Aggie students will attempt to advance the cutting edge of science and hone their public-speaking skills this spring during Student Research Week.
The week-long event begins March 29. Any students interested must register online at www.srwtamu.org.
Allie Hardman, psychology graduate student, is the director of this year’s SRW.
“Basically it is a three-day competition for undergraduate and graduate students,” Hardman said. “They submit their abstract to us and show up on competition day with a poster or an oral presentation ready to go to present to a panel of judges.”
SRW started 19 years ago as a way to showcase graduate student research at Texas A&M. It was initially a one-day event, but has expanded to include undergraduates and a full week of presentations and speakers.
Marisa Biondi, psychology graduate student and president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, won last year’s SRW.
“It is truly a celebration of research,” Biondi said.
Each group of students has 10 minutes to present their research. After they are finished, they get feedback from someone in their field of research, as well as feedback on presentation skills. This can be especially important for students who will be presenting their research elsewhere.
“I was preparing to take a poster to an international conference in child development, so having the chance to present at SRW gave me practice,” Biondi said. “I didn’t end up winning that year, but I enjoyed the experience.”
At the end of the week, the judges’ scores are calculated and roughly 80 subject area awards are given out. Hardman said this year there will be a specialized award from the Texas A&M vice president of research.
Success at SRW requires significant effort and motivation, but the experience is very rewarding, said Shannon Swickard, a graduate student and committee member for this year’s SRW.
“My experience at SRW was unforgettable, and one of my proudest moments as an undergraduate,” Swickard said. “I did not know what to expect going in, but being able to present my hard work in front of judges and peers was a very gratifying experience.”
