Monday, April 17, 2000
Home work
UGA ranks well in annual survey tracking gender-equity progress
Collapse of the Ivory Tower
Social work prof answers call to provide more than formal education
Newsmakers
New director named for UCNS
Third Thursdays with Terry
CURO Symposium showcases undergraduate research
By Tanya Martin
tanyasm@uga.edu

The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities will sponsor a symposium showing the results of undergraduate research at UGA on April 17–19 at the Tate Student Center. The symposium includes an art exhibit April 25–28 at the Tate Center.
Sixty undergraduate researchers will present their projects at the symposium. This year, for the first time, participation was open to all undergraduates, not just Honors students; participants are from a variety of disciplines. The symposium is free and open to the public.
The symposium begins with a keynote address by Karen Holbrook, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, on April 17 at 8 a.m. in Reception Hall of the Tate Center, on “Research and the Undergraduate Experience: A Ticket for Success.”
CURO, which is sponsored by the Honors Program, is built on the principle that research is the backbone of intellectual growth. It fosters undergraduate research through various activities, including introductory research seminars targeted at juniors who want to do research during their senior year. Dean Rojek, a sociology professor who participates in CURO, says, “UGA students are the cream of the crop and bring a wealth of talents that we need to tap into.”
Rojek’s students have been doing an intensive study of Athens, focusing on the city’s housing, educational, medical, recreation-leisure and occupational aspects. They will present their research project at the symposium. The 25 students enrolled in the class divided into five groups, each tackling one of the focus areas. Each week, one student from each group served as the research director.
“In most classes you learn how to do something,” says Kelly Fitzgerald, one of Rojek’s students. “This class is important because it was an opportunity to apply what we’ve learned.”
“I have a dream team--a super class of students to teach,” says Rojek. “The students have absolute enthusiasm and dedication towards this project.”
A shared interest in research and the undergraduate student has led to the involvement of the UGA Self-Study with CURO. The UGA Self-Study is an intense two-year period of introspection and planning dedicated to improving the undergraduate experience at UGA. One of the major components of the self-study has been a focus on research and the undergraduate student. Next year’s CURO Symposium will coincide with the SACS Self-Study visit, Feb. 26–28, 2001, at the Georgia Center.
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