LEWISTON – University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College undergraduate and graduate students presented their research and scholarly work at the annual USM Thinking Matters Student Research Conference.

The conference, which happened on April 18 on USM’s Portland campus, provides a public forum for USM students and invited guests to share the results of student research and encourages and celebrates student initiative.

All students participating in the conference were selected via a competitive review process to present their research and scholarly papers. This year more than 230 USM students were invited to attend and present their work.

USM LAC students gave oral and poster presentations on a variety of subjects, including sustaining gains in lean manufacturing, aging, disability and the workplace, equine-assisted therapy and employment options for people with developmental disabilities.

“This year marks the largest participation ever by LAC-based students. We are seeing our students’ work being accepted into the USM-wide conference at a rate disproportional to our student numbers,” she said.

The conference organizers state that “like citizens, scholars have a responsibility to reflect on the public impact of their work and consider how to use it to make a better world. The Thinking Matters Conference locates the civic in scholarship, inviting exchange.”

Students presenting were: Cathy Foyt (private); Jean Youde, Hallowell; Patrick Connell, Oxford; Sarah Cole, Lisbon Falls; Aimil Parmelee, Randolph Center, Vt.; Brie Weisman, Rumford; Casey Richardson, Houlton; Kristy Balbi, Portland; Cindy Berry, Windham; Elizabeth Jacobsen, North Berwick; Jamie Harmon, Gray; Lauren Breault, Portland.

Also, Kaitlyn McCormack, Lisbon Falls; Karen Pratt, Auburn; Vicky Cyr, Minot; Karin Hardy, Mt. Vernon; Misty Starbuck, Portland; Renee Callahan, Augusta; Catherine McKinney, Auburn; Shannon Sinclair, Bath; Carmen Wamukoya, Eldoret, Kenya; Mark Coursey, Auburn.

A complete list of presenters’ abstracts is available online at http://research.usm.maine.edu/thinkingmatters/.