Above photo: Students from every discipline showcased their academic passions at USF St. Petersburg’s 14th annual undergraduate research symposium. Martha Rhine | The Crow’s Nest
By Delaney Brown
The University Student Center ballroom was filled with hundreds of research posters Tuesday for USF St. Petersburg’s annual undergraduate research symposium.
With 169 posters on display, this year’s event was the largest in the symposium’s 14-year history.
The research symposium was free and open to all students looking to present their work. As an added perk, students presenting in the symposium could have their posters printed free of charge.
“It’s stimulating to see research from so many different disciplines,” said Sean Cornell, a senior finance major. “It was nice to read about different projects and see what my fellow students spend time studying.”
The research on display ran the gamut. Hanging from the temporary walls were posters covering everything from animal reproductive behavior to local cocaine arrests and modern day piracy.
For most of the students, the event was a preview of what to expect later in their careers.
Marcia Graiha, a psychology major whose research examined how a “destiny vs growth” mindset affects relationship dynamics, said the symposium was good practice. She hopes to go into clinical psychology, and says that research experience is something that will help her stand out when applying for graduate school.
“The students in this room represent the ideal of the USF student body,” said Olufunke Fontenot, interim regional vice chancellor of student affairs, addressing the couple dozen students and faculty circulating through the posters.
“We are proud of you — as you should be proud of yourselves.”
Header photo: Martha Rhine | The Crow’s Nest
