2017 UMaine Student Symposium to feature research and creative activity

April 12, 2017 College News, Graduate students, Undergraduate students

The research and creative activities of more than 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students will be showcased at the second annual University of Maine Student Symposium April 24 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

The free public event will be held from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. and is organized by UMaine Graduate Student Government and the Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR).

The daylong event will begin following an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. and will feature the work of students from academic disciplines ranging from the sciences and engineering to arts and humanities. Research poster sessions, presentations, exhibits and round table discussions will occur throughout the day and the event will culminate in an awards ceremony that will begin at 5 p.m.

200 judges will be in attendance and cash prizes and awards will be given for the symposium’s top presentations, posters and exhibits.

The 2016 symposium, the first held at the Cross Insurance Center, featured the research of more than 500 undergraduate and graduate students. This year’s event more than doubles the number of student participants and, for the first time, will include the business school’s International Trade Show says Ali Abedi, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of CUGR.

UMaine alumnus Sebastian Ventrone, master inventor, will deliver the event’s keynote address during the fellowship awards luncheon at noon.

Ventrone graduated from UMaine with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1982 and made a career at IBM. He has authored over a dozen technical papers, a novel entitled “To Design Again” and is a Global Foundry master inventor with 204 granted patents.

Following his keynote address, Ventrone will host an innovation round table discussion for students at 3 p.m. and share his lessons in promoting a lifelong path toward innovation.

“As the state’s only public research university, it is our mission to address the challenges of our state through innovative research and scholarship and our students are directly engaged in the production of new knowledge and creative solutions each step of the way,” says Carol Kim, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School.

The Student Symposium offers opportunities for UMaine students to engage with Maine’s community members, many of which directly benefit from the research and provides a window into the breadth and depth of the research and creative activities happening at UMaine.

Schedule of Events

9–9:15 a.m.

  • Opening ceremony

9:15–10:30 a.m.

  • Posters: Arts, Business, Engineering and Info Sci., Biomedical
  • Presentations: Social Sciences, Physical Sciences
  • Exhibits: Allied Health, Education, Natural Sciences

10:45 a.m.–noon

  • Posters: Allied Health, Social Sciences,
  • Presentations: Business, Education, Natural Sciences
  • Exhibits: Arts, Engineering and Info Sci., Biomedical, Physical Sciences

Noon–1 p.m.

  • Fellowship Awards Luncheon:
    • Keynote Presentation with Sebastian Ventrone, “Lessons in Innovation”
    • CUGR Summer Fellowship and Graduate School Fellowship announcements

1–2:15 p.m.

  • Posters: Education, Natural Sciences, Physical Sciences
  • Presentations: Arts, Allied Health, Engineering and Info Sci., Biomedical
  • Exhibits: Business, Social Sciences

2:30–3:45 p.m.

  • Aging Across Generations (AGE) Hackathon Awards
  • Innovation Round Table with Sebastian Ventrone
  • Symposium Social Media Scavenger Hunt

4–6 p.m.

  • Social/Reception
  • Symposium Award Ceremony

A more detailed schedule of events, program and registration information is available online. For more information, contact Alexandria Jesiolowski, 207.581.3583.

Contact: Walter Beckwith, 207.581.3729