The Undergraduate Research Conference will be held today at the Bryant Conference.

The four-hour event begins at 2 p.m. with oral and poster presentations from six different UA colleges. Awards will be given at 4:30 p.m.

This event has developed over the past eight years, said Joe Benson, vice president for research. The original event started in the College of Arts and Sciences, three years ago, and then the event opened to students in all colleges.

About 300 students will participate in Thursday’s event, presenting both oral and poster presentations, Benson said.

“We think it’s a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their research,” Benson said. “It’s something you can put on your resume and can help students when applying to graduate school.”

“Topics range from efforts to develop/test materials for military aircraft to determine these materials’ ballistic limits to incorporating iPod Touch technology to help diabetics manage their diseases. Each student has a faculty mentor who works closely with them,” said spokesman Chris Bryant.

Jennifer Conway, a junior majoring in aerospace engineering, has high hopes for Thursday’s event.

“I think it’s an valuable experience to speak about your project. I would like to learn about other peoples projects, [and] you get to see what the University has to offer,” she said.

“My personal goal would be to gain some experience with the technical part of public speaking. I think that’s one of the areas I need improvement in,” she said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for all students.”

Conway said she encourages students to support those involved with the event.

“I think it’s a good think to support your other students who do things like research,” she said.

Judges will be from each college, Benson said. Judges will only judge students’ presentations from their specific college.

Benson said this event has been successful in the past, so much so that the event has moved from the Ferguson Center to the Bryant Conference Center.