The BYU–Hawaii Student Association and the College of Arts and Sciences will sponsor the first ever BYU-Hawaii Undergraduate Research Conference and Journal of Undergraduate Research.
The conference, to be held this Thursday, December 2, will feature the original research of students from all academic disciplines. Papers approved by an editorial board will also be compiled into a journal slated to be published early April of next year and will circulate island-wide among several universities.
"The Brigham Young University–Hawaii conference is a chance for undergraduates to present what they have learned through their research experiences to a larger audience," says the conference call for papers. "It is an opportunity for students, faculty, and the community to discuss cutting edge research topics and to examine the connection between research and education."
Dean Jeff Burroughs of the College of Arts and Sciences added, "It should be an excellent opportunity for students to share their work beyond the bounds of their disciplines and for us as a campus community to collectively support undergraduate research."
At the conference, students will present their own research and papers both orally and with poster displays. The oral presentations will be given in concurrent sessions through the morning. In addition to traditional oral presentation styles, students are encouraged to incorporate performing and/or visual arts to represent original, creative work in their respective disciplines.
The poster presentations will be set up in the Aloha Center Mall during the afternoon. All are welcome to stop and read the poster presentations.
The College of Arts and Sciences will also sponsor a luncheon for student researchers and faculty mentors. The lunch will feature keynote speaker Gaugau Tavana, Ph.D., director of education for the National Tropical Botanical Gardens of Hawaii and Florida. Dr. Tavana has worked with renowned biologist Paul Cox on the island of Kauai, developing a drug to aid in the cure for cancer.
This year's conference is the first of a new annual tradition. The journal will also be published annually in conjunction with the conference. This year's conference will be held in the ACR 155-165 and in the Aloha Center Mall. It will run from 9 am to 10 am, take a break for devotional, and will continue from 11 am to 1 pm
"This event marks the undertakings of synergy between students and faculty - one plus one equals three and not two," said Byron Echeverria, BYUHSA vice president of academics. "This conference also marks the steps that BYUHSA and the College of Arts and Sciences are taking towards the establishment of leaders internationally."