Fall Undergraduate Research Symposium

It’s been a while since I last posted!  Did you miss me?  I think this has been one of the busiest semesters of my UNC Asheville career.  Not only am I working and blogging, but I am also in the process of working on my senior capstone course, which is time-consuming and a bit stressful, to say the least.  I could not blog this week because I was working on getting a major part of this project out of the way: on Wednesday, I presented my paper at the Fall Undergraduate Research Symposium, taking care of the “oral competency” requirement on my graduation checklist.  What a relief.  Now, all that’s left is for me to put the final touches on my paper, take exams, and enjoy Winter Break.  With just two more weeks remaining in the semester, we’re in the final stretch! 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with undergraduate research at UNC Asheville, I’ll tell you a little bit about the topic.  Not every student at the university is required to complete undergraduate research (done alone or in a team), but those following certain majors must do this as part of their course of studies.  My major, International Studies, for example, requires that I participate in research exploring a topic related to my field of study.  This semester, my academic advisor has helped me develop my topic and craft a strong research paper.  Every fall and spring, we hold an Undergraduate Research Symposium, where students are able to showcase the hard work they’ve been doing all semester.  The Symposia offer students the chance to be recognized for their research, as well as to learn more about the interests of their peers, which is fun, and at times, surprising.  In the spring, students who have successfully completed their research may submit their work for publication in the UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Research and/or the Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.  Pretty great, right?

Here's the title slide of my presentation, just in case you're curious~

Initially, I was a bit scared of the prospect of completing this research; when I realized that I would have to present the project orally, I was nervous that I might not do well.  However, as my project comes to a close, I feel glad that I was forced to participate.  I have learned a lot in the process, and I have really enjoyed the opportunity to focus so much attention and time on a topic in which I am very interested.  If you’re in Asheville in May of 2012, why not stop by some of the presentations on campus and see for yourself?  It will be 100 % worth your while.    

Here are the links for the Undergraduate Research Program and this year's Fall Symposium schedule.  Check it out!