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25.01.2022 The 2018 ACUR conference was hosted by La Trobe University on 24 and 25 September on its main campus at Bundoora, Melbourne. Emeritus Professor Angela Brew, Chair of the Council for Undergraduate Research, gave the keynote address. Sixty presentations were given by students from a wide range of disciplines, and representing 14 Australian universities and 1 international (USA) university.
25.01.2022 Calling all students! Abstract submissions are now open for the Australasian Conference of Undergraduate Research. Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your hard work, and connect with like minded peers across all disciplines. Submissions close July 3rd. For more information on eligibility and to apply, head over to www.acur.org.au
24.01.2022 Interested in how geographers create liveable streets and involve even the youngest community members in urban design? A recent Christchurch based undergraduate research project adopted innovative surveying methods to work directly with school children in urban planning The outcomes were published in ACURs latest URNA (Undergraduate Research News Australasia) edition by Matt Stent, one of the undergraduate researchers involved in this project. Read his personal bio and ...Continue reading
24.01.2022 Interested in new developments in improving vaccine design?? Our Head of the ACUR Student Committee, Lachlan Deimel, is the co-author of a new paper titled: Unique IL-13R2/STAT3 mediated IL-13 regulation detected in lung conventional dendritic cells, 24 h post viral vector vaccination. Check it out here ... https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-57815-z ------------ Researcher Bio: Lachlan is the current Chair of the Australasian Council for Undergraduate Research Student Committee (ACURSC). He is completing Honours as part of the research-intensive Bachelor of Philosophy (Science) at The Australian National University. Lachlan has significant experience as an undergraduate researcher. His primary laboratory appointment is to the Molecular Mucosal Vaccine Immunology Group at the John Curtain School of Medical Research, where he focuses on developing vaccination strategies to improve HIV-specific immunity. In particular, he designs pox viral vector-based vaccination candidates that transiently modulate cytokine signalling at the vaccination site. Lachlan also works for the Liver Cancer Research Group at The Canberra Hospital, evaluating pathways associated with fatty liver disease-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. He is a predoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology, where he utilises synthetic Cas9 variants and guide RNAs as a platform to establish programable gene regulation in human cells. #medicalresearch #research #uni #unilife #studentlife #lab #laboratory #science #vaccine #medical #vaccination #immunity
23.01.2022 First People's Research with Donna Lock Donna Lock is a proud Ngarigo woman in her final year at Griffith University, studying a Bachelor of Counselling. Donna has been a general representative on the ACUR Student Committee for two years. She became involved in research due to the Kungullanji Summer Research program that is offered to all First Peoples students at Griffith. The purpose of this program is to give students a taste of what research is like, through works...Continue reading
22.01.2022 Although the 2020 ACUR Conference at ANU has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ANU will host the ACUR Conference in 2021! Worried you've missed out on the chance to present your research? We'll be extending eligibility for next year's conference. That means that if you were eligible to present this year, you'll automatically be eligible to present next year. Read more
22.01.2022 MEET THE 2020 ACUR TEAM Olivia Jessop is the Sponsorship Officer for the 2020 ACUR Student Committee. She is incredibly fascinated by the world of molecular biology diagnostic development. Olivia has just finished her biomedical science degree and is embarking on an honours year exploring the role of recombination in the spread of bacterial antibiotic resistance genes Olivia has a range of lab experience, from working for a private medical diagnostics company, to stude...nt volunteering. She's always down to share advice on getting involved in student research opportunities, or to talk microbiology, genetics, maths or plants In her own words: "Its very important to me to enable access to that platform for others, so that they can have the benefits I had." #stem #womeninstem #studentresearch #research #uni #biology #microbiology #genetics #maths #plants
21.01.2022 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Australian Archaeology and Heritage with Kate Morris This weeks student spotlight is on Kate Morris, who is a recent Archaeology honours graduate and now employed in NSW heritage consultancy Check out her PERSONAL BIO here:... Kate Morris studied a Bachelor of Science/Arts at the University of Queensland, majoring in Archaeological Science and Anthropology in each respective degree. Studying archaeology through a Science degree allowed her to take useful electives such as Biology and Statistics. Kate also undertook Honours in Archaeology at UQ in 2019; analysing historical burial artefacts from the North Brisbane Burial Grounds. Her thesis explored socio-economic status in 19th century Brisbane through an analysis of four out of only seven known dentures recovered from 19th century Australian cemetery contexts. Kates thesis is currently included in the archives of the Australian Dental Association Queenslands museum in Brisbane Her successful grant applications, academic achievements, and field experience, gained through opportunities at UQ, contributed to her recent employment in the Heritage sector of a NSW consultancy. Kate is currently undertaking fieldwork in her new role and is looking forward to post-excavation analyses #australianheritage #heritage #culturalheritage #history #historicalheritage #archaeology #historicalarchaeology #studentresearch #research #studentspotlight
20.01.2022 MEET THE 2020 ACUR TEAM Tandee Wang is the current Deputy Head of the 2020 ACUR Student Committee. He is a PhB (Arts) student majoring in history at The Australian National University, where he is now undertaking his Honours His research interests centres on Australian social and cultural history, and his honours research concerns the experiences of the cohort of Chinese migrants who were able to stay in Australia as a result of Bob Hawkes response to the Tiananmen S...quare Massacre. At his first ACUR conference in 2018, his co-authored paper with Elvis Gleeson won the HERDSA Prize. He currently works as a researcher at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). He has previously worked as a research assistant for Professor Angela Woollacott on her biography of Don Dunstan (Don Dunstan: The visionary politician who transformed Australia, Allen & Unwin 2019). #history #historicalresearch #australianhistory #studentresearch #research
20.01.2022 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Maya Trims and Migration Centres in Mexico This weeks student spotlight is on Maya Trims, who recently participated in a volunteering research trip to Mexico City - where she studied immigration and captured these photos at migrant shelters she visited. Check out her PERSONAL BIO here: ... Maya is in her third year at the University of Queensland, studying a Bachelor of International Studies, majoring in Spanish and International Relations She has just returned from a university volunteering trip to Mexico. On this trip, she was able to research immigration, law and human rights at the La Salle University in Mexico City For her: ''This experience was very rewarding, as not only were we able to study matters theoretically, but our site visits enabled us to witness firsthand the mass influx of Central American immigrants to Mexico and how current poor planning and the reintroduction of stringent border security policies are negatively affecting the migrant experience - which often left volunteers feeling incredibly overwhelmed. During my stay, I saw that there was a need for passionate lawyers and researchers, and hopefully one day I hope to fill a small part of that void'' After graduation, she wishes to pursue a Juris Doctorate at the University of Melbourne, with hopes of further researching migration law. Eventually, she would like to work in migration centres in Mexico, educating immigrants on their rights and potential avenues to seeking asylum. Additionally, Maya has a love for languages, and sees the value of language in peace negotiations. Maya has extensive volunteering experience, which has allowed her to work alongside the marginalised in society and know that this work is really helping people in need in our community. Read more about some of the Mexcian refugee shelters Maya visited here: https://theconversation.com/hope-and-anguish-in-a-mexican-r
19.01.2022 Having a grape day? Swipe to see a nearly 4000-year-old ancient grape seed from Turkey This photo was taken by our ACUR Student Committee Digital Media Officer, Molly Turnbull. Molly is particularly passionate about the communication and celebration of our unique cultural and natural environments from photography, to promoting student research in this area. She is currently undertaking her honours thesis in Archaeology, at the University of Queensland. Her honours th...esis investigates Early Bronze and Iron Age agricultural storage pits from Central Turkey, by examining phytoliths, or microscopic plant silica Molly has conducted fieldwork locally in Brisbane, and internationally in Turkey. Her primary research interest is in microfossil applications in Archaeobotany; the study of past human-plant interactions Molly is currently employed as a Research Technician Assistant at the UQ School of Social Science, with the Archaeobotany Team, where she processes sediments for phytolith analysis from Africa, Turkey, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Australia. She also holds an Honorary Officer role with the Department of Ancient Environments at Queensland Museum, where she works on Australian Fossil Heritage projects
19.01.2022 If you're interested in our 2020 conference or just generally interested in student research, check out our previous Undergraduate Research Newsletter (URNA). Our newsletters are released twice a year and have heaps of information about developments, upcoming events, and resources on engaging undergraduates in research! http://www.acur.org.au//undergraduate-research-newsletter/
19.01.2022 Deadline for abstracts has been extended to 2nd August! Find out more at www.acur.org.au
17.01.2022 Good morning ACUR attendees! We are over at the Con for Dan's plenary talk at 8.40am. We will then have a Q&A session in room X101 starting around 9.15am. Followed by morning tea.
16.01.2022 Registrations for ACUR 2019 are now open! Find out more at http://www.acur.org.au/ac/events-and-conferences/acur-2019/
15.01.2022 Interested in the development of skeletal muscle? Our partners at WorldCUR (The World Congress on Undergraduate Research) just shared this report by Luke Bradshaw. Luke is from the University of Auckland, New Zealand and an ACUR member. He presented his research on the development of muscle architecture, at the Second World Congress on Undergraduate Research - which was held in Oldenburg, Germany last May. Check it out below... See more
15.01.2022 Have a piece of coursework you're really proud of? Make sure to submit it to the UA 2020 Programme by June 2 for a chance to be awarded! Winners will attend ...the UA Global Summit for FREE. What are you waiting for? SUBMIT NOW https://globalundergraduate.awardsplatform.com/ #AwardYourWork #education #undergraduate #university #undergraduateresearch
14.01.2022 *** JOIN THE ACUR STUDENT COMMITTEE *** We are seeking expressions of interest to join the Student Committee (ACURSC), which acts as an extended wing of the formal international executive. The ACURSC is a body of Members who act as ambassadors for ACUR. As the ACURSC continues to take shape, I am excited about the real and meaningful influence it can have on improving the undergraduate experience via both ACUR directly, as well as within institutions. Hence, if you share our ...vision, I sincerely hope that you express your interest in joining. To be eligible, you must be - A present member of ACUR (which, by virtue of attending this years conference, you are); - Have recently participated in undergraduate research (including honours); - Willing to attend regular meetings (video conferencing will be made available); and - Share a passion for undergraduate research and an eagerness to further the goals of ACUR. If interested, please self-nominate by filling out the form closes 11:59pm AEST Friday the 1st of November 2019): https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSee3JB0Dn_c1GpN5/viewform There are several positions currently open, the descriptions for which can be found by following the link. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your nomination further, please contact the Head of the Student Committee, Lachlan Deimel, at [email protected]
14.01.2022 Only two weeks to go for the Great Australasian Undergraduate Research Writing Project! See all the amazing prizes available Get your entries in before the deadline of September 30th
13.01.2022 Interested in ancient medicinal practices, specifically contraceptives? This weeks student spotlight is on Melody Li, who recently completed her Honours - where she spent the year investigating ancient contraception Check out her PERSONAL BIO here: ... Melody graduated with first class honours from the University of Queensland, studying a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Archaeology and minoring in Ancient History During her undergraduate studies she gained experience in archaeobotany (the archaeological study of plants) through volunteering working on assemblages from Neolithic Jordan, Australia, and Malaysia. She joined the archaeobotany team in excavations at Kaman-Kalehöyük in Turkey She also interned with the R.D Milns Antiquities Museum in Italy on a fieldschool where she gained hands on experience handling, identifying and cataloguing ancient Roman pottery and glass Her interest in archaeobotany and ancient history came together in her Honours thesis an interdisciplinary study on the archaeology of contraception in the Greco-Roman world. She conducted an archaeobotanical case study on contraceptive plant use in Soranus Gynaecology (early 2nd century AD) For her: I was always curious about what ancient people used for contraception, or if they used any at all. Pregnancy and childbirth were extremely dangerous prior to modern medicine, and even today can be quite scary. As I researched, I found that scholars in the 90s already found long lists of plant, animal and mineral ingredients in historical sources which were used as oral or physical contraceptives as well as amulets. What struck me was that lots of these ingredients are what archaeologists often dig up in excavations (eg. pomegranates and fig) but no-one has thoroughly researched these ancient contraceptive practices from an archaeological point of view. I think its important to consider all possible uses of ancient plants that we find, especially medicinal uses of plants that today we only recognise as food. Androcentric bias often unintentionally colours interpretations of the past. My research explores an often overlooked, but nevertheless plausible type of ancient plant use. Melody recreated several of Soranus' contraceptive recipes, taking note of all the by-products and waste products left behind during the process, and then investigated whether any of these could become clues to help other archaeologists figure out whether plant remains that they excavate might have been used for contraception and not just as food. After graduation, apart from pursuing further study in archaeology, Melody would also like to complete a professional certification in English/Mandarin translation. She hopes to be able to translate archaeological papers, making research from different parts of the world is more readily available to scholars, students, and the public.
11.01.2022 This is Coronavirus, as captured by a colourised transmission electron micrograph and shared by @csirogram last week. Did you know the name 'coronavirus' is derived from Latin and Greek, meaning crown or halo In light of recent coronavirus panic and the quest for a vaccine, the head of our ACUR student committee, Lachlan Deimel, has written an article for our upcoming ACUR Newsletter - titled: "Controlling Viral Outbreaks: An Economic rather than a Scientific Problem". READ...Continue reading
10.01.2022 For all our undergraduates interested in heritage, conservation and archaeology HAPPY NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY WEEK Brisbane's Cross-River Rail project has recently excavated some amazing artefacts from the inner city suburb of Woolloongabba. They are holding some really interesting seminars this week with the Queensland Museum, have a look below for more information!
09.01.2022 Save the date! The 2020 ACUR Conference will be held at ANU on the 17th-18th September 2020. Expressions of interest are open through the ACUR website-sign up to receive the latest updates to your inbox!
08.01.2022 A great opportunity forwarded to us from our friends at CSIRO #science #biology #agriculture #studentresearch #research #student #studentresearch #unilife #uni
07.01.2022 It is a really difficult time to be an undergraduate student. Many of you will be experiencing significant disruption. It's really important that you look after your mental health and seek support if you or someone you know is experiencing distress. Crisis support: Australia-- Lifeline (AU): 13 11 14 New Zealand-- Lifeline (NZ): 0800 543 354
06.01.2022 Have a read of our latest ACUR-World CUR (World Congress on Undergraduate Research) partnered interview with Jatim Morris, from Uganda Christian University. Jatim is passionate about journalism, and discusses how the German city of Oldenburg has influenced his outlook on his research exploring the role of radio in community mobilization for sustainable development in Uganda.
06.01.2022 Our membership for 2021 is now open, visit our website!
05.01.2022 TL;DR ACUR Annual Conference DELAYED to 2021. ACUR Annual Conference Given the current and continuing situation with the Covid-19 virus and the challenges that universities are facing, the ACUR Executive has decided to defer this years ACUR conference to next year. We are grateful to the ANU for agreeing to this change. Therefore the Ninth ACUR Conference will be held on 16-17 September 2021 at the ANU in Canberra. We very much hope that this 2021 conference will be a signi...ficant and substantial event. A small variation in the eligibility criteria for that conference should enable students who otherwise would have presented in 2020 to be included. 2020 Annual General meeting The ACUR Annual General Meeting (which is normally held during the annual conference) will be held remotely in September. Many of the members of the Executive complete their two-year term of office in 2020. Nominations will be called for and elections may be necessary. Further details will be available in due course. Other events and activities We have started planning for a Posters in Parliament exhibition of undergraduate research and a Second UGR Xchange Colloquium. These will now be deferred to 2021. The ACUR newsletter will be produced and distributed electronically as usual. Resources for online research-based learning We have a numerous resources to help in the online implementation of research and/or inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning. Please contact me ([email protected]) if you require anything or would like to discuss options. If you have any ideas for research that our undergraduate scholars can do remotely, or any ideas for the ACUR community, please let me know as we are keen to continue to promote and advance undergraduate research in Australasia during this crisis. Thank you for your continuing support of ACUR
04.01.2022 MEET THE 2020 ACUR TEAM Max Kirby is a second year Bachelor of Philosophy with Honours (Science) student at the Australian National University (ANU) and is a general representative for the ACUR student committee. As a first-year undergraduate student, his general research interests involved: mathematics, computer science and biology. He is specifically interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, including ways neurogenerative disease could po...tentially be modelled and better understood (i.e. Alzheimers, MND) He has undertaken a Biological Therapeutics course at the University of Oxford, where he wrote a research essay titled iPS Cell Technology will it ever be safe for clinical use?. This research analysed the findings and applications surrounding Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs). Through this, Max was able to explore the molecular mechanism and trajectory behind somatic cell reprogramming (with analysis of OCT4, SOX2, c-Myc and KLF4), and the genetic integrity of resultant stem cells and associated mutagenesis/tumorgenicity. Max has an appointment at the Clear Vision Laboratory, at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR). At JCSMR, he is undertaking a deep literature review on the Physiological function of the neural retina. In this capacity, he is researching retinal physiology and pathophysiology for major retinal disorders and investigating the possible effects of pharmacological intervention for macular degeneration. In 2020, he hopes to focus on the theory and applications behind gene therapy and combine it with undergraduate research in the field of macular degeneration (AMD). #biology #mathematics #science #studentresearch #research #unilife #studentlife #neuroscience #artificialintelligence
04.01.2022 X, the unknown variable Æ, my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence) A-12 = precursor to SR-17/71 (our favorite aircraft) No weapons, no defenses, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent (A=Archangel, my favorite song) ( metal rat) Speaking of unknown variables ... Want to understand more about diamond quantum computing and how it can improve measurement precision? This weeks Student Spotlight is on Daniel Lawson: Dan has just graduated wi...th an Honours degree in Physics from the Australian National University. Throughout his undergraduate studies he was involved in various research projects ranging from plasma rockets to dark matter physics, before focusing on quantum computing for his Honours year Quantum computing offers new technological developments and seeks to transcend many of the limits of classical computers used today. The applications of quantum computers have diverse and revolutionary applications, which can inform research surrounding economic modelling, engineering design, cryptography and biomolecular systems In particular, Dans honours involved performing experiments on a diamond quantum computer. Diamond quantum computers consist of clusters of defects, and are the only solid-state devices that have demonstrated quantum algorithms at room temperature. These defects in diamond quantum computers, are leading systems in the development of quantum computers and communication networks. Dans project focused on performing several experimental measurements, the results of which can be used to improve measurement precision, a key performance metric Dan is now taking a gap year while deciding between continuing research with a PhD or working in industry. With the latter, hed be interested in pursuing opportunities that allow him to focus on integrating quantum technologies into industry. As he is certain this can bring improvements to several sectors including pharmaceuticals and finance Dan also believes that whether he chooses industry or academia: the skills and experience I've gained by completing a research-focused undergraduate degree have been invaluable so far, and I'm confident that they will continue to guide me throughout my career. Image Source: ANU Science #studentresearch #science
04.01.2022 This week from Wednesday 27th May to Wednesday 3rd June
03.01.2022 The fifth ACUR conference was held at Central Queensland University, Australia, on 27 28 October 2016. This two-day conference included spoken papers by undergraduate students, Master of Research students (first year only) and graduated 2015 Honours students from all disciplines and from across Australasia.
03.01.2022 Announcing The Great ACUR Undergraduate Research Writing Project Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 ACUR Conference being postponed, the ACUR has decided to run a writing project this year! Details available here: http://www.acur.org.au//the-great-acur-undergraduate-res/... The competition is open to all undergraduate (including honours) student researchers, in any field and any country Submissions will be open until the 30th September :)
03.01.2022 The ACUR Instagram is officially up! Follow @acurforstudents for more student research updates :)
02.01.2022 Stay up to date with undergraduate research from home with our latest issue of ACUR's URNA (Undergraduate Research Newsletter Australasia) Available here https://drive.google.com//10v832ORg5bzu7eJHGlxFfBr_A/view This issue has short pieces on: ... -Online opportunities for undergraduate research -Learning and teaching in pandemic times -Researching First Peoples resilience -The relationship between freshwater quality and the land -Liveable streets and involving children in urban design -The economic problems of controlling viral outbreaks -Updates on our 2021 Conference at ANU and The Great ACUR Undergraduate Research Writing Project -Updates from our partners at ICUR Students & more on getting involved with the ACUR and international undergraduate research! Let's support learning and researching together during these challenging times
01.01.2022 Its hard to feel productive right now, but the ACUR team have been reflecting on some amazing student achievements from earlier in the year. The ACUR want to continue celebrating students during this isolation period and keep sharing our student spotlights So if youre looking for some inspiration or positive procrastination, have a read of our student spotlight on Caitlin Grant a third year Chemical and Environmental Engineering Student at the University of Queensland ... ------- Caitlin has career aspirations to work in the waste management industry, focussing on either sewage treatment, contaminated land rehabilitation or large-scale manufacturing waste disposal. Within this field, she is particularly fascinated by the concept of resource recovery, where materials are recovered from waste products and then undergo beneficial re-use. Examples of this include biogas and electricity production from sewage treatment plants, bioethanol generation from agricultural by-products including sugar cane waste, and fertiliser recovery from phosphorous and nitrogen waste streams Recently, she completed a 3-month vacation research program working at Queensland Urban Utilities where she had exposure to the project management side of Engineering within Brisbanes water treatment processes. Caitlins role was centred around asset management which is a fundamental platform for operating, maintaining and disposing of large-scale assets in the most cost-effective manner Caitlin had plans to study abroad in Semester 2 of this year, at Denmark Technical University in Copenhagen a city at the frontline of renewable technology. She was hoping to gain insight into Copenhagens environmental engineering processes so she can apply it to her research at UQ. Caitlins plans have been adjusted, and she is hoping to go in 2021 then returning to commence her Masters of Engineering
01.01.2022 The sixth ACUR conference was held at the University of Adelaide, 27-28 September 2017. This two-day conference included spoken papers by undergraduate students, Master of Research students (first year only) and graduated 2016 Honours students from all disciplines and from across Australasia.
01.01.2022 MEET THE 2020 ACUR TEAM Eleanor Armstrong is a current General Representative for the 2020 ACUR Student Committee. She is entering her Honours year in Sociology at the Australian National University, taken as part of her Bachelor of Philosophy and Diploma of Languages joint program. Eleanor has always had a fascination for people, which is why sociology and social policy was a logical jump for her. Her current interests include the study of human-animal relations in the con...text of impending climate catastrophe, which is often categorised under the field of environmental sociology She also is a near-fluent French speaker, having spent a semester in early 2019 studying medieval history and Swiss culture in that language at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. She hopes to pursue a Masters in Public Policy (potentially combined with management), specialising in policy communication, hopefully followed by a PhD. Her paper at the 2019 ACUR Conference, was on intriguing subject of the Sociocultural Significance of Snakes
