Beneath the Surface Celebrates 50 Years of Undergraduate Research at Utah State University

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah State University marked a major milestone on Friday with Beneath the Surface: Celebrating 50 Years of Undergraduate Research, a dynamic evening hosted at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. The event brought together alumni, donors, faculty, students and community partners to honor five decades of undergraduate discovery, creativity and innovation at USU.

Established in 1975, Utah State University’s undergraduate research program celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025 and stands as the second-oldest undergraduate research program in the nation, following only MIT. The anniversary event highlighted how research at USU has long been embedded in the undergraduate experience across every discipline — from the sciences and engineering to the arts, humanities, education and business.“Undergraduate research is where students begin to see themselves as scholars, problem-solvers and contributors,” said Brad L. Mortensen, president of Utah State University. “For 50 years, Utah State has opened the door for students to move beyond the classroom and engage in meaningful research. That commitment reflects our land-grant mission and how strongly we believe in our students and the impact they can have.”

The program featured remarks from campus leaders and researchers, student and alumni perspectives, live artistic performance and a multidisciplinary panel exploring the value of disciplined innovation. Guests also engaged with hands-on experiential research stations throughout the aquarium, showcasing undergraduate projects ranging from brain health and air quality to student-built satellites, earthquake engineering, virtual reality, AI, nutrition science, music therapy and environmental research.

“Utah State’s undergraduate research program is strong because it is supported — by donors, partners and advocates who believe in student potential,” said Matthew White, vice president for advancement and president of the USU Foundation. “Philanthropy creates access. It opens doors to labs, creative spaces, fieldwork and national opportunities that shape students into confident leaders and problem-solvers. When you invest in undergraduate research, you’re investing in people and the future they will build.”

A recent gift to USU’s Bear Lake Training Center, through the renovation and enhancement project spearheaded by the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, highlights the impact donors can make on educational research that affects our environment. By making a lead gift to name Lancy Laboratory at Bear Lake, Joyce Kinkead and David Lancy are helping to increase the overall research, teaching and learning capacity at one of the West’s most ecologically significant bodies of water.

The evening also celebrated the program’s national impact and outcomes. Utah State is a Carnegie-recognized R1 institution and was named one of the nation’s top undergraduate research programs by the Council on Undergraduate Research in 2021 — distinctions that reflect USU’s leadership in both graduate and undergraduate education. Undergraduate researchers at USU are more likely to earn prestigious awards such as Goldwater, Rhodes and Udall scholarships. In 2020, the university received the Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments from the Council on Undergraduate Research, recognizing USU as a national leader in undergraduate research and creative activity.

“Utah State University is a national leader in undergraduate research, creating opportunities for students across every discipline to turn curiosity into competence and classroom learning into real-world impact,” said Lisa Berreau, vice president for research at Utah State University. “Through mentored research experiences, students gain confidence, resilience and purpose as they discover their role in solving meaningful problems and shaping the future.”

As the evening concluded, university leaders emphasized that the legacy of undergraduate research at Utah State is not only about celebrating past achievements but also about ensuring access and opportunity for the next generation of Aggies.

Beneath the Surface underscored a simple truth: research transforms education when students are empowered to ask bold questions, work alongside mentors and apply their learning to real-world challenges.

To support undergraduate research and help fuel the next 50 years of discovery, visit usu.edu/urgive.