Wooster to celebrate student research achievements on April 29

Public is invited to third annual Senior Research Symposium

WOOSTER, Ohio, April 18, 2011 – As a general rule, professors are not keen on the idea of calling off classes, and faculty at The College of Wooster are no exception. On Friday, April 29, however, every single class will be cancelled, to allow the entire campus to come together to celebrate the research achievements of this year’s seniors.

From 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., at locations across campus, there will be panel discussions, oral and poster presentations, art exhibits, and theatre and musical performances by more than 200 seniors, all highlighting the results of the yearlong, mentored research projects known to generations of Wooster graduates simply as I.S., short for Independent Study.

Chemistry major Shaffer Siegel will describe attempts to synthesize a particular metal organic framework with potential for use in fuel cells. Nick Neary will make the philosophical case for “The Logical Impossibility of Strong Artificial Intelligence.” Political science major Jessica Schumacher will present her findings on the influence of minority interest groups on immigration legislations, while psychology major Thomas Gable examines whether there are cognitive differences between using an e-reader, like a Kindle or iPad, and reading a text on paper.

Some presentations will be grouped around a common theme, such as environmental science, health care, images in politics and religion, justice, or animal behavior. Studio art majors will discuss their work in the galleries of The College of Wooster Art Museum, while theatre majors will perform excerpts from the pieces they produced as part of their I.S. projects in Friedlander Theatre.

“I.S. is more than just a senior project,” said Wooster President Grant Cornwell. “It's the culmination of a four-year curriculum built around mentored undergraduate research. Our whole academic program is very intentionally structured so our students gain the skills, the knowledge, and the confidence they need to take on a complex project like this and succeed. And once they graduate, they find that the skills they've acquired here translate very well to the workplace or graduate and professional school.”

A detailed schedule of the day’s events can be downloaded here.

The College of Wooster is an independent liberal arts college, nationally recognized for teaching excellence and a curriculum built around mentored undergraduate research. Every Wooster senior works one-on-one with a faculty adviser to create an original research project, written work, performance or art exhibit. Founded in 1866, the college enrolls approximately 2,000 students.