Eight undergrads selected to go to Wisconsin
Eight undergraduates will be representing Utah State University in Wisconsin this April in presenting their original research and papers.
The candidates will spend two days in a conference organized by the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR).
“What we want to do is to reward and encourage students to be visible nationally,” said Joyce Kinkead, vice provost for Undergraduate Studies and Research. “It not only enhances their reputation, it enhances the reputation of the university.”
As a result, Kinkead said, the university has allocated specific funds to help selected undergraduates attend the conference. She said these students work with their mentors from submitting their research to polishing their works. The mentors play an important role in the success of these students, she said.
NCUR is not a competition, Kinkead said. She said it is basically an opportunity for undergraduates to present and share their research with their peers. This year, about 1,500 undergraduates will be attending NCUR in Wisconsin, she said.
Among the eight students who will be representing USU at NCUR is Todd Miller, a senior majoring in nutrition science. Miller and his partner will be presenting their research on possible ways to reduce pollution from agricultural waste.
According to the university’s undergraduate research pamphlet, Miller’s research investigates “the technology of treating dairy waste water using and advanced facultative pond treatment system to decrease the pollution potential of wastewater and yet produce viable by-products during the process.”
Although Miller’s research is not yet complete, it provides an opportunity for him to share his findings with other undergraduate researchers in the nation.
“The main goal is to educate people on how big the problem really is,” Miller said.
He said one of the aspects of his research people might like is that it shows how electricity can be generated from biogas, which is quite a new technology.
“A lot of people are really nervous about going up and presenting,” Miller said. “But I’m to the point that I really know what’s going on.”
Apart from his confidence, Miller also expressed his appreciation to John Harrison, professor for agricultural system technology and education.
“He’s the one to come up with the idea,” Miller said. “He helps with the funding and come up with the project design.”
Angela Morrison, a senior majoring in history, is another candidate selected to present at NCUR. Her presentation focuses on the historical research in classics. She said her research looks at myth and its relation to archaic Greek, studying the marriage patterns within the Homeric hymn to Demeter.
“I am actually very excited,” Morrison said. “I feel confident.”
She said the conference will prepare her for law school which she is planning to attend after her graduation.
One of the reasons she is attending NCUR is because of the encouragement and support from the classics and history department of the university, Morrison said.
“They are the ones to help me in my writing and research skills,” she said.
To Morrison, presenting her research at NCUR will serve as an extra experience speaking in front of people and engaging with academically-minded people.
Kinkead said NCUR does not only provide great experience for students, it is also an appropriate environment where students can scout for prospective graduate schools. On the other hand, the university can also recruit prospective graduate students from other universities, she said.
“It is only this year and last year that we made an effort to tell students about NCUR,” Kinkead said. “We didn’t have a centralized focus on undergraduate research.”
But it is all changed now, Kinkead said. She said students are now encouraged to work with a mentor and submit their research to NCUR. And if they are accepted, she said, all expenses will be paid for by the university in order for them to attend the conference.
“It is very important that our students are out there making a name for the university,” Kinkead said. “My role is to help undergraduates know about NCUR and to give them advice about how NCUR operates and what to expect.”
Morrison said, “I am very appreciative that our school supports undergraduate research. It is exciting to do this as an undergraduate.”
Kinkead’s goal for the next year is to have 50 students participate in NCUR since the conference will be held at the University of Utah.
NCUR will be held this year at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater from April 25 to 27. According to NCUR’s official Web site at www.ncur.org, its mission is “to promote undergraduate research scholarship and creative activity done in partnership with faculty or other mentors as a vital component of higher education.”
While there is no physical prize for the candidates, Kinkead said, “Just being accepted is really the prize.”