University of North Alabama Prepares for 2018 UNA Research Days

Mar. 12, 2018

FLORENCE, Ala. – Student researchers from the University of North Alabama will display ongoing progress, highlight innovative achievements, and brainstorm future exploration in all academic disciplines during the 2018 UNA Research Days.

“The goal of UNA Research Days is to exhibit student research, whether applied, theoretical, practice-based, or artistic,” according to event organizer Dr. Lisa Keys-Mathews, director of UNA’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), a professor of geography at the university, and a National Geographic explorer. “The students all have a faculty member who mentors their research.  Within this opportunity, we hope to encourage academic discussions and camaraderie related to the presented work.”

The public is invited to experience and enjoy a wide variety of demonstrations, discussions, and presentations throughout the month of April on topics ranging from The Impact of Photojournalism on the Success of Social Movements, to Perceived Versus Actual: Physical Activity and Wearable Technology, to Testing the Waters: What Microbes are in the Waters Around Us, and much more. “We have real diversity in student presentations,” said Keys-Mathews, “and that is very exciting.” 

Research Days begin with the Three-Minute Thesis competitions (Monday, April 9, and Monday, April 16), poster presentations (Tuesday, April 24), and oral presentations (Wednesday, April 24). In addition there will be a Fulbright Scholarship Information Workshop Thursday, April 26, and an Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology Research Symposium Friday, April 27. The Military History Symposium on Thursday, April 26, will include student research presentations as well as presentations by invited scholars on topics including World War I, Vietnam, and the American Revolution.

“This is an annual event that allows us to share our work with our colleagues, students, and the community,” Keys-Mathews said. “Student researchers are given the opportunity to interact in a professional environment to talk 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 the twelfth year of Research Days, which are 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 events 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 said. “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.” 

UNA 2018 Research Days Schedule

Three-Minute Thesis Competition

Individual College Pre-Finals

Monday, April 9

Norton Auditorium

5:00 p.m.

University Finals

Monday, April 16

Norton Auditorium

2:30 p.m.

Poster Presentations

Tuesday, April 24

Atrium, Guillot University Center

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Oral Presentations

Wednesday, April 25

Stone Lodge

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Fulbright Scholarship Information Workshop

Thursday, April 26

The Loft, Guillot University Center

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Military History Symposium

Thursday, April 26

Location TBA

9 a.m. – 12 noon

12:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

AKD Sociology Research Symposium

Friday, April 27

The Loft, Guillot University Center

11:00 a.m.