Your Impact: Undergraduate Research Journal
Scot Walker '90 October 29, 2014 9:41 AM
Via TAMUtimes
With articles ranging from research regarding weight discrimination to bacterial meningitis study results, Texas A&M University’s undergraduate scholarly journal could be mistaken at first glance for one of the older and better-established publications to which the students’ professors frequently contribute, adding to scientific and other literature. It’s all in the sixth edition of Explorations: The Texas A&M Undergraduate Journal, sponsored by the Honors and Undergraduate Research Office.
Few universities have such research-oriented journals managed and edited by undergraduates and to which undergraduates of all academic disciplines have the opportunity to submit an article. The Association of Former Students provides financial assistance to help make possible the publication of the students’ journal.
The process for selection of articles to be published in Explorations is highly competitive, and less than 20 percent of submitted proposals are accepted.
In addition to conducting their own research projects with advice provided by faculty members, many students at Texas A&M also have the opportunity to work closely with their professors on a variety of research endeavors.
With more than $820 million invested in research annually, Texas A&M ranks first in Texas and among the leaders nationally in experiments and studies that enhance the basic storehouse of knowledge, with much of such work also having major economic benefits, officials note.
In addition to an array of student-produced articles, the current Explorations includes a student photographer’s portraits highlighting the beauty of humanity and a student researcher’s study of how language revels the experiences of war veterans.
Guided by faculty and administrators, Explorations student editors select and publish student-authored articles and creative works of general interest in any area. Student researchers submit proposals for articles to an editorial board comprised of students and faculty. If accepted, research and scholarly articles then undergo a second round of peer review before publication. Creative pieces are vetted by faculty experts and student reviewers.
Editors also point out that for the first time Explorations has an extended online issue that more easily allows for submissions with video, music or extensive photography, such as that seen in an article exploring personal identity as seen through the eyes of Muslim student artist, and MacArthur “genius” award winner Shahzia Sikander.
“We are so excited to see the continuing high quality of the research, scholarly and creative submissions we receive in all disciplines” says Dr. Sumana Datta, the executive director of Honors and Undergraduate Research. “The support our student authors and artists get from the faculty and The Association of Former Students is truly tremendous. I’m particularly proud of the initiative and dedication the student editorial and executive board members for Explorations exhibit. They embody the best of student leadership on this campus.”
Recently published articles embrace wide range of academic fields: music, creative poetry, forensics, cancer biology, astrophysics, nanomedicine, computer algorithms, business, geosciences, sociology, aerospace engineering, and cultural anthropology.
More information on past issues of the journal is available at http://hur.tamu.edu/Explorations/Current-and-Past-Issues.
Media Contact: Sumana Datta, Honors and Undergraduate Rearch, at sumad@tamu.edu or (979) 845-1957 or Tura King, Division of Marketing & Communications, at (979) 845-4670 or tura-king@tamu.edu
With articles ranging from research regarding weight discrimination to bacterial meningitis study results, Texas A&M University’s undergraduate scholarly journal could be mistaken at first glance for one of the older and better-established publications to which the students’ professors frequently contribute, adding to scientific and other literature. It’s all in the sixth edition of Explorations: The Texas A&M Undergraduate Journal, sponsored by the Honors and Undergraduate Research Office.
Few universities have such research-oriented journals managed and edited by undergraduates and to which undergraduates of all academic disciplines have the opportunity to submit an article. The Association of Former Students provides financial assistance to help make possible the publication of the students’ journal.
The process for selection of articles to be published in Explorations is highly competitive, and less than 20 percent of submitted proposals are accepted.
In addition to conducting their own research projects with advice provided by faculty members, many students at Texas A&M also have the opportunity to work closely with their professors on a variety of research endeavors.
With more than $820 million invested in research annually, Texas A&M ranks first in Texas and among the leaders nationally in experiments and studies that enhance the basic storehouse of knowledge, with much of such work also having major economic benefits, officials note.
In addition to an array of student-produced articles, the current Explorations includes a student photographer’s portraits highlighting the beauty of humanity and a student researcher’s study of how language revels the experiences of war veterans.
Guided by faculty and administrators, Explorations student editors select and publish student-authored articles and creative works of general interest in any area. Student researchers submit proposals for articles to an editorial board comprised of students and faculty. If accepted, research and scholarly articles then undergo a second round of peer review before publication. Creative pieces are vetted by faculty experts and student reviewers.
Editors also point out that for the first time Explorations has an extended online issue that more easily allows for submissions with video, music or extensive photography, such as that seen in an article exploring personal identity as seen through the eyes of Muslim student artist, and MacArthur “genius” award winner Shahzia Sikander.
“We are so excited to see the continuing high quality of the research, scholarly and creative submissions we receive in all disciplines” says Dr. Sumana Datta, the executive director of Honors and Undergraduate Research. “The support our student authors and artists get from the faculty and The Association of Former Students is truly tremendous. I’m particularly proud of the initiative and dedication the student editorial and executive board members for Explorations exhibit. They embody the best of student leadership on this campus.”
Recently published articles embrace wide range of academic fields: music, creative poetry, forensics, cancer biology, astrophysics, nanomedicine, computer algorithms, business, geosciences, sociology, aerospace engineering, and cultural anthropology.
More information on past issues of the journal is available at http://hur.tamu.edu/Explorations/Current-and-Past-Issues.
Media Contact: Sumana Datta, Honors and Undergraduate Rearch, at sumad@tamu.edu or (979) 845-1957 or Tura King, Division of Marketing & Communications, at (979) 845-4670 or tura-king@tamu.edu
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