DURHAM, N.H. - The University of New Hampshire hosts its 17th annual Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) April 11-23, 2016. One of the largest and most diverse undergraduate research conferences in the nation, this year's URC boasts a record 1,870 student participants from all academic disciplines presenting original research, scholarly activity and creative works in more than 20 events on UNH's Durham and Manchester campuses. All events are free and open to the public.

"The URC celebrates academic excellence and fosters and engages the next generation of innovators," said Paul Tsang, faculty director of UNH's Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research and a professor of molecular, cellular and biomedical sciences. "This university-wide conference, featuring students from all majors, is a fantastic culmination to the research process." Tsang notes that the addition of the new Paul College First-Year Innovation and Research Experience (FIRE) URC (April 30) has contributed to the growth of this year's URC, which last year engaged about 1,300 students.

With posters, presentations and demonstrations that parallel professional academic research conferences, URC events span the academic disciplines. The Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Symposium (April 20, Whittemore Center Arena) and the 25th annual College of Life Science and Agriculture URC (April 23, Memorial Union Building) highlight innovative projects in engineering and science, while The Naked Arts — Creativity Exposed! series (April 20-22) celebrates the creative arts. The Parents Association Undergraduate Research Symposium (April 22, Memorial Union Building) showcases research from multiple disciplines across the University, and UNH Manchester URC events include the unique offerings of Cinema Arts Day (April 21, Pandora Mill) and Engineering Technology Day (April 22, Pandora Mill). In addition to the URC, this year's Graduate Research Conference (April 11-12) includes a 3-Minute Thesis Challenge for Ph.D. students to describe their research to a general audience.

• Animal magnetism: Neuroscience and behavior major Allison Onofrio '16 (Hopkinton, Mass.) studied how dogs use the Earth's magnetic field to lie down.

• Savage sewage: A team of environmental engineering students worked alongside state officials to recommend upgrades to the sewage treatment plant on the summit of Mt. Washington.

• Build a better binding: Engineering students have developed a unique universal ski binding that accommodates three types of skiing (alpine, telemark and alpine touring).

• Ex files: Psychology major Summer Johnson '16 (Ringwood, N.J.) explores how "Facebook stalking" a former romantic partner affects adjustment to a breakup.

• Nordic track: Exercise science major and Nordic skier Emily Larson '16 (Boulder, Colo.) studied her teammates to look for cardiac characteristics that could cause heart troubles later in life.

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 13,000 undergraduate and 2,500 graduate students across three campuses.

Photographs available to download:
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Caption: Robots, like this lunar mining robot created by students on the UNH LunaCats team, abound at the Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Symposium April 20 at the Whittemore Center Arena, part of UNH's Undergraduate Research Conference.
Credit: UNH Photographic Services

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Caption: Students share their original research with visitors to UNH's Undergraduate Research Conference April 11 - 23, 2016.
Credit: UNH Photographic Services