Undergraduate Symposium Expands to Student Union

The Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium (ASUReS) went big in its third year with a move from meeting spaces in Ayres Hall to large event rooms in the Student Union on March 31. This annual event celebrates research and creative endeavors by currently enrolled undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), with 77 presentations by 87 students participating this year.

Thirty-eight presentations earned winning accolades, representing the work of 44 students across a range of disciplines.

ASUReS offers undergraduate students an experience that helps to hone confidence and skills in communicating their research approaches and goals. According to recent studies by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, almost 70% of employers highly value professional verbal communication. Other studies have shown that a majority of college students report a fear of public speaking, and many look for their undergraduate programs to include opportunities to improve public speaking. ASUReS offers students this valuable venue to deliver presentations and receive detailed feedback from a panel of discerning faculty judges, with personalized comments that offer insight into their strengths and areas for improvement.

Presenters Up Their Game

Students rose to the occasion as the annual rhythm of ASUReS grew in its campus profile. Scoring and comments by judges indicated a high level of quality throughout presentations. 

“Across sessions, judges consistently noted strong organization, clear communication, and a high level of confidence and subject mastery,” said Associate Dean for Academic Programs Liem Tran, whose team coordinates ASUReS. 

Judges evaluated presentations based on students’ depth of understanding, the expertise they demonstrate, originality and innovation, their engagement and delivery, and overall impact of their work’s relevance, significance, and contribution to the discipline.

Judges found the presentations well organized and easy to understand, with presenters demonstrating a good understanding of the research problem and approach. They noted that students overall were engaging, knowledgeable, and confident in presenting work with highly meaningful contributions.

“One judge noted a ‘fantastic presentation’ that made complex ideas accessible through clear analogies,” said Tran. “Another emphasized a ‘professional, polished, and poised’ delivery with impressive performance during the question-and-answer segment.”

ASUReS Professionalism Recognized

Tran and team received a great deal of positive feedback from both mentors and judges about the overall quality, organization, and professional nature of ASUReS.

“They also especially appreciated what has become a signature feature of ASUReS, which is sharing judges’ comments with student presenters and their mentors so they can learn from the feedback and continue improving,” said Tran. “We also saw strong engagement from our judges this year, with about 70 percent returning from last year.”

This continuity of judges helped strengthen consistency and quality in the evaluation process.

“At the same time, ASUReS also serves as a valuable learning experience for graduate students who serve as judges,” said Tran. “By pairing them with faculty, they gain experience in how to evaluate presentations professionally.”

ASUReS Winners

First Place

• Lily Beall
• Ainsley Brown
• Hannah Buchanan
• Margaret Dobson
• Nathan Fawver
• Amanda Hubbard
• Henry Humble
• Sydnie Kingman
• Tori McCall
• Ryan Mesler
• Vu Nguyen
• Hamza Ranjha
• Owen Singleton
• Dylan Smith
• Shomari Taylor
• Jullian Watts
• Wilson Welchons

Second Place

• Nicolette Abate and Lucas Hinds
• Natalie Aldrich
• Samuel Besh
• Sarah Grace Cook
• Dinesh Gangavarapu
• Greta Goss
• Lily Harper
• John Humphrey
• Andrew Kukkapalli, Sally Hoyt, Ella Kendall, and Rondi Quass
• Daniella Martin and Cooper White
• Kevan Mehta
• Kush Patel
• Emma Patterson
• Jack Peltier
• Gabrielle Puckett
• Elizabeth Short and Gwyneth McClelland
• Ellie Smith
• Grace Sutt
• Bella Thomas-Wilson
• Emma Toledo
• Olivia Yochim

by Randall Brown