Undergraduate Research Day, October 09, 2014

Thank you for joining us today for the ten-year anniversary of the University of Houston's Undergraduate Research Day. Over 1000 students have presented at our event over the years, and we are delighted that the event continues to grow in size and stature. At today's celebration, we are highlighting the achievements of our 61 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) students, and 80 other students who are presenting on their research projects through poster and oral presentations. It is has been an exciting year for the Office of Undergraduate Research. We have enjoyed growth and expansion within our programs thanks to the generous contribution of our campus community partners. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Provost's Office, Division of Research, and The Honors College for their continued support of our Office's programs. We also are appreciative of the support of our campus community partners: Biology of Behavior Institute (BoBI), Cullen College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, Hobby Center for Public Policy, Medicine and Society Program, Texas Obesity Research Center, and the following UH Departments: Biology & Biochemistry, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Management, Electrical Technology, Health and Human Performance, Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering. By their contributions to the Provost's Undergraduate Research Scholarship (PURS) and the SURF programs, we were able to sponsor over 120 students in the 2013-2014 academic year. We also thank our faculty selection and advisory committee for the time and effort they spend reviewing the applications we receive for our scholarship and award programs. Their input and feedback enable us to refine and revise our policies and procedures, and adhere to the ever changing needs of the UH community. Undergraduate Research Day is an opportunity for our campus community to support mentored research activities, recognizing that building mentor relationships with professors is pivotal to students' academic and professional path. One of the most impressive aspects of this event is the wide range of projects represented by our student researchers. This year's cohort includes projects on imaging and analyzing blood vessels within the brain for Alzheimer's disease, mapping neurons to better understand neurogenerative diseases, and creating mathematical models that simulate various biochemical and metabolic pathways, to analyzing leadership traits of university-age LGBT youth, studying the role of gender for primary elections, and determining the effect of peer mentorship programs for cancer survivors. Our UH researchers are bright, motivated, engaged students who represent our future leaders. We congratulate them on their achievements and wish them the best in their future endeavors. Thank you again for joining us today at Undergraduate Research Day.Honors Colleg