WHEREAS, On February 13, 2018, the six public baccalaureate institutions in the state of Washington joined together to highlight the innovative undergraduate research and programming led by students and faculty across campuses; and

WHEREAS, Undergraduate research opportunities in higher education provide many benefits to students, including hands-on experience that leads to career preparation and increased participation in graduate education, increased critical thinking and problem solving skills, improved retention, and enriched learning through collaborative research and scholarship with faculty mentors; and

WHEREAS, The undergraduate research performed at Washington's public higher education institutions demonstrate a shared commitment to solving a diverse range of complex and unique challenges faced by individuals, families, and communities in the state of Washington; and

WHEREAS, Undergraduate research tackles a myriad of topics including in STEM fields and contributes to the state of Washington's commitment to solving global challenges; and

WHEREAS, Examples of current undergraduate research efforts at Washington's public four-year institutions include the development of solar windows to harness energy from the sun, innovations in cybersecurity, assessing the relationship between heat exposure and early markers of kidney injury in agricultural workers, developing an award winning Mars rover, and improving recruitment and retention of math and science teachers in K-12 schools; and

WHEREAS, Partnerships between Washington's public higher education institutions are strengthened through cross-collaborations to advance research and learning; and

WHEREAS, Washington residents often choose to attend college in state because of such partnerships and the unparalleled access to undergraduate research opportunities with world-class faculty provided by Washington's six public baccalaureate institutions; and

WHEREAS, Undergraduate research highlights the extraordinary achievements of faculty and undergraduate students in and outside of the classroom to affect change;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate of the state of Washington recognize undergraduate research day in celebration of the innovative research developed to advance excellence and solve problems faced by communities across the state and globally, noting that faculty and students, with their achievements in research, bring honor and pride to our state.