Lamar University’s Office of Undergraduate Research will host its 12th annual exposition of research and creative activities, April 23-24, beginning at 8 a.m. in the Live Oak Ballroom of the Setzer Student Center.
The expo will feature presentations by students from Lamar and other universities, as well as academic professionals.
Cristian Bahrim, director of Office of Undergraduate Research, said the event will feature breakout sessions, where each student will present for 15 minutes. The sessions are available for anyone to view.
“We have workshops, focused discussions on pieces that are in a variety of fields,” he said. “They are also posted online so that anyone can pick and choose and spend the time they consider appropriate.”
Students are encouraged to attend the expo’s banquet, April 23, which will feature guest speaker Larry Toups, who worked for NASA’s international space station program and now works at the University of Houston. Students can register for the banquet on the OUR website.
Bahrim, who has organized the event for six years, said the expo attracts a variety of businesses each year.
“We are going to have companies such as Entergy there,” he said. “Some of the faculty invited their own connections. We are going to have representatives from hospitals — four from St. Elizabeth and two from Baptist. Students can get eventually job opportunities or maybe a summer internship opportunity.”
Bahrim said the research expo enriches academic preparation, and makes students feel included in academic life, because they can contribute.
“If they go to any session, they can ask questions and be interactive with the speakers,” he said. “After sessions, we are going to have a couple of rooms where students and presenters can sit and talk. I think students are going to feel that their time invested is worthwhile.”
Bahrim said OUR’s expo is open to all students, and he encourages them to consider entering the next year.
“I think the presentations are going to inspire them,” he said. “This presentation adds value to your résumé. Everyone has to consider that there is going to be a life after Lamar, and their résumé will make them stand out in a job search. We don’t charge for registration, and everyone is welcome.”
Students may register to attend the expo at https://www.lamar.edu/forms/undergraduate-research/spring-expo-registration.html
For more information, visit https://www.lamar.edu/undergraduate-research/conferences/expo/index.html, or email our@lamar.edu.
