Undergraduate Research Day, October 18, 2018

This year marks the 14th anniversary of Undergraduate Research Day, an event that showcases the diverse range of research projects completed by University of Houston undergraduate students throughout the last year. Presenters include students from the 2018 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, as well as students who conducted research under the guidance of a University of Houston faculty mentor during the fall 2017, spring 2018, and summer 2018 terms. Our undergraduate researchers are eager to share their research projects and experiences with you, so be prepared for an afternoon of engaging presentations and discussions. This summer, staff and faculty from the Office of Undergraduate Research met with each of the over 100 students participating in the 2018 SURF program. These students worked with faculty mentors from 11 colleges and 33 departments on campus, whose efforts contribute to the broad range of research projects on display here today. Students who participate in faculty-mentored research programs such as SURF have an opportunity to develop critical thinking, problem solving, and oral and written communication skills. They also hone their ability to think independently and work effectively within a team. These skills were made apparent to the Office of Undergraduate Research team members when conversing with the students. The SURF 2018 program was comprised of several different student cohorts. This includes 81 SURF students, 18 Mellon Research Scholars, five Pharis Fellows, and five University of Houston/MD Anderson Cancer Center (UHAND) Scholars. The Pharis Fellows and UHAND Scholars are among the exciting additions to the undergraduate research programming at the University of Houston. For example, the 2018 Pharis Fellows used computational models to analyze community health outcomes under the mentorship of Drs. Dan Price and Peggy Lindner. These dynamic and interactive digital presentations are featured today in the Estess Library of the Honors College. The 2018 UHAND Scholars, led by Dr. Lorraine Reitzel from the University of Houston and Dr. Lorna McNeill from MD Anderson Cancer Center, conducted cancer disparities research, learned about social determinants of health, and participated in service learning activities under a new collaboration between the two institutions. The Office of Undergraduate Research team looks forward to working with and learning from these scholars again next summer. The inaugural class of 18 Mellon Research Scholars are also presenting their summer research accomplishments at today's event. Supported by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Mellon Research Scholars program provides faculty-mentored research opportunities and academic development programming to undergraduate students interested in pursuing a research career in the humanities. The first cohort of Mellon Research Scholars participated in a faculty research seminar series in spring 2018, completed a two-week graduate school preparatory program, and spent the summer conducting faculty-mentored research. All Mellon Research Scholars research posters will have a star attached to their poster to indicate participation in this program. To assist in the coordination of the Mellon Research Scholars program, the Office of Undergraduate Research recently welcomed a new staff member, Daniel Mendiola, as the Mellon Research Scholars program coordinator. Dr. Mendiola is an alumnus of the University of Houston and the Honors College, and he recently completed his dissertation in history examining Spanish-indigenous relations in Central America and the Caribbean. Additionally, Dr. Mendiola was awarded a 2017- 2018 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Study/Research grant to Costa Rica. In fall 2017, the University of Houston announced the topic for the institution's current Quality Enhancement Plan, officially titled the Cougar Initiative to Engage (CITE). This is a campus wide initiative to bolster co-curricular activities in a real-world setting. To support CITE, the Office of Undergraduate Research has worked to develop an assessment model for future experiential learning programs on campus. The 2018 Houston Early Research Experience (HERE) and SURF participants were part of the CITE pilot program, as are the Fall 2018 Provost's Undergraduate Research Scholarship recipients. The Office of Undergraduate Research would like to thank the Office of the Provost, the Division of Research, the Honors College, the Cullen College of Engineering, and the many other colleges and departments on campus that support undergraduate research programming at the University of Houston. The programs featured here today would not be possible without the support of our campus partners. Thank you for attending this year's celebration of undergraduate research at the University of Houston. As you engage with the over 300 presenters here today, we hope you learn something new and make a friend along the way.