17th annual Elkin Isaac Research Symposium to feature 103 student projects

Photo courtesy of communications

Jessica Atkinson, Canton senior, would be the first to admit that writing her thesis this year wasn’t always No. 1 on her to-do list.

"There were times I just wanted to throw my computer out the window, I didn’t want to look at it," Atkinson said. "But I had deadlines I had to meet, so you don’t—you just keep pushing to get it done."

Turning her thesis in on April 3, Atkinson’s new concern became whittling it down into a 15-minute presentation to be made today at the 17th Elkin Isaac Symposium, where she’ll join 102 other students in presenting their undergraduate research throughout the day at Bobbitt Auditorium, Palenske Hall and the Kellogg Center.

"My paper was about 45 pages and you have to condense it into 10 minutes and leave five minutes for questions," Atkinson said. "So it’s kind of disappointing to have to condense it so much as you’re only hitting the really broad points."

But in Atkinson’s favor, her thesis focuses on the women of Afghanistan and the clash of western and non-western human rights ideals, which has been featured in the news over the last few years, so many people are familiar with her topic.

Other students, like Steve Peruski, Flushing senior, whose presentation focuses on women in legislature and their reasons for running for office, don’t see hitting the broad points as a bad thing.

"Basically I just want to get out as much information as I can and hopefully when people ask questions I can give more specific answers and make more people consider why women run or don’t run for office," Persuki said.

But preparing a presentation is much more than simply shaping a lengthy paper into a 10-minute speech. For some, it’s more than a year-long commitment.

So you want to present?

The opportunity to present at the Elkin Isaac Symposium begins when a faculty member fills out a nomination form and submits it to the Research Symposium Committee.

"We need a faculty member to tell us at the symposium committee that the student has done work with them, or work that I know is worth presenting," said Michael Van Houten, chair of the committee and assistant director of the library. "It means they’ve gone above and beyond the term paper kind of work and they’re actually involved in some kind of original research work."

And while of the 103 students presenting 62 were involved with the FURSCA program, not to mention the students completing their honors requirement, neither are qualifications to present.

Erin Lusk, Oscoda junior, will be making two presentations today, one on the No Child Left Behind Act and one on the social construction of gender in childhood, which came from participating in a public policy class and the Jessie’s Gift course, respectively.

"Both were a part of normal classes, but I did put more work into both of them than what the normal person might put into a class," Lusk said. "So when I found out I was nominated I definitely wanted to present my work."

It wasn’t any easier for students who spent a summer in FURSCA working on their project to complete their thesis. When the regular school year began, many students found themselves caught in a juggling act between research and class.

"For me it was terrible. I missed quite a bit of classes," Peruski said. "I was doing interviews, then doing transcripts of the interviews and writing everything up, and doing classes."

Others students fared a little better.

"It was hard finding time outside of class and organizations to go to the sites to collect the data," said Lauren Downham, Olivet senior, whose work is about perceptions of aging. "But it would not have been possible without FURSCA to set up my project, get approved and learn how to collect the data."

The ultimate reward

"If anything, it helped you understand real commitment," Atkinson said regarding her project.

Troy Piwowarski, Cadillac senior, whose project examines the authoritarian personality, said his project and presentation set him up for additional academic work after graduation.