Research is an incredibly valuable experience, and one that not many undergraduate students get the opportunity to take part in. I have been fortunate enough to work on two research projects in two very different fields, and I was able to present both projects at UCF’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence (SURE).
Cholera in Haiti: A Map to the Cure
Connecting the Dots: Identifying Particular Challenges which Correlate with a Decreased Likelihood of Student Extra- and Co-Curricular Involvement
Being able to write for different audiences is an important skill in any field. By considering who I’m communicating with – coworkers, clients, bosses, etc. – I can ensure that each person is receiving exactly the information they need in a clear and professional manner, without overloading them with unnecessary details, or unintentionally conveying a personal opinion.
From both of these research projects I was able to practice and enhance several different types of communication skills. My Mathematical Biology project also required a written report, where I was able to use some of the technical writing skills I honed from my Student Involvement project. Since I presented both projects at SURE, I had to make two posters that could stand alone and thoroughly describe our projects, while still being aesthetically nice to look at. I was able to use techniques in color and visual hierarchy that I learned in my art courses to make posters that efficiently conveyed our message without being distracting to a reader. The limited space forced us to get creative with how we shared our data visually. For the Mathematical Biology poster in particular, we wanted to incorporate our data into maps to give viewers a better picture of the cholera situation in Haiti. We experimented with different types of graphs and charts, different colors and orientations, and different labeling techniques in order to maximize the information conveyed while minimizing the amount of space used. During the presentations, we received praise from judges and peers about how well we communicated our research, both verbally and visually. People found our topics interesting, and were impressed with how we approached the problems and communicated the solutions.
From both of these research projects I was able to practice and enhance several different types of communication skills. My Mathematical Biology project also required a written report, where I was able to use some of the technical writing skills I honed from my Student Involvement project. Since I presented both projects at SURE, I had to make two posters that could stand alone and thoroughly describe our projects, while still being aesthetically nice to look at. I was able to use techniques in color and visual hierarchy that I learned in my art courses to make posters that efficiently conveyed our message without being distracting to a reader. The limited space forced us to get creative with how we shared our data visually. For the Mathematical Biology poster in particular, we wanted to incorporate our data into maps to give viewers a better picture of the cholera situation in Haiti. We experimented with different types of graphs and charts, different colors and orientations, and different labeling techniques in order to maximize the information conveyed while minimizing the amount of space used. During the presentations, we received praise from judges and peers about how well we communicated our research, both verbally and visually. People found our topics interesting, and were impressed with how we approached the problems and communicated the solutions.