For the first time, UMass Boston undergraduates presented their
research projects at a conference devoted to undergraduate research
from around the country. They joined approximately 2,000 students
from over 400 colleges and universities nationwide at the Eleventh
Annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research which was held
this year at the University of Rochester from April 8 to 10.
Nilton Medina, a senior biochemistry major from New Bedford, was
one of those students. His project, "Mechanisms of ATP Depletion
Induced by Ammonia (NH3) /Ammonium (NH+4)," presents his research on
heliobactus pylori, an ulcerforming bacteria that liberates ammonia
and is toxic to cells. Medina has also presented his research at
Harvard Medical School, the Boston University School of Medicine, and
at the Seventh Annual Ronald P. McNair Research Conference.
For Medina, these conferences are always worthwhile. "I get to
interact with other students interested in the same kinds of research
that I'm interested in, see their projects, and judge them for
myself. I was impressed by the work I saw at the conference, but I
also felt that our work was just as good," he says.
The chance to judge one's own work against the "competition" also
recurs in the comments of senior English major David Weiher, who was
a first-time presenter at the conference. His research project, "The
Two Grail Heroes of Edwin Austin Abbey's 'The Quest for the Holy
Grail,' " grew out of his senior honors thesis, an explication of a
series of mural paintings by Abbey in the Boston Public Library.
"Because UMass Boston is a public, urban university, access is an
important part of its mission. At the conference, I also saw the
excellence that UMass Boston produces. Our projects were being judged
against those of other institutions, urban or not, and I thought the
quality of the UMass Boston presentations were on a par. It was
excellent and original research," Weiher comments.
English Professor Monica McAlpine, director of the CAS Honors
Program, accompanied the students to the Rochester conference. She
says that the experience of such a conference is important for a
variety of reasons.
"What's most important is that the experience of presenting is
invaluable. Students must adapt their projects to a new format, they
must polish their presentations for the public, and they must be
ready to answer questions."
Getting a sense of how UMass Boston students measure in relation
to the national competition (although no prizes were awarded at the
conference) was also of interest to McAlpine. "At the national level,
one does recognize the different league in extent, variety, and
numbers, and it is interesting to see yourself in relation to that."
The students were very supportive of one another, attending each
others presentations, she says.
For UMass Boston as an institution, having students participate in
such conferences establishes the reputation of the university, and
the quality of the work that faculty and students are doing, she
adds.
Students were aided in attending the national conference thanks in
part to a Campus Performance Grant from the State Board of Higher
Education, which also funds the statewide Conference on Undergraduate
Research, Scholarly, Creative and Public Services Activities, which
took place April 30 for the fifth year. Support also came from the
UMass Boston Student Senate, which contributed $5,000 this year to
defray expenses for those students who participated in either the
national or state conferences.
On campus May 19, a one-day conference on undergraduate research and creative activity will celebrate UMass Boston student achievements and set the agenda for future activities. On display at the conference will be a catalogue of 200 student projects. For more information, contact the Honors Program at 7-5220.