The smell of popcorn filled the air as undergraduates lined the walkways of the University Capitol Center, showcasing their research and scholarship for campus and community members at the 20th annual Spring Undergraduate Research Festival on Wednesday, April 3.
The event, hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR), featured nearly 150 student researchers presenting work ranging from creating virtual reality performances of Shakespeare to investigating novel drug delivery methods to treat bladder cancer. Volunteer evaluators, recruited from campus and community, chatted with students about their work and provided valuable feedback. The festival also included a new exhibit hall, which provided space for students with three-dimensional objects as part of their portfolio of work.
“Our undergraduate research festivals provide students a valuable opportunity to practice communicating their scholarship with audiences unfamiliar with their chosen discipline,” said Bob Kirby, OUR director. “These events also give our campus community an opportunity to find inspiration in the ingenuity and work ethic of these students.” He added that the festival was largest ever in terms of student presenters and attendees.
One in three undergraduates participates in research by the time that they graduate from the University of Iowa. The Spring Undergraduate Research Festival program of presenters and program of abstracts are available on the OUR website. OUR, a unit of the Office of the Vice President for Research, hosts two undergraduate research festivals each year, one in fall and one in spring.
