Athens, Ga. – More than 250 University of Georgia undergraduate students will present original research projects and creative works at the annual spring symposium hosted by UGA’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities. The two-day event, which is open to the public, will be held on March 31 and April 1 at the Classic Center in downtown Athens.
Since its inception in 1999, the CURO Symposium has provided a public space for students from all academic disciplines to share their research with their peers, the UGA research community and others.
“It is very exciting that we now have enough presenters that we need to expand to a two-day schedule,” said David S. Williams, associate provost and director of the Honors Program, who oversees CURO. “This will allow us to showcase even more undergraduate students and their exceptional research work.”
On March 31, students will give concurrent oral presentations from 1:25 p.m.-3:20 p.m. with a welcome and keynote address to follow from 4-5 p.m. Poster sessions and a reception will take place from 5-6 p.m. The oral presentations will continue April 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Among the more than 150 student research projects to be presented at the CURO Symposium are:
• “Perceptions about Global Development,” a poster by Alexa DeAntonio, a third-year biological sciences major. DeAntonio has been examining the public’s awareness, attitude and knowledge of the developing world and the role the media plays in shaping those perceptions.
• “Octopaminergic Gene Expression and Flexible Social Behavior in the Subsocial Burying Beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides,” an oral presentation by Mary Douthit, a fourth-year biology major. The project looks at how genetics influences the social behavior of the burying beetle species Nicrophorus vespilloides.
• “College Credit experience and Financial Literacy,” an oral presentation by Anthony Reyna, a second-year finance major. Reyna has been studying the financial literacy of college students through this project.
During the keynote session beginning at 4 p.m. in the Classic Center’s atrium, Phaedra Corso, a professor in the College of Public Health and director of UGA’s Economic Evaluation Research Group, will deliver an address titled “Health Policy and the Promise of Research.”
Before her talk, best paper awards will be presented in the following categories: life sciences; public and international affairs; arts, humanities and media; physical and environmental sciences; social sciences; business; and technology, engineering and math.
The UGA Libraries also will present five cash-prize awards to students for excellence in research and academic inquiry.
Additionally, two faculty members will be recognized with mentoring awards for their efforts to enhance the learning experience of undergraduate researchers through outstanding teaching; supervision of undergraduate research projects and theses; and collaboration on publications and presentations at professional conferences.
Free parking will be provided at the Classic Center, and a UGA bus will travel to the Classic Center with stops at the UGA Hotel and Conference Center at the Georgia Center and the Tate Student Center.
