Congratulations URCA 2019!

Congratulations to all presenting students, their faculty advisors and the URCA committee for another fabulous Symposium. If you missed it, check out the Facebook photo gallery for some of the scenes of the event. Also save the date for 2020 which is tax day: Wednesday, April 15, 2020!

Dingus Wins Top Poster Award

Junior Abbi Dingus, a double major in Biology and Biochemistry, won the top undergraduate poster award at the Ohio State University Plant Sciences Symposium, which was held March 30th in Columbus, OH. Abbi's poster, entitled "Density-dependent growth responses of Arabidopsis to copper: High densities are beneficial for efficient contaminant uptake," summarizes work done for her Honors' thesis under the direction of Dr. Jeff Weidenhamer (Chemistry) and Dr. Soren Brauner (Biology). Collaborating on the project is Dr. Aki Sinkkonen of the University of Helsinki.

Abbi will present her research findings at the URCA Symposium on April 9 at Oral Session IV: 2-3 p.m. in the Trustees Room of the Convocation Center.

Read more at ashlandscience.blogspot.com

URCA 2019 Booklet & Schedule Available

The 2019 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) Symposium is quickly approaching on Tuesday, April 9 and the abstract booklet and presentation schedule is now available to view online. 

CAS Dean Dr. Dawn Weber describes URCA as "Following the format of a professional conference, students will present original research, perform theatrical and musical selections, read original creative writing, and exhibit their artwork."

Back by popular demand, two arts and sciences alumni will present their current research and creative activity. 

• Jennifer Winkler graduated in 2012 with a BFA degree in Fine Art and a Bachelor of Science in Art Education with minors in Spanish and art history. Upon graduation, she worked as a newspaper photographer and as a figure painter and muralist for Carousel Works in Mansfield, Ohio, traveling with a crew around the United States painting carousels and murals. She is currently an art teacher at Green Local Schools in Smithville, Ohio, teaching grades 6-12 (see p. 9). 

• Jennifer Tully graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in geology and integrated science education with a minor in biology. She is currently a geologist with Pegasus Technical Services, Inc., in Cincinnati and aids the USEPA Office of Research and Development's examination of drinking water pipe corrosion scales and deposits, along with developing sampling plans to investigate the occurrence of lead in drinking water (see p. 11).

For more information about URCA 2019, be sure to follow this blog for updates.

Abstract Writing Wkshp Jan. 15 | Abstracts Due Jan. 25

This is a reminder of the Friday, January 25, 2019 (5:00 p.m.) deadline for submission of abstracts for the Tenth Annual College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) Symposium. This event will highlight the research, scholarly, and creative activities of students throughout the College of Arts and Sciences, and will be held on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.  Please consider submitting your work for this event.

The URCA committee will hold an abstract writing workshop on Tuesday, January 15^th at 7:30-9:00 p.m. in room 217 Kettering in order to assist students in polishing their abstracts. 

All students who are declared majors in a program within the College of Arts and Sciences are invited to participate in this year’s Symposium.  Group projects in which some members are majoring outside of the College of Arts and Sciences will be considered by the URCA Committee.  Current students, as well as December 2018 graduates, are welcome to present their work.  Presenters may choose to give an oral presentation, poster presentation, exhibition, or performance.  All presentations should have a significant research or creative component; examples of such include, but are not limited to, summer research conducted at Ashland University or elsewhere, results of independent study projects, thesis work, literary readings or analysis, musical or theatrical performances, and exhibitions of artwork.  All abstracts submitted require approval of a faculty sponsor who is familiar with the student’s work and can attest to the quality of the work.

Examples of acceptable abstracts from the prior years’ events, as well as detailed submission instructions for the abstracts are posted on the URCA blog (http://ashlandurca.blogspot.com). If you have any questions about presenting at the Symposium or the abstract submission process, please contact Jeff Weidenhamer, Director of the URCA Symposium, at jweiden@ashland.edu.

Questions may also be directed to members of the URCA Symposium Committee:

URCA Symposium Committee

Dr. Christopher Burkett, History/Political Science

Dr. Christopher Chartier, Psychology

Dr. Hilary Donatini, English

Dr. Scott Garlock, Music

Dr. Wendy Schaller, Art

Dr. Gordon Swain, Mathematics