By Kate Augusto

The number of undergraduate students doing research is up by more than 20 percent, said Vice Provost for Research Srinivas Sridhar. This statistic was evident in the number of presenters at last Wednesday’s 2007 Research and Scholarship Expo.

The expo, sponsored by the Provost’s Office, the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Graduate Student Association, showcased 217 presenters, 42 more than last year. Of these presenters 51 were undergraduates, and presentations were by students from all colleges and departments.

Sridhar said undergraduate research is growing the most.

“In the past these researchers were often considered graduate students and above, but it’s really carried out to all levels,” Sridhar said. “In addition to learning in a regular classroom method, when you do research you learn by discovery.”

This year’s expo was packaged with Inauguration festivities, and President Joseph Aoun attended. After having every faculty member at the expo join him on stage, he presented awards to the two best undergraduate students and two graduate students for outstanding research.

“Ultimately we are one learning community where the faculty learn from the students and the students learn from the faculty,” President Aoun said. “We create an environment with no boundaries