This Tuesday, recipients of FSU’s IDEA Grant will present their research and creative projects at the President’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence. The event will be held at the Augustus B. Tumbull III Florida State Conference Center from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Students will be showcasing poster presentations and a select few will be giving oral presentations starting at 6:00 p.m.
The IDEA Grant is awarded by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE) to undergraduate students who span all majors. Students design their own research studies or creative projects and work on those projects for 8-12 weeks under the supervision of a faculty member. Research and creative projects can range from HIV research to poetry manuscripts. As such, the possibilities are endless for projects that are produced with the help of the IDEA Grant.
According to CRE, the IDEA Grants were conceived to be “a reflection of the University’s commitment to developing students as scholars and innovators and are a testament to the stimulating education undergraduates receive at Florida State” (CRE).
The grants may be used for travel, living expenses or materials for a project. Many students even use the funds to research abroad, like Catherine Deborah Davidson-Hiers, a senior majoring in Creative Writing and French, who traveled to France to conduct her research this past summer. Davidson-Hiers will be giving an oral presentation entitled, “What is Food?” Here, she gives us a little taste of her project:
“I went to Reignier, Chamonix, and Paris to see how the French view their food. I worked on a farm and then talked with stall vendors, bakery owners, and food workers. I was in France for two months, starting halfway through June, to answer the question “What is Food?” in France and in culture.”
Then, there is Gaelle Mardy, a sophomore who spent the summer researching with Dr. Jonathan H. Dennis, a professor of biological sciences. For her project, Mardy studied the human genome’s response to HIV reactivation. When asked how the IDEA grant has helped her in pursuing her research, Mardy said:
“The IDEA grant was crucial for me in starting my research project because it allowed me the resources and time to study HIV reactivation in-depth. It is also awesome that I am surrounded by peers [students who received the IDEA Grant] who are doing great things because it motivates me to do better in my research.”
The lineup for the showcase is filled with top-tier students who are excelling in their respective fields. Make sure to head out to the event on Tuesday to support your fellow ‘Noles as they present what are sure to be amazing and innovative projects.
The schedule for the event is as follows:
For more information about the event you can follow the links below to:
OR