August 25, 2005

A Taste Of The Scholarly Life: Undergrads From Across The
Country Present Findings At UCSD Summer Research Conference

By Michael Dabney

One hundred-forty-five undergraduate students from the University of California, San Diego; San Diego State University, Yale, MIT and other campuses from across the country gathered at UCSD recently to present findings from in-depth research studies they conducted individually this summer under faculty mentors.

Before presenting her findings at the recent Summer Research Conference, UCSD Structural Engineering undergraduate Santina Watts performs final calibrations on her project titled Testing of Leaning Columns in an Unbraced Moment Frame System. She conducted her work under faculty mentor Chia-Ming Uang at UCSD.

The students – representing academic disciplines from astrophysics and medicine to humanities and ethnic studies – were participants in UCSD’s annual Summer Research Conference where they received valuable experience in what every successful scholar must master: how to present and defend their scientific work before peers and other professionals in a public forum.

The all-day event at UCSD’s Price Center on August 11 saw undergraduates present and discuss their research at one of 22 roundtable presentations, arranged by subject, before an audience of faculty, fellow students and interested guests. The UCSD Summer Research Conference is planned and coordinated by UCSD’s Academic Enrichment Programs (AEP), a unit of Student Educational Advancement in Student Affairs. AEP also sponsors other key undergraduate research experiences on campus throughout the year.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities: A Growing Phenomenon
Until recently, scholars in training usually had to wait until graduate school to perform cutting-edge research with noted faculty. Now undergraduate research programs and conferences are a growing phenomenon on campuses across the country. They provide undergraduate students with “hands-on” research experience, presentation skills, and a chance to collaborate with a distinguished scholar. Students who participate in structured research programs immensely enhance their competitiveness for admission to highly selective graduate and professional schools.

“We are proud that UCSD has been a leader in sponsoring undergraduate research experiences for students,” says David Artis, Ph.D., director, AEP. “Because of the increasing popularity of undergraduate research among students and faculty, our Summer Research Conference represents a genuinely diverse community of young scholars from UCSD and a wide variety of colleges and universities. And their academic interests are as varied as their backgrounds”

During eight to ten weeks of investigation in preparation for the conference, students work closely with their faculty mentors, Artis explains. “They get a compressed but thorough scholarly experience, including highs and lows, breakthroughs and disappointments. Often, they and their mentors are surprised by how much they can accomplish in a relatively short period of time,” he says.

Many undergraduate research programs also strive is to bring more ethnically underrepresented and first-generation college student participants from UCSD and other universities to actively pursue doctoral degrees and careers in research and academia.

Training the Next Generation of Scientists, Scholars and Faculty
Undergraduates in the conference are supported by fellowships from more than a dozen local, state, and national funding agencies, including: the UC Office of the President; National Institutes of Health; the U.S. Department of Education; the National Science Foundation; California Alliance for Minority Participation in the Sciences, Engineering and Math (CAMP); UCSD Chemistry & Biochemistry Department; the Faculty Mentor Program; UCSD Mathematics Department; Medical Scientists Training Program (MSTP); the Office of Graduate Studies and Research Summer Training Academy for Research in the Sciences (STARS); the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program (UCSD), and the UC Fund/Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, UCSD (UC Fund).

Adds Artis: “With the help of training received through undergraduate research programs, we believe these students are capable of leading the next generation of scientists, scholars, professional and government leaders, and university faculty.”

Here is a listing of just some of the conference’s research presentations conducted by students in various categories:

Gertrudis Vargas (Mentor: Audrey Hokoda, Child and Family Development, SDSU)
DATING VIOLENCE AMONG MEXICAN AND MEXICAN-AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS
SDSU; Major: Psychology

Rozalyn Pama (Mentor: Evan Snyder, Stem Cells and Regeneration Program, Burnham Institute)
THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF NEURAL STEM CELLS IN A MOUSE MODEL OF SANDHOFF DISEASE
University of Guam; Major: Biology

Shannon Driscoll (Mentor: Jennifer Feeney, Psychology, UCSD)
VISUAL PROCESSING IN DEAF AND HEARING ADULTS
Arcadia University; Major: Psychology; Art Therapy

Joshua Gene Kellison (Mentor: Leslie Carver, Psychology, UCSD)
THE ROLE OF ATTACHMENT BEHAVIOR IN TODDLERS’ EVENT RELATED POTENTIAL RESPONSES TO PICTURES OF THEIR MOTHERS AND STRANGERS
UCSD; Major: Psychology; Critical Gender Studies

Kristin A Hook (Mentor: James Moore, Anthropology, UCSD)
GUENON MONKEY TEMPERANCE COMPARISON WITHIN THE SAN DIEGO ZOO
University of Texas at Austin; Major: Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior

Paula Garcia-Reynaga (Mentor: Hugh Mehan, Sociology, UCSD)
LESSONS FROM PREUSS: THE HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOMPERS CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL
UCSD; Major: Political Science; Sociology

Daniel M Scolnic (Mentor: Paolo Padoan, Physics, UCSD)
TURBULENCE IN THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM
MIT; Major: Physics

Edward Bo Lin (Mentor: Robert Sah, Bioengineering, UCSD)
A STUDY OF THE AGE-RELATED LOCALIZATION AND DENSITY OF CALCIUM DEPOSITION WITHIN HUMAN MENISCUS TISSUE
UCSD; Major: Bioengineering

Monique N Manns (Mentor: Robert Dutnall, Biological Sciences, UCSD)
CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF MAMMALIAN TSPY
UC Santa Cruz; Major: Health Sciences

Eva Palomares (Mentor: Olga Vasquez, Communication, UCSD)
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN IN LA CLASE MAGICA
(AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM)
UCSD; Major: Human Development

Angelic N. Willis (Mentor: April Linton, Sociology, UCSD)
CALIFORNIA'S IMMIGRANT CHILDREN: STUDIES OF EDUCATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN SAN DIEGO CITY SCHOOLS
UCSD; Major: Ethnic Studies

For more information on AEP undergraduate research programs, visit http://aep.ucsd.edu/default2.htm, or call (858) 534-1774.

Media Contact: Michael Dabney, (858) 822-0566