Una Research Day 2013 Showcases Work By Students, Faculty From All Academic Disciplines

Apr. 03, 2013

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

By Terry Pace, UNA Communications and Marketing FLORENCE, Ala. - Faculty and students from the University of North Alabama will showcase ongoing progress, highlight innovative achievements and brainstorm future exploration in all academic disciplines during the 2013 UNA Research Day. The public is invited to experience and enjoy a wide variety of demonstrations, discussions and presentations from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at the Guillot University Center on the UNA campus. Activities will continue from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10. "The goal of UNA Research Day is to exhibit student and faculty research, whether applied, theoretical, practice-based or artistic," according to Dr. Lisa Keys-Mathews, director of UNA's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) and a professor of geography at the university. "We also hope to encourage academic discussions and camaraderie related to the presented work." Student presentations - which range from electronic and illustrated-paper programs to a panel discussion - will take place in the Loft of the GUC at specified times throughout the two-day event. "We have real diversity in student presentations, so I am very excited," Keys-Mathews remarked. "One student is discussing how he composed a piece of music, and another student is discussing a painting. One of our elementary-education professors, Dr. Lisa Clayton, is leading a panel discussion of elementary-education students as they discuss a particular project they do." On both days of the event, 29 departments and four academic units from UNA will display and discuss student and faculty research in a conference-type exhibit setting in the GUC Banquet Halls. These displays will be open to the public during the daytime hours both days as well as on Tuesday evening, when a reception will take place for student researchers, their families and their mentors. "This is the only annual event that we have that allows us to share our work with our colleagues, students and the community," Keys-Mathews noted. "Student researchers are given the opportunity to interact in a professional environment where they are talking about their work, both formally and informally." In addition, students who are not involved in research have a chance to see what their peers are doing - and to realize that every department on campus is involved in some type of student research. "This is also an opportunity to discuss interdisciplinary research opportunities between various disciplines," Keys-Mathews added. "In the banquet halls, researchers will be showings posters, slides and other examples of their work. It's an informal gathering where researchers from all departments will be available at the same time." Now in its seventh year, Research Day is presented through UNA's Quality Enhancement Plan, "Building Success Through Discovery: Imagine, Investigate, Communicate." High school groups as well as the general public are encouraged to attend the event and learn more about the deep-seated level of research taking place at UNA. "Faculty members have been committed to undergraduate research for many years," Keys-Mathews concluded. "The Quality Enhancement Plan is a formalization and enhancement of what we have been doing. The success of our QEP and undergraduate research is a credit to an incredibly committed and supportive faculty." For more information on UNA Research Day, or for a complete schedule of activities, visit www.una.edu/qep, e-mail qep@una.edu or check the QEP Facebook page, UNAqep.