WNY Undergraduate Psychology Conference
The Western New York (WNY) Undergraduate Psychology Conference provides an affordable and convenient opportunity for undergraduate psychology students to present their scientific findings at a research meeting. It is specifically designed to be open and inviting to undergraduate students and is a great transition to larger national conventions. Additionally, this conference provides an opportunity for our local WNY students and faculty to meet and network.
Conference Organizer: Joyce Lacy, PhD
Come Join Us in 2026!
The 7th annual Western New York Undergraduate Psychology Conference will be held at the University at Buffalo's north campus in the Spring of 2026.
Information about the 2026 conference, including submission criteria and guidelines, will be available on our conference website.
2025 Conference
Our 6th annual conference was held on April 5, 2025, in UB's Davis Hall, with presenters from nine different institutions: Alfred University, Buffalo State University, Houghton University, Keuka College, Roberts Wesleyan University, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Fredonia, and the University at Buffalo. The conference featured 50 student posters and five student oral presentations.
Our keynote speaker was Stontay Barnes, MA, a UB alum. Stontay currently works as an Evaluation Project Manager for a local women-owned consulting firm. She discussed her career path and advice to undergraduates to maximize their time in college and beyond.
- Best Oral Presentation: Jana Alexandrine B. Ausa (SUNY Fredonia)
- Best Poster Presentation: Erim Buyuk (University at Buffalo)
- Best Poster Presentation Runner-up: Tiago Mortellaro (University at Buffalo)
Past Conferences
Our 5th annual conference was held on April 13, 2024, in UB's Davis Hall, with presenters from eight different institutions: Alfred University, Buffalo State University, Canisius University, Hilbert College, Houghton University, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Empire State, and the University at Buffalo. The conference featured 40 student posters and 10 student oral presentations. The keynote speaker was Dr. Gary Iacobucci, a UB alum, discussing his research on electrophysiological characterization of NMDA-receptor biophysical properties in health and rare genetic neurological diseases.
Our 4th annual conference was held on April 15, 2023, in UB's Davis Hall, with presenters from 10 different institutions: Adelphi University, Alfred University, Buffalo State University, Canisius College, D’Youville University, Houghton University, Le Moyne College, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Fredonia, and the University at Buffalo. Students and faculty from Daemen University, Hilbert College, SUNY Empire State College were also in attendance. There were 34 student posters and eight student oral presentations. The keynote speaker, Dr. Brittany Merrill, discussed behavioral treatment for childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Our 3rd annual conference was held on April 9, 2022, in UB's Davis Hall, with presenters from six different institutions (Buffalo State College, D'Youville University, Houghton College, Niagara University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the University at Buffalo). Students and faculty from Alfred University were also in attendance. The conference featured 22 student posters and seven student oral presentations. The keynote speaker, Parveen Attai, BS/BA and MPH candidate, discussed how a psychology and research background shaped her path toward a career as a clinical and public health professional.
The 2nd annual conference was held live virtually on April 17, 2021. There were 25 student presentations from eight institutions across WNY (Elmira College, Houghton College, Niagara University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Buffalo State College, Empire State College, Syracuse University, and the University at Buffalo). The keynote speaker, Mary LaLomia, PhD, is a UB alum whose career includes conducting psychological research at Microsoft, Philips Medical, Intel, IBM, and Meta.
The inaugural 2020 conference faced an unexpected obstacle with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this challenge, the conference pivoted to a virtual asynchronous format and still managed to be a great success. Forty-two student posters, representing 10 different institutions (Buffalo State College, Canisius College, Daemen College, Houghton College, Le Moyne College, Niagara University, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Geneseo, the University of Rochester, and the University at Buffalo), were displayed on the conference website. Within a week, the research posters web page was viewed approximately 500 times.
