Capitol hosts USU student researchers
For the 12th consecutive year, undergraduate students from USU had the opportunity to present research to state government officials at the Utah Capitol on Jan. 24.
Scott Bates, associate vice president for research, said 34 students gathered in the Capitol rotunda to help educate legislators on what is going on outside of the classroom at USU. Students from the University of Utah also presented.
Bates said students were selected from a diverse geographical area as well as varied college departments so the information would be relevant to as many legislators from the state as possible. Students spent one to three years on research projects under the guidance of university advisers, and prepared posters to display project synopses and results.
“You don’t get credits for this. It’s discovery and what’s happening outside of the textbook,” Bates said. “The legislators benefit from being educated about the things that are going on at the research universities.”
Bates said undergraduate research is important to USU because it does a good job finding balance between two of the main missions of the university — research and education.
“That’s an important thing for legislators to see,” Bates said. “There’s a lot of pressure for us to either grow the research mission or grow the education mission and both of them are sort of at the core of what we’re trying to do here.
“It’s a way for the legislators to come down and see that our students are doing some pretty incredible things. This is cutting-edge research, presented by students in the legislators’ constituency. It puts a great face up for USU.”
Kirk Jackson, a senior majoring in civil engineering who was selected to present this year, developed a project that focused on infrastructure and city planning. He said the things he has learned through conducting his own research project will be more beneficial to the real world than what he’s learned in the classroom.
“You go to classes, you learn from professors and do the problems they assign you, but there’s nothing quite like initiating a project and problems on your own,” he said. “For me, it was easy because I love what I did. I think the experience you gain from learning how to do research and get out there on your own is great.”
The Research on Capitol Hill event is just one of the opportunities for students to present their research, but it is the most exclusive and most high-profile, Bates said. The opportunity to lay out all the hard work they have put in is always gratifying, he added.
Camilla Snow, a senior studying environmental engineering, also presented her research.
“I came up with the project, designed the experiment (and) put everything together,” Snow said. “At the end of it all, I had results that I was able to put together onto a poster. It was neat to share these things with my representative.”
Bates said spring semester is the time for the students to show off their hard work and fall semester is the work semester. In March, 60 students are scheduled to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) at Weber State.
In past years, the traveling budget made it possible for 20 USU students to go. Since it is closer to USU this year, Bates said hopefully more than 20 students will be able to go.
Another venue for student-presented research is the Student Showcase held every April on campus at USU. Application deadline is March 1 and open to anyone interested.
Applications for next year’s Research on Capitol Hill and NCUR are due fall 2012. The department will release more information on how to apply as deadlines approach, Bates said.
“A lot of students are from the honors program, others are research fellows but others aren’t,” Bates said. “Some of them are students who have found a mentor, developed a project and heard about this opportunity.”
Students like Brooke Siler, a junior studying biochemistry and economics, who participate in undergraduate research are quick to recommend it to other students.
“Undergraduate research has given me amazing opportunities,” Siler said. “In addition to performing hands-on work in my field, I have also learned invaluable analytical and deductive reasoning skills. Because of my research opportunity, I have been able to better apply my education and perform well in my classes.”
Bates is in his first year overseeing undergraduate research after taking over for Joyce Kinkead, who is on sabbatical. He said he has loved the “whirlwind” of a year as he has prepared students to present and represent the university.
“There’s been a lot going on, but there’s a lot of central support for undergraduate research,” he said.
Although he advises and works with student researchers, he said he keeps time to continue teaching as an assistant professor in the psychology department. That is one reason he said he enojys the position.
“In my opinion this is the best administrative position on campus. A lot of positions are very student focused, but this one especially,” he said.
Bates said USU researchers will return to the Capitol next January, ready to share more developments and student projects. Each year, they visit during the first week of the legislative session.
“It’s an event that has been going on for 12 years, so they have come to expect it,” Bates said. “I think it’s the best week to go because the legislators are engaged but aren’t too overwhelmed yet.”
– megan.allen@aggiemail.usu.edu