2025 Hunter Student Research Conference Shines Spotlight on Student Scholarship and Leadership

On Friday, March 28th, the UVA School of Education and Human Development community gathered to celebrate student research at the annual student-run Hunter Student Research Conference (HSRC).

Each year, this event provides an opportunity for both undergraduate and graduate students to present their research while gaining valuable experience in proposing, preparing, and sharing their work in a supportive environment. It includes poster and paper sessions, a keynote address, and pre-conference workshops and panels.

This year’s event, which offered both in-person and virtual participation options, featured a record 64 individual presentations. Topics ranged from adolescent mental health and trauma-informed leadership to sports concussions, school safety, literacy, and more.

Isabella Danner, a second-year kinesiology major, presented her research on plantar fasciitis, a condition that causes foot pain. “The HSRC was my first presentation experience,” she said. “It was rewarding to achieve my goals surrounded by such a supportive community, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my passions with others.”

The keynote address was delivered by Rebekah Coley, professor of counseling, developmental, and educational psychology, as well as director of the Institute of Early Childhood Policy at Boston College. She spoke about the ways in which poverty shapes children's structural and social environments, highlighting the scope and complexity of disparities associated with childhood poverty.

The event is entirely student-run, serving as an opportunity for students to gain leadership experience by planning and organizing an academic conference.

This year’s event was led by doctoral students Analia Marzoratti and Kaela Tidus, who headed up a planning committee and managed teams of reviewers and volunteers—all composed entirely of students.

“From my first HSRC in 2021, I saw its importance to the EHD community,” said Marzoratti. “It breaks down barriers to participating in academic research by making it more accessible—both logistically and financially—and less intimidating. This year, I was honored to serve as the HSRC chair, working for over a year with an incredible team of fellow students to create a welcoming space for students from all experience levels to have a conference experience, an opportunity that profoundly shaped my own research path.”

The conference was renamed in 2021 to honor barrier-breaking alumna Louise Stokes Hunter, the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Virginia.