With a deadline tomorrow, the number of applicants for an annual showcase of student projects hosted by the Graduate and Professional Student Council has dropped by two-thirds since last year.

The GPSC Student Showcase is designed to give undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to show their peers and alumni some of the best research and creative projects happening on campus, event organizers said. Last year, about 75 students participated in this event, but as of this weekend only 25 applications had been submitted.  

“”The application process is not very rigorous,”” said GPSC Events Director Jessica Gerlach, a graduate student in art.

Because of the low number of applications currently turned in, organizers might have to extend the deadline, Gerlach said. The problem, she added, is that the word “”has not yet gotten out””.

Linguistics senior Kevin Key participated in the showcase last year with a presentation on the genetics and origins of people in eastern Indonesia. He said he had no idea why turnout would be down.

“”There is definitely not a lack of student research on campus,”” he said. “”Maybe people are busy or they’d rather buy beer during homecoming.””

Student participants have the potential to win up to $10,000 in prize money, with cash prizes awarded to both the first and second place winners in a variety of categories. The research and projects are judged at the showcase by a panel of judges composed of faculty, students and community members.