Research on racial identity and fair pay, mental and physical health, foreign affairs and other topics was on display at the Social Sciences Undergraduate Research + Creative Symposium (SSURS) held April 11 at Rice University’s Kraft Hall.
With plans for it to become an annual event, SSURS serves as a showcase for the depth and diversity of research undertaken by undergraduate scholars from the Rice School of Social Sciences. It included oral and poster presentations of different student research projects completed throughout the academic year under the supervision of faculty members.
Dean Rachel Kimbro said the symposium is a testament to the dedication of Rice Social Sciences students and their supportive mentors.
“What we’ve cultivated here in the School of Social Sciences is an environment that encourages exploration, collaboration and intellectual exchange,” Kimbro said. “And we couldn’t be more proud of these students and faculty members.”
Students Somya Mittal, America Salas, Aman Chaudhary and Kobie Campbell were just four of the participants involved in the event, which included 46 research projects. They conducted research on societal pressure on physical appearance and self-esteem. While the students are pursuing different career paths, they all agree the experience has been invaluable and they’re grateful for the hands-on experiences such as this one offered by the School of Social Sciences.
“This was my first time actually doing research, and it was a great learning experience for me,” said Campbell, a senior majoring in psychological sciences and business.
“I want to go into clinical psychology, but throughout this experience I’ve learned a lot of useful things that I could encounter in the future,” said Salas, a junior majoring in psychological sciences.
At the end of the event, the following prizes were awarded:
Best Research Methodology (oral presentation)
Skye Fredericks: “Sex, Gender, and the Performance of Care in Community Harm Reduction for Skid Row, Los Angeles”
Best Research Findings (oral presentation)
Brendan Frizzell: “Mi casa es tu casa: Investigating Cohabitation and Inflation Rates in Gran Buenos Aires”
Best Delivery and Presentation (oral presentation)
Sophia Peng: “Community-Making Among First Generation Chinese Immigrants in Houston’s Chinese Community Center”
Best Research Methodology (poster presentation)
Jacob Buergler: “Emotion Regulation and Mnemonic Discrimination in Depression”
Best Research Findings (poster presentation)
Elisabeth Torres-Schulte: “Beyond Exorcism: Novel Understandings of Mental Illness Through Catholic Art”
Best Poster Communication (poster presentation)
Shivani Gollapudi: “Community Responses to Environmental Risk in Houston’s Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster”