Students who presented at this year鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Symposium researched malaria vaccines, artificial intelligence, traumatic brain injuries, classical music, sleep routines and everything in between.
With more than 1,700 presenters across more than 220 majors, this year鈥檚 Symposium was the largest in the event鈥檚 29 years.聽
Undergraduates from all three 91爆料 campuses as well as local community colleges presented their research in the day-long event, giving peers, faculty, family and community members a chance to learn about their work and ask questions. This year, more than 2,000 faculty mentors worked with students on their research projects, many of which aim to solve the world鈥檚 most pressing problems.聽
For students, being a part of a research project helps them find a community and gives them academic experience outside of the classroom.聽
鈥淩esearch doesn鈥檛 just build knowledge 鈥� it builds people,鈥� said Sophie Pierszalowski, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. 鈥淚t shapes identities, expands what is possible and empowers students to see themselves as contributors to the world, not just passive observers.鈥澛�
The following are six stories of students researching solutions on a host of topics. Their interests are just a piece of what the 1,700 presenting students shared at this year鈥檚 Symposium.
Juan Posada Abal
When Juan Posada Abal, ’26, saw the more than 400 instruments kept in the basement of the School of Music, he wanted to hear what they sounded like. He recorded dozens of instruments, tuned only by nature.
Damon Wing Hey Chan
Damon Wing Hey Chan, ’26, wants to make health care more accessible. In his research of homeRNA collection systems, he looked at how this technology can make it easier for people to collect blood samples at home.
Daniella Maor; Karalee Harris
Daniella Maor, ’27, and Karalee Harris,’28, helped dig through Seattle Public Library checkout data to find out what exactly Seattle is reading. Want to know where your favorite author landed? Or how many people are reading popular authors like David Foster Wallace each year? Daniella and Karalee may have the answers.
Mia Ferrero-Lampron; Jacqueline Wu
After decades of timber harvesting, forests on Washington鈥檚 coast are forever changed. Mia Ferrero-Lampron, ’27, and Jacqueline Wu, ’26, set up cameras and audio recorders to see what kind of biodiversity still exists on these lands
Ruth Karen Nakigozi
Ruth Karen Nakigozi, ’27, believes that technology should make people鈥檚 lives easier, not more complicated. Her work helps make artificial intelligence more accessible for people with accented English.
Lorelei Silbernagel
Lorelei Silbernagel, ’27, wants to make more digital art but fears it is too close to artificial intelligence. She explored her own feelings about artificial intelligence and its impacts on human connection with three art pieces.