IU Southeast students shine at IU Undergraduate Research Conference

By Steven Krolak

(NEW ALBANY, Ind.)–An enthusiastic band of IU Southeast undergraduates trekked to Memorial Hall on the IU Bloomington campus to present their research at the 25th annual IU Undergraduate Research Conference (IUURC) this past fall.

The IUURC brings together students from across all academic disciplines and the IU system to showcase their work and learn more about the avenues of inquiry pursued by their peers.

In all, 71 IU Southeast students made the trip for 45 oral and poster presentations on a wide range of topics, including:

The relationship between gender, depression, and substance abuse
The impact of airplanes on society and warfare
Queer arts post-Stonewall
Reflecting the beauty of Christ to evoke emotion

Diane Wille, professor of psychology and dean of graduate studies and research, once more provided overall leadership for the IU Southeast delegation.

“I am always impressed by the strong showing that IU Southeast has year after year,” Wille said. “The number of students IU Southeast sends to the IUURC is an indication of the faculty’s dedication to student education and providing opportunities which enhance student knowledge and skill development.”

Numerous faculty members accompanied the students as a show of support.

Pam Connerly, associate professor of biology, made the trip not only to support her own students, both by her presence and also her active participation through questions, but also to engage students from other campuses.

“The ability to process information from a short research talk and develop a question about it related to one’s own experience and expertise is a very important skill to develop, and generally represents the next step for students heading on to graduate school,” Connerly said. “This conference provides a wealth of opportunities for students at a variety of levels to engage with the important, living process of communicating the outcomes of academic research.”

Deborah Finkel, professor of psychology, came to Bloomington to provide advice, encouragement and feedback for her students.

“Making presentations of some kind in a professional setting is an aspect of many jobs, so developing experience in that setting gives students confidence for the future,” Finkel said. “I also think it’s important for students to be challenged to do things that might be outside their comfort zone, and then provided with the support and guidance they need to meet the challenge, it nurtures so much confidence in their own abilities.”

For some students, the conference was the final opportunity to present their research. For others, it was a warm-up for the IU Southeast Student Conference, to be held April 23-24, 2020.

Below is a selection of images from the IUURC.