VCU news

By Bianca Simpson

VCU’s Third Annual Student Research Week celebrated the research and scholarship of undergraduate and graduate students during a series of events from April 19 to April 27.

Students from an array of disciplines shared their research experiences with academic peers, faculty members, community members and friends and family.

“This is a week to profile the hard work these students are pursuing through their scholarly and research endeavors,” said Herb Hill, event organizer and coordinator of Undergraduate Research Opportunities in the VCU Office of Research.

“Student engagement doesn’t seem to be a problem when it comes to research at VCU. We’re happy to see Research Week expanding and really happy to see the numbers grow with the students getting not just the opportunity to present these projects, but to get engaged with research and to have the opportunity to pursue that kind of experience at VCU.”

The kick-off event for this year’s Research Week was the School of Engineering Senior Design Expo at the Science Museum of Virginia. During the expo, undergraduate engineering students presented and discussed their capstone senior projects with the greater Richmond community, which included middle and high school students learning about the engineering field.

On day two, the Virginia/North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Research Symposium allowed minority undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to share their research experience with other alliance institution members and the university community at large.

Alliance member institutions include Bennett College (Greensboro, N.C.), Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, N.C.), George Mason University (Fairfax), Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, N.C.), Piedmont Virginia Community College (Charlottesville), Saint Augustine’s University (Raleigh, N.C.), University of Virginia (Charlottesville), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg) and VCU.

Graduate students took the opportunity to present their research at the Graduate Student Research Symposium later in the week. The VCU Graduate Student Association sponsors the annual forum.

Natasha Cole, a second-year graduate student in the counseling psychology program, presented her project titled, “Ego Resilience and Mindfulness on the Relationship between Academic Stress and Psychological Well Being.” She finds research to be taxing, but the end result to be rewarding.

“I think VCU definitely fosters opportunities for research,” said Cole. “We have access to such a diverse student population, a diverse community and the MCV campus is up the street giving us access to a medical community as well.”

Another opportunity for students to present their research was the Fifth Annual Poster Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creativity. During the event, the Office of Research announced the 2013 cohort of students awarded the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Summer Fellowship.

The Faculty Mentor Awards, a new set of awards for Research Week, were presented at the undergraduate research symposium. Students nominated their faculty mentors for excellence in guiding them through their research.

“Faculty mentors are an extremely important part of the academic enterprise that seeks to discover new knowledge and to apply new knowledge,” said Francis Macrina, Ph.D., vice president for research.

During his welcome remarks at the symposium, VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., talked about VCU’s commitment to undergraduate and graduate research and its importance to Quest for Distinction, the university's strategic plan.
 
“What motivates me is knowing that I have been able to find ways or that I will find ways to ensure that everyone’s experience at Virginia Commonwealth University as a student is as full, rich and completely smothered with critical thinking as possible,” said Rao.
“When you become a member of Virginia Commonwealth University, we expect you to be your very best, and we expect you to lead in every way. We don’t want you to be along for the ride, we want you driving.”

On Friday, the VCU School of Social Work held its research symposium. Graduate and undergraduate students from the VCU School of Social Work presented their research and scholarly projects at this annual symposium.

The VCU Venture Creation Competition also took place on Friday and included a reception and awards ceremony at the VCU School of Business. VCU’s da Vinci Center for Innovation hosted this business plan competition aimed at sparking the entrepreneurial spirit of all VCU students across campus. Participants were given the opportunity to define their ideas in commercial terms and to compete for cash prizes that can be then used to pursue the commercialization of their concepts, inventions and/or business ideas.

The week wrapped up with the VCU Global Health Symposium on the MCV campus on Saturday. The symposium included presentations by current and former participants in the global health projects, a presentation of university and globalization approaches and priorities, a poster display of current outreach efforts in global health at VCU, as well as opportunities for networking with colleagues from all areas of the university to foster collaboration.

The VCU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, VCU Graduate Student Association, the VCU Office of Research and the VCU Office of the Provost served as sponsors for Research Week.


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