WSU SURCA 2016 Poster Event Presents 9 Awards to Honors Undergraduate Researchers

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PULLMAN, Wash.—At Washington State University’s largest-ever Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA) on March 28, 57 of the more than 235 students presenting just over 200 posters landed a total of 51 awards, announced Shelley Pressley, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, event host. Of these 235 presenters 48 students are a part of the WSU Honors College.  Of the 57 students who won awards 12 were presented to Honors student.

The awards to Honors students include 4 crimson award (the highest possible), 4 gray awards (the second highest), 1 novice award (for students working up to two semesters on their research and who show exceptional promise) and 3 honorable mentions.  Awards were made in each of SURCA’s eight participation categories, which are purposely designed to cover every major in all disciplines across the institution.  Honors students were awarded in six categories.

Applied Learning

“There were so many strong presentations,” said Mary F. Wack, WSU vice provost for Undergraduate Education, at the awards ceremony. “I was inspired to observe firsthand the knowledge, excitement, and passion all of the students brought to their projects.”

“I’m so proud that the Honors College was so well-represented at SURCA this year,” said Grant M. Norton, dean of the WSU Honors College, “Research is a huge part of the Honors curriculum and seeing students take what we teach them here in Honors and apply it to their interests is so exciting.”

Celebrating five years

SURCA 2016 marks the fifth year that students participating in mentored research, scholarship, and creative activities made public presentations on their work, and “it is this exchange of information that advances all fields of scholarship,” Sanchez Lanier said. The day of the event—March 28—marked the 126^th anniversary of Washington State University as well. And 2016 is also the year that the Office of Undergraduate Research, which is part of WSU Undergraduate Education, celebrates its 10^th anniversary. SURCA is traditionally the closing event for WSU Showcase Week.

Mary Sánchez Lanier, assistant vice provost, thanked all participants, their mentors, judges, volunteers, and sponsors of the fifth annual poster event, which is open to students in all grades and majors on every campus in the WSU system. Sponsors included: Alturas Analytics, The Boeing Company, Decagon Devices, the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship program, and the WSU Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President.

SURCA 2016 awardees

By SURCA category, the 2016 awardees from Honors, their mentors, and winning research topics (in alphabetical order) are:

Applied Sciences (4 awards to 4 students: 1 in Honors)

Crimson award: Natalie Hurst, mentor Jennifer Zambriski, on “The Effect of Stanchion Housing on Behavior and Health Evaluation in Calves Experimentally Challenged with Cryptosporidium parvum”

Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, and Information Sciences (1 award to 1 student: 1 in Honors)

 

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MEDIA: Shelley Pressley, Director of the WSU Office of Undergraduate Research, 509-335-5488,spressley@wsu.edu

Emma Epperly, Communications Assistant, WSU Undergraduate Education, 509-335-9458,emmaepperly@wsu.edu