Page 10 - Bowie State University: Education Innovation Initiative Handbook

During the final week of the internship, students present their research projects to mentors, peers, and

family members at the two-day SURI Research Symposium. BDEinSTEM mentors attend and critique

these sessions to help interns improve subsequent research presentations. On the first day, students host

poster presentations of their research. Freshmen in the BSU’s summer bridge (Bulldog Academy) program

will attend the poster session, serving the dual purpose of providing BDEinSTEM interns with an

audience that is eager but not overly intimidating, while introducing new undergraduates to the world of

academic research. On the second day, the symposium begins with an opening ceremony featuring a

keynote speaker, often a McNair alumnus who has earned the Ph.D. After the ceremony, interns make 15-

minute oral presentations of their research, followed by questions from the audience. These panels are

moderated by McNair alumni, a faculty member, or a doctoral student. Inclusion of McNair alumni,

women faculty, and faculty of color as moderators serves as an especially strong motivator to current

participants. A publication highlighting students and their research is distributed during the event.

C6.2 Structured Scholarly Activities

During the academic year, participants refine their summer research presentations based on mentor and
audience feedback. Additionally, McNair scholars have the opportunity to participate in the Preparing

Future Faculty (PFF), and the Seniors Undergraduate Scholarly Works Symposium. Working with their
mentors, participants identify the conference(s) aligned with their discipline and potential graduate

program choices. Some of the conferences which will be attended by BSU McNair Scholars include the
National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR); the National McNair Undergraduate Research

Conference, the McNair California Scholars Research Symposium, the University of Maryland McNair

Undergraduate Research Conference and the University sponsored BSU Undergraduate Research Expo. In
addition to undergraduate conferences, mentors and interns may also present their research at the McNair

Colloquia, a series of academic presentations held throughout the year, sponsored jointly by the McNair

Scholars Program and the Office of Multicultural Affairs. BSU sponsors the annual Spring Research
Symposium Poster Session/Colloquy, an event that encourages faculty research that involves students.

Faculty mentors include their interns as co-authors of papers and co-presenters of research findings.
BDEinSTEM Scholars will co-present their research at a variety of professional STEM related

conferences. BDEinSTEM will encourage all scholars to co-present their research with their faculty