April 2006

Senior Patricia Calderon credits her research experience with helping her get a fellowship for graduate studies. (Susan Jones/Custom Photography)

Briefly speaking: Experimenting with research

Does your student enjoy delving into research or have plans to attend graduate or professional school? If so, you should encourage him or her to check out the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference on Saturday, April 29.

Now in its 17th year, the conference provides undergraduates with the unique opportunity to present research in a professionally oriented atmosphere. Not only does the experience give students a taste of graduate school, many of them go on to publish their findings.

"We're trying to introduce UC Davis undergraduates to the same rigorous process they would go through as graduate students," says Tammy Hoyer of Advising Services, who has chaired the conference since its inception.

Hoyer says she is gratified to see the growth in the number of students involved, from 19 the first year to 249 this year. Students in all areas of study — from dance to engineering and anthropology — are encouraged to submit abstracts. While the conference has always been open to all majors, Hoyer says the conference committee felt the need to change the name last year to reflect the inclusion of humanities, social sciences and the arts.

Learning by doing

Participants must work under the supervision of a professor but can follow different paths to research, including independent research courses, group study, honors theses or even a paid lab internship.

They receive one to five units while learning scientific methodology accepted in their individual field of study. Participants also attend a mandatory information session where they learn conference etiquette — what to wear and how to act — get advice on publishing their paper and receive help with logistics.

This year, about 180 students will present in a lecture format, and 68 will prepare visual presentations of their research on posters.

Patricia Calderon, a senior majoring in communications with a minor in religious studies, presented research last year and, this year for her presentation, she has analyzed nonverbal and interpersonal communication techniques in four film scenes about the Last Supper. She credits the experience with helping her to land a full fellowship at Texas A&M University, where she was recently accepted into a graduate program in communications.

"They were definitely excited to have me enter the program with so much research experience already," Calderon says.

Students and parents who want to see firsthand what the experience is like can attend the conference from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 29th, in Freeborn and Wellman halls on campus.

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