UCF Student Research Week 2024: Celebrating Innovation, Collaboration and Impact

There are few opportunities for students from across disciplines and colleges to come together quite like the UCF Student Research Week, taking place March 25-29. From groundbreaking engineering feats to captivating artistic projects, students from various fields and expertise levels gather this week to showcase their work within the UCF community.

The premiere event is the Student Scholar Symposium, which takes place March 26-27, where over 800 students showcase more than 600 projects. Graduate and undergraduate students summarize their research or creative projects on posters, providing viewers with a concise overview. During the symposium, judges interview presenters to select top projects in various categories. Winners are announced daily and receive scholarship awards to support their future endeavors.

After the Student Scholar Symposium on March 27, the College of Business will host the Impact of Research Competition. This event challenges students to articulate the significance and potential impact of their research, to address the ‘so what?’ question and thereby demonstrate how their contributions can improve the world. The top three winners will receive $3,000 in awards to support the continuation of their work.

We’re pleased to announce that this year, we will host keynote speaker, Jorge Cham, on March 28. Cham is the best-selling and Emmy-nominated creator of PHD Comics, a popular comic strip offering a humorous portrayal of academia. The Panamanian engineer turned cartoonist, writer, and producer began crafting his comedy while pursuing a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at Stanford University.  His talk promises to be insightful and entertaining, as he examines the sources of stress for creative and scientific professionals, explores the myth of procrastination, and helps students reconnect with their inner drive and motivation.

Jorge Cham, the best-selling and Emmy-nominated creator of PHD Comics, is set to speak at UCF during Student Research Week on March 28, delving into stress, procrastination myths, and reigniting motivation for creative and scientific professionals.

On March 29, the Enhancing Lives Showcase offers the opportunity to discover the incredible creative scholarship at UCF in a more personalized setting. Explore interactive displays showcasing artworks, videos, and posters detailing how the knowledge and skills gained through research enabled each creation. Engage with students as they share insights into their work.

After the showcase, the week closes with the Excellence Awards, recognizing the dedication and efforts of UCF students and faculty mentors who work diligently throughout the year on research and creative endeavors.

Student Research Week events help foster camaraderie build presentation skills and bring people together while allowing students to receive recognition for their hard work.

“Research is undoubtedly an integral part of graduate study and drives the discovery that makes UCF one of the top universities in innovation,” says Elizabeth Klonoff, vice provost and dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Kim Schneider, assistant vice provost in the Division of Student Success and Well-Being states, “We are excited to see the incredible work of all students and recognize the symposium as a valuable opportunity for them to share their expertise. However, what inspires this event each year is the collaboration and community it instills in those who participate and attend.”

Student Research Week is open to all students, faculty, staff, and the community. For more information or to see the full schedule and locations of events, visit researchweek.ucf.edu.