Graduate students and faculty at Emporia State University presented posters representing their research in the Colonial Ballroom Wednesday for the school’s 25th Research and Creativity Forum.
The purpose of the forum, sponsored by the office of graduate studies and research, is to showcase research efforts being undertaken by ESU students and faculty.
“This is the only venue across campus for people to see what our faculty and graduate students are doing in research and grant activities,” said Gary Bleeker, dean of graduate studies. “The forum gives us an opportunity to celebrate and honor the research that takes place here at Emporia State.”
The event began with a poster session that gave presenters an opportunity to discuss their research. The session featured posters describing everything from theoretical approaches to kitsch to the sustainability of Kansas.
“The poster session gives researchers a chance to talk with a wide range of people,” Bleeker said, “which we hope inspires others to do more research.”
Judges evaluated the posters, and the top-rated ones won awards in graduate student and faculty categories. A number of awards also were given in categories ranging from outstanding master’s thesis to excellence in teaching for graduate students.
The President’s Award for Research and Creativity was the featured award. It was given to Khaled Alshare, associate professor of accounting and information systems. Alshare has taught at ESU since 2001, and since then has published in a number of scholarly journals.
Alshare gave the keynote speech in which he outlined tips and techniques for effective research. Some advice he gave the researchers and students gathered included suggestions on coming up with research ideas; keeping current with the literature and study in a respective field; the importance of coming up with unique questions, gathering unique data, and using unique methods, and choosing the right colleagues; developing productive relationships with researchers and writers in the field.
Students and faculty representing 28 different research projects participated in the event.