MPA students Eric Alper, Ryan Levine, Kaylee Boggan and Claudia Cormier presented their applied research projects at this year’s Graduate Student Research Conference (GSRC) which took place at the LBJ Student Center on the 4th of April. Their research projects were about solid waste management policies in Texas cities, assessment of urban biodiversity, elements of effective water conservation legislation and creation of an effective return to duty program for law enforcement officers respectively. This year’s conference format required poster presentations from all students registered for the conference.
Presenters also discussed their research in the context of systems thinking which is this year’s common experience theme. Participating at the GSRC gave them an opportunity to present their work to a diverse audience of students and faculty from various disciplines, family and friends. The pre-conference process of meticulously preparing the posters for a diverse audience and the in-conference experience of responding to various questions posed by the attendees provided ideas for refinement of research. This year’s presenters and attendees also benefited from listening to a panel of four university professors who shared their perspectives about the different systems students must navigate and sometimes establish to be successful graduate and doctoral students.
