Undergraduate Research Halls open in Terrell, Owen Libraries Nov. 8

Undergraduate research from across Washington State University is now on display year-round in the Terrell and Owens Libraries' new Undergraduate Research Halls.

Visitors will be able to view a wide variety of research projects by students who presented at last March's Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities. A grand opening for the space is planned from 3:30-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, in the Terrell Library atrium. Guest speaker is WSU alum Julian Reyes ('10 bachelor's degree and '18 doctorate, civil engineering), U.S. Bureau of Land Management Climate Adaptation Program lead.

A poster about recent WSU graduate Jasper Wilson's documentary on how fire affects the coastal redwood and giant sequoia ecosystems is one of the many research and creative projects that will be on display. Her video features lush forest visuals and interviews with experts from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Arizona, and the Hoopa Valley Tribe. It earned her a Crimson Award in the arts and design category at SURCA earlier this year.

The goal of the new space is to showcase the variety of research and mentored scholarship projects that WSU undergraduates have worked on and hopefully encourage more students to seek these types of opportunities to enhance their educational experience, said Jeremy Lessmann, OUR director.

"We want visitors to see that students from every discipline, especially arts and humanities, can take part in these experiences," said Lessmann, whose office partnered with WSU Libraries to create the galleries. "We also want to eventually showcase work from all WSU campuses, since undergraduate research and mentored scholarship are systemwide."

Undergraduate research deepens student learning

Beverly Makhani, communications and marketing director for the WSU Division of Academic Engagement and Student Achievement, said SURCA is WSU's only venue where students system-wide can publicly share their research, scholarship, and creative activity.

Last December, organizers from the WSU Libraries and OUR discussed how to promote undergraduate research from SURCA in the libraries' spaces and decided on establishing areas in Terrell and Owen as Undergraduate Research Halls for housing the SURCA posters.

"The WSU Libraries are always looking for opportunities to provide outreach, support our overall mission, and work with our campus partners," said David Luftig, Owen science librarian. "Since many librarians were judges at SURCA, this seemed like a good avenue to pursue. We hope to demonstrate the quality research being done by the undergraduates at WSU while also demonstrating the WSU Libraries' commitment to such research."