Biochemistry. As a Buffalo native, he graduated from the University at Buffalo Departments of Psychology and Biological Sciences in 2013. He then obtained a PhD in the University at Buffalo Department of Biochemistry in 2018 followed by a MD at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2023. Dr Iacobucci’s research has largely focused on electrophysiological characterization of NMDA receptor biophysical properties in health and in rare genetic neurological diseases. His current research is aiming to assess the transdiagnostic role of cognitive phenotypes in treatment outcomes for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders. The aim is to identify specific endophenotypes that impact patient function to develop targeted therapeutic interventions.