Jun 16, 2008 - Claremont, Calif. -

Kerry Karukstis, Harvey Mudd College professor of chemistry and president of the Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR), recently attended CUR’s Posters on the Hill event in Washington, D.C.

The annual gathering, an undergraduate research poster session on Capitol Hill, was started back in 1997 to communicate to Congress the importance of undergraduate research and to express thanks for the federal funding of undergraduate research programs.

“With several hundred guests in attendance at the poster session and reception, this year’s event was an extremely successful occasion to promote the value of undergraduate research and showcase CUR as a national advocate for undergraduate research and scholarship,” said Karukstis. “It was a privilege to be a part of this.”

The day began with 86 undergraduate students from 32 states and 51 institutions assembling to hear welcoming remarks from Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers and John Marburger, science advisor to President Bush and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

“As there are many competing and worthy choices for discretionary spending, Representative Ehlers noted that scholars and research scientists are the best advocates for the importance of federal investment in undergraduate research and scholarship to educate the next generation of innovators and to enhance the nation’s economic prosperity,” Karukstis said.

Marburger presented his perspective on science policy, noting that research policy decisions are challenging given the difficulties of setting priorities in light of tight research budgets, the inability to precisely predict the potential of certain research paths and the obstacles of reversing past policy decisions when anticipated results are not achieved.

Throughout the day student presenters met with their congressional representatives to participate in the science policy process by partnering with CUR as advocates for undergraduate research and scholarship.

Participating in events like this gives undergraduate students a first-hand opportunity to serve as ambassadors for the philosophy of learning by doing,” Karukstis said. “By their enthusiasm and knowledge, students convincingly demonstrate to policymakers the educational value of their investment in programs that provide significant research experiences for undergraduates.

But, perhaps more importantly, students learn that society plays a critical role in determining federal funding for research as members of Congress must decide among numerous competing requests. Understanding the societal role in our nation's research agenda is perhaps the most important lesson that undergraduates carry away from their visit to Capitol Hill.