Media Contact:
Dr. George Barthalmus, 919/513-4187
Tracey Peake, News Services, 919/515-3470

Nov. 4, 2005

NC State Hosts Undergraduates from Across N.C. at First Annual
Research Symposium

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

North Carolina State University will host the first annual State of North Carolina
Undergraduate Research Symposium from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Jane S. McKimmon Center. Undergraduates from 22 of North Carolina’s public and private colleges and universities and community colleges will present their cutting-edge research during the all-day event.

More than 400 students in the sciences, humanities, business, law, and visual and performing arts fields will attend the symposium, and more than 200 will give poster presentations featuring their research. Some of the research topics featured include biodiesel fuel, anti-tumor vaccines, Martian dust storms, creating video games to use as teaching tools, and robotic innovations. Original musical performances, art displays and creative writing presentations are also on tap.

Recruiters from graduate programs, professional schools and N.C. businesses will be on hand to review the work of the undergraduates. Dr. George Barthalmus, director of undergraduate research at NC State and the coordinator of the symposium, sees the event as an economic development engine for the state, as recruiters convince these innovative undergraduates to continue their training – or enter the workforce – in North Carolina.

“Hands-on learning permits students to integrate their many courses into useful skills that are remembered, enjoyed, and that build skills that will get graduates employed,” he said. “Industry, government and education at all levels must work together to pave a great, economically sound future for our state. We want that future to be ecologically sound, artistically and culturally alive, and rewarding to all North Carolinians.”

For more information about the symposium and a complete list of abstracts to be presented, visit the Web at www.ncsu.edu/ugrs.

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