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It's Not Just for Scientists

Suits of armor, a novelist, evangelical Christians. Though seemingly unconnected, there is a link: These were research topics presented by undergraduates at the 2008 Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference. Even if "Petri dish," "pipette" or "gel electrophoresis" aren't part of your academic vocabulary, the world of research is still open to you.

Read on to hear from students Elliott Wong, Jennifer McClelland and Meredith Jackson about research in the humanities and social sciences.

Samurai armor? In Scotland?
Elliot Wong, medieval and early modern studies major, builds medieval armor as a hobby. Until last year, he'd concentrated on European and Middle Eastern armor. "I became interested in samurai armor during a 2005 summer abroad trip to Scotland, where I visited the Leeds Royal Armory Museum," Wong says. "An exhibit of armor from the Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu Shogunate blew me away. I knew I had to try building it."

For a practice run, Wong constructed two 12th-13th century samurai breastplates. Then last summer he launched into making a full suit of armor. His research involved taking blacksmithing classes from The Crucible in Oakland, poring over books on medieval armor reproduction and an online manual.

"To ensure I built historically accurate armor," says Wong, "I relied on books, purchased with a grant from the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), online resources, and San Francisco's Asian Art Museum."

Wong had taken several classes from his faculty sponsor, Dr. Kevin Roddy, whom Wong describes as a "fantastic teacher who goes to amazing lengths to help his students." When Wong asked Roddy to oversee his armor-building project for the research conference, Roddy enthusiastically agreed.

It took Wong four months of full-time work to complete the samurai armor. He was nervous about giving a presentation at the conference. "At first glance," says Wong, "the conference seemed to be dominated by the biological sciences, and I felt a little out of place. But soon after it began, it was clear there was a niche for me, and I had the opportunity to share a session with a classics major who worked on an archaeological dig in Crete, and a design major who brought a beautiful set of dresses she made."

Wong's family and friends came to see his presentation, "A Historical Reconstruction of an Edo Period Suit of Armor." "I was also very pleased," says Wong, "that Gail Martinez, who was in charge of the SURF grant I received, came to hear my talk." Wong says he talked after the presentation with a neurology professor interested in Japanese history, an Asian American Studies professor, and a member of the UC Davis Kendo club

A Novel Experience
While taking a class from Professor Jack Hicks, English major Jennifer McClelland realized they had similar literary interests. "I asked him to help me with my research," says McClelland, "and after checking his schedule, he happily agreed."

To decide on a research topic, McClelland chose a book she loved and began asking questions about it. Hicks helped McClelland focus her questions and narrow the research topic. "In English, our research produces literary criticism," she explains. "I spent so many hours in the library. I learned how to search online databases for articles and found all of the criticism published on the book I was researching. From there I did research the old fashioned way: reading through lots of books!"

With nary a Bunsen burner or test tube in sight, McClelland says she used the scientific method for explaining her research. "Using PowerPoint, I laid out the background, my initial questions, thesis and findings-textual evidence-and ended with a conclusion," she says. "It seemed to help people understand how English research is conducted."

As for the conference itself, McClelland says giving her presentation, "Escaping Authorship: Travels With Steinbeck," was exhilarating. "Everyone was supportive and encouraging," she says. "I was proud to share my research and am most thankful for getting the opportunity to participate in a scholarly conference. It was also a nice way to put my research to rest."

A Question of Faith
A fall 2007 participant in the UC Davis Washington Program, Meredith Jackson's research developed from an internship focused on the intersection of faith and progressive politics. "The more time I spent working in the field," the policital science major says, "the more I realized that conservative evangelicals had an impressive system, built over years, that supported their political work."

Jackson took two broad topics, faith and politics, and found unique subtopics. She says, "As I began to do research, I narrowed my options." Professor Larry Berman served as Jackson's faculty adviser and a teaching assistant edited Jackson's work.

Conducting her research primarily in the Georgetown University Library, Jackson relied on online resources. "I found materials through the UC Davis University Library Web site and independent journals," she says.

Jackson says giving her presentation, "Do it in the Voting Booth with Jesus: The Mobilization of the Evangelical Vote and the Translation to the Progressive Christian Movement," was a great opportunity to practice delivering her research findings. "It was also a chance to introduce the Davis campus through the work I had done," she says. "In addition, the conference also promotes dialogue between presenters and professors who are conducting similar research."