See the future of knowledge Thursday at Student Research Forum

Nearly 300 students from every UIC college will display their research projects Thursday at the Student Research Forum. Photo: Joshua Clark/UIC Photo Services

Where can you learn about medical data mapping, Android app security and the relevance of the 80-year-old Adler Planetarium — all in one place?

At the Student Research Forum, where nearly 300 UIC students from every UIC college will show off their research projects Thursday.

During the event, 1 to 5 p.m. at the UIC Forum, 218 undergraduate students and 63 grad students will present projects from a breadth of disciplines. Some students will present their Honors College capstone projects.

“It’s a very lively, high-energy event,” said Sara Hall, associate dean for academic affairs in the Honors College and associate professor of Germanic studies.

“Students have to adapt their presentation to different audiences depending on who comes up to talk to them – lay people, professors with enormous expertise. It’s a great place for students to share their work and people are amazed at everything our students can accomplish.”

Students’ work will be judged by 110 faculty members and 250 alumni. Winners from each category take home prizes that range from $300 to $100.

Presenting is a critical component of research, Hall said. “Students are doing work that results in original solutions to problems or advances new knowledge in their field,” she said. “If they don’t present the work publicly, then their findings stay dormant.”