SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The fifth edition of the SoCon Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Wofford College. The event is a collaborative project by the membership of the Southern Conference.
 
The annual event returns after being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
SURF was designed with the focus of bringing together undergraduate students presenting their research projects for perhaps the first time via posters or oral presentations. Unlike many collegiate research gatherings, SURF takes place in the fall to attract students who spent their summer months immersed in their research.
 
A product of the Southern Conference’s Academic Exchange and supervised by a panel of faculty members from each conference institution, SURF welcomes research from the humanities and the arts in addition to the STEM disciplines. Dr. Ramo´n Galin~anes Jr., Director of Undergraduate Research at Wofford College, is the primary facilitator of the event and supervised the challenge of coordinating space for the nearly 80 presentations.
 
“The SoCon Undergraduate Research Forum is one of the highlights of our year,” SoCon Commissioner Jim Schaus said. “It provides opportunities for students at our conference institutions to display their outstanding research projects. This event is one of many academic-based programs we have with our SoCon Academic Exchange that demonstrate that the SoCon is more than just quality athletics – we represent academic programs and promote student scholastic excellence, as well.”
 
Registration and a reception are slated for Friday night. After a welcome address Saturday morning, presentations will begin at 9 a.m. Breakfast and lunch are provided by the conference through its corporate partnership with Ingles Markets.