By Chanapa Tantibanchachai

Undergraduate students at the University of Utah and Utah State University will showcase their research for Utah lawmakers on Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the rotunda of the Utah State Capitol.

Research on Capitol Hill, now in its 16th year, gives lawmakers and the public a glimpse of the intensive research conducted at the state’s two public research universities and reinforces the value of funding from the state of Utah to support higher education.

In addition to highlighting the importance of funding research endeavors to legislators, students also engage in public outreach and polish their presentation skills. By explaining their research results in a non-technical manner to a wide variety of event-attenders including legislators, junior high students and parents, students learn how to highlight their work in a succinct, relatable manner.

This year, topics range from clinical psychology, music and electrical engineering. A sample of projects include “Recruitment of Ethnically Diverse Populations in Diabetes Research,” “Chemical Compositions of Planet-Harboring Stars in M67” and “Investigating Methane Emissions in the Salt Lake Valley: An Atmospheric Inverse Study.”