VCU news

By Sathya Achia Abraham and Frances Dumenci

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

Events and activities will take place from April 10 to April 25 on the Monroe Park and MCV campuses of VCU.

During the two weeks, undergraduate and graduate students will present overviews of their projects, theses and dissertations. These projects span many academic disciplines, including interdisciplinary studies, the College of Humanities & Sciences and the schools of allied health professions, arts, business, education, engineering, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and social work. Students will be available to demonstrate and discuss their projects.

The events are free and open to all students, faculty, staff and the public.

April 10        School of Dentistry Clinic and Research Day
8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Lyons Building, First Floor, VCU School of Dentistry
520 N. 12th St.
Students will share their research with colleagues in the School of Dentistry and share how the student community is helping advance the practice of dentistry. Awards will honor the best poster presentation by dental students and dental hygiene students.

April 11        VCU Political Science Eighth Annual Student Research Conference: “Politics, Society and Foreign Affairs”
8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Richmond Salons I, II, III and IV, Student Commons
907 Floyd Ave.
Undergraduate and junior graduates will present completed research papers/projects and research-in-progress, and will facilitate roundtable discussions on topics related to the general fields of government, international and public affairs. Students from colleges and universities in and around Virginia, as well as overseas, also will join the VCU community to present their work. Topics will include American government, public policy, international relations, comparative government and politics, political theory and research methods, with strong connections to sociology, ethics, religious studies, philosophy, economics and history.

April 3-20     School of the Arts Juried Design and Fine Arts Exhibition
The annual VCUarts undergraduate exhibitions will remain on view through April 20 at two locations: the Anderson Gallery, 907 ½ W. Franklin St., and the Depot, a new multidisciplinary arts facility located at 814 W. Broad St.
The Juried Fine Arts exhibition, selected by MASS MoCA curator Denise Markonish, features works by students in all fine arts departments. Faculty from the departments of communication arts, fashion design, graphic design and interior design will select student work for the design exhibitions. The kinetic imaging exhibition, also selected by department faculty, will include sound art, animation and video. For additional information, including hours, please go to www.arts.vcu.edu/andersongallery.

April 17-18     VCU School of Engineering Design Expo
9 a.m.-3 p.m., Science Museum of Virginia
2500 W. Broad St.
The annual Senior Design Expo is the culmination of eight months of effort and allows senior design teams to display and demonstrate their prototypes. Hosted by the Science Museum of Virginia.

April 18           VCU STEM-H Education Summit
Noon–3:00 p.m. Engineering East Hall Atrium and Room 1232
401 W. Main St.
The half-day program will include lunch with guest speaker David Pugalee, Ph.D., professor of education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; a poster session highlighting research and programs in STEM-H Education; and a closing lecture from Ainissa Ramirez, Ph.D. (see description below).

Pugalee serves as director of the Center for Mathematics, Science & Technology Education. He has taught at the elementary, middle and secondary levels. His works include several books and book chapters published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In addition, he has published two books on communication and mathematical and scientific literacy: “Writing to Develop Mathematical Understanding” and “Developing Mathematical and Scientific Literacy.” His main area of research interest is the relationship between language and mathematics teaching and learning.  

Click here to register for the VCU STEM-H Education Summit

VCU Research Week Keynote Lecture: Ainissa Ramirez, science evangelist
3:30 p.m.-5 p.m., Commonwealth Theater, Student Commons,
907 Floyd Ave.
Speaker: Ainissa Ramirez, journalist and scientist, who has  a passion for inspiring the next generation of STEM learners. She is author of “Save Our Science,” which is based on her TED talk about the importance of STEM education. She is co-author of “Newton’s Football: The Science Behind America’s Game.”

April 22           Graduate Student Research Symposium and Exhibit
11 a.m.-1 p.m., Commons/Commonwealth Ballroom, Student Commons,
907 Floyd Ave.
Sponsored by the Graduate Student Association, the annual research symposium is a forum for VCU graduate students from all disciplines and departments to present their work to faculty, staff, students and community members.

10th Annual Women’s Health Research Day
1 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Rooms 104/105 and Auditorium. Kontos Medical Sciences Building. MCV campus.
1217 E. Marshall St.
The program includes a plenary session with presentations from VCU researchers and a poster session highlighting women’s health and sex/gender differences research from VCU faculty and students.

April 23           Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium
11 a.m.-2 p.m., Commonwealth Ballroom/James River Terrace and Richmond Salons, Student Commons
907 Floyd Ave.
Students will present their research endeavors to academic peers, members of the VCU faculty, community members and friends and family. Projects include research and scholarly work from a wide variety of academic disciplines. Organized by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).

Graduate Recruitment Fair
1 p.m.-3 p.m., Virginia Rooms, Student Commons
907 Floyd Ave.
Undergraduates from all disciplines are invited to attend for information related to opportunities in graduate education at VCU and beyond. Recruiters will be in attendance from a number of universities. All undergraduate students are welcome and encouraged to attend. Hosted by the VCU Graduate School.

VCU Venture Creation Competition
8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Room B3189, Snead Hall, VCU School of Business
301 W. Main St.
Reception 4:30 p.m., Atrium, VCU School of Business
Awards Ceremony 5 p.m., Atrium, VCU School of Business
VCU’s da Vinci Center for Innovation hosts the business plan competition aimed at sparking the entrepreneurial spirit of VCU students across both campuses. VCC participants will have an opportunity to define their ideas in commercial terms and to compete for cash prizes that can be used to further the commercialization of their concepts, inventions and/or business ideas.  More information can be found at http://www.davincicenter.vcu.edu/programs/vcc/

April 25           VCU School of Social Work Research Symposium
10 a.m.-1 p.m., Commonwealth Ballroom, Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.
Graduate and undergraduate students from the VCU School of Social Work present their research and scholarly projects at this annual symposium.  Students share their work in the form of research posters and oral presentations.

VCU School of World Studies Senior Research Symposium and Poster Exposition
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Symposium
12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., Poster Expo
Room 1030-J, VCU Globe Living/Learning Building, 830 W. Grace St.
Seniors in the School of World Studies will showcase research from Senior Seminar, internship experience, service-learning work and other academic research. Share ideas, network with recent graduates, meet community employers and learn about graduate school prospects.

Research Weeks are sponsored by the VCU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, the 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/ugresources/research-week_2014.htm.