Six undergraduate chemistry majors will be among more than 200 University of Georgia students presenting original research projects and creative works at the annual spring symposium hosted by UGA's Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities. The daylong event, which is open to the public, will be held on April 1 at the Classic Center in downtown Athens. Since its inception in 1999, the CURO symposium has provided a public space for students from all academic disciplines to share their research work with their peers, the UGA research community and others. "The CURO Symposium has become the premier undergraduate academic event at UGA," said David S. Williams, associate provost and director of UGA's Honors Program. "It is important to note that while CURO began in the Honors Program, it is now open to all UGA undergraduates. Indeed, this year some 40 percent of presenters are not Honors students." Students will give concurrent oral presentations from 9:05 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. in Athena Rooms A-D and G-J, with poster sessions and a reception scheduled from 5-6 p.m. in the Grand Hall-South. Fran Teague, a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor with a joint appointment in the English department and theatre and film studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, will deliver the keynote address "The Lavish Elegance of Research" at 4 p.m. in the Classic Center's new atrium. Preceding her talk, Best Paper awards will be presented in the categories of arts, humanities, social sciences, civic responsibility focus, international focus, biological sciences and physical sciences. The UGA Libraries also will present five cash-prize awards to students for excellence in research and academic inquiry. Additionally, two faculty members will be recognized with mentoring awards for their efforts to enhance the learning experience of undergraduate researchers through outstanding teaching, supervision of undergraduate research projects and theses, and collaboration on publications and presentations at professional conferences. Symposium attendees can use a UGA bus service that will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to the Classic Center from stops at Memorial Hall on Sanford Drive and the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education on Carlton Street. Free parking also will be provided at the Classic Center. More information about the CURO Symposium is available from http://curo.uga.edu/symposium/. The schedule for the presentations by undergraduate chemistry majors is provided: Callan Berkeley Brownfield and Robert Ashley Dr. Richard W. Morrison Synthetic and Enzymatic Decarboxylation of Tyrosine Derivatives 9:05-9:55, Classic Center, Room H Grant Moody Dr. Gary E. Douberly Conformational Preferences of a Prototype Biomolecule in Liquid Helium Nanodroplets 1:25-2:15, Classic Center, Room H Kasey Leigh Darley Dr. Shanta Dhar A Therapeutic Nanoparticle Platform for Ischemic Brain Injury 1:25-2:15, Classic Center, Room H Richard D. Weimar, III Dr. Tina Salguero Where chemistry meets the classics: first-ever modern scientific analysis of Pompeiian polychrome sculptures 1:25-2:15, Classic Center, Room H Samuel Evan Kennedy Dr. Shanta Dhar Mitochondria Targeted Delivery of Cisplatin Prodrugs Poster, Classic Center, Grand Hall South
