The first undergraduate research symposium organized for students by students, EnvisionU, was hosted by UConnect on Oct. 4. The event, which highlighted research in STEM and humanities, provided a vital platform for undergraduates to present their work in a peer environment.
The vision behind the event originated from a collaboration between former UConnect President Erica Lin and student Dylan Amiri. Last year, Amiri approached Lin with the idea to create a research symposium, supported by his father’s neurology clinic, Mecklenburg Neurology.
As MacElhinney stepped into her role as president, she inherited the concept, and with generous funding from the clinic, was able to launch EnvisionU.
With undergraduates leading the symposium, EnvisionU aimed to create a space for fellow students to present their findings free from the pressure of inexperience.
“They are not afraid to ask for help because we are equals in every sense of the word,” said MacElhinney
Often working alongside older, more accomplished individuals, it isn’t abnormal for young researchers to feel steamrolled.
“This is such a common feeling since we are at the bottom of the research totem pole in many situations,” said UConnect President Kayla MacElhinney.
“The emails I have received from students asking for guidance on how to make their posters, how to tweak their abstracts, how to present to judges has made me feel like the environment I set out to create has truly come to life,” said MacElhinney.
Featuring an open-floor layout, the symposium allowed guests to browse and ask questions.
Each poster also had its own assigned judges to provide feedback for future presentations. The event concluded with an awards ceremony to recognize the top three contenders in the STEM and humanities categories.
EnvisionU “creates a more comfortable environment than a symposium with seasoned researchers,” said Leo Levine, a junior neuroscience major who presented at the event.
Levine has been conducting research on traumatic brain injury for over a year, but EnvisionU was the first time he presented his work.
“EnvisionU symposium is an ideal time for me to practice for future symposiums like the upcoming RCIF [Research, Creativity and Innovation Forum],” he said.
EnvisionU welcomed students from all disciplines, whether that be STEM or humanities.
“I wanted to make it clear that EnvisionU is inclusive for all students to gain recognition for their exploration into any area,” said MacElhinney.
This variation in disciplines not only established an inclusive environment, but also prompted young researchers to explore fields they may otherwise not be familiar with.
“As a neuroscience major, I am naturally very interested in other STEM research but I am perhaps most interested to see the humanities research presented at the symposium,” said Levine before the event.
For President MacElhinney, understanding one’s value as a student researcher is vital. Through organizing an event centered on recognition and peer support, she strived for EnvisionU to amplify that message.
“Young researchers should know their worth and understand that if they are truly passionate and putting in the work then they deserve credit for it,” she asserted. “Hopefully, our awards, judge feedback and sense of community will make them feel that way.”
For questions regarding EnvisionU, email EnvisionUSymposium@gmail.com. For more information about UConnect, visit its Instagram @umiamiuconnect.