On March 29 and 30, ETSU will host the Appalachian Student Research Symposium and Forum.
Dr. Frosty Levy, director of undergraduate research and professor of biology, encouraged students to attend, “I think it would let them find out what their peers are doing,” Levy said. “It’s a way to become exposed to the possibilities that are open to students that they may not know about.”
In its first year, the Appalachian Undergraduate Research Symposium on March 29 is meant to provide a non-threatening and less competitive environment to give students a chance to present their work orally. Only undergraduate research is eligible to be presented at the symposium. There will be more interaction at the symposiumand more chances for audience interaction and discussion.
This year, 23 ETSU students will be presenting research in three categories – social sciences and education, sciences and technology, and arts and humanities. Presentations will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m..
The Appalachian Research Forum on March 30 is more formal and competitive. It’s not just for undergraduate research – graduate and medical students are invited to present research as well. All students are required to present their research in poster form. These posters are judged on the quality of the work and presentation.
All posters will be available for public viewing from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
For next year’s event, Levy said he would like to see more performance-based research. “Because it’s called research, people think it has to be test tube, but research is anything original,” Levy said. “It doesn’t need to be collecting data from a science project. Anything that a student does that can be considered original work, including performances, can be research.”
Levy also said he’d encourage students to do research of their own. “Research is a way to learn firsthand,” Levy said. “It’s different from sitting in classes. If you like the topic, you have a lot of fun, and you learn a lot.”
Planning for forum began last fall with help from a student steering committee. This event, which is co-sponsored by the Honors College and Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, will be held at the Centre at Millennium Park and is free for everyone.
For more information, log on to www.etsu.edu/studentresearch/.

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