Review of URCAF - Stephanie Rogers

     On April 7, 2015, 35 undergraduate students from across 5 academic colleges at WSU set up posters, prepared PowerPoint presentations, and cleared their throats for a day of sharing the results of their faculty-mentored undergraduate inquiries with faculty, staff, administrators and peers at the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Forum (URCAF).

     Every year, a group of faculty in the URCA faculty senate host URCAF in the spring, and it grows each year.  Students submit posters, oral and performance presentations under the categories of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Social and Behavioral Sciences, or Creative Activity and Performance. Faculty judges circulate the poster room and listen to competitive oral presentations to determine winners based on quality of scholarship and presentation. Winners receive cash prizes.

Elaine Bernstorf and Lauren Berry (Photo by Chelsea Nemeth)

     Lauren Berry, an Honors College senior in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), completed a project for her department Honors track under the mentorship of Dr. Douglas Parham in CSD and Dr. Elaine Bernstorf in the Department of Music Education. Lauren investigated the differences in speech output when students are exposed to various music curricula in the preschool; her project was titled, “Characteristics of Child Utterances During Teacher-Led Music Experiences in a Speech-Language Preschool.”

Lauren Berry (Photo by Elaine Bernstorf)

     Berry’s project led her to present at URCAF. Her experience with the forum was a great way to end her project. “At URCAF, I’m able to interact with faculty who normally wouldn’t see the project, and it’s a good way for me to learn about what else is going on in undergraduate research across campus,” Berry said.
     Furthermore, Berry’s project investigated a subject that crossed two different disciplines – Speech-Language Pathology and Music Education. This interdisciplinary experience exemplified the types of questions that can be asked when Honors students are able to inquire outside of their own discipline and reach new conclusions that have not yet been discovered. Berry’s results could open new doors to investigating best practices in speech-language preschools across the state.
     Look out, fellow scholars, researchers, and performers, for next year’s URCAF submission call in early- to mid-March! If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity or about the research experiences open to undergraduates, email undergraduateresearch@wichita.edu.