Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium celebrates its 20th year April 15

Rice student presenting research at past Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium

The Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium, Rice’s premier undergraduate research event, returns April 15.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the popular showcase hosted by Rice’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry, as well as a return to in-person presentations after the 2021 iteration of RURS was largely held virtually.

RURS 2022 will be led by two student co-chairs, Brittney Espinoza ‘22 and Aman Eujayl ‘23. “To be organizing the 20th anniversary of RURS is such an honor,” said Eujayl.

Rice student presenting their research at the Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium
RURS returns to an in-person format for 2022. Photo courtesy of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry

In addition to the traditional research presentations for which the symposium is known, this year will feature the Shapiro Showcase, a special competition in honor of Jenessa Shapiro ’02, who founded RURS while studying psychology as a Rice undergraduate. A former professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, Shapiro died in 2018 after a long illness.

The Shapiro Showcase will feature 16 students — all nominated by Rice faculty — representing each of Rice’s academic schools, from natural sciences and engineering to humanities, architecture and music. Participating students will present 10-minute talks on their intermediate-to-advanced research. A winner, to be announced at the closing reception, will receive a $500 cash prize.

Another new addition to RURS 2022 is the exhibition session, during which students at any level of research, creative or design work will have five minutes to give “lightning talk” presentations showcasing their projects in any medium they choose.

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry has solicited exhibitions on a wide variety of topics, including “Health of the Mind & Body,” “Climate & Environment: Protecting our Future,” “COVID-19: Knowledge, Building & Innovation” and “It’s About Dignity & Justice.” Students are able to present on any topic, even if it doesn’t fit under the umbrella of any of the exhibition themes, and winners will be voted on by attendees of the exhibition session.

Eujayl and Espinoza cite Shapiro as the inspiration for RURS 2022’s overall theme, “Building on Our Legacy.” “Part of building on our legacy is making sure such a celebration of student work is open to everyone and all kinds of work,” said Eujayl, explaining that part of the rationale for adding the exhibition session was “to cater towards humanities and social sciences research that may not be most suitably presented on a poster.”

Eujayl emphasized that all members of the university community are invited to attend this year’s symposium so they can get a firsthand look at the wide range of pathbreaking research Rice undergraduates have been cooking up.

“Come forth with an open mind, ask questions and engage with student work,” she said.

The Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium will be held across Rice’s campus April 15. For more details including a full schedule of events, visit ouri.rice.edu/rurs.

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