The first-ever celebration of Undergraduate Research Symposium at UNM will be held Monday, April 19, from 12 to 6 p.m. at the Student Union Building in Ballrooms A and B. Sponsored by the PROFOUND (Program of Research Opportunities For UNDergraduates) office, the event will showcase research undergraduates are conducting on campus through the program.
“It’s a great opportunity for students to show their work in front of a large group of students and faculty, and to raise awareness across campus about their research efforts and the PROFOUND program,” said Theresa Lopez, PROFOUND program coordinator. The event will be held annually she added.
More than 50 students from 27 UNM departments on main and north campus are participating in the symposium. Students will have opportunities to present their research with poster judging at 2 p.m. At 4 p.m., prizes will be awarded to the top students in four categories, with cash awards donated by the New Mexico American Vacuum Society and the PROFOUND program.
Larry Crumpler, Mars Rover project scientist and research curator for Volcanology and Space Science at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, will provide the keynote address. Crumpler’s lecture titled, “Electronic Geologists on Mars: Field Research with the Mars Exploration Rovers,” will be held at 3:30 p.m.
Additionally, Teresita Aguilar, dean of Graduate Studies, will talk about graduate school opportunities at 12:30 p.m.
PROFOUND was established in 2003 to offer undergraduates research experience with faculty mentors and to improve communication among departments about faculty conducted research on campus.
“Undergraduate research currently provides on-campus funding opportunities for over 400 undergraduates as they pursue their education, which assists greatly with student retention and academic performance,” said Robert Duncan, Associate Dean for Research, College of Arts and Sciences, and Physics professor. “Many other undergraduates conduct research for academic credit and as part of their honors thesis work.
“Students at UNM have the opportunity to work within leading research programs and with excellent researchers in almost every discipline. In the classroom we ask students to answer all the questions, while in our research program we ask the students to team with us as we question all the answers.”
Lopez added the value of the symposium will not only get students recognition from their peers and faculty, but they will learn how to prepare for national conferences and participation in this event will strengthen their applications to graduate school or for research positions.
The symposium is open to the public. For more information about the event or PROFOUND visit the website at: http://www.unm.edu/~profound/, via e-mail at profound@unm.edu, or contact Theresa Lopez at (505) 277-0528.
Contact: Steve Carr (505) 277-1821
Posted by kwentworth at April 13, 2004 03:53 PM