Research by Virginia Tech undergraduate students, ranging from young adults' exposure to community violence to waterborne nutrient and bacteria movement, will be presented at the Fourth Annual Undergraduate Research and Prospective Graduate Student Conference Tuesday, April 18, from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Squires Student Center on the Virginia Tech campus.

Sponsored by Academic Support Services and the Office of the Provost, the conference offers a professional forum for undergraduates to showcase the results of their involvement in scholarly research and gain essential information relevant to their pursuit of graduate study. "We have 27 oral and 29 poster presentations registered," said Miya Simpson, director of academic opportunity programs in the Center for Academic Enrichment and Excellence.

The areas of research being presented include animal and poultry sciences, art, biological systems engineering, biology, business, economics, English, history, political science, psychology, architecture, biochemistry, civil and environmental engineering, computer engineering, crop and soil environmental sciences, philosophy, environmental policy and planning, horticulture, and sociology.

Among the research being presented is:

==> Lyndsay Bratton of Roanoke, Va., a dual major in art history and French, is presenting her research on "The Czech Battle for Recognition: The interrelated issues of war and art in the 20th century"

==> Isha Mehmood of Blacksburg, Va., a communication and sociology major, will present "A Qualitative Analysis of Biracial Women and Their Experiences at Virginia Tech"

==> Tim Leaton of Richmond, Va., a double major in communications and business management, will present "A Closer Look at the Lives of Children at a Ugandan Orphanage"

==> Amanda Mullins of Grundy, Va., an English major, will present her scholarship on "Feminine Representations in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"

==> Tamas Farkas of Budapest, a foreign exchange student in business, will present studies of "Offshore Hedge Funds in Europe"

==> John Cassara, of Centerville, Va., a history major, will present his work on "The Summer of '51: The Story of Percy Miller, the Norton Little Leaguers, and the Integration of Virginia Baseball"

==> Lindsey Gates of Fairfax Station, Va., who is majoring in political science and philosophy and minoring in international studies, and Netanya Huska of Fairfax, Va., who is majoring in environmental policy and planning and minoring in Spanish, will report on "A GIS Approach to Land-use and Sustainability in a Dominican Republic Shantytown"

==> Christina L. Goodwin of Virginia Beach, a psychology major, will present "A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Treatments for Individuals At-Risk for Suicide."

"This program is intended to promote research, enrich the undergraduate educational experience, enable students to enhance their oral communication skills through a scholarly exchange of information and ideas, and assist undergraduates in exploring graduate education as a post baccalaureate option," said Simpson.

For more information, contact • Simpson at (540) 231-4133. Click here for a complete list of presentations and posters.

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