Hundreds of University of Mary Washington students presented their research as part of the annual Undergraduate Student Research and Creativity Symposium on Friday, April 25. The event, in its eighth year at UMW, celebrates excellence in undergraduate student research by giving students the opportunity to share their work with faculty, their peers and the public.
Students discuss their research in Jepson Hall as part of the ninth Research and Creativity Symposium.
The presentations represented various disciplines, including the sciences, history, humanities, mathematics, social sciences and the arts.
Many student oral and poster presentations took place in Jepson Hall, filling the building with students, faculty and family members. Presentation topics ranged from biodegradable polymers and erosion in the Chesapeake Bay to food security and advertising.
“It’s fun learning about the real life applications of the chemistry we’ve been learning,” said Rachel Thomas, a sophomore biology major and chemistry minor who presented on alternative methods for closing wounds. “You learn more as you go, and people ask questions to really help you think about your research.”
An art student shares her work.
Student performed original music and scenes from plays in duPont Hall, with art and art history presentations and works in Melchers.
In conjunction with the symposium, additional presentations took place across campus in the areas of English, math, history and geography.
“We hope that our research will help inspire future UMW students,” said David Chambers, a senior geography major who co-presented with junior Ray Humiston on the results of their field work on deforestation in Guatemala.
The symposium kicked-off on Thursday, April 24 with the keynote lecture “Structural Color – Origin and Evolution,” by Hui Cao, professor of applied physics and physics at Yale University.
The Undergraduate Student Research and Creativity Symposium is funded by the Class of 1959 Endowment. For a full list of student presentations, visit http://cas.umw.edu/student-research-and-creativity-symposium/.