When going to college, many students hope to learn valuable tools that they can use later on in life, with whatever profession they choose. One way to learn new skills and get a head start on the rest of your life, is by entering a project for the CSU Research Competition.

This year, Sonoma State University is taking applications for the research competition until Friday, Feb. 21.      

“The CSU Student Research Competition is a great way for students to develop skills that they will inevitably bring to their future careers, research related or not. Participating in the competition is an honor and is experiential learning at its finest. It brings student research and creative projects beyond the classroom and reinforces that what students are working on here at SSU has valuable implications beyond the campus,” said Stacey Pelton, the campus coordinator of the Student Research Competition. 

A committee will review each application for the research projects that fall within the course guidelines of: Behavioral and Social Sciences, Biological and Agricultural Sciences Business, Economics and Public Administration, Creative Arts and Design, Education, Engineering and Computer Science Health, Nutrition, Clinical Sciences Humanities, Letters Physical and Mathematical Sciences, or Interdisciplinary. Students will be notified if they have been chosen by March 6. This event is open to everyone, not just people who have majors that align with the topics. Graduates are encouraged to apply as well.  

An engineering and computer science graduate student, David House, talked about his time spent at last year’s event.

“My partner and I presented our work on the cubesat we built. A three year project building a NASA funded cubesat to track the red edge, an indicator of vegetation health on Earth. It was cool to spend time with other students and learn about research at other universities. I enjoyed learning about other projects and networking with professors and students,” said House.

The CSU Research Competition strives to create a culture of active learning throughout the CSU system. The official website page described the competition as, “An event held to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments throughout the twenty-three California State University campuses.”  

When ten lucky Sonoma State students are chosen, they will have the opportunity to meet and interact with over 200 students from over 20 different CSU campuses. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for students around the state to be able to pick the brains of one another and network together later on in life. Attendees will master valuable skills, such as the ability to present a project well and work efficiently with peers. The competition is one weekend long. Participants will arrive Thursday night, work all day Friday and half of the day Saturday, while the other half of the day is reserved for the award ceremony. Students who are eligible to participate in the contest will have their costs paid for.  

Moreover, this event is a chance to see what employers are looking for. Companies and businesses are searching for people who are hard working and dedicated to their craft.  The CSU Research Competition is a perfect event to put on a person’s resume and to use for networking later on in life. 

“From my own experience, the CSU Research Competition has been a great way of getting a first step in public speaking, about my research. With it being a smaller setting where I can still get valuable feedback from my peers and professionals,” said David Story, an engineering science major at Sonoma State.

The due date to submit projects is fast approaching–potential applicants have less than two weeks to get in their projects. Graduate and undergraduate students of all majors can apply with any major of their choosing, but to make the best use of the opportunity, the research project should align with the students career goals. This is an opportunity that only comes around once a year. 

If a potential applicant has any questions about the event, they can contact Stacey Pelton, Student Research Analyst for the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs at [email protected] or by calling (707) 664-2240.