Undergrads showcase research at forum

Who said research is just for graduate students? More than 200 students recently proved that undergraduates could also successfully conduct and share their research projects with the University community. Students presented their research at an all-day symposium Friday held at the Penn Tower Hotel. Sponsored by the Undergraduate Research Resource Center, the symposium gathered students from a variety of departments and schools within the University. "Every undergraduate who has time to do research should do it," Lawrence Friedman, associate director for special programs in the College and acting director of the center, said at a URRC seminar earlier in the semester. "It is the best way to understand how knowledge is created." University President Judith Rodin was one of several top administrators who took time out to peruse the projects, which consisted of either posters or 15-minute oral presentations. Wharton sophomore and Center Undergraduate Assistant Shannon Hennessy, who helped to organize the symposium, called the event a success. "It was a phenomenal [turnout]? considering it was the Friday of Spring Fling," she said, estimating that about 300 people viewed the projects throughout the day. She added that approximately 20 percent of the undergraduate population currently engages in research. Hennessy also explained that this was the first time ever that a symposium showcased the efforts of such a wide range of undergraduates. "The Biological Basis of Behavior and Psychology departments both had their own symposiums [in the past]," she noted, adding that the Friday event created a new forum for all Penn undergrads to share their research with the community. Although Hennessy touted the symposium's attendance, others were not as satisfied. One oral presenter, College senior Raluca Georgescu, said that she was "disappointed" with her overall experience at the symposium. "It wasn't very well advertised," Georgescu noted. Only two people were present to hear her short report, entitled "Can a foreign actor be believable on the American stage?" As a Romanian actress, Georgescu used her own experiences and research to write a 50-page thesis -- which was then reduced to a 15-minute speech and question session. Others, however, applauded the day as an opportunity to explore the world of undergraduate research at the University. College senior Allison Brody, who with College senior Jason Marbutt explored gender differences in reported sexual behavior, explained, "I got a chance to see what other people are doing. Usually, it's just you and the professor [who knows about the projects].? It was rewarding."

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