UAH student research open house is Aug. 15

Students crowd into the 2015 Research and Creative Experience Opportunities Open House in Von Braun Research Hall.

Michael Mercier | UAH

The fifth annual Student Research & Creative Opportunities Open House at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) will be held Monday, Aug. 15, from 2-4 p.m. in the Von Braun Research Hall.

UAH's Office of Academic Affairs is sponsoring the event as part of the campus-wide UAH Week of Welcome Aug. 12-20. Students in all majors are encouraged to attend.

"One of the greatest opportunities UAH offers is the chance for students from any major to get actively involved in research during their undergraduate academic careers," says David Cook, student research programs coordinator. "And this is the place to meet and speak with many of the faculty, research staff and students involved."

This event promises to be the largest ever, with more than 30 displays, including hands-on and close up looks at SWIRLL's MAX Tornado & Severe Weather Radar Vehicle, an electric-powered race car and a steel bridge display.

"The Student Research Open House gives students a chance to find out some of the research opportunities they can become involved with while at UAH," Cook says. "It's also a chance for everyone to discover the many different kinds of research we do here, all at one event."

All colleges will be represented, as well as many of UAH's independent research centers and several project-oriented academic student clubs.

"It's amazing the amount of research going on at UAH, and it's surprising to students when they discover that they can get involved," Cook says. "Our undergraduates are doing things like designing protection from X-rays for NASA's balloon-born X-ray telescopes, conducting high-level antimicrobial research on new cures for disease, working with top faculty on 3D Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) for an animation short film, facilitating a research project focusing on evaluating the effectiveness of summer enrichment programs for at-risk students and looking into ways to elevate nurses' skills in identifying and assessing intimate partner violence. We're really proud of the great things our undergraduates do."

Many students find it beneficial to get immersed in the creative aspects of a research project as part of their overall learning process, he says. The research work can help make the educational experience more vivid.

"I've seen many students find their passions through research. They begin to see how their studies translate into real-life situations, and it clicks," Cook says. "As a result, they leave UAH well-prepared for graduate school and the workforce because of the practical experiences they've gained. We hold this event to celebrate our student researchers, to inform our students of the opportunities to become involved, and to demonstrate the real benefits they can get from doing so."