University of Wisconsin-Platteville will host the Tri-State Undergraduate Psychology Conference on Saturday, Nov. 16. Each year, the regional conference rotates between UW-Platteville, Coe College, Rockford University and Loras College. Around 100 attendees are expected to attend, including students, faculty and staff from the participating universities. The Tri-State Undergraduate Psychology Conference provides students studying psychology with the opportunity to present research, share ideas and strengthen their knowledge of the professional pathways available to them. The conference will be located in Velzy Commons in Ullsvik Hall and will kick off at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, with events to follow until 3 p.m.
Dr. Jason Chan, professor of psychology from Iowa State University, will be the keynote speaker at the conference, presenting in Velzy Commons at 11:10 a.m. Chan's research specializes in learning and memory, focusing on educational settings. He also researches eyewitness memory, examining people's errors in the area. During the presentation, he will share his research and offer insight on topics within psychology.
In addition, the conference provides students with experience in presenting research, receiving feedback from their peers and professionals, and offers support for students to explore advanced topics in psychology.
Criminal justice and psychology student Trinity Flint, a senior at UW-Platteville, will participate in the conference and emphasizes its importance.
“It allows students to present research they've dedicated a lot of time to and collaborate with peers from other tri-state colleges,” said Flint. “It's a great opportunity to share new ideas and expand our knowledge in psychology.”
The Tri-State Undergraduate Psychology Conference typically features two panels representing different post-graduate paths in psychology. The first is a careers panel, which includes professionals in various psychology-related fields who have yet to pursue graduate education. The second is a graduate school panel, with representatives from social work, Ph.D. programs, counseling and clinical programs. These panels help to inform students on different professional paths they can explore.
The conference will feature a poster session where undergraduates can showcase their research. Senior Brennon Heidtke is studying psychology at UW-Platteville and expressed excitement for presenting their research paper with their partner and finalizing their work.
“I’m definitely nervous, but I am looking forward to this amazing opportunity,” said Heidtke.
Moreover, there will be a session dedicated to graduate-level research. Graduate students will present their research to peers and professionals. Representatives from various graduate schools will provide information and promotional materials and discuss their programs with prospective students.
UW-Platteville Department of Psychology Co-Chair Dr. Kameko Halfmann believes that other students may also find the conference relevant to them. All majors and students are welcome as the conference is open to the public and free to attend. For more information on the Tri-State Undergraduate Psychology Conference and the tentative schedule, visit https://halfmannkm.wixsite.com/tri-state2024.