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| Brandy Ulrich explains escape behavior of the California Tree Frog during the fourth annual McNair Scholars Program Summer Symposium. |
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| McNair Scholar Krista Von Stetten presents her research findings on motivations influencing religious bumper stickers. |
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| A group picture of the McNair Scholars at the summer symposium. |
The McNair Scholars Program Summer Symposium provided an opportunity for 19 Cal Poly Pomona students to present their findings after six months of graduate-level research.
More than 150 people, including academics from as far as UC Riverside, UC Irvine and UCLA, attended the fourth annual symposium on Thursday, July 31, in the Bronco Student Center.
Named for Ronald E. McNair, best known as one of the astronauts aboard the 1986 Challenger shuttle, the federally funded program encourages first-generation, low-income or underrepresented students to earn doctoral degrees through involvement with research, mentors, seminars and financial aid.
“The McNair Scholars Program is unique because it’s the only program that gives students a comprehensive array of services that prepares them for grad school and Ph.D.s,” says Frank J. Torres, director of the McNair Scholars Program. “It includes faculty mentors, preparation for the GRE, visits to the Ph.D.-granting institutions and research stipends that motivate them to continue on in their studies and accomplish their dreams.”
This year’s group of McNair Scholars included students majoring in animal science, biology, English, mechanical engineering, physics, psychology, social science, sociology and zoology. Each scholar chose a professor who guided the student’s research project from proposal to final paper.
Research topics ranged from secondary escape behavior of California tree frogs to biracial theories to motivations influencing religious bumper stickers. Other study topics included thermophotovoltaic generators and race as it affects adoption.
Four scholars who presented at the summer symposium will also present their research at UC Berkeley in August; and 15 scholars will present their research in November at the Southern California Conference on Undergraduate Research at UC Irvine.
For more information, contact academic adviser Joan Hill at (909) 869-3381. To view a list of this year's McNair Scholars, click here.