Nineteen USU Students Present at National Conference

Utah State University undergraduate researchers from multiple disciplines presented research on childhood nutrition, RNA proteins, language development, international presidential elections and more at the 25th annual NCUR March 31-April 2 at Ithaca College in New York.

The 2011 conference was the largest in its history with more than 3,300 participants from colleges and universities across the nation and around the world.

“It’s always such a pleasure when our students return from this conference,” said Joyce Kinkead, associate vice president for research. “Often our students aren’t quite sure what to expect, but they always find it exhilarating when they learn they are the experts on their topics. This can be a real confidence builder for them and prepares them to present at professional conferences in their field.”

Thomas Rochon, president of Ithaca College, said at the welcoming ceremony that NCUR is unique in that it facilitates research dissemination on a broad range of topics from multiple academic fields, including life and physical sciences, education, humanities, creative arts, the socials sciences and beyond. Rochon said this conference contributes to well-rounded education because attendees get to hear others present on research outside their fields.

Ryan Berry, USU senior in biochemistry, agrees. Berry attended the conference and presented research on promiscuous enzyme activity.

“NCUR helped me because it allowed me to present my research in a professional environment where I was exposed to professors and students from other universities who are also contributing to knowledge in my field and beyond,” Berry said. “The conference will help to prepare me for graduate school and help to make me a more competitive applicant.”

In addition to Berry, nine USU undergraduates studying communicative disorders under the direction of faculty mentor Sandra Gillam also attended to share various projects. Gillam attended the conference to support USU undergraduate researchers.

“Presenting at NCUR was an amazing opportunity that I will not soon forget,” said Natalie Nelson, one of Gillam’s students. “I was able to share my knowledge with other scholars with similar interests.”

Nelson, who is majoring in communicative disorders and deaf education, worked on a project studying narrative development in children with a focus on vocabulary.

“Often children know the meaning of a word, but don’t know how to define it,” Nelson said. “We teach children the skill of defining vocabulary words. Studies have shown that children with higher vocabularies tend to outperform other children in all areas of school.”    

In addition to the presentations, the conference hosted a graduate school fair and workshops on student success, applying to and selecting a graduate program and building a competitive resume.

Matthew Petersen, USU sophomore in nutrition and food sciences, felt this was one of the best benefits of attending the conference.

“NCUR was an invaluable experience,” Petersen said. “Not only did it give me the chance to compile and present my research in a formal setting, it also allowed for networking among peers, faculty, and graduate schools across the nation. I gained a lot of insight that will help me as I apply to medical schools this coming year."

Petersen has been researching cell signaling in Tim Gilbertson’s lab at USU’s Center for Advanced Nutrition. Currently he is studying the signals that make a person feel full enough to
stop eating.

“Our research is important to understanding the human diet and preventing the continued growth of the epidemic of obesity,” Petersen said.

USU students were also able to spend time exploring the Finger Lakes Region of New York. Conference organizers arranged special trips to help conference attendees get to know the town through tours of the city and surrounding state parks.

USU will have the opportunity to have large numbers of presenters at next year’s conference that will be held at Weber State University, significantly lowering the cost attending. More information about NCUR can also be found online.

NCUR was designed to provide an opportunity for undergraduates to present research in front of their peers through oral presentations, posters, dance performances and an art exhibition in 1987. The first conference was held at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and featured 400 participants.

For more information on undergraduate research at Utah State University, visit its website.