May 5, 2026 — The culmination of student expertise and excellence was put on full display at this year’s Celebration of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (CURSCA).

Over 100 student projects were featured, with research stretching across topics that include advertising, fashion, Model UN, literature, psychology, science, and more! Each student, or team of students, worked closely with a faculty member, developing strong mentorships and expanding their opportunities for growth along the way.

Keynote speaker Dr. Cathy Mulzer ’11 praised the dedication and passion of Marist students while highlighting the importance of a liberal arts education to further her own career in research science.

Dr. Mulzer, a chemist at Qnity and former CURSCA presenter, emphasized the importance of undergraduate research opportunities—not only for its outcomes, but for the meaningful experience it provides and the lasting connections students build with faculty mentors. She left the audience with “three H’s,” which she attributes as the driving force behind her work:

• Be HUMBLE;
• Be HUNGRY;
• And in doing so, you will make yourself and others around you HAPPY.

Hear from some of this year’s presenters...

 
Students and faculty fill the O’Shea Lecture Hall in Dyson to hear Keynote speaker Dr. Cathy Mulzer ’11. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University.

School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Beyond the Bookshelf: Evaluating Diversity in Children’s Literature Through a Cultural Lens
Samantha Bryceland ’27 is a Childhood and Special Education major pursuing certifications in Childhood and Special Education (1-6), as well as Middle School English Education (6-9). Through her research with Dr. Christina Wright Fields, she discovered that elementary classrooms lack children's literature with meaningful diversity.

“My research is the first step in helping future educators evaluate their own classroom libraries,” said Samantha. “Presenting my findings at CURSCA allowed me to spread awareness about the lack of diversity in today’s children's literature to other teacher candidates.”

Dan Brogen ’26 demonstrates how to use his game controller to students. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University.

School of Computer Science and Mathematics

The Musical Dance of Light and Darkness
Dan Brogen ’26 is a Games and Emerging Media major who provided attendees with an interactive experience, demonstrating his research rather than talking about it. By porting a DIY Arduino game controller into Unreal Engine, a 3D creation tool, he created a fully integrated experience combining games and computer science with the help of Professor Melissa Chodziutko.

“Oftentimes, I feel like game design isn’t always taken as seriously as computer science or math,” said Dan. “So to be able to experience this and show everyone that there is a very technical side to it is very important to me in being able to spread my major.”

School of Management

The Strategic Need for Human Capital Accounting
Aaliyah Layne ’26 is an accounting major who researched human capital accounting—a form of sustainability accounting where the goal is to find value in the workforce of a company.

“It’s really cool to see something that I’m interested in come to life in a presentation,” Aaliyah said. “My research will be published soon in the March-April edition of the CPA Journal, so it’s nice to see my hard work leave an impact.”

 
Kate Krehel ’28 presents her research project to President Kevin Weinman. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University.

School of Liberal Arts

Bhutan: The Carbon-Negative Nature Pioneer
Kate Krehel ’28 is an environmental science and global studies double major. She blended the interests to create a study on the rigorous environmental policies of Bhutan—the only carbon-negative country in the world—and how those polices may be replicated for a greener future.

“I never expected to be doing this, so it was a brand new experience for me,” said Kate. “This is just such an incredible room full of so much space to grow and learn about so many different things.”

School of Communication and the Arts

Harebrained
Marilyn Mazurowski ’27 is a studio art and political science double major. She used her research to combine these two paths of study, creating a striking piece of artwork that expresses political manipulation.

“I’m very proud of my work,” Marilyn said. “I know I’m the only dedicated traditional art project at this event, so it’s definitely a privilege to be here. I hope in the future we can have other artworks be considered for this event.”

A student asking Brooklyn Jones ’26 about her research presentation. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University.

School of Science

Beyond Fern Tor: A Camera Survey of Marist's Wildlife Population
Brooklyn Jones ’26 is an environmental science major who collaborated with Dr. Kate Weiss to research native wildlife populations and behaviors in Fern Tor and on the Marist campus.

“I've been working on this project for almost a year now, and I've actually had the privilege to be at the beginning stages of planning this project,” said Brooklyn. “Having enough data to collect and see where everything is, as well as how the project has come to fruition, has been really rewarding.”

CURSCA is an annual opportunity for students to form meaningful bonds with faculty mentors through a mutual interest in research. To learn more, visit the Council on Undergraduate Research website here.