Newswise — Washington, DC- Every day, across the nation, undergraduate students and faculty advisors engage in research that profoundly shapes their educational and professional aspirations. On April 23, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) will honor the research achievements of 60 undergraduate students from colleges and universities nationwide at the 19th annual Posters on the Hill event on Capitol Hill. The event affords an elite group of students the opportunity to share their undergraduate research with Members of Congress, congressional staff, federal government officials, academics and others.
At this year’s event, CUR will be presenting the Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) with the 2015 Honorary CUR Fellowship award. This award is presented annually to leaders working to promote undergraduate research and the mission of CUR. Executive Officer Elizabeth Ambos stated, “CUR is very pleased to honor Congresswoman Johnson’s leadership in promoting broadened access to research experiences for the nation’s undergraduates. Her commitment to enhancing federal investments in research infrastructure, as well as her advocacy for early research experiences, are both deeply appreciated.”
Congresswoman Johnson stated, “It is an honor to receive this award. To put it simply, the value of undergraduate research cannot be overstated. Undergraduate researchers contribute to their chosen fields, their participation in research increases student retention in STEM, and they are better prepared for careers in science. It has been a privilege to work on these issues and I will continue to fight for investments in R&D and STEM education.”
Student Lauren Richardson, a McNair Scholar at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX, who will present the award to Johnson remarked, “Undergraduate research has opened more doors for me to pursue my dreams than any of my other work experiences or leadership roles in organizations combined. The McNair Scholars program played a key role in my acceptance to the University of Texas Medical Branch’s PhD program.”
CUR’s annual Posters on the Hill event is an important opportunity for lawmakers to see how federal programs and dollars make a real difference for students and faculty and nurture interest in research and postsecondary study. The reception, being co-hosted by the American Chemical Society, will take place in B-357 of the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill from 5:30 through 7:30pm on April 23.
##Council on Undergraduate Research: The Council on Undergraduate Research (www.cur.org) supports faculty development for high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship. Over 700 institutions and more than 10,000 individuals belong to CUR. CUR believes that the best way to capture student interest and create enthusiasm for a discipline is through research in close collaboration with faculty members.
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