Every year the Department of Spanish and Portuguese sponsors an undergraduate research symposium. The Symposium offers Spanish majors, Portuguese minors, and CLAS students a unique opportunity to present class papers in a formal academic setting that immerses them in intellectual debates at a very early stage of their academic careers. Papers are presented in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, and they reflect original and innovative undergraduate research. Some of the presented papers are then published in Visions of Latin America, an electronic newsletter published by CLAS.
History
The first undergraduate research symposium was created in 2004, in coordination with the Center for Latin American Studies. Over the past years, the Symposium has grown stronger, attracting the participation of sister programs at Pitt Greensburg, Slippery Rock University, and Allegheny College, which now proactively participate in what has become a truly inter-regional project fully devoted to achieving excellence in undergraduate education.
Logistics
Since it began in 2005, the Symposium has grown both in size and importance. From a couple of hours at its inception, it currently offers a full day of presentations. Each regional unit provides transportation for all the students traveling to the Symposium. Buses leave in the early morning and return late in the evening. After the inaugural reception, beverages, and snacks are always provided.
For information on future symposiums, please email us or contact us at 412-624-5225.