UK Undergraduates Present Their Research

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 25, 2011) — The University of Kentucky's undergraduate researchers from all disciplines will be showing everyone what they've discovered at the undergraduate level this week.

The UK Office of Undergraduate Research, along with SPUR (the Society for the Promotion of Undergraduate Research), will host the 6th annual Showcase for Undergraduate Scholars 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, in the Grand and Small Ballrooms of the UK Student Center.  

Each year, the Showcase brings together undergraduates from all disciplines, their faculty mentors, and members of the community to learn about the various types of research being done by undergraduate students at UK. This occasion provides these students the opportunity to demonstrate and discuss their specific projects and the professional advancements the projects helped acheive. It not only provides a great learning experience for the participants, but for the attendees as well, who gain more knowledge about the world around them, as well as the depth of undergraduate involvement in research at UK.

"Undergraduate research is an important opportunity that UK offers every student, but not everyone is familiar with the idea," said Lindsey Smith, president of SPUR. "Participating in undergraduate research gives our students the opportunity to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it to subjects that do not fall into a normal class curriculum. Engaging in research and scholarly work allows for new learning opportunities and techniques and an exploration of topics that really intrigue students. It also fosters creativity, which is important for growth as a learner."

Diane Snow, director for the Office of Undergraduate Research agrees.  "For some students, this is the first opportunity they've had to see how textbook knowledge translates to real world application.  They get first-hand experience regarding the real challenges and critical thinking that accompanies research."

This year, approximately 175 students will be contributing their original work to the event, including 155 poster presentations, 12 oral presentations, and eight table displays. Catering will be provided by the Nutrition and Food Science undergraduate students enrolled in a Quantity Food Production course, taught by professor Sandra Bastin. 

Snow will serve as moderator for this year's event. James Tracy, Vice President for Research at UK, will be the featured guest speaker.  The Oswald Awards presentations and winners will also be announced and the winners recognized at the event.   

The Showcase for Undergradate Scholars is open to the public; students, faculty and staff are highly encouraged to attend.

For more information, contact Evie Russell at (859) 257-6420 or evie.russell@uky.edu, or Lindsey Smith at lindsey.smith2@uky.edu.