Drake University students will showcase their research on a variety of subjects in several scientific fields at the Drake University Conference on Undergraduate Research in the Sciences (DUCURS) on April 12 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the upper level of Olmsted. The event is free and open to the public.
The conference will feature 40 research posters and six oral presentations by an interdisciplinary group of ambitious Drake undergraduate students. The students will display their work in Parents Hall in Olmsted Center, 2875 University Ave. All participants and attendees will be eligible to win door prizes. Find a full schedule of events here.
The conference highlights collaborative work of undergraduates and faculty, featuring research projects from multiple departments, including: biology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, chemistry, computer science and mathematics, environmental science and policy, neuroscience, pharmaceutical science, physics and psychology. Research includes everything from the development of an iPad application, “Sound Reading,” to a study on the relationship between food intake and ethanol preference.
This year’s keynote speaker is Colin Weeks, assistant professor at the University of Northern Iowa, who will give his address during the DUCURS Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. His presentation, “Crystalline Molecular Sponges — Soaking up Alcohols and Hydrogen,” will focus on investigating the properties of a new class of materials.
A graduate school fair will be held during the first poster session from 9:15–10:30 a.m. with the following schools: Creighton University, A.T. Still University, Des Moines University and Iowa State University.
The conference is made possible by the Drake Undergraduate Science Collaborative Institute (DUSCI), Drake College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. DUSCI promotes undergraduate research in the sciences by encouraging interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration between students, faculty and the greater Des Moines community.