DURHAM, N.H. - The University of New Hampshire's 12th annual Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) takes place April 25-30, 2011, featuring hundreds of UNH students from all academic disciplines presenting the results of their research, scholarship, engagement and creative works.

All events are free and open to the public.

UNH's Undergraduate Research Conference is one of the largest and most disciplinarily diverse in the country. More than 1,100 undergraduate students are participating in this year's weeklong event. Oral presentations, poster sessions, competitions, performances and exhibitions showcase student success in all academic areas.

Since the first conference was held 12 years ago, an interdisciplinary science and engineering symposium and a multidisciplinary symposium supported by the parents association has been added as has the Naked Arts-Creativity Exposed, a component that gives student artists working in visual and performing arts the chance to describe the creative aspects of their process.

UNH's Whittemore School of Business and Economics saw its own daylong symposium added in 2009. UNH Manchester has also joined the conference.

 "The Undergraduate Research Conference at UNH this year has achieved yet another record for student participation.  More than 1,100 undergraduates, representing all colleges, schools and academic departments at UNH will be presenting, says Peter Masucci, chairman of the URC planning committee, and long-time faculty mentor.  "The breadth of topics that will be presented demonstrates the diversity and multidisciplinary focus on research, scholarship and engagement we have here at UNH. The URC helps position UNH as one our country's premier research institutions."

Faculty mentoring through the URC process allows students to develop one-on-one relationships with their professors. Surveys of students who have participated in URC repeatedly mention faculty support as one of the most memorable parts of their experience.

"I especially want to thank the hundreds of UNH faculty without whom the Undergraduate Research Conference would not be possible", said Julie E. Williams, senior vice provost for engagement and academic outreach. "Our faculty's commitment to student learning, research and engagement is simply remarkable and I really appreciate how many dedicated faculty serve as a mentors to our URC students."

URC events are open to the public and feature student work from all of UNH's schools and colleges at both the Durham and Manchester campuses. The full conference schedule is available online at http://www.unh.edu/urc/events.html

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

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