Every year, more than 7,000 undergraduates participate in pioneering research at the University of Washington. The UW’s unique focus on undergraduate research allows our young Huskies an unprecedented opportunity to work in tandem with some of the top minds in their fields. It’s an integrated way of learning that teaches students how to unravel a tangled knot — with a practical, innovative and creative approach.
Last week, our students had an opportunity to show their research chops at the 17th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS). More than 1,000 students from the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses flooded Mary Gates Hall with their posters, presentations and big ideas. This event is one of the largest of its kind in the country and emboldens the UW’s reputation as a premiere research institution.
Our success is thanks in part to our supporters. Last year the UW received more than $1.2 billion in external research support, more than any other public university and second only to Johns Hopkins nationally. Prioritizing research as an integral part of a UW undergraduate education makes our students better participants in their fields of study and prepares them for a lifetime of curiosity, inquiry and critical thinking.
Congratulations to the 1,148 students and 825 mentors who presented at today’s URS. You are part of an enterprising undergraduate research initiative at the UW and your remarkable work is central to addressing our world’s most pressing needs.