A record-breaking 41 Eastern Connecticut State University students presented their research at the 2018 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) from April 4-7 at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Chosen from more than 4,000 submissions across the country, 100 percent of Eastern’s NCUR submissions were accepted at the 2018 conference. In the past four years, Eastern has sent more students to NCUR than all other public universities in Connecticut combined. These achievements have resulted in Eastern being recongnized by the Councit on Undergraduate Research (CUR) as a campus that is “leading the way” in undergraduate research.

“Learning to conduct research is a major component of a liberal arts education,” said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. “That is why Eastern is committed to supporting our undergraduate students so they can conduct research and present it at regional and national conferences. To know that every Eastern student’s proposal was accepted at this year’s NCUR is a testament to the support students receive from our faculty.

“The fact that Eastern had more student representatives than any other college or university in Connecticut shows that we are serious about giving as many of our students opportunities to conduct meaningful, scholarly research as possible,” continued Núñez. “We know that undergraduates at larger institutions don’t get these opportunities, but we also know that students who are engaged in applied learning activities such as research projects get better grades and graduate at higher rates.”

Carlos Escoto, psychology professor and coordinator of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, chaperoned students on the NCUR trip. “The students got a lot out of the conference. The trip had a great sense of comradery and students showed up to support one another.”

Students are accepted into NCUR if their research demonstrates a unique contribution to their field of study. Established in 1987, NCUR offers undergraduates the opportunity to present their research findings to peers, faculty and staff from colleges and universities across the nation, providing a unique networking and learning opportunity.