The University of West Alabama will host its ninth annual University Research Symposium (URS) on Tuesday, March 10. Led by the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the event showcases undergraduate and graduate research from UWA and a slate of schools across the region. Two viewing sessions and the awards banquet are open to the public.
At URS, students present research in one of several offered categories with poster visuals and oral presentations that are judged by a panel of professionals. Concurrent with the symposium is a graduate schools and career expo that connects students with potential graduate schools and employers from the region.
The morning viewing session runs from 9:30 until 11:30 a.m. The afternoon session runs from 1 until 3 p.m. Presentation categories include STEM, social sciences, creative scholarship in design, arts and humanities, and other fields. These sessions offer student researchers the opportunity to connect with visitors and share their insight on solutions for real needs in various fields.
“The intense immersion of undergraduate students in research helps them develop their scholarly pursuits,” said Dr. Mustafa Morsy, chair of the symposium and professor of biology. “With faculty dedicated to helping interested students identify and approach areas of research, we take pride in the process of refining students’ interests into focused project topics.”
Awards will be presented at an afternoon banquet beginning at 3:30 at Bell Conference Center, featuring guest speakers Rick Pate and Dr. Jim Purcell. Undergraduate research will be judged and awarded in three places with the Dean’s Award, Provost’s Award, and President’s Award.
Purcell, executive director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE), is a strong advocate for student research, and he has spent the past 30 years advocating for students and institutions of higher education to maximize their potential.
Pate is commissioner of the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries and serves the state through management and promotion of some of Alabama’s greatest resources while also ensuring the best quality for Alabama consumers.
The University of West Alabama is an institutional member of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).
The Symposium is made possible in part by support from Alabama Power Company, EBSCO Industries, the Sumter County Farmers Federation, Tombigbee RC&D Council, the Alabama Water Institute, UWA’s College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, and the UWA Office of Sponsored Programs & Research.
For more information on the University Research Symposium at UWA, email ursnsm@uwa.edu or call 205-652-5541.