Hosting the FL Undergrad Research Conference

Stetson University will host more than 200 students and faculty members from 23 colleges and universities for the second annual Florida Undergraduate Research Conference on Friday evening, March 16, and all day Saturday, March 17.

The conference is designed to celebrate excellence in student research and creativity and to foster an appreciation for undergraduate academic achievements in Florida. Put on by the Council of Florida Undergraduate Research Program Directors, the conference debuted in 2011 at the University of North Florida.

“The student presenters have a wonderful opportunity to share their research and projects with the greater academic community of the state and be exposed to various ways in which they can further their research, in graduate school and beyond. Faculty presenters also offer new ideas for undergraduate research programs in a variety of fields,” said Dr. Kimberly Reiter, Stetson associate professor of history and the Stetson representative for the Florida Undergraduate Research Council, the sponsoring agency for the conference. “Stetson University is proud to host the conference.”

The public is invited to attend poster presentations and faculty lectures on a broad range of research topics and academic subjects. Viewing/lecture times for the public are from 9-11:45 a.m. and 1:15-4 p.m. Saturday, March 17.

About 160 undergraduate students – including 17 from Stetson – were selected to present posters detailing their academic research. Posters will be presented in the Rinker Field House inside the Hollis Center, 602 N. Bert Fish Drive, and in the Edmunds Center,143 E. Pennsylvania Ave., DeLand.

Nine faculty lectures will be given by professors from Stetson, University of Central Florida, Bethune-Cookman University, University of North Florida, Florida A&M University and Barry University. Reiter will moderate a panel discussion on transitioning from undergraduate to graduate school, and Dr. John Schorr, senior professor of sociology, will give a lecture on using community outreach for undergraduate research.

The faculty presentations will begin at 9:30 and 10:45 a.m. and again at 1:45 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at two campus locations: in the duPont-Ball Library, lower level, Room 25, accessed from the Nemec Courtyard on the north side of the library,134 E. Minnesota Ave., and in the Science Center, 136 E. Minnesota Ave., DeLand.

Stetson has a strong focus on academic rigor and undergraduate research. Students in the College of Arts & Sciences at Stetson are required to do an intensive research project, and students in the School of Music perform recitals. Many students in the School of Business Administration also conduct research in their fields. The projects give Stetson students an advantage for graduate school admission and can be cited on students’ resumes.

“Undergraduate research is a tradition at Stetson,” Reiter said. “The level of research being done here is equal to what is normally done in graduate school. This enriches the undergraduate academic experience and prepares Stetson students for the type of research they will do in grad school.”

For more information about the second annual Florida Undergraduate Research Conference, visit https://www.stetson.edu/other/research/conference/index.php or contact Reiter at [email protected].