UWG Highlights Undergraduate Research Presenters During 2025 Scholars’ Day Share this page
At the University of West Georgia, presenting undergraduate research is not only encouraged but celebrated across all disciplines as a transformative experience that empowers students to be curious and explore real-world problems. With an impressive total of 127 presentations at this year’s Scholars’ Day, students discovered their voices as scholars and truly turned learning into doing.
Through initiatives like the Scholars’ Day – hosted by the Honors College – and participation in national conferences like the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), students dive deep into meaningful research and learn how to communicate their work to broader audiences, work closely with faculty mentors and develop skills that transcends disciplines.
“Having students not only participate in research but also learn to disseminate their findings is key,” said Dr. Nathan Lawres, codirector of undergraduate research. “It’s about translating complex ideas into something clear and compelling for audiences beyond your discipline. That’s a skill that transfers to any career path, otherwise known as a high-impact practice.”
For Mae Whirledge, a political science major who presented her research poster titled, “The Effects of U.S. Tariffs on the Chinese and American Economies,” presenting at Scholars’ Day was both exciting and eye-opening.
“At first, I was reluctant to present my research because I was so nervous,” explained Whirledge. “Then I realized that everyone is extremely supportive and wants to see every student succeed. It’s truly a wonderful opportunity.”
Similar sentiments were shared with another undergraduate presenter and geology major, Jasper Ford, who also delivered a poster presentation titled, “Towards a Synthetic U-Stage Microscope: Numerical Modeling of Plagioclase Optics: Observed in Thin Section.” Ford noted that presenting research not only deepened her understanding of the subject but allowed her to develop crucial skills through hands-on learning – an experience that helped break her out of her shell.
“Presenting has made me more comfortable with making connections and being able to thoroughly explain my research,” shared Ford. “Research is very important across all disciplines, and I’ve found that presenting it is one of the best ways to learn something new.”
The impact of UWG’s efforts to support and encourage experiential learning was on full display during the all-day celebration of student research and creative work between panel and poster presentations from students of all majors. Dr. Lisa Connell, codirector of undergraduate research, emphasized the importance of this event and how she hopes students will benefit from participating.
“Scholars’ Day is a campus-wide celebration of undergraduate research and creative work and gives students from every major on campus the opportunity to share a long-term project with a range of faculty, staff and community members,” said Connell. “My hope is that this allows them to understand not only how their work connects to the world around them in perhaps unexpected ways but also how it empowers them to participate in conversations about very pressing questions of the 21st century.”
The following day, UWG hosted At the Core Conference, highlighting the value of liberal arts core courses for first- and second-year students, sponsored by the Department of General Education and funded by the Crider Endowment and University College.
Christian Scott, a first-year student and winner of first place for poster presentation for the conference, shared his thoughts on what it was like to present research for the first time and why it matters.
“One of the things I enjoyed about my project is how the more I explored and expanded it, the more I uncovered new ideas I hadn’t thought of before,” he explained. “Undergraduate research creates space for curiosity to thrive and allows students to apply what they’ve learned beyond the classroom, which I believe is a vital part of true education.”
Amy Ellison, At the Core committee chair, encouraged her students to participate in the conference in hopes that they would gain vital experience and skills that would benefit them now and well into their academic and professional futures.
“The exposure you get from conducting research and presenting your findings at conferences like this is something that is crucial for students,” concluded Ellison. “The more students learn and the more they practice, the better students are able to articulate their research in digestible and fluent ways–whether it be in a classroom or in their future careers.”
To learn more about UWG’s Office of Undergraduate Research and opportunities available to present research, visit the website.