Students Gain First Impression of Faculty, Academic Explorations at Annual Research Fair

by Andrea Eastes, Academy Avatar

As Adventure Week continues, juniors were exposed to even more aspects of the Academy, in particular, research.

On Monday afternoon, faculty from many academic departments at WKU including Psychology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, and Physics, joined together in Florence Schneider Hall for the annual research fair.  During this time, professors set up boards about their research on the second and fourth floor common areas so that students could not only learn more about what they are doing but also become involved in it.

Junior Erica Plummer said that she found the research fair “very helpful, and it assisted in motivating me to want to participate in research this semester at the Gatton Academy.”

She also commented on the wide diversity of the fields of study represented and how well professors explained their respective fields.  In fact, there are not very many places where one can find a professor discussing his work on knot theory alongside one that is displaying his dung beetle collection.

Attending the fair also allowed students to talk to professors face to face about their research and ask any questions that they might have.  Henry Uradu, a junior, commented that being able to have those conversations in person gave him a better idea about professors’ personalities and the meaning of their research.  He also added that those connections are superior to just reading about research because he could “see exactly what they were working on and how many hours I would be required to put in weekly.”

While Henry found the diversity in the biology department which ranged from ecology to cancer research to nanobiology, Shane Masuda found the geology research and physics research to be particularly fascinating.  Other students, such as Plummer found mathematics research to be where their interests lie.

Derick Strode, Coordinator for Research, Internships, and Scholarships, was the staff member behind this gathering twenty-five faculty members for the fair.  He and Residential Counselor Sue Meador began organizing the fair in early July.

Strode spoke to the “display of their commitment that we had so many faculty join us on Monday.”

He also commented on the importance of the experience for both students and staff: “For Gatton Academy students, I want research to be a means of career exploration–a way to confirm what they’ve always wondered if they would enjoy.  I want our students to find the thing that they love studying.  Students who find this passion have fun with their research.  It becomes an outlet, like a hobby.  For the faculty who work them, it’s an awesome feeling to mentor a student who shares their same passions.   In fact, many faculty say that having a Gatton Academy student work with them is like having a graduate student researcher.”

All in all, the research fair was a success for both faculty and students.  Both were able to make meaningful connections with each other and many doors were opened for the possibility to do research this semester.

Adventure Week, Andrea Eastes, Derick Strode, research, Research Fair, WKU