July 21, 2014

McNair Scholars summer program is Friday

Twenty-three undergraduate students in a university program that prepares them for careers in research will present their work at the 11th annual McNair Summer Research Symposium on Friday, July 25. 

The symposium runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Morris Library’s John C. Guyon Auditorium.  The event includes 14 oral presentations from McNair Scholars and nine poster presentations from students in the Southern Illinois Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program. The research projects range from a variety of fields including art history, early vocal development of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, economics, marketing and psychology. 

Karen Renzaglia, a professor in plant biology and SIU McNair Scholars program director, and Andrew Sharp, an assistant professor in anatomy at the School of Medicine in Carbondale, will present opening remarks.  David Dilalla, associate professor of psychology and associate provost for academic affairs, will present awards beginning at 3:45 p.m. 

The Summer Research Institute is an eight-week intensive program that equips McNair Scholars with the necessary research skills to succeed in graduate school.  Students pair with faculty members on their respective research projects. The SI Bridges program is funded by the National Institutes of Health and provides paid biomedical and behavioral science research training and professional development for underserved students at John A. Logan College and Shawnee Community College, who will complete a bachelor’s degree at SIU in science, technology, engineering, math or social science disciplines.