The 25th annual Undergraduate Research Day will take place on March 15, in Harmon Hall. 

The event will begin at 9 a.m. with students giving presentations based on their research projects. Afterward, their poster presentations will take place until noon followed by my student recognition and awards ending at 1:45 p.m.  

The University’s undergraduate research program has been a well-established part of campus for years. The program strives “to facilitate the undergraduate research experience between students and faculty mentors and to enhance the liberal arts experience, which will help prepare students for graduate or professional schools,” according to the webpage on the university’s website. 

Students participating in the project are encouraged to seek out a topic specific and unique to them with the help of a professor who serves as the mentor and advisor for the project. 

This year’s disciplines range from theater to dietetics and English. For those who choose to attend, you can look forward to presentations including: “All is dark inside”: Chalmers’ Zombie Argument and The Uncertainty of Zombie Consciousness in The Walking Dead” created by Meredith Mosley as a Philosophy research project and “Exploring Relational Turning Points Between Family Members of Differing Political Identities” created by Communication Studies student, Sean Bloemetjie. 

Bloemetjie worked with Dr. Tiffany Wang as his mentor who helped create a meaningful and successful project. His work was recently accepted to a conference in St. Louis among graduate and faculty research. 

“I worked with Sean and we were able to collaborate on blending his interest in political and family communication with a qualitative research design,” Dr. Wang said.

“Undergrad research day will be a great chance for him to get experience presenting before St. Louis, and his writing being up to the standards of graduate research shows how impressive this is,” she said. 

Bloemetjie is currently a junior at the university and is partnering with Wang again for his next research project for his senior year. 

However, Dr. Wang encourages all students interested in research to explore the program at the university. 

“I think it is most important to figure out who you want to work with to help brainstorm ideas,” she said. Wang goes on to reiterate that mentorship offers a lot of support to ensure students will be successful at the next level.

“A lot of times graduate programs are looking for undergrad research experience because it often translates well to the graduate level. I think the experience our students get at the University of Montevallo prepares them very well,” she said. 

For students interested in participating in undergraduate research, contact Dr. Cindy Tidwell, Undergraduate Research Program Coordinator.