About the NCUR® Conference at Dominican

Dominican University of California is proud to have been selected as the host location of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR®) in April 2007.  NCUR®, established in 1987, is an association supportive of college and university faculty, students, administrators and others interested in the promotion of undergraduate research.  The main purposes of NCUR® are to:  encourage awareness of undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study; promote appreciation of the role these components play in complementing the other aspects of undergraduate education; encourage the pursuit of advanced study and academic careers and communicate the results of student-mentor collaborations.  NCUR® seeks its goals through sponsorship of an annual conference and subsequent publication of the conference proceedings.

Dominican University of California will be the ideal location for NCUR® 2007 as the culture of the university is committed to fostering an interdisciplinary approach to learning amongst its diverse community of scholars, researchers and artists, all linked by a shared enthusiasm for teaching and learning.  Conference participants will enjoy the intimacy of our unique university setting and will have easy access to enjoy the surrounding area.  Dominican students, staff and faculty will have the opportunity to attend and participate in NCUR® 2007, since conference activities will replace the usual class schedule from April 11-13, 2007 for the April 12-14 conference.

For the past several years, Dominican students representing art, biology, business, environmental sciences, history, English, political science and psychology have participated in the NCUR® conference.  Attendance at NCUR® has become a yearly event at Dominican and has grown from eight accepted students in 2002 to 41 accepted students in 2006.

Dynamic speakers are a key component of each NCUR® conference and 2007 will be no exception.  Participants will have the opportunity to be inspired by marine biologist Sylvia Earle, Ph.D., the former chief scientist with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who has pioneered research on marine ecosystems and led more than 60 worldwide expeditions; biochemist and former astronaut Millie Fulford-Hughes, Ph.D., who flew in 1991 as a scientist astronaut as part of the Spacelab Life Sciences mission; and Dale Bredesen, M.D., the founding President and CEO of the Buck Institute for Age Research, a leading institution in the field of aging research.

Dr. Joseph R. Fink, President of Dominican, states “NCUR® 2007 participants will experience an outstanding professional program in an exceptional environment.”  Our location combined with strategic strengths and facilities provide Dominican University of California with a rich canvas to present NCUR® 2007: “Undergraduate Research: A Fusion of Purpose, Passion and Potential”.