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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – At an award ceremony on April 23, The University of Alabama recognized the top presentations from the 2026 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference. The conference, held April 14-15 in the Bryant Conference Center, showcased student research and creativity in 11 categories.
The conference helps students polish their communication skills as they present their work to peers, faculty and staff.
"This year was the 20th URCA conference and the largest URCA that we have had on record," said Leanne Caroll, undergraduate research program director at the Capstone Center for Student Success. "With over 615 abstracts selected for presentation and 875 presenters, it was an amazing two-day event that showcased outstanding research happening with undergraduates at The University of Alabama. We are incredibly proud of the work that they have done."
For business/accounting/finance/management/economics, the local winner was Payton Jones, North Manchester for “Bursting Bubbles: Historical Parallels to the Trillion-Dollar AI Infrastructure Boom.” Jones’ mentor was Dr. Paul Drnevich.
