In 2008, a group of undergraduates at the University of Arizona began to plan and finally hold the Biological, Engineering, and Chemical Undergraduate Research (BECUR) Conference in 2010. BECUR became the first Undergraduate Affiliate Network (UAN) southwest regional meeting allowing undergraduates and Tucson area high school students to present their findings on a professional level. BECUR is designed to allow undergraduates to present their research in a less intimidating environment than one encounters at large professional national meetings as well as preparing them to present their work at those same meetings later in the spring. BECUR 2012 will continue to unite undergraduates from various disciplines providing an environment of shared knowledge as well as recognizing undergraduates for their constant efforts and contributions to their laboratories and fields.
BECUR will be held on February 25th 2012 in Tucson, AZ at the University of Arizona and will include several undergraduate speakers, presentations, awards, and most importantly, poster presentations by undergraduates. Our Keynote speaker for this year is Professor Daniel Herschlag of the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Chemical Engineering from Stanford University.
Students from universities and colleges in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Colorado are encouraged and invited to submit abstracts so that they may be reviewed for inclusion in the conference.