The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s annual Discovery Day took place Tuesday, September 24 in John C. Hodges Library. The exhibition featured two floors of undergraduate student researchers presenting their projects to the campus community.
Hosted by UT’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (OURF), campus members and visitors were invited to explore 107 projects presented by 115 student researchers representing eight colleges and 45 different majors.
“Discovery Day is one of our favorite days of the year,” said Meredith Malburne-Wade, director of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. “It’s always exciting to see the depth and breadth of the research and creative projects our students contribute to on display.”
One of the student researchers who presented was Tyler Myers, a senior double majoring in microbiology and neuroscience and double minoring in chemistry and public health. His presentation was titled “Investigating Knockouts of Conserved Transcription Factors Governing Intestinal Regional Identity in Zebrafish”.
Myers conducted his research at Duke University’s School of Medicine alongside faculty mentor Dr. John Rawls, a professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology through the Amgen Scholars Program. He was introduced to Dr. Rawls by his faculty mentor at UT, Dr. Heidi Goodrich-Blair, who serves as the head of the Department of Microbiology.
“Discovery Day was an exciting opportunity to learn about research conducted by undergrads both on-campus and off-campus over the past summer,” said Meyers. “The research training I have received through my work at UT left me well-prepared to pursue professional opportunities elsewhere, and the skills and knowledge I gained through this experience will serve me well during the remainder of my time here on Rocky Top!”
Held each fall, Discovery Day provides a platform for undergraduate students to display research conducted over the spring and summer with the help of a faculty mentor. Student researchers stand alongside their research during the exhibition, answering questions and engaging with interested visitors.
“We love watching mentors, faculty, staff, and students engage with each other and share knowledge,” said Malburne-Wade.
In addition to Discovery Day, OURF hosts research showcases throughout the academic year including EURēCA, the university’s largest such event, which is traditionally held in April.
