Several UMR undergraduates are in the state capitol today to show off their research projects to Missouri legislators and to show why this research is important to the state and nation. The trip to Jefferson City is part of the four-campus University of Missouri's Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol. Organizers of the event hope it will not only demonstrate to lawmakers the benefits of hands-on learning, but will also help students in their leadership development, collaborative problem solving and professional development.

Among the UMR projects to be discussed and displayed today in the Capitol Rotunda are the following:

• A study on the use of nanoparticles to improve drug delivery into the body

• Research on how to secure the nation’s powers systems

• The use of automated systems to detect floods at low-water bridges

• Research into how lead mining affects frog populations in Missouri

For more information on undergraduate research at UMR, visit the UMR Office of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies.

There's also an undergraduate research conference coming up on campus April 12.