APRIL 20, 2021 — Throughout an unprecedented academic year largely consisting of remote learning, UTSA’s undergraduate students have continued to conduct research into a wide range of academic topics. These undergraduate students have taken advantage of a variety of platforms to share their research with the world.
UTSA's annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry Showcase will give students the opportunity to share their work with a large audience.
This spring, the event will be held virtually via Zoom from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21. The showcase will feature undergraduate student research and creative endeavors from around the university.
Students will be participating in three events at the showcase, including a narrated poster session, a live 10-minute presentation followed by Q&A, and a 3-minute thesis competition in which participants have only three minutes and one slide to inform that audience about their project. Prizes will be awarded in each area.
Another way that undergraduate students are able to share the results of their research is through the UTSA Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Works, which recently published its seventh volume. The peer-reviewed academic journal presents scholarly work from undergraduate students from UTSA and across the country.
“The journal is a celebration of scholarship, and I hope it motivates the next generation of undergraduate researchers,” said Darrell C. Balderrama, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. “I’d like to challenge all undergraduate students to seek opportunities for experiential learning, engage in the research process, and get published.”
Undergraduate research presents a transformational educational experience for UTSA students and is a fundamental piece of the university’s Classroom to Career Initiative. Learning outside the lecture halls and labs has an unparalleled impact on undergraduate students’ career-readiness.
Adrian Naoun ’20, a biology major whose research was published in the latest volume of the journal, was accepted to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, which was held virtually April 12-14. Naoun won first place at the 2020 Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry Showcase last fall.
“My project concentrates on an immunosuppressive second messenger known as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP),” Naoun said. “UTSA offers an unparalleled experience for undergraduates to excel in academic and extracurricular disciplines.”
The mission of the Office of Undergraduate Research is to initiate a collaborative network of programs to engage and support undergraduate students’ participation in research and scholarly activities in all areas of academic inquiry. The office has hosted the Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Showcase annually since 2014 and has published the Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Works annually since 2016.
As part of Academic Affairs’ division of Career-Engaged Learning, the Office of Undergraduate Research directly supports UTSA’s strategic plan for 75% of its undergraduate students to participate in some type of experiential learning by the time they graduate.
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Come experience a Hispanic Market with us!
Rowdy StatueWe will be reading For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez. We will meet on Zoom to discuss the book. The book is free for students who request it, please email multicultural@utsa.edu to request the book and/or to join the Book Club and receive messages and information about this and future readings and discussions.
Virtual EventCome and practice your Spanish in a friendly and engaging environment! You will also learn about Hispanic cultures with us as we play games, watch videos, sing, and participate in many other language and cultural activities! All levels are welcome! ¡Nos vemos!
Willow Room (SU 2.02.12,) Main CampusIn partnership with UTSA Libraries and the Consulado General de México en San Antonio, Carriqui will host Ven a Tomar, where guests will sample mezcal, cocktails and unique bites to celebrate UTSA's Mexican Cookbook Collection.
Carriqui, 239 E Grayson St San Antonio, TX 78215The UTSA Orchestra will be performing Rapsodia Mexicana, a captivating concert celebrating Mexican music and the confluence of cultures in South Texas. Joined by organist Colin Campbell (Texas A&M International University) and UTSA's Mariachi Los Paisanos, watch as the orchestra brings to life the essence of Hispanic culture through their powerful performances.
UTSA Recital Hall, Main CampusA fun night for UTSA students to relax and play loteria. Student Success Centers will also have recourses for students to learn more about programs and services.
Denman Ballroom (SU 2.01.28,) Main CampusCome play a game of Loteria sponsored by the UTSA College of Education and Human Development (COEHD), UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA) and UTSA Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Willow Room (SU 2.02.12,) Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
