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UCL students showcase their research posters in Parliament

21 March 2017

Two UCL students were among 52 students presenting their original research to MPs in a national exhibition showcasing the best of undergraduate research from universities across the UK.

PIP-winner

Staged this year by UCL, the exhibition, Posters in Parliament, showcased the work of 52 students from 27 universities. 

Their posters explore an impressive range of research topics, including factors behind the success of an invasive slug, the relationship between short-term memory and inner speech, the impact of dieting on mortality in obese adults, the reasons for low participation in physical activity by older South Asians in the UK and the role of the West in the development of the Ukraine crisis. 

Hilary Benn, Ben Bradshaw and Caroline Lucas were among the MPs who attended the event on Tuesday 14 March. The annual exhibition at Westminster is part of the British Conference of Undergraduate Research.

Personal significance

Each year prizes are awarded to the best posters. First prize was awarded to Robert Clark & Christopher Galvin from Nottingham Trent university, whose research poster focused on ‘Entrepreneurship in the Informal Economy: The Role of Migrant Communities’. 

They said: "We're delighted to have won. This prize has real personal significance to us: we both come from a military background so this has proved how we have successfully transitioned our professional experience into academia. Our research was informed by our passions and in particular the volunteering we did in the local Nottingham community so it feels incredibly important to have shared this positive impact to MPs."

UCL students Rachel Yemitan (UCL Bartlett School of Architecture) and Evangeline Chai (UCL School of Pharmacy) were delighted to have presented their own research to the MPS. Rachel Said: “I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to speak to so many different people about a very personal interest.”

Caroline Lucas MP (Brighton) said: "Posters in Parliament is a great way of communicating complex ideas and a great way for MPs to interact with students' research. I was just shown a piece of complicated research which I'm sure I would have struggled to understand without such a clear poster and explanation by the student."

Hilary Benn MP (Leeds) said: "Shut your eyes and listen to that buzz! It's ideas, it's determination and it's cutting-edge research. This is the sound of the future. It's fantastic that this event has taken place in Parliament today."

Professor of Higher Education Development and Academic Director of UCL Arena Centre for Research-based Education Dilly Fung, chaired the judging panel. She said: “'I am so impressed by the range and quality of research depicted in the posters. On this evidence, the future is in good hands!”

The event was sponsored by Keir Starmer, MP for Holborn and St Pancras, Chuka Umunna, MP for Streatham and Naomi Saint, Houses of Parliament Universities Programme Manager.

The 2017 British Conference of Undergraduate Research meets annually every Spring in a different British university to showcase research by undergraduates at all levels and in all disciplines. The 2017 Conference will be held in Bournemouth on 25-26 April.

More information

UCL graduate wins Posters in Parliament research prize (2016 winner)
Connected Curriculum
UCL Arena Centre for Research-based Education