Julianna Keiter 

Contributing Writer 

Ana Laska, an ESU student, presented her research at the 84 annual Pennsylvania Communication Association conference at Penn State Schuylkill, titled “Pondering Our Past, Forging Our Future.” 

Laska, an applied mathematics major with a minor in business analytics, initially researched her topic during her general education Introduction to Communication class she took in Spring 2024. After the semester ended, Laska used her research and expanded upon the topic to submit her research to the competitive paper division of the State Communication Association.  

Laska presented on “The Chernobyl Disaster and the Importance of Historical Narratives,” as the conference, stated on PCA site, focuses on, “the history and tradition of the communication discipline, collective memory, new media, current issues and challenges we face as we communicate in the twenty-first century.” 

With her topic being outside of her major, Dr. Margaret Mullan, associate professor of communication at ESU, highly encouraged her to use her research for more than classwork.  

“Her research evident in her class presentation was so interesting I invited her to consider expanding upon this study into a research paper to share her finding,” said Mullan. “Laska offered generative insights on the importance of asking for first-hand accounts to provide more details on historical experiences.”  

Laska did not have to search far for her insight as her family lived through the event. “My parents lived in Ukraine when the Chernobyl disaster occurred, so growing up, I heard many stories about what it was like for the Ukrainian people during that time,” stated Laska. “The desire to share the unique story of my parents and find out more about the details of the catastrophe prompted me to do more research on the topic and write a speech about it.” 

During the question-and-answer session following Laska’s presentation, Mullan shared Laska’s unique experience as a mathematics major discussing a topic out of her field.  

“I think that a student like Ana who took time at the end of a very busy semester to submit her research to a conference not even in her major speaks to Ana’s commitment to getting the most out of her university education,” Dr. Mullan continued. “Her perspective and her interaction with the other students who presented their research at this conference reflects also her growth and learning mindset.  

“Research about communication is enriched by and enriches research across all academic areas. Communication professors and communication majors from other institutions across Pennsylvania were in the audience listening to Laska’s research.” 

Laska describes her experience of branching out of her major:

“For me, it was very important to branch out from my major in mathematics and speak at this conference because it gave me a chance to connect with people that I never would have met otherwise, listen to the unique speeches of other students and gain a deeper understanding of the communications world.”

“I was initially slightly nervous to be held to the same standard as communication majors who have been studying in this field for years, however stepping out of my comfort zone to share something I worked hard on was very rewarding and it taught me to go towards my goals even if I have doubts.”

“Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I would certainly encourage other students to study topics that interest them and attend events that relate to those topics even if they might not be within their major.”