Sonoma State University features presentations from several research groups each year, and now they've combined may of those groups into one event. The public is invited to attend the first Sonoma State University Research Symposium, featuring interdisciplinary presentations from students and faculty, on April 15 at 3 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom.
"This is part of a larger effort to get students more involved in research, particularly with faculty mentors," said Daniel Smith, director of SSU's Office of Undergraduate Research and coordinator of the University Research Symposium.
The symposium combines several existing student research programs into one encompassing event. Students funded by the Provost's Undergraduate Research Grant will display research guided by faculty mentors; the McNair Scholars program features work by students preparing for Master's and doctorate programs; the Graduate Student Showcase shows the creative efforts of SSU's 15 graduate programs; the Society and Culture Undergraduate Research Forum showcases research pertaining to issues involving society and culture; and the Faculty Research Exposition gives professors a chance to share their scholarly work, most of which involves students at some level. There will be over 90 poster presentations and four rooms with students presenting their research on PowerPoint slides.
"We're taking what was already happening and unifying it," said Smith.
The three-hour event features a talk by Dr. Bonnie Clark, an associate professor in the University of Denver's anthropology department and the curator for archeology of the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology. Her work focuses on using tangible past to tell a more inclusive story of Western North America.
The University Research Symposium takes place in the Student Center Ballroom on Wednesday, April 15, 3-6 p.m. Admission is free.