'Research Perseveres': A look ahead at the 60+ events of University Research Week

University Research Week, dedicated to celebrating and learning about the research conducted at UNC, will be hosted from Nov. 8-12 through a variety of in-person and virtual events.

This year’s theme, 'Research Perseveres,' aims to highlight all the research that continues to be done despite the ongoing pandemic and the challenges it presented, said Layla Dowdy, director of the Office of Research Communications.

“We really wanted to highlight that we never stopped,” Dowdy said. “And we're at the place we are because of all of the dedication that researchers and research support personnel put into this and that definitely includes students as well.”

Dowdy said she planned Research Week with Office of Research Communications graphic designer Corina Cudebec, Associate Director of the Office for Undergraduate Research Robert Pleasants and Associate Dean & Director of the Office for Undergraduate Research Troy Blackburn.

Research Week events

The Office for Undergraduate Research and the Office of Research Communications planned a variety of events: in-person presentations, virtual presentations, symposiums, workshops and more.

Dowdy said that while a few events will be in-person, a majority will be online and remote. The virtual events will be recorded and posted to the individual event websites afterward so people who were not able to attend live can still watch them.

Dowdy said in a follow-up email that, out of previous University Research Weeks, this year is the largest in terms of independent events planned — right now there are 62 events scheduled.

The upcoming University Research Week will also feature a speaker series, the Health of Our State and Beyond, created and presented by the Creativity Hubs initiative.

Terry Magnuson, UNC vice chancellor for research, said in an email statement that the Creativity Hubs is a competitive funding program where expertise from multiple fields is brought together to tackle issues of import. It started in 2017 as a component of UNC’s strategic plan, Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good.

“The presentations given during the Health of Our State and Beyond series next week will cover the impressive strides four of our winning teams have made in areas that impact the citizens of North Carolina and those beyond our borders: coastal resilience, obesity, antiviral therapeutics development and access to clean water," Magnuson said.

These four presentations will be held over BrightTALK.

Research focus

In the past, University Research Week was used to highlight research mainly within the College of Arts & Sciences as a way to engage undergraduates in research, Dowdy said.

But since 2019, the scope of University Research Week has expanded beyond the College of Arts & Sciences and now includes all the college schools and professional schools, Dowdy said.

“In the planning for 2019, the Provost Bob Blouin encouraged my boss, Vice Chancellor for Research Terry Magnuson, to really help support the event and make it a pan-campus celebration of all things research,” Dowdy said. “As the name implies — University Research Week — it really should cover the breadth of research activity.”

In addition, Pleasants said the Office for Undergraduate Research usually holds four to five events during the week that are specifically targeted to undergraduate students. These usually include workshops about getting involved in research, writing abstracts and researching while studying abroad. He also said his office partners with the biology department.

Pleasants said his office has been mindful of mental health challenges that students are facing more acutely than ever before, especially in light of recent campus events.

Through this, they put together 'Stress and our Mental Health: Research Innovation that Leads to Improved Treatment & Outcomes' which will be held on Monday, Nov. 8 at 3:30 p.m.

Key takeaways

Dowdy said it's important that time is set aside annually to showcase the work of many different areas.

“I think it's important for the campus community to be aware of all the amazing activity that's going on here, but also for students too,” Dowdy said. “My hope for each individual event is that at least one student is inspired to maybe pursue that as a career or engage in some activity on their own.”

Pleasants said he hopes that students will look at the calendar of events and take the time to see all the opportunities available.

“If they're undergraduates interested in research, also look at the Office for Undergraduate Research website and reach out to us,” Pleasants said.

The schedule for the upcoming events can be found here.

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