Undergraduate research symposium set for Saturday

How are health risks perceived internationally? How is a mother’s communication style related to depression in preschoolers? How are novel polymer systems used in antibiofueling coatings?

You can find the answers to these questions and many more during the fall 2008 Undergraduate Research Symposium from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, in the Danforth University Center.

Slated to be the largest in the biannual event’s four-year history, the symposium will feature presentations by students from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, Olin Business School, School of Engineering & Applied Science and College of Arts & Sciences.

More than 200 undergraduates are expected to showcase their research projects through poster presentations and visual and oral presentations during the event, which is free and open to the public.

“The Undergraduate Research Symposium is a great way for students to showcase just how advanced undergraduate research can be,” said Henry Biggs, Ph.D., associate dean in Arts & Sciences and director of the Office of Undergraduate Research.

“It allows students to examine what those in other disciplines are working on as well. The symposium gets more and more popular each semester as students see the benefit of presenting their work to such a wide audience,” Biggs said.

Ten high-school students who participated in the Students and Teachers as Research Scientists also will be presenting posters, as will WUSTL undergraduates who participated in Career Center internships, the Department of Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, the Undergraduate Research Summer Awards program and study abroad programs.

For more information, visit ur.wustl.edu.