Sharing and Learning at the Spring 2026 Advanced Composition II Poster Session
Students share their findings and poster designs with their fellow researchers
On April 30th, in the Common Room of the McShane Center, twenty-two students from Advanced Composition II courses gathered for a Poster Session to share the results of their final research projects with their peers. The students had been required to research and write a full-length essay on a topic of their own choice and then transpose their findings into eye-catching and engaging posters. Facilitated by Advanced Comp II Professor Lynne Beckenstein, the posters were arranged on tables around the room and the students took turns in two groups: one sitting and explaining their work while the other circled the tables and moved from one conversation to another. A mix of two classes, the event was an opportunity for the students to discuss their research further, receive feedback and additional ideas from their peers, and meet new friends they hadn’t yet encountered from the other class.
The topics discussed were widely varied. Students presented their research on neuroplasticity and the brain’s developmental years; the effects of social media on intimacy amongst Gen Z; the criminalization of mental health; the impact of light pollution; the connection between fast fashion and rising rates of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; cultural stigma in Trinidad and Tobago around the use of birth control; constitutional reform and the Appellate Courts; the lack of gender inclusivity in the entertainment industry; and the news media’s role in political division, amongst many others! The students reported that their ideas were often inspired by aspects of their personal lives and upbringings that they were then able to channel into research which further developed their understanding of these issues impacting their own lives. They discussed moving through the challenges of the research process, for example, deciphering the language of a scientific research article and honing down the scope of a topic to an appropriate size. These challenges to overcome were supplemented by the surprises and new interests that they discovered along the path of developing their topics, particularly an awareness of how the historical precedents of the issues they investigated continued to have a significant impact on the current day.
A distinguishing feature of the final project undertaken within the Advanced level of Composition II is that students are required to match their research topic to their major or desired area of study. Many students commented positively on this opportunity to integrate their developing scholarly specialities into a first-year core subject. Something that became obvious after surveying the research projects on display is that the topics, within their great variety, were all deeply engaged with contemporary political and social questions, demonstrating the students’ active critical participation with the world around them. The posters also exhibited the design opportunities that can be undertaken with a sheet of A3 paper, as each poster was adorned with a different style of visually engaging artwork and methods of displaying written information.
The poster session concluded with a plentiful reception of snacks and drinks to celebrate another successful semester of learning amongst a group of astute young thinkers. Before leaving, several of the students paused to give thanks to Prof Beckenstein for an enjoyable and enriching subject. This event follows on from the inaugural Advanced Comp II Poster Session that took place at the end of Fall 2025. While this Spring 2026 event had fewer students due to most first-years taking Composition II in the Fall semester, the success of this second event demonstrated that the continuation of these end-of-term poster sessions will be well-received during many semesters to come.
