The Graduate and Professional Student Senate will host a research conference April 4. The conference will consist of more than 100 exhibitions.

Vivek Lawana, graduate in biomedical sciences, said the presentations will be made up of oral, poster and thesis-like performances.

Zachary Zenko, graduate in kinesiology, said it is important for graduate and professional students to attend the conference.

“It is an opportunity for graduate students and professional students to learn what the other graduate students and professional students from other departments on campus are doing and what their research is about,” Zenko said.

In addition, Zenko said the conference will provide an opportunity to practice public speaking and share research ideas and projects with people who are educated, but not specialists in an area.

There will be many benefits to attending the conference, as well.

“It’s going to be a nice networking opportunity for students,” Zenko said.

Lawana said he believes the research conference will offer newer graduate students a chance to present their work to people who have a lot of experience.

“The conference will foster more collaboration and will allow students to be more informed about what is happening at their own university,” Lawana said.

Lawana said he also believes that those who are not able to go to similar conferences because they may be out of the state or country, are given that opportunity at Iowa State’s Graduate and Professional Research Conference.

“It is an initiative put on by graduate and professional students for graduate and professional students,” Zenko said.

Both graduates and undergraduates are being encouraged to attend.

This event is not only catered to graduate and professional students, though. Lawana said there will be a panel created especially for undergrads to ask questions about the graduate and professional side of college.

An award ceremony and keynote speaker will end the conference. Lawana also said cash prizes, as well as other prizes, will be awarded to the best presentation given at the conference.

It is the hope of the GPSS that the research conference will become an annual event, said Zenko and Lawana.