VCU Hosts Inaugural Research Week: Profiling Student Research

By Sathya Achia Abraham

Virginia Commonwealth University is hosting its inaugural Research Week, a series of events that bring together undergraduate and graduate students from across disciplines to celebrate research and creative and scholarly projects.

“Profiling Student Research” takes place April 18-22 on the Monroe Park Campus of VCU.

During the week-long series, nearly 180 undergraduate and graduate students will present overviews of their projects, theses or dissertations. These projects span many academic disciplines, including the College of Humanities & Sciences and the schools of Allied Health Professions, Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Interdisciplinary Studies. Students will be available to demonstrate and discuss their projects.

This year’s event features several guest speakers who will talk with students about careers in research and the factors, events, people and decisions that influenced them and brought them to where they are today.

The event is free and open to all students, faculty, staff and the public.

April 18    Kick-Off Lecture: James McLurkin, Ph.D.
3 p.m.-4 p.m., Commonwealth Ballroom, Student Commons,
907 Floyd Ave.
Speaker: James McLurkin, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rice University, will kick off Research Week with advice for student researchers.

April 19    Graduate Student Research Symposium
10 a.m.-2 p.m., Commonwealth Ballroom, Student Commons,
907 Floyd Ave.

“The Power of Social Media”
Noon, Commonwealth Ballroom, Student Commons
907 Floyd Ave.
Speaker: Beverly Macy, professor in Extension Business and Management
program at the University of California, Los Angeles, will discuss the rise of social
media.

The Best Is the Brightest, Why VCU Deserves Daylighting
2 p.m.-2:30 p.m., Virginia Room A&B, Student Commons
907 Floyd Ave.
VCU students with the Focused Inquiry program will discuss the benefits of daylighting technology in the classroom. A question-and-answer session to follow.  

April 20    Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium
11 a.m.-2 p.m., Commonwealth Ballroom, Student Commons,
907 Floyd Ave.
Noon: Opening remarks from VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., and Francis Macrina, Ph.D., VCU’s vice president for research

April 21    “From Student to Researcher”
4 p.m., 500 Academic Centre, Room 112,
500 N. Harrison St.

Panel includes VCU researchers: Kevin Ward, M.D., associate director of the VCU Reanimation Engineering Shock Center – VCURES; Mary Ann Peberdy, M.D., professor of emergency medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the VCU School of Medicine; and Karen Radar, associate professor in the VCU Department of History and director of the Science Technology and Society Program based in the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences. Discussion will focus on their personal paths to a research career.

Research Week is sponsored by the VCU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, VCU Graduate Student Association, the VCU Office of Research and the VCU Office of the Provost.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, contact Herb Hill at hhill@vcu.edu or 804-828-4450, or visit http://www.research.vcu.edu/vpr/ugresources/research-week.htm.