Social Science students shine at UURAF

May 1, 2024 - Emily Jodway

 

Students from the College of Social Science were given the opportunity to show off their recent research and hard work on April 12 during MSU’s University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF). The event, held at the Breslin Student Events Center, brought together students from across the university to present their work to faculty, community members and their peers. 

UURAF provides Michigan State an intellectual group of undergraduate students with an opportunity to showcase their scholarship and creative activity. Participants gain experience in presenting their research, answer questions about their work from audience members and guests, and receive constructive feedback from judges.

Around 150 social scientists presented on Friday from over 17 different departments. Topics varied across a wide spectrum, with presentations on love languages, TikTok influencers, public health advocacy, defunct campus buildings, and postpartum depression among the group. 

Political Science students Lola Browne and Jerome Hamilton Jr were among the first-place winners for their poster presentations at the event. Marine Avequin, Sydney Logsdon and Gracie Rudolfi from Psychology won for their presentation on the role of instrument identification in determining thematic responses to music pieces. Ari Markov from the anthropology and archaeology departments earned first place for his research poster titled “Reassociating Commingled Skeletal Remains: Je’Reftheel Cave.”

All told, more than 20 social scientists took home awards that day and were honored at the UURAF Awards Ceremony on April 17. These first-place award recipients are eligible to submit their work for consideration for the UURAF Grand Prize, whose winners will be announced in mid-June.