Meet the PRAs: Ariane Garrett

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Meet Ariane Garrett ’20 (ENG), an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Spanish.

What is the focus of your research?Meet the PRAs. Ariane.

My research focusses on the development of a flow sensor for use in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) shunts. This is important because CSF shunts are prone to breakage, however it is difficult to assess if the shunt is working in vivo. This flow sensing device enables the measurement of flow sensing in vivo, and has the potential to greatly improve patient quality of life.

Why did you get involved in research?

I knew I wanted to be involved in research as soon as I got to college, because I wanted to be a part of knowledge generation and work on exciting projects!

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

Don’t be afraid to reach out to professors and get involved!

What do you enjoy the most about participating in research?

My favorite part of research is the design process. It is very rewarding to start with a concept, then design it, and finally hold the piece in your hand.

What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research influenced your plans and/or prepared you for the future?

I plan to apply to graduate school after graduation. Research has greatly influenced this decision- I enjoy it so much I want to continue for the next 4 to 7 years!

Change Grant – 3 Reasons to Apply

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By Maria Latta, OUR Peer Research Ambassador

You might think a pre-pharmacy student would want to be working in a lab on drug discovery and most of time you would be right! But with me, things were different.

I have a passion for sociology that I discovered when I was fulfilling my gen-ed requirements my first semester. And after taking a Methods in Social Research course, I knew that the best way to for me to continue pursuing sociology and pharmacy was through research.

Continue reading →

• Student Accomplishments – May 2019

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accomplishments-headingPlease join us in congratulating the UConn undergraduates named below for their significant research and creative accomplishments in spring 2019. Students: if you have an accomplishment to share, please do so using this online form.

AWARDS

Congratulations to Shaylin Cetegen ’19 (ENG), Eric Lepowsky ’19 (ENG), Leann McLaren ’19 (CLAS), and Hetal Patel ’19 (ENG), the undergraduate recipients of 2019 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships! They are among the 11 UConn students and alumni who won NSF Graduate Research Fellowships this year.2019 UConn Goldwater Scholars

For the first time, four UConn students have been named Goldwater Scholars in a single year. Congratulations to Berk Alpay ’21 (ENG, CLAS), Ariane Garrett ’20 (ENG, CLAS), Sam Markelon ’20 (ENG), and Saurabh Kumar ’20 (CLAS), pictured at right, who were recognized for their outstanding ability and promise, as well as their intention to pursue advanced study and research careers. Learn more about the awardees in this UConn Today article.

PUBLICATIONS

University Scholar and Health Research Program participant Brian Aguilera ’19 (CLAS) was a co-author on a recent publication from the Ghosh and Shapiro groups in the Center for Vascular Biology at UConn Health:

Ghosh, M., Lo, R., Ivic, I., Aguilera, B., Qendro, V., Devarakonda, C., & Shapiro, L.H. (2019). CD13 tethers the IQGAP1-ARF6-EFA6 complex to the plasma membrane to promote ARF6 activation, β1 integrin recycling, and cell migration. Science Signaling 12. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.aav5938

Four undergraduate researchers in Dr. Alexander Jackson’s lab – Eric Beltrami ’19 (CLAS), Brock Chimileski ’17 (CLAS), James Costanzo ’19 (CLAS), and Jacob Naparstek ’18 (CLAS) – were coauthors on this Nature Neuroscience article:

Mickelsen, L.E., Bolisetty, M., Chimileski, B.R., Fujita, A., Beltrami, E.J., Costanzo, J.T., Naparstek, J.R., Robson, P., & Jackson, A.C. (2019). Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of the lateral hypothalamic area reveals molecularly distinct populations of inhibitory and excitatory neurons. Nature Neuroscience 22, 642-656. doi: 10.1038/s41593-019-0349-8

Patrick Briody ’20 (CLAS), Saurabh Kumar ’20 (CLAS), and Derek Pan ’20 (CLAS), all OUR Supply Award recipients, were co-authors on a recent publication based on research conducted in Dr. Joanne Conover’s lab:

Coletti, A.M., Singh, D., Kumar, S., Shafin, T.N., Briody, P.J., Babbitt, B., Pan, D., Norton, E.S., Brown, E.C., Kahle, K.T., Del Bigio, M.R., & Conover, J.C. (2018). Characterization of the ventricular-subventricular stem cell niche during human brain development. Development 2018. http://dev.biologists.org/content/early/2018/09/19/dev.170100

SHARE Award recipient Divya Ganugapati ’19 (CLAS) was the first author on an article based on research in Dr. Rachel Theodore’s Laboratory for Spoken Language Processing:

Ganugapati, D., & Theodore, R.M. (2019). Structured phonetic variation facilitates talker identification. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 145. doi: 10.1121/1.5100166

Emily Karr ’19 (CLAS) co-authored two book chapters based on research conducted in Dr. Alaina Brenick’s research group in Human Development and Family Studies:

Brenick, A., Schachner, M.K., Carvalheiro, D., & Karr, E. (2019). (No) space for prejudice! Varied forms of negative outgroup attitudes and ethnic discrimination and how they develop or can be prevented in the classroom. In H.E. Fitzgerald et al. (Eds.), Handbook of Children and Prejudice: Integrating Research, Practice, and Policy, pp. 315-330. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

Brenick, A., Flannery, K., Karr, E., & Carvalheiro, D. (in press). Send nudes? Evaluating sexting and victimization as related to attachment and rejection sensitivity: Incorporating sexual minority perspectives. In M.F. Wright (Ed.), Recent Advances in Digital Media Impacts on Identity, Sexuality, and Relations. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Elliott Wilion ’19 (CLAS) co-authored an article based on research in Dr. James Li’s laboratory:

Wizeman, J.W., Guo, Q., Wilion, E.M., & Li, J.Y.H. (2019). Specification of diverse cell types during early neurogenesis of the mouse cerebellum. eLife 8. doi: 10.7554/eLife.42388

EXHIBITIONS AND SCREENINGS

Spring 2019 included a series of art exhibitions and screenings by the following undergraduate students:

  • Flyer for Making Welcome: Space, Material, and Human-Centered Design
Olivia Crosby ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Making Welcome: Space, Material, and Human Centered Design

Kenny Glazer ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Moving Day

Lucian Hatfield ’19 (SFA), Regan Kilkenny ’20 (SFA), Christian Partenio ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipients
The Color of You

Kat Folker ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
There is Something in the Woods: A Short Horror Film

Isabella Saraceni ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Anonymous Is A Woman

Blue Wallick ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Prismatic: Reflections on Transgender and Non-Binary Experiences

PRESENTATIONS

American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting – January 6-10, 2019 – Seattle, WA

Aisha Massiah ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
The Search For Galaxies That Host Multiple Type Ia Supernova

Joint Mathematics Meetings – January 9-12, 2019 – Baltimore, MD

Anthony Sisti ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Option Pricing for the VIX and TYVIX Indexes using a Risk-Neutral Historical Distribution

  • Leann Mclaren presenting at the Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting.
    Leann Mclaren '19 (CLAS)
Plant and Animal Genome XXVII Conference – January 12-16, 2019 – San Diego, CA

Alyssa Ferreira ’20 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Investigation of Strategies to Improve Annotation and Assembly of Conifer Genomes

Olivia Maher ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Expression Analysis of Needle Abscission in the Deciduous Eastern Larch (L. laricina)

Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy – January 30-February 1, 2019 – Blacksburg, VA

Jillianne Garcia ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Anti-“Weathering” Strategies

Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM – February 21-23, 2019 – Washington, DC

Paulina Frutos ’19 (CLAS, CAHNR) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Study of Wetland Restoration Structures on Microbial Functionality

Eastern Psychological Association Meeting – February 28-March 2, 2019 – New York, NY  

Carly Danziger ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Dyadic Worry Induced in a Laboratory Setting Increases Anxiety Between Friends

Christina Flores ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
The EEG Mu Rhythm and Temperament in 6- and 12-month-olds

Jeffrey Hunt ’20 (CLAS) & Nathan Rivera ’19 (CALS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Physiological Concomitants of Dyadic Worry Between Friends

Emmalyn Lecky ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Cognitive Biases for Erotic or Cannabis Stimuli

Kimberly Morais ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Can Discussing Worries Promote Anxiety Contagion?

  • Kimberly Morais presenting at the Eastern Psychological Association annual meeting.
    Kimberly Morais '19 (CLAS)
American Physical Society National Meeting – March 4-8, 2019 – Boston, MA 

Meagan Sundstrom ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
How do Interactive Physics Learning Environments foster Intellectual Humility?

Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting – March 6-9, 2019 – Washington, DC

Mareyna Simon ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Using Consumer-Grade EEG Devices to Measure Meditation Progress: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Northeast Writing Center Association Conference – March 30-31, 2019 – Danbury, CT

Alexandra Atherton ’19 (CLAS), Ethan Couillard ’22 (CLAS), Caitlyn Cubilla ’20 (CLAS), Donovan Davino ’20 (CLAS), Mia Dupuis ’19 (CLAS), & Nina Lupo ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Where Writing Meets STEM: Finding Meaning in a Multidisciplinary Academic Center

Connecticut Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting – April 1, 2019 – Hartford, CT

Caitlyn Sward ’19 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel Award recipient
#EATINGFORTWO: What are People Posting About When They Use this Hashtag in Instagram Posts about Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight Gain During Pregnancy?

Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting – April 4-7, 2019 – Chicago, IL

Leann McLaren ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
West Indian Diasporic Consciousness: The Case of Hartford, CT

Mary Vlamis ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Torts, Judges, and Juries: Assessing Confidence in the Civil Justice System

Jessica Weaver ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
The Feminine Touch: How Female Representation Affects the Legislative Success of Women’s Issues Legislation

Northeast Algal Symposium – April 26-28, 2019 – Salem, MA

Maryam Shahbadi ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Diversity of Terrestrial Green Algae from Chile and Panama, with a Focus on Diplosphaera (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta)

Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting – April 27-30, 2019 – Baltimore, MD

Maryyam Ali ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Risk Factors and Exposure to Violence in Pediatric Emergency Department Patients

Maria Antony ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Family Perspectives on Accessing Community Resources to Mitigate Toxic Stress

Adrienne Nguyen ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Impact of Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP)

International Society for Autism Research Annual Meeting – May 1-4, 2019 – Montreal, Canada

Kathryn Allen ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Are Variations in Narrative Language Reflected in Early Auditory Processing Via ABR?

• Congratulations, 2019 SURF Award Recipients!

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SURF logo 2The Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the selection of 45 undergraduate students to receive SURF Awards in support of their summer undergraduate research projects.

Click here to view the full list of Summer 2019 SURF awardees.

Congratulations, SURF awardees! Your academic achievements, curiosity, initiative, and motivation were evident in your applications. You have an exciting summer of deep engagement with the process of academic inquiry ahead of you. We look forward to hearing about all you learn and discover!

We thank the faculty members who supported SURF applicants in a range of roles: mentors, letter writers, and faculty review committee members. SURF represents a collaborative effort between students and faculty. This program would not be possible without the support and participation of the UConn faculty!

OUR also extends thanks to SURF supporters in the UConn community. We are grateful to the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and to the Deans of the Schools and Colleges of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources; Engineering; Nursing; and Pharmacy, who all contributed funding to the SURF competition this year. Alumni, parents, and friends of UConn also helped fund SURF awards. This collaborative funding effort ensures that SURF supports a diverse array of undergraduate research endeavors. We are grateful to all of our program partners for making intensive summer research opportunities available to students seeking to enrich their undergraduate experience in this way.

Once again, congratulations to the recipients of 2019 SURF awards, and good luck with your summer projects!

Analyse Giordano '20 (CAHNR)
With her SURF Award, Analyse Giordano ’20 (CAHNR) will research whether biocompatible ceramic nanoparticles and nanotexturing can increase the longevity of implantable glucose monitors. (Carson Stifel/UConn Photo)
Isabella Ferrante '19 (CLAS)
Isabella Ferrante ’19 (CLAS) will conduct SURF-supported research in archives in the UK to understand how Shell Shock was perceived and understood after World War I. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

• Congratulations, Spring 2019 UConn IDEA Grant Recipients!

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Congratulations to the 33 UConn undergraduates who have been awarded UConn IDEA Grants in the spring 2019 funding cycle!

The award recipients represent a variety of disciplines, from anthropology to animal science, and from biomedical engineering to art. They will conduct independent research, develop creative works in different media, and lay the groundwork for entrepreneurial ventures.

Click here to view the full list of spring 2019 UConn IDEA Grant award recipients.

Special thanks to the faculty and staff who supported student applications to the UConn IDEA Grant and to those who will be mentoring the award recipients as they complete their projects.

The UConn IDEA Grant program awards funding to support self-designed projects including artistic endeavors, community service initiatives, research projects, prototyping and entrepreneurial ventures, and other creative and innovative projects. Undergraduates in all majors at all UConn campuses can apply. Applications are accepted twice per year from individuals and from small groups who plan to work collaboratively on a project. The next application deadline will be in December 2019.

• Congratulations, Fall 2019 UConn IDEA Grant Recipients!

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Congratulations to the 11 undergraduates who have been awarded UConn IDEA Grants in the fall 2019 funding cycle!

The award recipients represent a variety of disciplines, from nursing to natural resources, and political science to biomedical engineering. They will conduct independent research and initiate programs that engage local communities.

Click here to view the full list of fall 2019 UConn IDEA Grant award recipients.

Special thanks to the faculty and staff who supported student applications to the UConn IDEA Grant and to those who will be mentoring the award recipients as they complete their projects.

The UConn IDEA Grant program awards funding to support self-designed projects including artistic endeavors, community service initiatives, research projects, prototyping and entrepreneurial ventures, and other creative and innovative projects. Undergraduates in all majors at all UConn campuses can apply. Applications are accepted twice per year from individuals and from small groups who plan to work collaboratively on a project.

The next application deadline is March 9, 2020.

• 2019 Mentorship Excellence Awards

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mentorship3

In recognition of the pivotal role that mentors play in supporting undergraduate research and creative activity, the Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the recipents of the 2019 Mentorship Excellence Awards. These awards recognize two faculty members – one in a STEM field, and one in a non-STEM field – and one graduate student who exemplify the ways in which outstanding mentors challenge and support their students, enabling them to take intellectual risks and achieve milestones they might not have initially envisioned being able to reach.

The 2019 Mentorship Excellence Awards were presented to Seok-Woo Lee, Charles W. Mahoney, and Elizabeth Knapp during the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition on Friday, April 12, 2019.

Seok-Woo Lee, Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Professor Lee’s award was presented by Hetal Patel ’19 (ENG). The following text is excerpted from Hetal’s presentation remarks.

Hetal Patel presents plaque to awardee Seok-Woo Lee.
Hetal Patel ’19 (ENG) presents the award to her mentor, Professor Seok-Woo Lee.

When I started at UConn in the School of Engineering, I had set a benchmark by which I would define my success in the next four years, and that was to have a full-time engineering job ready before I graduated. In my first semester, I noticed many of the undergraduates do research, particularly in the honors community, and so I decided it would be a good idea to join a lab and to learn more about my field. I reached out to many professors and it was Dr. Lee who showed an interest in me joining his group. This is where my story took off. During our very first meeting, his passion for science, his care towards his students, and his immense positive energy became clear. In the last four years, this hasn’t changed a single bit. We have been meeting 1×1 every single week and his care and kindness towards me have been a steady source of motivation.

On the technical side, he has trained me to have a strong foundation and has taught me to be patient and think divergently because things don’t go as planned in research. He gave me projects that led to publication in high impact journals and also gave me the opportunity to present my UScholar work at one of the biggest Materials Science conferences. He always encouraged me to try other labs or internships and when it came to applying for graduate schools, he always said to aim higher. He has been a constant support when it comes to writing papers, thesis, posters, or applications, whether it was for UScholar, fellowships, summer programs or graduate school.

Overall, he has changed the trajectory of my career through his energy, passion, and care. I have exceeded all my academic expectations for myself in the last four years due to Dr. Lee’s immense commitment to mentor me. He has dedicated hundreds of hours towards me in a selfless manner and has worked far beyond his required duties for me to be here. He works so incredibly hard that it inspires me to work even harder.

To end, I am happy to say I will be heading to UC Berkeley this fall for my Ph.D. in MSE on a prestigious Department of Defense fellowship. Clearly, my goals and benchmark have changed, and I owe that to Dr. Lee. If I hadn’t met him I would have never thought of applying for University Scholar or have decided to pursue a Ph.D. Having him as my research advisor is the best thing that happened to me at UConn. Dr. Lee is the highlight of my day and his mentorship is the hallmark of my UConn career.

Charles W. Mahoney, Professor, English
Professor Mahoney’s award was presented by Lauren Cenci ’19 (CLAS). The following text is excerpted from Lauren’s presentation remarks.

Lauren Cenci presents plaque to awardee Charles W. Mahoney.
Lauren Cenci ’19 (CLAS) presents the award to her mentor, Professor Charles W. Mahoney.

Describing Professor Charles Mahoney’s extraordinary mentorship to me over the past several semesters in just a few short remarks is a difficult task. His passion for what he does is unmatched and very evident to anyone who has taken a class with him. I first met Professor Mahoney during my second official semester as an English major, during which I enrolled in his advanced poetry course on Lord Byron. I entered that course with little direction and confidence in myself as an English student but exited with a strong sense of purpose and a heightened awareness of English poetry. Professor Mahoney sees the best in each of his students and pushes them to strive to achieve this. He has high expectations of his students because he is aware of their potential and as such will not accept anything short of their finest work.

Charles is the chair of my University Scholar Project on the elegy, a genre of poetry that deals with mortal loss and mourning; I have completed two independent studies with him and am currently finishing up my thesis project this semester with his diligent guidance and feedback. The type of work I have pursued with Charles made me realize that I want to pursue a graduate degree in English and this fall I submitted applications to various universities. Throughout the summer, Charles read several drafts of both my critical writing sample and personal statement, provided in-depth feedback on both documents, and met with me on multiple occasions to discuss my progress. I most certainly would not have had the confidence to apply to graduate school had he not made me aware of my potential and research prowess.

Although Charles is very tough on his students and holds them to high standards, he is one of the kindest and most caring professors I have ever had the privilege of working with. It is rare to encounter a professor of his caliber, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to work with him and grow as a student and a scholar with his guidance. Despite being an extremely busy individual, he has never made me feel as though my work is unimportant; each meeting and correspondence I have with him feels like a priority. This upcoming fall I will be attending graduate school, and I firmly believe that Charles’s exceptional mentorship has both gotten me to this point as well as thoroughly prepared me for what lies ahead.

Elizabeth Knapp, Ph.D. Candidate, Physiology and Neurobiology, Sun Laboratory
Elizabeth was presented with her award by Ekatarina (Katya) Skaritanov ’20 (CLAS) and Celina Caetano ’19 (CLAS), two of the undergraduate researchers who work under her supervision in the Sun lab. The following text is excerpted from Katya’s presentation remarks.

Ekatarina Skaritanov (left) and Celina Caetano (right) present plaque to awardee Elizabeth Knapp (center).
Ph.D. candidate Elizabeth Knapp (center) is presented her award by mentees Ekatarina Skaritanov ’20 (CLAS), at left, and Celina Caetano ’19 (CLAS), at right.

Over the past year I have had the absolute pleasure of working with Liz Knapp in the Sun Lab. Her intelligence, passion for teaching, and kind heart inspire me to put my best foot forward and not give up even when experiments don’t go according to plan.

I can confidently say that without Liz I would not be the scientist I am today. One of the most important lessons she taught me is that making mistakes only makes you a better researcher. After all, it is only through failure in the lab that one can develop patience and perseverance, which are key to successful research. I have witnessed Liz’s passion for teaching through how much she cares about everyone she works with. Whether she is at her computer making figures, or at the microscope doing experiments, I know that I can approach her with a question and get a thoughtful answer. No matter how busy she is, she will always make time to explain things in multiple ways to ensure you understand the logic. Liz does not only make sure that you understand WHAT you’re doing, but also that you understand WHY you’re doing it, which is imperative to leading a successful independent research project.

For a long time when I first started in lab I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. Even though I had my own project, I felt lost because I didn’t fully understand all the background and jargon behind my work. However, during one of our first sessions at the confocal microscope and probably without even realizing it, Liz raised my confidence and self-esteem by telling me that she was once in the exact same position I was in and that soon everything I feel like I don’t understand will naturally fall into place.

Liz, thank you for being the epitome of what a strong and confident woman in science looks like. Thank you for pushing me to be the best that I can be, and putting up with all my questions even when I ask you the same one five times in a row. Thank you for being a good friend, and most of all thank you for infecting us all with your love and excitement for science.

Congratulations to the 2019 award recipients! The Office of Undergraduate Research thanks the undergraduate students who nominated their faculty and graduate student mentors as well as the Peer Research Ambassadors who served on this year’s selection committee.

Developing an Elevator Pitch

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By Emy Regan, OUR Peer Research Ambassador

As someone who has engaged in research and creative activity, I have learned that marketing yourself and your work is a key step in the process itself. An important way to do this is through an elevator pitch, or a short but impactful statement describing what you do and why you do it. This elevator pitch is the first impression of your research or creative projects that you’ll share with your peers, mentors and employers, so you’ll want to make it attention catching and easy to understand. Continue reading →

Creating a Research Presentation

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By Divya Ganugapati, OUR Peer Research Ambassador

If you are ready to embark upon the exciting and rewarding journey of presenting your research – congrats! Whether complete or in-progress, take a moment to acknowledge all of the hard work you have put in to make it this far in your undergraduate research career. Now is time for the fun and creative part – displaying your research. Continue reading →