EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Chains of amino acids with anti-cancer properties, research on maternal characteristics and a caregiver’s understanding of a child’s best interests, and a hands-on lab about copying DNA in the classroom are just a few of the 350 projects that will be presented at Eastern Michigan University’s 38th annual Undergraduate Symposium.

EMU undergraduate students Jaylen Taylor (professional biochemistry), Lindsey Hopkins (clinical lab sciences), and Jenipher Servin-Olivares (psychology) previewed their research on these topics during the Undergraduate Symposium Donor Reception earlier this semester.

On March 23, they will present their research at the symposium, in the EMU Student Center. The schedule of events, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., includes oral presentations, poster presentations, and a design expo.

Undergraduate research connects students from all disciplines with faculty mentors as they conduct research and design projects that present their findings.

Taylor said that working closely with an EMU faculty member helped her “look at the world differently and find new and creative solutions that I will take into the world as I represent Eastern.”

The students were part of EMU’s Symposium Undergraduate Research Fellow (SURF) program, which connects students with faculty mentors in their fields of study, offers a $1,000 stipend in addition to their accepted scholarship amount, and features students in the Undergraduate Symposium. This program is a direct result of donor support.

The Donor Reception took place on Jan. 18 from 6 to 8 P.M. in the Ypsilanti Historic Freight House.

Guests included past and prospective donors, supporters of the Undergraduate Symposium, members of the EMU Board of Regents, and students who will participate in this year’s symposium.

The donor reception was held in honor of Dr. Bill Fennel, an EMU professor of biology and zoology who passed away in Oct. 2017. He mentored 20 symposium students during his career. The William Fennel Symposium Faculty Mentor Award is presented annually in his honor to a faculty member who shows exemplary mentorship while participating in undergraduate research.

The full 2018 Symposium schedule of events, along with research abstracts, will be posted in early March.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.