Scores of UMaine students will showcase their research on April 11
More than 1,000 students from the University of Maine will showcase the research, scholarship and creative activities during the Student Symposium for Research and Creative Activity on Friday, April 11 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at the New Balance Field House.
The symposium, which is UMaine’s premier celebration of student achievement, attracts more than 2,000 attendees from across campus and draws legislators, business leaders, and members of the greater community to UMaine. This dynamic gathering provides a great opportunity for the wider community to engage directly with students and their faculty mentors — the innovators and visionaries shaping the future of Maine through their contributions to art, business, education, engineering, science and the humanities.
“The symposium serves as a platform for students to engage with one another and the broader campus and external community, sharing their work and passions,” said Kody Varahramyan, vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at UMaine. “It offers an opportunity to celebrate creativity and achievements across all academic disciplines.”
This year’s keynote speaker is Ali Abedi, associate vice president for research at UMaine who also directs the Experiential Programs Innovation Central (EPIC) in conjunction with the Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR), which organizes UMaine’s Student Symposium, and UMaine AI and Space Initiatives. Abedi also advances teaching and research as a professor of electrical and computer engineering. His talk, “Undergraduate Research 2.0” will highlight a decade of impact led by CUGR and offer insight on how to take student experiences to the next level in the future.
The UMaine Student Symposium is the culmination of Maine Impact Week, an annual series of events that celebrate UMaine’s community and contributions to the social and economic advancement of the state and beyond. The events also provide the public with opportunities to learn how work at Maine’s top research university impacts the things they care about, and how to tap into resources and tap into its expertise. The symposium is free and open to the public. For more information about the program, the book of abstracts and information on attending, please visit the symposium website.