Following the Office of Undergraduate Research's (OUR) 11th Annual Research, Scholarship, & Creative Activities (RSCA) conference, ten Cal Poly Pomona student presentations earned their spots at the 37th Annual California State University (CSU) Student Research Competition.
The event was held from April 28-29 at San Diego State University and featured multi-disciplinary undergraduate and graduate scholars from the 23 CSU campuses. Through an oral presentation, student participants were judged on a range of skills, such as articulation of their research or creative activity; ability to handle questions from judges and audience; and the clarity of the project's purpose.
Despite their nervousness, the presenters found comfort in viewing the competition as a networking space and opportunity to professionally grow. For Raul Padilla Silvas, a chemistry major, and Oliver Reynolds, an environmental civil engineering student, it reinforced the importance of effective communication skills in scientific research.
"It wasn't until I presented our findings to a panel of judges and fellow students that I realized how crucial it is to effectively convey the value and impact of your research to others," said Silvas, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. program in chemistry.
He presented on the fabrication of carbon paste nanoelectrode.
"Being able to communicate complex ideas and research findings to a variety of audiences is essential, whether you're trying to secure funding for your work, explain your findings to a non-specialist audience, or collaborate with colleagues from different disciplines," Silvas added.
Reynolds, who discussed environmental remediation of surface water bodies in California, condensed much of his research into a 10-minute presentation.
"This helped me practice how to present technical engineering information to a general audience, which I hope will help me in my future career."
Presenting at a conference can be daunting, especially a competition, and speaking in front of an audience can be beyond nerve-wracking, but the CPP student presenters saw putting their work there are worthwhile. It resulted in opportunities to connect with other attendees throughout the event.
"I think it's a great opportunity for undergraduates to learn about labs they could potentially join and for graduate students to meet future collaborators," said Lara Amiri-Kazaz, a graduate student from the Department of Plant Science. Her presentation focused on the valorization of pistachio shells as an alternative for perlite and vermiculite in greenhouse basil production.
Students interested in research but unsure of where to start can visit the Office of Undergraduate Research website to learn more.