11th annual Undergraduate Research Conference to be held April 19

Almost 100 Virginia Tech students will present their research and creative scholarship at the 11th annual Undergraduate Research Conference from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 19, at the Inn at Virginia Tech and Skeleton Conference Center. 

Family, friends, those affiliated with Virginia Tech, and the greater community are welcome to attend to see a showcase of student contributions to scholarship.

Presentation topics represent diverse areas of disciplines and focus areas from life sciences, engineering, and math to liberal arts. Student participants represent six of the undergraduate colleges at Virginia Tech.

• Twenty-eight students will give oral presentations. Topics include: “Novel biodegradable phosphonium-based polyesters for gene delivery,” “Cutting deep: The examination of female genital mutilation among Somali communities in Kakuma, Kenya,” “#WhatIWore: Fashion decisions of undergraduate females,” and “A virtual aerospace crashworthiness assessment platform,” among others.
• Sixty-eight students will give poster presentations. Topics include: “The effect of corn gluten in lambs,” “The effect of copper piping on opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing,” “Consumer framing of SeaWorld trainer attack,” “Actively caring to prevent aggression and bullying in middle schools,” and “Growing together: A study of participatory design,” among others.

“We are excited by the variety of topics students will present at the conference,” Tomalei Vess, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, said. “The conference gives them an opportunity to share their contributions more broadly and makes students eligible to apply for national conference travel funds from the Office of Undergraduate Research.”

A full schedule of events and abstract book is available on the Office of Undergraduate Research’s website.

Sponsors of the event include: Fralin Life Science Institute; Virginia Bioinformatics Institute; Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment; Virginia Tech Transportation Institute; Office of the Vice President for Research; Student Success Center; HHMI Scieneering Program; College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Undergraduate Research Institute; University Libraries; and the Division of Student Affairs.

Related Links

• Student selected to present research to political leaders at the Council on Undergraduate Research’s Posters on the Hill event
• Undergraduate student represents university as its first Presidential Fellow
• Seven undergraduate students awarded 2012-13 ACC Creativity and Innovation Fellowships