On Friday, July 19th, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) hosted the first annual Summer Undergraduate Research Conference (SURC) in the Stamp Grand Ballroom. This event saw more than 170 students presenting their research and scholarly and creative works, highlighting the diverse academic culture at the University of Maryland.
The conference featured an array of projects from students involved in various programs, including OUR’s Immersive Research Internship Experience (IRIE), OUR’s Student-Proposed Innovation & Research Experience (SPIRE), two National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REUs), and several other summer research initiatives across UMD's Schools and Colleges. SURC provided a platform for students to present independent research projects conducted on and off campus from various disciplines. Undergraduates were excited to share their projects and talk about their experience conducting research over the summer.
One group of students from IRIE’s BioInspired Robotics stream brought their robotic stingray model. Students shared how they developed the robot to mimic the motion of stingrays and demonstrated how the robot moved. Students then explained that future researchers could use this technology to monitor ocean pollution levels and aquatic animal behaviors.
The School of Public Health’s Public Health AeroBiology Laboratory (PHAB Lab) students shared several posters featuring their research on UV light-based air filtration devices. Students explained that their devices have the potential to help slow the spread of air-borne viruses like the flu or COVID-19, demonstrating practical solutions for public health challenges.
On the other side of the room, another group of students tackled an NP-hard problem via the popular video game Minecraft. They calculated the most efficient way to illuminate the most surface area with the least amount of torches using a Quantum Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) formulation. This project highlighted the application of complex mathematical concepts in a creative and engaging format.
Students, mentors, campus partners, and visitors spent the afternoon engaging in cross-disciplinary conversation, celebrating undergraduate research, and re-imagining learning at the University of Maryland. And, of course, SURC attendees enjoyed ice cream from the Maryland Dairy.
The Office of Undergraduate Research thanks the UMD campus and community for supporting and participating in the first inaugural Summer Undergraduate Research Conference. OUR is excited to continue supporting undergraduate researchers and campus partners and looks forward to hosting Undergraduate Research Day in Spring 2025.
For more photos from the event, see OUR’s SURC 2024 Photo Gallery.