Graduate Student Association
 

2002 Graduate Research Conference

The Graduate Student Associations of the University of Maryland Baltimore and the University of Maryland Baltimore County held their 24th-annual Graduate Research Conference Friday, April 19 in The Commons at UMBC. The conference allowed students of different programs and disciplines to share research ideas and become familiar with the process of preparing for a scientific meeting. Ten-minute oral presentations or poster sessions were available for students to present the results of a literature review (primarily for students in the beginning phases of their research) or to present ongoing research findings. Sessions ran concurrently throughout the day, with a luncheon, keynote address, and reception.

Download the List of Award Winners

Keynote Speaker

The keynote speaker was Candace Pert, Ph.D., a research professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University Medical Center. Pert is known for her provocative and revolutionary research on how chemicals in our bodies form a dynamic information network, linking mind and body. By establishing the bimolecular basis for our emotions and explaining these new scientific developments in a clear and accessible way, Pert empowers us to understand our feelings and the connection between our minds and our bodies "bodyminds." From explaining how there is a scientific basis to popular wisdom about phenomena such as "gut feelings" to making comprehensible recent breakthroughs in cancer and AIDS research, Pert provides us with an intellectual adventure of the highest order.

Pert's extraordinary career began with her 1972 discovery of the opiate receptor. She now conducts AIDS research and peptide pharmacology--design and testing of receptor active therapeutic peptides. She was featured in Bill Moyers's book and PBS series "Healing and the Mind," and lectures extensively throughout the country.

Conference Organizers

Matt Avila (UMBC): mavila@mprc.umaryland.edu
Diane Maloney-Krichmar (UMBC): dkrichmar@erols.com
Michele Vitolo (UMB): mvitolo@umaryland.edu