The Office of Undergraduate Research will present the fifth annual Humanities, Arts, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Education and Business Conference, Nov. 17,8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Galloway Business Building.
The conference will include presentations from undergraduate and graduate students and will feature keynote speaker Lynn Maurer, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
“We wanted to give our non-science and non-engineers an opportunity to present their research and creative activities,” Kumer Das, interim associate provost for research and sponsored programs, said.
Students work with mentors during the summer and throughout the school year on research projects, and the conference gives them the opportunity to showcase that research to an audience, Das said.
Students reveal their research on any topic involving their major through oral or visual poster presentations.
Some presentations from last year included “Volunteer and Hurricane Harvey,” presented by Tanner Driskill; “The Electoral College: Rethinking Rethinking,” by Charles Lyons; “African-Americans and Hurricanes,” by Kendrick Williams; “Narcissism and Art,” by Marly Smith, and other presentations from a wide range of disciplines including such as speech and hearing sciences, history, English, psychology, sociology, graphic design and more.
Students are encouraged to attend the conference and listen to their peers who are presenting research, Das said.
“If you do not have anything to present this year, come and see what’s going on,” he said. “That way you can see what you can do and help you formulate your ideas (for next year).”
The HASBSEB conference offers a platform to get involved in discussion and develop skills for the next phase of a student’s career — whether that next phase is graduate school, a job or applying for an internship, Das said.
“None of us are born scientists or researchers,” he said. “The idea is that we have to start somewhere. You have to get involved in discussion and sharing.”
Attendees should register ahead of time at www.lamar.edu/undergraduate-research. Food and refreshments will be provided.
Story by Cheyenne Ard, UP contributor