Colorado State University Research and Creativity Symposium Will Feature Student Work

Colorado State University will host its annual All-University Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 12 in the Lory Student Center.

The symposium will showcase 171 faculty-mentored undergraduate student research projects, creative works and performing art pieces from colleges across campus. Students will be recognized for outstanding achievements and awarded various scholarships.

"The number of symposium participants has nearly doubled this year," said Thomas Sneider, event coordinator. "Independent research and creative work are traditionally considered graduate student and faculty activities. The increasing popularity of this event demonstrates the large number of our undergraduates who are working with faculty mentors on independent projects."

The symposium will include poster displays, videos and a slide show in the Lory Student Center Main Ballroom from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Art work chosen for a juried exhibit will be shown in the Curfman Gallery. Oral research presentations will take place in Rooms 208-210 of the Lory Student Center throughout the morning.

An awards ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. in Room 228 of the Lory Student Center. Physiology professor Douglas Ishii and theater instructor Wendy Ishii will deliver a keynote address focusing on the role of creativity in research and the role of research in creative endeavors. A reception for the participants, mentors and guests will follow.

Student work will be judged by faculty committees. Work judged to be of highest distinction will receive plaques and $250 scholarships. Those submitting work judged to be of high distinction will win $125 scholarships. A $200 scholarship will be awarded by the Sigma Xi honor society for the best undergraduate research project in science and engineering. The individual colleges across campus also will present awards.

In addition, one $250 scholarship will be awarded to the student who enters a poster that is determined to most effectively communicate technical ideas in a way that is understandable to lay audiences. The winning poster in this category will be selected by a panel of media representatives.