University graduate students presented their research at the fourth- annual Graduate Student Poster Research Symposium held over the course of last week leading up to the inauguration of University President Frederick Lawrence. At the symposium, students presented what they had been researching throughout their time at the University. The symposium featured 12 posters that were displayed in the Art Gallery in the Shapiro Campus Center from master's and doctorate students throughout the week. In addition, two receptions were held with the presenters to discuss their research.

The posters, some of which were professionally printed through scholarships made possible by workshops provided by Assistant Provost for Graduate Student Affairs Alwina Bennett, displayed information gathered and research conducted by the students and their findings.

Graduate student Senator Zachary Matusheski, who coordinated the symposium, said in an interview with the Justice that a panel of faculty from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management and the International Business School narrowed down the submissions to 12 presenters. According to Bennett in an interview with the Justice, submissions were chosen based on the overall strength of the presentation.

Four research presentations were given awards based on votes that were cast by graduate student senators, faculty and staff who viewed the posters, according to Bennett.

Both Bennett and Matusheski said that about 100 people attended the event during the 2 days when the receptions were held.

Matusheski said that the symposium would complement the two faculty symposiums that were also held as a part of the inauguration week. Bennett, who sat on the Inauguration Planning Committee, worked with the committee to hold the symposium as a part of inauguration week.

According to Bennett, Sara Wooten (GRAD) and Xiaolin Li (GRAD) received provost awards which, according to the inaugural website, were given for "overall excellence." In addition, Yue Pan (GRAD) and Kristen Sutherland (GRAD) were given Graduate Student Association prizes.

Wooten wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that her poster displayed her findings of a study she conducted among college and university LGBTQ students in the Boston area and their experiences of sexual violence.

"I am trying to bridge the gap between what we know about campus rape culture and what we know about LGBTQ experiences of harassment and marginalization on their campuses," wrote Wooten.

According to Wooten, 40.9 percent of participants experienced some form of unwanted sexual harassment during college. One in five participants said that they were sexually assaulted and one in 14 said they were raped.

"My colleagues who participated in the symposium as well are engaged in incredibly exciting and important research, so I really felt in the presence of greatness throughout the event," wrote Wooten. "This project is something that I am truly passionate about, so to receive this sort of recognition is incredibly encouraging."

In an interview with the Justice, Pan said the symposium "was a great chance for the graduate students in different areas to exchange their ideas and to show my work to [people] who are not majoring in science."

Pan wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that his poster displayed his research on the use of novelnanomaterials for multifunctional anticancer therapy, a way to kill cancer cells and tumors as a type of cancer treatment.

Another presenter, Monica Curca (GRAD), explained in an interview with the Justice that she researched the use of social marketing to promote social action in order to encourage peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

"It was great that they could show research that was more qualitative research as well as quantitative research," said Curca.