Illinois State’s Undergraduate Research Symposium April 20

Date: 4/9/07
Contact: Kathy Beal

What makes something a terrorist act rather than a criminal act? How do living organisms mutate to survive in a changing environment? What does natural childbirth mean in today’s society? Can waste heat from factories and automobiles be turned into efficient and cost-effective power? Are physically impaired workers experiencing barriers to employment? What is the connection between binge drinking and risky sexual behavior?

Answers to these and other questions can be obtained at the Illinois State University Undergraduate Research Symposium on Friday, April 20, in Bone Student Center. Close to 200 students will present the results of their research via posters, oral presentations, class presentations or multimedia displays in a university-wide showcase of student research, scholarship and creative achievement.

Multimedia presentations include “Introducing Iris 4: The Mind Project Robot,” a showcase of the robot that is equipped with a vision system, two arms, a voice and a mechanical body.

Students explored topics such as confrontational evangelism on campus, human trafficking and contemporary slavery, predictors of bulimia, the relationship between GRE scores and graduate school academic success and Chicago’s dynamic bikeways.

Oral presentations begin at 9 a.m. and continue through 1 p.m. in Bone Student Center. Poster and multimedia presentations will be in the Brown Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. An opening ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. in the Brown Ballroom, with students from each college talking about their research projects.

The Symposium, sponsored by the Graduate School, the Graduate Student Association, Research and Sponsored Programs, Milner Library and the Honors Program, started 17 years ago to promote undergraduate student research. The symposium focus has expanded to encourage cross-disciplinary associations to provide a university-wide event to communicate research to the general public.