by Kristen Shlakman
With finals right around the corner, many of us have enough on our plates to keep us occupied until the end of the year (especially seniors). But for 32 students at Capital, these next few weeks aren’t just about studying for final exams, but for finishing and presenting their research project at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR).
The NCUR allows students from over 300 universities to submit abstracts to a council where they select students to present their research and creative presentations in oral, poster and exhibit, or performance sessions. This year, the conference is taking place in La Crosse, Wisconsin starting on April 10.
“My music history professor, Dina Lentsner, has everybody write a term paper during the first semester. After reading mine, she emailed me and suggested that I submit an abstract of my work to the NCUR. At that point, I had no idea what she was talking about so I looked into it and (figuring I had nothing to lose) decided to see what would happen if I did,” Amanda Ferguson said.
This is Ferguson’s first time participating in the event and she has nothing but positive comments about the experience thus far.
“I have no problem reading my paper in front of an audience, but I do worry that people will ask me questions about my research that I won’t know the answer to,” Ferguson said. “I’m mostly looking forward to meeting a ton of new people that I never would have met otherwise.”
The conference is designed to showcase the hard work and dedication of undergraduate students across the country.
“I will be giving my presentation on Thursday afternoon and will have 15 minutes to discuss my research; this will then be followed by a five minute question and answer session. Once I have finished my presentation I will have the opportunity to attend other presentations,” Mitchell Stith, another NCUR participant, said.
The conference not only gives students the opportunity to learn from other students’ research, but also to network with many professionals from around the country.
“I am a little nervous about attending this event since I have never actually done anything like this before, but on the whole I am really looking forward to this experience. I am very grateful to have this opportunity and am very thankful that Capital is providing the support to so many of our students,” Stith said.
Overall, the students seem to have a positive outlook about their upcoming experience. For seniors participating, like Alex Forconi, it is a positive way to showcase their research and all that they have learned from their time here at Capital.
“I am excited,” Forconi said. “It will definitely be a good experience. I was fortunate enough to find a topic that I enjoyed researching, so the whole process hasn’t seemed so much like work.”
While this year’s event is next week, there is always the possibility to attend next year. Anyone can submit research and attend if their project has been accepted.
“Even though I haven’t attended the conference yet, I think that any opportunity to share knowledge and ideas is a key part of the university experience and is definitely worth attending,” Stith said. “With the help of a great adviser like mine, it is entirely possible to submit an abstract if you are interested and wanting to participate.”
kshlakma@capital.edu
