Last week, 219 students representing 39 academic departments made presentations at the 12th annual Carolyn and Norwood Thomas Undergraduate Research and Creativity Expo.
Those included poster presentations, oral presentations and several performances.
Dr. Joanne Murphy from the Department of Classical Studies was honored with the Thomas Undergraduate Research Mentor Award.
“As faculty, research is such a huge part of our identity,” she said at the event’s opening. “If we involve our undergraduates in hands-on research, conferences, presentations and peer-reviewed publishing activity, we really complete the loop.”
This year’s expo saw several new additions that expanded the scope of undergraduate research at UNCG. A group of freshman and sophomores from the Residential Colleges presented their work as “Emerging Scholars,” with support and mentoring from the Residential College faculty.
“The skills I learned from Dr. Littlejohn about interviewing and evaluating sources are things that I can take with me through the rest of my academic career,” said Sohm Gough, a Strong College resident who presented a poster about the relationship between music and social movements in the late twentieth century.
In addition to research in topics as diverse as intra-urban agriculture, wildlife diversity, multilingual education and nurse-patient communication, artistic work made a big appearance at this year’s expo. The noon program included the presentation of an original piano piece by Andrew Savage, a theatrical presentation by Joshua Kellum and the screening of an original short film by media studies major Tumaini Johnson. The film, “Greensboro Four,” was a dramatic representation of the initial 1960 sit-in at the downtown Greensboro Woolworth’s counter.
Through a wide variety of subjects and methods, UNCG’s undergraduate researchers brought their best – projects that displayed innovative, inspired research with historical or creative resonance and real-world implications and impacts.
See the full story, including a list of winners and photos from the event, here.
Story and photography by Susan Kirby-Smith
