Photo by Deb Gau Sydney Diebold discussed her research at Southwest Minnesota State University’s Undergraduate Research Conference on Wednesday.

MARSHALL — Posters on just about every topic imaginable were lined up in rows in Southwest Minnesota State University’s lower conference center. Around the room, SMSU students were talking about their findings in areas of study like biology, computer science, and even music history.

The variety was one of the exciting things about participating in the university’s Undergraduate Research Conference, students said.

“I think it’s really good because there’s a lot of different ideas here,” said Trent Paulsen. Paulsen said it was his first time presenting a poster at the conference.

The 17th annual Undergraduate Research Conference was held at SMSU on Wednesday. Throughout the day, students gave presentations, and took part in “poster sessions” answering questions about their research projects.

“All the presenters have put in many hours of work,” said Dr. Alyssa Anderson, associate professor of biology at SMSU.

The first Undergraduate Research Conference was held at SMSU in 2006, partly as a way for science students to build experience conducting research and presenting research results. It’s also a chance to celebrate students’ accomplishments, Dr. Thomas Dilley said Wednesday, in his welcome to the 2022 conference.

While the first conference focused mainly on science research, the events have grown to include research projects from students in all disciplines across the SMSU campus. This year’s conference program included 19 oral presentations, 24 virtual presentations, four student recitals and 56 poster sessions.

During a break in Wednesday’s oral presentation schedule, university students and faculty checked out poster sessions. Among the students discussing their research was Tesfa Desta. Desta had created an interactive computer program called a chatbot. The idea was that the chatbot could potentially be used for technology support on a website, he said. For example, the chatbot could be programmed to recognize and help answer frequently asked questions.

Creating the chatbot was challenging, Desta said. But at the same time, he said, “I’ve learned a lot of things.”

Students said new knowledge wasn’t the only thing they gained from taking part in the research conference. Mason Johnson, who was at the poster session with his biology research, said it’s useful for building communication skills.

“A lot of it is learning how to present information to others who aren’t experts,” he said.

Jessica Stai, who had a poster on ethics and philosophy at the conference, said the experience of conducting and presenting research is beneficial for students continuing their education.

“It kind of sets you apart in graduate school,” she said.

Dr. Justin Zajic, the conference keynote speaker, said learning research skills will be invaluable to students as they enter the working world, too. Zajic is an SMSU alumnus, and is currently the superintendent of the Chamberlain School District in Chamberlain, S.D. He said the research skills he learned in college have helped him in tasks ranging from writing grant applications to helping his school district get through the COVID pandemic.

“If you guys put in the effort, you’ll have the superpower, and it will take you places that not a lot of people will go because they don’t know how to do it,” Zajic told students.

SMSU President Kumara Jayasuriya encouraged students at the conference to keep thinking big. The research students were doing now would help them look for solutions to problems the world faces, like climate change, world hunger and more, he said.

“What you’re doing is preparing to change the world,” Jayasuriya told students.