Undergraduate students from all colleges and departments at the University of Rhode Island will present their research, performance art, and scholarly work at the first Showcase of URI Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Arts.
The program will be held Sept. 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom, 50 Lower College Road, and is open to the public.
For years, undergraduate students at the University of Rhode Island in the biomedical, environmental, biological and biotechnical sciences have presented their research at major University events. For six years, URI undergraduate students have been among 100 students from eight other universities and colleges in Rhode Island to showcase their work at the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows Conference. That event is co-sponsored by the Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence and the Rhode Island Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, two federal grant-funded programs led by URI.
“But with our new event on Sept. 19, we are inviting those from the creative arts, the liberal arts, business and engineering, as well as those in the health and biotechnical disciplines to present their work at one big event,” said Deedee Chatham, director of URI’s office of Undergraduate Research & Innovation.
“This will give students, faculty and staff an appreciation for and an understanding of scholarly work being done by the widest range of students. We sometimes forget that outstanding research and scholarly work is done outside the hard sciences. So if you are a scientist, come see what our theater, journalism and political scientists are doing, and if you are a liberal arts students or faculty member, come see what our students in STEM fields are doing.”
The speaking program during lunch from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. will feature talks on how undergraduates can get their independent projects started. The speakers are: Provost Donald H. DeHayes, Associate Professor of Chemistry Mindy Levine and Professor of Art Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, director of URI’s Center for the Humanities.
Students will present their work during two poster sessions, from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. In between, from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m., a few students will give oral presentations to the entire gathering.
“This an opportunity for students to share their imagination, inquisitiveness and originality,” Chatham said.
The event is sponsored by URI’s new Office of Undergraduate Research & Innovation (URI)2, which provides students with resources for research, scholarly and creative projects, including undergraduate research grant funding. Register by Sept. 13 to present your work or simply to attend the event. Lunch will be provided to all who register. Click here to learn more about (URI)2 or the Showcase.