NAU Yuma Hosts Third Annual Student Research Symposium

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Students at Northern Arizona University’s Yuma campus recently had the chance to share not just their research..but their perspective.

The school hosted its third annual Student Research Symposium, where students from a range of programs presented their in-depth research.

The event opened with a keynote address from Yuma native Dr. Stephanie Parra, who encouraged students to see the value in their own experiences.

“The message that I want the students to take from today is that their perspectives matter and their lived experience will actually enrich our solutions going forward,” Parra said.

From psychology and social work to engineering, students explored topics that connect directly to the region..like food insecurity in U.S.-Mexico border communities and youth homelessness.

Parra says those closest to these challenges are often the ones best positioned to help solve them.

“It’s important for leaders to step up, and I believe that young people, and the people closest to the problems we’re navigating..have solutions,” she said.

For some students, that message is already shaping how they approach their work.

“You can’t just let the opportunity come to you. You have to reach for it and actually seize it,” said student John Beler, whose group built their vehicular project from the ground up.

And while presenting that work can be intimidating, many say it’s also rewarding..especially after weeks of effort.

“It feels really relieving to get this far because this was probably 40 hours of work just to put it all together,” Beler said.

For many of these students, what starts as a research project could become something more..a step toward future careers, and solutions that extend beyond the classroom.