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It’s been called a science fair on steroids, when more than 700 Northern Arizona University students will gather under one roof to showcase their achievements in research and creativity as part of NAU’s daylong Undergraduate Symposium on Friday, April 26, in the Walkup Skydome.
It will take an entire football field to accommodate the hundreds of student research poster presentations—as well as five stages for dynamic oral presentations and performances—that will be on display by undergraduates representing all colleges and an array of majors.
The free symposium is open to the general public, which is invited to come glimpse innovative student exhibits with real-world applications, including:
- a portable rain room that students designed for W.L. Gore & Associates to display the effectiveness of its waterproof garments in various rain conditions at trade shows and demonstration events
- a prototype vehicle that can achieve high fuel efficiency
- a portable wind turbine system made from recycled materials that harnesses wind energy and supplies enough energy to power a light and a fan—approximately 100W combined—for five hours per day, providing an inexpensive solution for those living in remote locations to create their own systems using salvaged materials
Creative presentations include a 1 p.m. theatrical performance of Echoes of Flagstaff, featuring students as local historical figures who tell the city’s rich history, based on oral histories from Cline Library Special Collections. Student-produced film screenings will occur throughout the day and address a range of topics—from the war on drugs to the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra’s school outreach program. There’s even an hour-long presentation by Honors students beginning at 3 p.m. that contemplates some of the underlying social issues within James Bond films.
“This is a colossal event that truly showcases the range of academic and creative talents of NAU students,” said Wolf Gumerman, director of the Honors Program and one of the symposium’s organizers.
Information about the symposium is online, including student abstracts and a full schedule of the day’s activities.