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| Meeting of Minds provides students with the opportunity to present their research in oral or poster presentations and discuss them with an academic audience. |
By Rebecca Wyatt Thomas, OU Web Writer
In 1995, Andrea Kozak, CAS ’96, participated in her first Meeting of Minds. As an OU student, Kozak worked with a professor in the psychology department on research and used the research to develop a poster presentation for the undergraduate research conference. Now, as an assistant professor of psychology at OU, Kozak is encouraging her students to gain the experience Meeting of Minds offers. Students who would like to participate in the conference must submit a proposal form by March 21.
The 16th Annual Meeting of Minds will be held at Oakland University on May 16. The conference features the work of students from the University of Michigan Dearborn and University of Michigan Flint. More than 200 students participate in the annual event, which rotates between campuses each year.
Meeting of Minds is a chance for undergraduate students from all majors to present scholarly work or research using oral or poster presentations. The poster presentations are informal. Students then speak about their work in a one-on-one setting. Handouts, photos, graphs and artwork are used to emphasize detailed information.
Oral presentations are more formal and organized in concurrent sessions where students speak about their work, answer questions and get feedback during a brief discussion period. Students prepare for a 10-minute presentation followed by 3-5 minutes of discussion. Presenters are encouraged to use slides, video clips and other visual support to engage the audience. Students can also present solo or group performances, which range from 1-12 minutes, followed by a brief discussion, if a discussion illustrates their creative endeavors more accurately.
Research presented during the conference will be converted to a professional level manuscript for inclusion in Meeting of Minds: Journal of Undergraduate Research, a unique opportunity for undergraduates to publish research.
“Meeting of Minds is an audience that is accepting of student work. It’s a comfortable environment where students can learn presenting skills,” said Kozak, who also participated in Meeting of Minds in 1996.
Kozak’s research in clinical psychology focuses on people who struggle with their weight and moving toward interventions. She focuses on weight loss and weight loss maintenance. Kozak has collected data and students she works with are familiar with what is in the database. She is encouraging them to perform analyses and come up with topics to present at Meeting of Minds.
Not all work presented at Meeting of Minds is so scientific.
CamieLee Frasher will be presenting an oral presentation about a fine arts workshop and art exhibition she ran this summer for a group of high risk girls in Detroit.
“After going through the experience of presenting at Meeting of Minds at UM Flint last spring, I found out Oakland would be the host for Meeting of Minds 2008 and I wanted to get more involved,” Frasher said.
Special Instructor of Studio Art Sally Tardella helped Frasher contact Kathleen Moore, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of chemistry, who organizes OU’s participation in Meeting of Minds. Frasher was able to not only get involved as a presenter but also serve on OU’s Meeting of Minds host committee.
“Conducting and presenting undergraduate research at Meeting of Minds is an excellent opportunity to make a significant intellectual contribution to the academic community. I wish more emphasis was placed on the importance of undergraduate research because I see it as a great opportunity to develop a strong professional portfolio and/or resume. I feel Meeting of Minds motivates students to take initiative outside the classroom and allows students to see what it’s like to experiment with subjects that interest them. I can’t understand why any student wouldn’t take advantage of what Meeting of Minds has to offer,” Frasher said.
To have a presentation accepted for the May 16 event, student presenters must have approval of a faculty mentor and must complete the student presenter registration form. In addition, all student presenters, faculty sponsors, and other guests who plan to attend the luncheon must complete the general registration form.
To register, or for more information on Meeting of Minds, visit the Meeting of Minds Web site. Registration and proposal forms must be submitted online by March 21.
In 1995, Andrea Kozak, CAS ’96, participated in her first Meeting of Minds. As an OU student, Kozak worked with a professor in the psychology department on research and used the research to develop a poster presentation for the undergraduate research conference. Now, as an assistant professor of psychology at OU, Kozak is encouraging her students to gain the experience Meeting of Minds offers. Students who would like to participate in the conference must submit a proposal form by March 21.