VCU news

By Leah Small

Undergraduate and graduate students will grow as scholars when they share and promote their research at the eighth annual Student Research Weeks, April 6-27. Students enrolled in the university’s more than 200 degree programs in multiple disciplines will present their research to faculty and peers during symposiums and other events.

The goal is for students to network and learn from other researchers, and practice engaging the community with their work, said Herbert Hill, director of undergraduate research opportunities in the Office of Research and Innovation.

“VCU Research Weeks is about providing our students, both graduate and undergraduate, with a platform to share their work with their peers and the broader community,” Hill said. “One of the core outcomes of research is dissemination, sharing challenges, progress and discoveries in the effort to advance knowledge as a whole.”

The following is a schedule of VCU Research Weeks events, which are free and open to the public:

---

 

School of Education Research Colloquium
Oliver Hall, 1015 W. Main St.
April 6

Keynote speaker Jennifer Piver-Renna will share how research can change the conversation around education policy in Virginia, offering an inside perspective on how research and data can influence state policy decisions. Other sessions will include presentations of faculty and student research.

 

14th annual Women’s Health Research Day
Hermes A. Kontos Medical Science Building, auditorium, 1217 E. Marshall St.
April 12

Women’s Health Research Day is a celebration and promotion of research activities in women's health at VCU. A plenary symposium will cover topics such as women and substance use disorders, using e-cigarettes during pregnancy, opioid use during pregnancy and PTSD-related drinking.

 

School of Dentistry Clinic and Research Day
VCU School of Dentistry, Crockett Lounge, 520 N. 12 St.
April 19

School of Dentistry students will present research that demonstrates how they progress the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the best poster presentations.

 

VCU Political Science 12th annual Student Research Conference
April 20
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

VCU undergraduate and graduate students and students from across Virginia and overseas will present research and facilitate roundtable discussions on topics related to general fields of government and public affairs. Topics will include American government, public policy, international relations, comparative government and politics, political theory and research methods. Research may share connections to sociology, ethics, religious studies, philosophy, economics and history. The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

Graduate Research Symposium and Exhibit
April 24
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

Five VCU experts in opioid related research will discuss how to combat the epidemic during a panel discussion. A poster presentation of graduate level research will cover opiate addiction and other topics in multiple disciplines. The event has a thematic tie to “Dreamland,” VCU’s 2017 Common Book.

 

Poster Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creativity
April 25
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

The symposium is a chance for many VCU undergraduates to showcase the results of their first major research endeavor. Students in multiple disciplines in the arts, sciences and humanities will present their research. The event is often a culmination of an undergraduate academic career, and marks the end of a year’s worth of exploration for a research project.

 

Graduate Recruitment Fair
April 25
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

The fair will coincide with the Poster Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creativity. Undergraduates from all disciplines are invited to attend for information related to opportunities at VCU and other institutions. Recruiters from other universities will be in attendance.

 

National Science Foundation Research Fellowship information session
April 26
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

The VCU National Scholarship Office will be hosting an information session for the NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Jeff Wing, director of the VCU National Scholarship Office, will share information about the application process. Juniors and seniors who are planning to pursue graduate degrees in STEM fields are encouraged to attend, as are first-year students.

 

Fulbright Scholarship information session
April 26
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

The VCU National Scholarship Office will host an information session for students interested in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which includes funding to study, conduct research or teach English in more than 140 nations.

 

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship information session
April 26
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

The VCU National Scholarship Office is hosting an information session for students interested in the Goldwater Scholarship. The purpose of the Goldwater program is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue research careers in these STEM fields.

 

School of Social Work Research Symposium
April 27
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.

Graduate and undergraduate students from the VCU School of Social Work will present their research and scholarly projects in the form of posters and oral presentations at the annual symposium, held from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.

 

School of Engineering Senior Design Expo
April 27
VCU Siegel Center, 1200 W. Broad St.

Undergraduates in the School of Engineering will share capstone senior projects with the greater Richmond community to raise awareness of the profession among middle and high school students. Senior design teams will demonstrate their prototypes, which are a culmination of eight months of effort. In all, 88 student teams will participate in the expo, which has become a signature event for the university.