Note: This article originally appeared in the 2016 edition of Carroll Magazine and has been adapted for the web
by JEANETTE FREGULIA, PH.D. Associate Professor & Chair of the History Department and Artaza Center Faculty Director of Global Academic Programs
In Tanzania there is a proverb, ”One knee does not bring up a child,” and Ecclesiastes tells us, “Two are better than one because they have good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up,” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). In these words, lies the very heart of the Student Undergraduate Research Festival or SURF. These quotes remind me of the importance of communities not just in the raising of children, but in the education of the next generation. This project of higher learning is a shared responsibility and when embraced by many bringing their time and talents something worth celebrating happens. What follows are my reflections on SURF, and the people, students, faculty, staff, and administration, whose energy and commitment ensure that in late April of every year, the SURF’s up on the Carroll College campus.
Ecclesiastes tells us, “Two are better than one because they have good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up,” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
I may be writing this piece for the Carroll Magazine but recognition for an ever-growing afternoon dedicated to student excellence belongs to Dr. Brandon Sheafor, professor of biology. Over lunch some years ago, Brandon talked about the public recognition of undergraduate research he organized at his previous institution, and somewhere between salad and dessert SURF was born. It has since been embraced by the campus community as an important part of what undergraduate research looks like at Carroll College.
The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) held its first meeting in 1979, an outgrowth of the first Directory on Undergraduate Research in Chemistry at Undergraduate Institutions. Over the years, other branches of the sciences were added to the roster and in 1987 the first National Conference on Undergraduate Research was held at Colgate University. The year 2008 saw the addition of the Arts and Humanities division, and with that came an expanded moniker for undergraduate research: undergraduate research, scholarship, and creativity, as well as greater awareness that this work takes place in all disciplines.
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In many ways, the trajectory of SURF at Carroll reflects the evolution of CUR. In our first year, it was largely, although not exclusively, students in the sciences who shared the exciting work they were pursuing in conjunction with faculty mentors. This led the organizers to the conclusion that not only did we need to reach out more intentionally to the other disciplines, but also that we needed to think more broadly about what undergraduate research means. For the sciences, students may work on projects with their faculty members or on their own. In the humanities, undergraduate research is often a solitary pursuit amidst primary sources and the faculty member serves as a guide and a mentor. In theater, undergraduate research may combine a performance with research on some aspect of that production.
The variety of research methods and modes of presentation also vary. For some, the accepted means of transmission is the reading of a paper, for others posters work well, and for still others a group presentation is the best reflection of their intellectual pursuits. With all of these in mind, here is a snapshot of the most recent SURF in April 2016 that featured forty-one posters and forty-three presentations.
From one o’clock to four o’clock on a warm, late April afternoon, students gathered their notes, opened their PowerPoint presentations, and shared with packed audiences in the Corette Library, Trinity Hall and Simperman Hall. Their impressive range of topics as part of interdisciplinary panels demonstrated that the interests of Carroll students are virtually boundless and featured:
- An examination of feminist theory
- A consideration of behavioral changes among the Uktuhikhalingmiut Inuit
- A math model and analysis of Custer’s Last Stand
- An investigation of mountain lion population trends
- Research on the effect of price on perceptions of product quality
- A look at activism through art of Eugenia Balcells
A break in presentations brought everyone to the Campus Center for a poster session that included:
- The effects of ADHD treatment on school performance
- Feminine romanticism in Frankenstein
- A synthesis of quantum dots using cadmium and selenium
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As students, faculty, staff, administrators and guests enjoyed cookies, they listened as students explained their posters, and took their places as the day’s experts.
As I attended the events, I could not help but think back on how far SURF had come. There was the first year’s disastrous decision to have student presentations in the Campus Center, many conversations about redirecting classes and labs to allow for student participation and attendance, and fears that there might not be enough money in the budget for programs and cookies. For all of the lessons learned because something did not work out quite right, the occasion has more importantly brought together faculty and students from across the academic spectrum, provided a showcase for the intellectual curiosity, scholarly engagement, and enormous creativity possessed by the students of Carroll College, and allowed us to appreciate the tremendous dedication faculty have to student achievement. As a member of the organizing committee, I have had the added pleasure of working with colleagues from three different departments and the Academic Affairs Office, and gained new insight into what can be accomplished when people work toward shared goals.
As for SURF 2017, I look forward to once again spending time with students whose research reflects great inquisitiveness, a willingness to sacrifice for excellence, and whose ideas have the potential to change the world in ways large and small but all important. Albert Einstein noted that “Nothing truly valuable can be achieved except by the unselfish cooperation of many individuals.” SURF is the very essence of this sentiment, as members of the Carroll community, one afternoon a year, selflessly put their own pursuits aside to inspire the next generation of scholars, take time to bear witness to their insights, determination, and creativity, and serve as clear reminders that the education of each student does indeed take many knees.
Learn how you can help fund this year's Student Undergraduate Research Festival.
,SURF Students
SURF Students