Wednesday’s lead editorial (“Theory to practice,” Oct. 22) hit the nail on the head when it comes to turning classroom knowledge into action. Undergraduate research in any department or school of the University can not only contribute something to the community and the field of study, but it can also improve a student’s academic experience, give professors an opportunity to work more closely with promising students, and raise the profiles and success of the undergraduate schools at the University of Virginia. As a researcher in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery last year and in the Psychology Department this year, I have had an opportunity to work with some of the most renowned researchers in their fields, channel my creative energies towards new and exciting ideas in neuroscience, and contribute to the field’s dynamic view of human thought and behavior. Opportunities abound. For example, in the Miller Center for Public Affairs, students listen to tapes of recordings from LBJ’s private Oval Office conversations. There are professors seeking students for biology, math, anthropology, linguistics, chemistry and art history research. Then there are the Architecture School and the Engineering School, where biomedical engineering students consistently win high praise for their work (as 20-year-olds!). The Undergraduate Research Network (URN), the Center for Undergraduate Excellence (CUE), and the Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) are devoted to providing these opportunities to students - now is the time for us to take advantage of them!
Neal Fox
CLAS II
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