Celebrating Undergraduate Student Research

The second annual King’s Undergraduate Research Journal (KURJ) was unveiled on April 8, 2018 at the King’s Undergraduate Research Conference (KURC). Editors Ryan Hannah and Gabrielle Guizzo made the announcement in front of their peers and King’s faculty.

There are eight authors who contributed to KURJ in this year’s issue, consisting of King’s alumni or current students. Students must be in their second year or higher to contribute to the journal. Students and alumni from the departments of Philosophy, Political Science, History, Social Justice and Peace Studies, Thanatology, Psychology, English, Sociology and Criminology all submitted their research for KURJ this year for peer and faculty review. It is a competitive process to be selected for publication.

KURJ is funded by the King’s University College Students’ Council. It is an online publication. Student researchers are invited to explain their work in a short video as part of the online journal.

Also on April 8, 2018 was the inaugural King’s Undergraduate Research Conference (KURC). It was developed with the vision to facilitate the academic development of the King’s undergraduate student body. Attendees of the conference were invited to observe and engage in the discussion of research topics presented by students. Undergraduate research must be approved by faculty before it can be presented at the conference. There were 22 presenters from Philosophy, English, Psychology, Sociology, Thanatology, Religious Studies, History, Political Science, and Social Justice and Peace Studies.

KURC Chair Madelaine Coelho says, “it is exciting that an opportunity comes along for all of King’s departments to engage in a unified event, celebrating the achievements of undergraduates.” The hope of the conference is to inspire students to further their own research and become leaders in student empowerment.

Associate Academic Dean Dr. Joseph Michalski says, "this is one of the most organized and well attended undergraduate conferences I've ever seen."

Congratulations to all King’s students and alumni who contributed their research to both the journal and the conference.

Nikki Sasso Mitchell
Communications Assistant, Communications and Media Relations
nikki.sassomitchell@kings.uwo.ca