NEWS

By DEE REID
College of Arts and Sciences

CHAPEL HILL -- Besides a daunting schedule of classes, exams and public service activities, a growing number of undergraduates at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are engaging in original research projects, the kind of academic inquiry once reserved primarily for graduate students.

More than 70 students will present their findings on a range of issues affecting North Carolina and the world at the third annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research set for April 26 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the James M. Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence in Graham Memorial

on the UNC campus. The symposium is free and open to the public.

Through the Office of Undergraduate Research in the College of Arts and Sciences, freshmen through seniors have opportunities to work one-on-one with faculty mentors to design and carry out a research project to help them find new answers to complex questions. Undergraduate research goes beyond the laboratory; it can be conducted through course work, internships, creative performances, and mentored independent study at home and abroad. More than 20 percent of Carolina undergraduates receive academic credit for conducting research.

One student has been studying media portrayals of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by analyzing the news coverage of The New York Times and the Israel-based daily newspaper, Ha’aretz. Others have researched the correlation between health insurance and school performance in rural North Carolina schools, the effect of Latino immigration on the neighborhood and the workplace, the impact of violent movies on male aggression, and how peer playgroups affect social initiation for children with autism.

"Undergraduates are discovering that original research is a key component of a 21st century education," said Dr. Patricia Pukkila, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. "Students are learning how to collect and analyze data, and, through the symposium, they are also discovering how to communicate their findings to others so that their research can have an impact."

The symposium will feature poster displays as well as a series of presentations and performances moderated by University faculty and officials, including Dr. Tony Waldrop, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies; Dr. Bernadette Gray-Little, executive associate provost; and Dr. Risa Palm, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The symposium is made possible by support from the Frances C. and William P. Smallwood Foundation. Additional information is available at http://www.unc.edu/depts/our

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Contact: Patricia Pukkila, Office of Undergraduate Research, (919) 843-7763