The 22nd Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURēCA) took place April 16–20 at the John C. Hodges Library. Students from across the university entered their undergraduate research, senior design projects, clinical projects, and creative achievements for judging. Over 800 students presented 626 projects. One contributing factor for the rise in participation is the addition of approximately 280 student projects from English 298 classes. 99 projects received recognition at the EURēCA Awards night.

Each undergraduate college selects and awards their top students. College awards ranged from first place to honorable mention. The top students on Monday night and Wednesday night also received ORE Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards for Undergraduate Research funded by the Office of Research and Engagement. These awards are presented across research areas and highlight the best of the best in undergraduate research and creative achievement on our campus. In nine categories, students were awarded 10 gold, 10 silver and 8 bronze awards. These Awards of Excellence provide prizes in the following amounts: $500 for gold awards, $300 for silver awards, and $200 for bronze awards.

The Undergraduate Awards—often referred to as the “junior Nobel Prize”—has announced the winners of its 2017 program, and three UT students are ranked among the world’s best and brightest.

Recent UT graduate Jordan Bakke has received a Fulbright award to spend the next year as an English teaching assistant in Kazakhstan.

Bakke, of Antioch, Tennessee, graduated in May with a degree in international development through the College Scholars program. He had been named a Fulbright alternate but was offered an award last week.

“The Fulbright gives me an incredible opportunity to further increase my understanding of development by living, working, and studying through the Kazakh education system, which will open me up to new and interesting perspectives in a region that is often neglected in American culture and media,” Bakke said.