More than 500 students, presenters and faculty representatives will attend LAUNCH (Undergraduate Research Scholars Symposium) Feb. 28 on the campus of Texas A&M University.
The symposium, set to begin at 9 a.m. in the room 2500 of the Memorial Student Center, provides undergraduates with a graduate student experience by allowing them to engage in a research topic, complete it and present it to a community of scholars.
“It will enable many of the students participating in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Thesis Program to present for the first time in a low-stakes environment before they discuss their research at national and international conferences,” explains Sara Misemer, associate director for undergraduate research and one of the organizers of the event. “It will provide students with an opportunity to present their research and receive feedback from faculty, as well as students in LAUNCH Honors and LAUNCH Learning Communities as they share with the campus community.”
Organizers say that students from all academic disciplines are encouraged to attend LAUNCH and to learn more about how to get involved in student research at Texas A&M.
Students will present oral and poster presentations on their research projects and faculty members will help give them pointers to develop their communication skills.
Key organizers include Misemer, Annabelle Aymond, program coordinator for undergraduate research; and Caroline Sonnier, program assistant for undergraduate research.
“Also, we aim to strengthen the visibility of undergraduate research in Texas with our counterparts at The University of Texas at Austin,” says Misemer. “The new Academy of Undergraduate Researchers Across Texas—a community of elite student researchers at our two flagship universities—provides these exceptional students with networking opportunities, the chance to hone their professional skills, and a venue to discuss the importance of undergraduate research and the impact it has on their lives.
“We created the URS Symposium, as well as AURAT, to highlight cutting-edge and engaging research being done by undergraduate students on the College Station, Qatar, and Galveston campuses, as well as on the campus of the other flagship university in Texas. The URS Symposium offers students researchers a venue for sharing and receiving feedback on their research projects, and it is also a way for the LAUNCH office to create a community of scholarship and research where undergraduate students can learn from each other about how transformational learning takes place outside of the classroom.”
For more about the program, go to http://tx.ag/URSSymposium2018
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Media contact: Sarah Misemer at (979) 458-0039 or smisemer@tamu.edu
