15 Oxford students took their research on the road for the 2022 Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference.
After months of preparation and collaboration, more than a dozen Oxford students traveled to Valdosta State University to present their work at the 2022 Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (GURC). The annual conference—this year held on November 11 and 12—features research from all disciplines and includes not just Georgia colleges but universities from around the country. Oxford will host GURC in 2024 and 2025.
This year’s Oxford student researchers presented in a variety fields—political science, religious studies, and linguistics, to name just a few—and were each backed by a faculty sponsor. The 15 students who attended were: Ian Goldman, Srisha Jayakumar, Jay Jones, Anusha Kothari, Hannah Kreuziger, Julia Kwak, Cody Nelson, Doreen Okeh, Peyton Panos, Sana Punjani, Mercedes Sarah, Rebecca Urato, Gracie Wilson, Yizhou Yang, Ivan Zhu. For a full list of their research topics, you can access the program here.
Three Oxford professors attended the conference and supported the students both logistically and in their presentations: Emily McLean, Assistant Professor of Biology; Eric Solomon, Visiting Assistant Professor of American Studies and English; and Daniel Walter, Assistant Professor of German and Linguistics.
“GURC is an amazing opportunity for Oxford students to showcase the work they do with their faculty mentors, and it provides a unique place to get first-hand experience presenting at a research-focused conference,” Walter said. “Our students had the chance to meet and talk about research with peers and professors from across the state of Georgia. They also gained valuable experience presenting their research, either in poster or oral presentation formats.”
The students came to their individual projects in a number of ways, but almost always through their connection with a faculty member. Whether it was their Discovery Seminar or simply taking an interesting course, the atmosphere of student-faculty collaboration was key to the development of each project.
“Our students are among the youngest at the conference, as the majority of other presenters are seniors at their institutions,” Walter said. “Oxford students get to work with their mentors to pursue the topics they are interested in during their first two years. We give them both the freedom to explore and guidance on how to best channel their enthusiasm. Our strong showing at GURC is further evidence of Oxford's commitment to helping students get a head start on research opportunities.”
Original source can be found here.
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