Inquiry Weeks: Celebrating Undergraduate Research, Design, and Creative Work at Rice University.
April 10th – 25th, 2025
Sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (OURI)
The mission of Inquiry Weeks is to recognize and celebrate ongoing research, design, and creative work by undergraduate students at Rice University. The two-week event aims to provide an opportunity for students to showcase their projects and achievements in variety of settings, while students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to learn more about the projects occurring at Rice.
OURI will host an expanded Shapiro Showcase Competition with representation from every school and an award ceremony/recognition event. The collective efforts of the Rice community allow for this annual event to highlight and celebrate the incredible scholarly and creative contributions of undergraduate researchers.
Thursday, April 10th
Center for Civic Leadership Spring Showcase
5:00 - 6:30 pm in the Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center (RMC)
The CCL Showcase will highlight the work of students through community based learning and research, as well as, fellowship opportunities. Open to the public.Questions? Contact jkhalaf@rice.edu.
Monday, April 14th
Medical Humanities Practicum Showcase and Exhibit
10:00 am - 5:00 pm in Farnsworth Pavilion, Rice Memorial Center (RMC)
This event includes short oral presentations from students in the medical humanities practica. They will share highlights from the research they conducted in conjunction with mentors and organizations in the Texas Medical Center and local institutions related to health. Students enrolled in the medical humanities special topics class on pain will also display the alternative pain scales that they have developed.
Questions? Email melba@rice.edu.
Tuesday, April 15th
Humanities Day
11:00 - 3:00 pm in the Grand Hall and Farnsworth Pavilion, Rice Memorial Center (RMC)
In Farnsworth, a program showcasing undergraduate humanities-based research from a host of departments, centers and programs housed within our school manifest as oral presentations, as well as, Art Showcase: Pecha Kucha/ 20x20 Presentations. In the Grand Hall, a showcase of poster work highlighting a variety of humanities-based undergraduate research housed within our school.
Apply by February 19th, 2025. More information at: https://humanities.rice.edu/humanities-day.
Wednesday, April 16th
Social Sciences Undergraduate Research Showcase (SSURS)
Post Session (12:00-1:30 p.m.); Oral presentations (4:00-5:00 p.m.); Reception begins at 5 p.m., Awards announced at 5:45 p.m. in Kraft Hall
The School of Social Sciences' annual undergraduate research showcase highlighting the research, scholarly and creative work conducted by our majors. More information at https://gateway.rice.edu/research-symposium.
Apply by March 18th, 2025.
Natural Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium
11:00 am - 3:30 pm in Tudor Fieldhouse
The Natural Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium celebrates undergraduate research in all Natural Sciences disciplines. The event will feature several poster sessions showcasing student research through judged poster presentations, a Rice faculty keynote speaker and a reception for all participants. More information at https://naturalsciences.rice.edu/undergraduate-research-symposium.
Register by March 14th, 2025.
Fondren Undergraduate Creative Writing Showcase
7:00 pm, Location TBD
Come hear the winners of the Max Apple Prize in Nonfiction, Larry McMurtry Prize in Fiction, and Susan Wood Prize in Poetry read their works. More information at https://library.rice.edu/creative-writing.
Apply by February 28th, 2025.
Fondren Fellows Presentations
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm, Farnsworth Pavilion, Rice Memorial Center (RMC)
From mapping archival images of historical plantations in Brazoria County to launching the inaugural issue of a Rice-based comic book anthology, members of the 2023-2024 cohort of Fondren Fellows are working on an exciting range of projects that involve library skills, services, collections, or spaces. As the culmination of their work, Fellows will give lightning talks highlighting what they have accomplished. A reception will follow. This event is open to all. More info at https://library.rice.edu/places/fondren-fellows.
Thursday, April 17th
Huff OEDK Engineering Design Showcase
4:30 - 7:00 pm at The ION
This showcase and competition highlights many of the school’s engineering design projects and represent our students’ success. The competition is open to all engineering design projects for each discipline of engineering. The evening will host 80+ judges made up of engineering alumni and local industry to help with the poster session competition. More information at https://oedk.wildapricot.org/showcase/.
Friday, April 18th
Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) Showcase
The first annual OURI VIP Showcase features projects, individuals, and research involved with a Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) at Rice University. In addition to showcasing undergraduate research, the event is an opportunity for faculty, students, and community to learn about Vertically Integrated Projects.
Saturday, April 19th
New Art/New Music; Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice
3:00 pm, Moody Center for the Arts
Experience musical responses to the Moody's current exhibition Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice composed and performed by Shepherd School of Music students. Organized by Rice students Jaylin Vinson and Victor Cui, a series of original compositions will be played in the galleries, followed by a reception. More information at https://music.rice.edu/events/new-art-new-music-2.
Monday, April 21st
OURI’s Shapiro Showcase Research Competition
9:00 am - 1:00 pm in the Kyle Morrow Room, Fondren Library
Nominated undergraduates will deliver 8-minute talks on their intermediate to advanced research, followed by a short Q&A. One winner will be selected through judge evaluations and announced at the award reception. Representation from Humanities, Social Science, Natural Science, Engineering, Music, Architecture, Business. More information at https://ouri.rice.edu/events-and-fairs/shapiro-showcase.
Tuesday, April 22nd
OURI’s Shapiro Showcase Research Competition
9:00 am - 1:00 pm in the Kyle Morrow Room, Fondren Library
Nominated undergraduates will deliver 8-minute talks on their intermediate to advanced research, followed by a short Q&A. One winner will be selected through judge evaluations and announced at the award reception. Representation from Humanities, Social Science, Natural Science, Engineering, Music, Architecture, Business. More information at https://ouri.rice.edu/events-and-fairs/shapiro-showcase.
Napier Rice Launch Challenge
Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center (RMC)
The H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge (NRLC) is Rice’s new venture competition, where undergraduate, graduate, and MBA students pitch their business ventures to win a share of $100,000+ in equity-free funding, all while launching their venture on the biggest stage of the year. The five finalist teams will present a five-minute pitch, followed by Q&A from our judges, live, on-stage, in front of the whole Rice entrepreneurship community. Judges will deliberate and select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Additional prizes will also be awarded. More information at https://entrepreneurship.rice.edu/napier-rice-launch-challenge.
Apply by March 2nd, 2025.
Wednesday, April 23rd
OURI’s Shapiro Showcase Research Competition
9:00 am - 1:00 pm in the Kyle Morrow Room, Fondren Library
Nominated undergraduates will deliver 8-minute talks on their intermediate to advanced research, followed by a short Q&A. One winner will be selected through judge evaluations and announced at the award reception. Representation from Humanities, Social Science, Natural Science, Engineering, Music, Architecture, Business. More information at https://ouri.rice.edu/events-and-fairs/shapiro-showcase.
Thursday, April 24th
OURI's Shapiro Showcase Final Luncheon
4:00 - 5:00 pm in Farnsworth Pavilion, Rice Memorial Center (RMC)
Final four Shapiro Showcase competitors present projects over lunch. Mentors, students, judges invited. RSVP here.
Department of Art Senior Showcase
7:00 - 9:00 pm, Sewall 301
Please join the Department of Art’s Senior Thesis Exhibition featuring work in diverse media created by art majors their senior year.
The evening’s events will begin with an awards ceremony at 6:00 p.m. in Sewall Hall room 301, followed by the student film showcase “Flicks!”, which will be screened in the same room. The senior exhibition will be installed and on view in the PCF Tent #2, along with a celebratory reception located in the same area. The reception and senior show will be available from 7:00-9:00 p.m. that evening. More details and information to come! art.rice.edu.