Articles tagged with Undergraduate Students
Rice University nanoscientist Naomi Halas has been selected as the winner of the 2019 ACS Nano Lectureship Award for the Americas. She will present her award lecture at ChinaNano, an international conference on nanoscience and technology.
The ACM Student Research Competition, sponsored by Microsoft, recognizes promising computer science students who receive travel grants to present their original research at well-known conferences. The top three winners in both graduate and undergraduate categories receive prizes of $500, $300, and $200, respectively.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge programmed a fleet of miniature robotic cars to demonstrate how autonomous vehicles can communicate with each other and improve safety. In experiments, cooperative driving improved traffic flow by 35%, while aggressive driving increased this improvement to 45%.
A Brown University researcher has developed an algorithm that allows robots to mimic human handwriting and drawing, enabling them to communicate more fluently with humans. The robot can reproduce words and sketches in various languages with high accuracy, making it a significant step towards better communication between people and robots.
Undergraduate students from DGIST won an international journal publication on their research about MAOA genetic variations and aggression. The study found that individuals with '4.5R alleles' showed a stronger reaction to aggressive-inducing stimuli, suggesting a possible bioscientific interpretation for aggression.
A recent study found that an online growth mindset intervention increased interest in computer science among undergraduates, with no direct impact on performance. The intervention led to a positive, indirect effect on students' final grades, highlighting the value of fostering a growth mindset in computer science education.
The UMBC program has been successfully replicated at two other institutions, demonstrating its model's extraordinary impact. Students from underrepresented groups in STEM showed significant gains in GPAs and retention rates, while overall student outcomes improved.
A new study from Rice University found that people with non-visible stigmas, such as sexual orientation or health problems, who live openly at work are happier and more productive. Workers who expressed their stigmas experienced decreased job anxiety, improved job satisfaction, and increased commitment to their position.
Elisabeth Gwinn, a professor at UC Santa Barbara, has been awarded the AAAS Lifetime Mentor Award for her decades-long commitment to mentoring underrepresented students in physics. Her work has transformed her department and improved the lives of countless students.
A new study has shown that adults can learn a fictional writing system called HouseFont, which assigns images of houses to English phonemes. The research found increased brain activity in the visual word form area that predicted participants' reading speed, suggesting that learning a new writing system shapes the reading brain.
The University of Texas at Arlington has received a $295,000 USDA grant to develop data-based agriculture solutions. The project aims to prepare students for careers in agriculture-related fields and promote sustainable farming practices.
A Puerto Rico-based neuroscience lab, supported by NIH's National Institute of Mental Health, fosters intellectual growth and diversity among its young trainees through journal clubs, lab meetings, one-on-ones, and philosophy retreats. The lab has published over 80 papers and generates more than 2,000 citations annually.
Researchers surveyed 226 engineering students finding that socially isolated students received lower grades compared to those developing more friendships and collaborations. Friendships can evolve into collaborative academic relationships, improving academic success.
A decade after introduction of diversity standards, medical schools in the US are accepting more women and minority students, suggesting a sufficient pool of underrepresented talent to boost diversity. The study found that the number and proportion of female and African American medical school applicants increased significantly over time.
Research at Baylor University found that students who met the 8-hour sleep challenge averaged a four-point grade boost on their final exams. This improvement was seen even after removing extra credit points, suggesting that better sleep itself led to improved performance, not just the incentive.
A new study found that individuals who excessively post selfies on social media exhibit a significant increase in narcissistic traits, including grandiose exhibitionism and entitlement. This effect is particularly pronounced among those who primarily use visual platforms like Facebook.
Researchers at Rice University have found a correlation between digital device use and the quality of first impressions. People who reported frequent media multitasking were more likely to be distracted by irrelevant information when making first impressions about someone they had never met.
A UTEP study found that undergraduate nursing students exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) experience higher levels of burnout and depression. The study supports efforts to better prepare nursing students for the profession by educating faculty on ACEs and providing resources for counseling and support services.
A CU Boulder-led study found that targeted training can improve spatial reasoning skills in young adults, increasing their performance in geoscience classes. After one semester, 70% of trained students showed significant improvement in spatial skills, with many reporting enhanced abilities in other science classes.
Research from Rice University and the University of Pittsburgh finds that damage from natural disasters and FEMA aid increases wealth inequality between races in the US. Whites accumulate more wealth after disasters, while residents of color accumulate less, leading to an increase in racial wealth gaps.
A video-based behavioral ethics curriculum called Ethics Unwrapped has been shown to increase student understanding of ethics and human behavior. The program, which uses open-access videos, improves comprehension of complex moral concepts such as conflict of interest and relativism.
Golden-crowned sparrows have different ways to assess dominance status depending on whether the interaction is with a familiar bird or a stranger. With familiar birds, social recognition governs dominance relationships, while with strangers, crown plumage takes center stage.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that cooperative individuals are more likely to face social punishment in competitive environments, even if it harms the entire group. In egalitarian societies, this dynamic has prevented dominant individuals from dominating the group.
A collection of 40 personal accounts from women chemists in academia provide inspiration to future generations, highlighting the barriers women face in academia. The book aims to raise awareness and inspire female students to consider an academic career in science.
The grant aims to prepare MSU nursing students for community-based primary care settings and provide professional development opportunities for registered nurses. Key findings include the project's focus on recruitment of American Indian students into the MSU College of Nursing and a new community-based primary care nursing track.
The Ecological Society of America recognizes Michael T. Kohl, Benjamin J. Wilson, and Emily E. Ernst for awards in outstanding student research and exceptional presentations. The recipients were awarded for their contributions to ecology and conservation.
A new study explores how gender impacts the impostor syndrome, finding that women tend to redouble their efforts despite negative feedback. Men who feel like impostors react more negatively to criticism and performance evaluation.
Boron nitride nanotubes have been enhanced using the Billups-Birch reaction process, allowing for functionalization and modification of their properties. This enables the creation of new composite materials with tunable properties, opening up possibilities for various applications.
The University of Texas at San Antonio's RISE program will support eight undergraduate and 20 Ph.D. students with research experience, training, and financial support. The five-year grant aims to diversify doctoral programs and increase opportunities for underrepresented students.
The team is using mycorrhizal fungi to stabilize soil and conserve water in restoration sites. By inoculating seedlings with native microbes, they aim to improve native plant survival and growth. The research also explores the differences between disturbed and pristine environments, informing ecological restoration efforts.
A new study found that hostile teachers can lower students' test scores by up to 5% due to antagonistic behavior. Students who faced teacher hostility were also less motivated to learn and more likely to disengage from future courses.
The University of Texas at San Antonio has received a nearly $1 million, five-year grant to support high-achieving, low-income students in computer science. The program aims to improve retention and graduation rates among underrepresented female and minority students.
Swansea University's METaL scheme has received £1.4m EU funding to increase skills in the advanced manufacturing sector. The additional funding will enable the scheme to support over 400 people in gaining technical skills, with a focus on emerging sectors such as energy and smart manufacturing.
The OU mathematics department will use a $3 million NSF grant to study active learning methods for improving STEM student success. The project aims to develop models that work at any institution, with a focus on helping underrepresented minority students succeed in introductory math courses.
The University of Texas at Arlington's System for Undergraduates to Reach Goals in Education (SURGE) program has received a new four-year NSF grant. The program provides funding for high-achieving, financially disadvantaged undergraduates pursuing degrees in mathematics, with a focus on mentoring and research opportunities.
A new ASU study reveals that students' perceptions of their own intelligence are influenced by gender, with women underestimating their abilities compared to men. This perception gap may lead to female students choosing not to continue in science due to self-doubt.
David Peak, a physics professor at Utah State University, has received the national Council on Undergraduate Research-Goldwater Scholars Faculty Mentor Award. He has mentored over 30 USU undergraduates to 36 Goldwater Scholarships and Honorable Mentions.
A Dartmouth study finds that men are more likely to attribute female students' anxiety in STEM to internal factors, while women attribute it to external biases. This perception affects classroom dynamics and reinforces feelings of anxiety.
Portland State University has received a $300,000 grant to bring eight college students from across the U.S. to work on real-world projects using computational modeling and big data to improve Portland's quality of life. The program aims to provide valuable mentoring and research experience to undergraduate students.
A new review paper by Eduardo Salas of Rice University found that team training can significantly improve health care outcomes, including reducing patient mortality by 13 percent. The research highlights the importance of incorporating considerations such as on-the-job skill building and simulations into team training.
A new study found that 'dominance' smiles, which signal disapproval, increase physical stress and challenge social standing. In contrast, 'reward' and 'affiliation' smiles, which reinforce behavior, facilitate or maintain social bonds.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was recognized as the top team, and five undergraduate students were named Putnam Fellows. The competition saw only 20% of participants earn a score above 13, with the highest score being 89 out of 120 points.
Undergraduate researchers from Yale-NUS College found that two mathematical models describing magnetoresistance are equivalent, providing a unified framework for understanding the phenomenon. The discovery has implications for future research and practical applications in electronic devices.
Researchers at Tufts University have developed highly selective membrane filters that can separate organic compounds by size and electrostatic charge, potentially reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. The membranes mimic biological systems and can sort compounds in various filtration systems.
Research by University of Delaware scientist Danielle Dixson and her team found that decorator crabs primarily decorate their arms and legs first, which helps them hide from predators. The study also showed that habitat presence affects decorating patterns, with crabs decorating faster in the absence of a shelter.
A recent study published by Swansea University found that babies who feed themselves solid foods have no increased risk of choking. The study analyzed 1151 mothers and their babies aged 4-12 months, concluding that baby-led weaning approaches do not pose a choking risk as long as high-risk foods are avoided.
Researchers are using a high-tech approach to study the relationship between crow calls and their behavior, hoping to uncover the meaning behind their loud cawing. By analyzing audio recordings of the birds' vocalizations, they aim to gain insights into bird communication and behavior.
The MSU McNair Scholars Program, a five-year grant-funded initiative, supports 25 undergraduates annually and provides services such as undergraduate research projects, conference presentations, and graduate school preparation. The program has already seen significant success, with 136 students participating since its inception in 2009.
A new study from Rice University reveals that nearly 80% of undocumented Mexican immigrants living near the California-Mexico border have a lifetime history of traumatic events. Clinically significant psychological distress affects around 50% of these individuals, with many reporting domestic violence, poverty, and material deprivation.
A new Brown University-developed technology called trans-Tango allows scientists to visualize neural connections in fruit flies, revealing previously unmapped gustatory circuits. The technology enables circuit tracing and has the potential to control circuit functions, expanding its applications in neuroscience.
IUPUI has received a $428,000 NSF grant to develop a novel educational program that enhances geosciences education and inspires students to address community problems. The program will engage undergraduates from underrepresented groups and provide opportunities for them to explore environmental justice through a themed learning community.
Professor Patricia Dos Santos of Wake Forest University has received a $680,000 NSF grant to support her biochemistry research and mentorship program. The grant enables her to work with graduate students and undergraduate researchers from local colleges, providing hands-on research experience and career development opportunities.
Tufts University will establish the Institute for Research on Learning and Instruction (IRLI) with a focus on understanding how students learn at the collegiate level. The institute aims to develop evidence-based educational methods to give students the skills and knowledge they need for the future.
Boston University School of Medicine has received a two-year, $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to engage undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The project, BEST BET, aims to broaden career exploration options beyond traditional tracks.
A recent analysis of published studies suggests that self-generated and socially based pressures to be perfect may contribute to suicidal thoughts and attempts. Thirteen perfectionism dimensions had positive relationships with suicidal thoughts, particularly the most pernicious form involving perceived external pressure.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new computer model that accurately simulates the interactions between water and alkanes, a family of hydrocarbons. This breakthrough could have far-reaching implications in fields such as energy production, environmental systems and biology.
A team of seven University of Maryland undergraduates developed a portable electroencephalogram (EEG) device that uses audio tones to detect Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear. The device exploits changes in brainwaves, allowing for early diagnosis and treatment, potentially saving billions in healthcare costs.
A long-term study at the University of Kansas investigates how to restore native prairie ecosystems on abandoned farmland. Excess nitrogen has been shown to lead to a loss in plant diversity and simplify the system, favoring only a few species. The research aims to speed up restoration processes and re-establish original biodiversity.
Seven mathematicians received the Carl B. Allendoerfer Awards for their excellent work, while others were honored with the Trevor Evans Award and the George Pólya Awards. The Merten M. Hasse Prize was also awarded to a notable paper published in The American Mathematical Monthly.
A study from Rice University found that Mexican immigrants living in the US without proper documentation are at high risk of psychological distress. The survey revealed that respondents aged 18-25 were most likely to exhibit distress, citing loss of home, social status, and family as reasons for their mental health issues.