About the Undergraduate Research Conference

University at Albany's annual Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) began in 2004. The purpose of the conference is to highlight the research and creative work of undergraduate students at UAlbany. Every year, undergraduate students share their research and creative work with their peers, faculty, and the community.

All undergraduate students at the University at Albany are eligible and encouraged to participate in the Undergraduate Research Conference. The conference is held every spring, and is free and open to the public. Family, friends, and faculty mentors are invited to come in suport of students presenting their research and creative work.

The 2009 Conference

The Sixth Annual Undergraduate Research Conference was held on Saturday April 18 and Sunday April 19, 2009 in the UAlbany Lecture Center. The conference was planned to coincide with the Open House for newly admitted students, to allow us to show future students and their families the work of our current students. You can download a copy of the 2009 Conference Program.

Provost Awards

The Provost of the University at Albany, Susan Phillips, recognized three of the most outstanding presentations at the 2009 Conference by presenting the student researcher and his or her faculty mentor with a Provost Award. Thirteen additional students and mentors received honorable mention for the quality of their research and presentation.

Provost Awards

Karime Gazdik, Anthropology. “White-Tailed Deer Management at the Ancient Maya City of Mayapan: An Osterometric Perspective.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Marilyn Masson.

Jennifer Kowalski, English. “Being the Object and the "Other": The Women of Morrison's Paradise and Naylor's Linden Hills.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Paul Stasi.

Laura Mariconda, Biology. “The Role of the Par Complex in the Retinotectal Map of Zebrafish.” Faculty Mentor: Professor John Schmidt.

Honorable Mentions

Daniel daCosta, Biology. “5 α -Reductase Inhibitors Successfully Decrease Prostate Proliferations, However They Produce Anxiety-Like Behavior, and Decrements in Spatial Cognition.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Cheryl Frye.

Evan Delgado, Biology. “B52 Aptamer and B52 RBD1-RBD2 Domain Synthesis.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Carla Theimer.

Erin Duffy, Psychology “An Examination of the Self-Control Strength Model and its Application to Gambling.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Edelgard Wulfert.

Kathryn Gulfo, Biology. “Insights into the ROCK-mediated pathway leading to branching morphogenesis in mouse SMG.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Melinda Larsen.

Eric Horvitz, Psychology. “How Do We Age and Negative Emotional State Affect Memory?” Faculty Mentor: Professor Jeanette Altarriba.

Lior Huli, Chemistry. “Process integration and synthesis of Single-walled Carbon NanoTube.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Ji Ung Lee.

William F. Hynes, Biology. “Development of a Direct Cell Printing Technology.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Nathaniel C. Cady.

Amy Kohtz, Psychology. “Sex differences, and endogenous hormonal milieu, interact with dose-dependent cocaine administration for effects on psychomotor, anxiety-like, and sexual behavior.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Cheryl Frye.

Danielle K. LaRaia, Psychology. “Parental Emotion-Focused and Problem-Focused Coping Responses as Predictors of Children’s Distress During an Invasive Medical Procedure.” Faculty Mentor: Dr. Leslie Halpern.

Daniel Leonard, Biology. “Fibroblast Growth Factors 7 and 10 modulate mouse embryonic salivary gland development in a time dependant manner.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Melinda Larsen.

Marcelo Freddi Lotufo, English. “Art, class struggle, and experience.” Faculty Mentor: T. Ebert.

Tammy Rockenstyre, Psychology. “Personality Traits as Predictors of Counterproductive Behaviors in College Students.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Marcus Crede.

Deborah. J. Sheehan, Psychology. “Social Competence as a Protective Factor against Risk and Depression in African American Adolescents.” Faculty Mentor: Professor Hazel M. Prelow.

Plan to Attend the 2010 Conference

We are currently in the early stages of planning for the 2010 conference which will be held in mid-April. Please check this site in the coming months for more information.